Reflection

What I was, what I am
What I hope to be, all of me

I'm owning it - the good, the bad
An offering to You, a soul made new

Time, money, talent, strength
What good is it if not invested?

The barns are full, I've more than I need
Soured milk, moldy bread, who needs a place to lay their head?

I won't be the man whose pockets were full,
and at the funeral bed, no word was said.

Why believe in God?

The following is an excerpt from a response to a friend who is questioning the existence of God. For a Christian, it's not new news but rather the Good News. Thanks to my sister-in-law for reminding me of the heart of the matter.


"...I was talking to my sister-in-law earlier this week about how she came to believe in God and she concisely answered “Jesus.” There are countless accounts of Jesus life, only 4 of which I have read, but according to those writings, he lived a perfect life: He thought of others more than Himself at all times, even to the point of death; in other words, He loved perfectly. When I match myself up to him, I don’t measure up. If there is a God, then it was a pretty smart idea to beget a perfect being that would reveal His true wishes for humanity. His mission was to love and to set people free. Those who choose to follow Him won’t lose the battle…they won’t be plagued with fear and loneliness, stifled by guilt, controlled by anger or jealousy, or any other damaging human experience. So, why did (do) people reject him? Because they saw that His power and authority threatened their own. Now, the weak have a defender and justice reigns over injustice.

There are many reasons why I believe in God, but, I agree with my sister-in-law: Jesus is the best reason to believe in God."

All men are like grass...

If grass had a voice,
what would it say?
Watch your feet, show respect or,
don't be shy, I'm not for display.

If grass had a choice,
where would it go?
To the seaside shore
or gracing peaks of old?

Where is your voice
and what is your choice?
For like the grass of the field
to death we must yield.

Like Ruth, I had a choice
to stay behind or go,
turn my back on my gods
for a God I did not know.

Like Ruth, I had a voice
to plead for his protection,
asking him to be
my savior from destruction.

We are like grass...
when will we breathe our last?
But we have a choice
and we have a voice.

A rap, given up to Kim & Matt

The pivot in the middle: be balanced, be still
One minute I'm healthy - and the next I am ill
Lookin' to God to make my body be well, so I'll tellya

There's no God like our God,
No God like our God.

He heals all our diseases,
just look to Jesus.

There's no God like our God,
No God like our God.

A speculation from an onlooker

Like a ship and its sail are a man and his wife...

Lay down your oars,
save your strength,
for the battles instead.
Let her catch the God-breathed wind
to carry you ahead.

The Living Word a map, His Spirit a compass,
and the rudder is at your command.
"Do not fret," so she says, "With strength of bow and sail,
together, we'll safely reach Land."

Burden

Chorus
Lord, take this burden from my soul,
And place it at the foot of the cross.
Lord, take this burden from my soul,
And fill me again with you.

Vs. 1
When the news of his death got around,
A town not just a family fell down.
When he took the game of life in his hands,
I found out the weakness of man.

(Chorus)

Vs. 2
Have the lies and the hurts of this world left you torn
wishing you had never been born?
Have the pains of life been too hard to bear
that the thought of life not death is what you fear?

(Chorus)

Vs. 3
As the winds blow the clouds from the sky
you've wiped away the sin from my life.
As the sun chased the moon from the night
you swept away the darkness with light.

Lord, take this burden from my soul,
And place it at the foot of the cross.
Lord, take this burden from my soul,
And fill me again with you.
And fill me again with you.


...This is a song my Dad and I wrote in the mountains of Tennessee. Originally a Gospel tune, it was later produced and doctored up by Neil. Check it out at the Family Band Eckstein and other great tunes recorded by Neil and Steve. (Kim, Christy...where you at?) http://www.myspace.com/thefamilybandeckstein

Speak

If I thought words were weightless
then why should I speak
no sign of origin nor receipt?

When I pause before I speak
I'm not without thought
bored, embarrassed, confused, or distraught.

When I stare blankly, lips sealed
don't think I'm a fool
each word can be a piranha or a jewel.