ramblings.

and soon everyone's got one of them

masks

everywhere

you never know what's real anymore

is he really happy?

or is he just hiding behind a forever smiling mask

hiding the hurt and pain

might never know

masks

everywhere

you never know what's real anymore

nobody's real anymore

and how can we?

were we to be real to ourselves and everyone

what then?

shunned by people

another form of conforming to the ways of this defeated world

a world of masks and lies

a world where everyone seems happy

and everything seems alright

but how can we ever be happy and alright in this

rubbish bin we call earth

surrounded by things that leer and judge you

criticise and put you down

is it really that hard to believe that people can

snap

go mad with depression

or burst with anxiety

not really

even saying "oh i'm fine"

has become the norm

the usual

the expected

it's expected that everything's green and beautiful in

everbody's lives

yet another form of conformation

everyone seems so confortable in this status quo that we've created for ourselves

nobody daring to be different

even in being different we try to copy others

the rivalries that swell up

all for what?

nothing's gonna last anyway

short term goals coming to nothing

why do you press on?

looking for promotions

plaudits

acceptance

"friends"

only when you find your purpose then do you live

it's much like a maze sometimes

you don't know where you are

you don't know whats around you

you don't know where you're going

and

you don't know how on earth you're gonna get there

or what to do to get there

wherever

there is

all this hurt and pain and depression

arising from a single problem

accentuated by smaller problems

caused by rivalries

competition

envy

and it seems like there's no way out

when the other party refuses to budge

stand their ground

and the problem drives everybody mad

frustrated

determined to end it

to go back and

nip the problem in the bud

or

damage control

and try to resolve whats left

lifeless souls walking down empty streets

heading to nowhere in particular

grasping so tightly onto nothingness

and who's to judge them?

we're all pretty much doing the same

until someone comes along and pulls us out of this

ditch we keep digging for ourselves

deeper and deeper

until there's no way we can get out

by ourselves.

a warrior once said

"every man dies

but not every man truly lives"

start living

Love

I saw them hang Love on a tree.

I saw them brutalize and hurt Him badly.I saw them slap, curse, and spit in His face.

But, Love remained Love and never did He retaliate.

Love stood as a lamb.

He stood gentle, humble, and calm.

Love stayed silent, Love stayed still, even when His blood was about to be spilled.

Love did not think evil when He was wrongfully chastised.Instead,

Love expressed more love and humiliated Pride.

Why did Love do all of this for such a wretched people?

And why did He suffer such trouble?

why did Love send Love to die on a tree?

The answer is simple.

Love had a deep affectionate Love for you and me.

part II of footsteps in the sand.

"Now imagine you and the Lord Jesus walking down the road
together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along "Now imagine you and the Lord Jesus walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace. But your prints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures and returns.

For much of the way it seems to go like this. But gradually, your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His consistently. You and Jesus are walking as true friends. This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: your footprints that once etched the sand next to the Master's are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His larger footprints is the small 'sandprint', safely enclosed. You and Jesus are becoming one.

This goes on for many miles. But gradually you notice another change. The footprint inside the larger footprint seems to grow larger. Eventually it disappears altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one. larger. Eventually it disappears altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.

Again, this goes on for a long time. But then something awful happens. The second set of footprints is back. And this time it seems even worse. Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Deep gashes in the sand. A veritable mess of prints.

You're amazed and shocked. But this is the end of your dream. Now you speak. 'Lord, I understand the first scene with the zigzags and fits and starts and so on. I was a new Christian, just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with you.'

'That is correct.'
'Yes, and when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps. I followed You very closely.'
'Very good. You have understood everything so far.'

'Then the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in with Yours. I suppose that I was actually growing so much that I was becoming like you in every way.'

'Precisely.'

'But this is my question, Lord. Was there a regression or something? The footprints went back to two, and this time it was worse than the first.'

The Lord smiles, then laughs. 'You didn't know?' He says. 'That was when we danced'."

Faithfulness

He has loved me from the beginning.

I wouldn't accept Him.

He has been present every moment of my life

I wouldn't acknowledge Him.

He wanted to carry my burdens.

I wouldn't let Him.

He wanted to ease my pain.

I wouldn't give it to Him.

Yet in my deepest and darkest moment,

He carried me through to the end;

Where on bended knee before His Son,

I humbled myself and . . .
Accepted His Grace,

His Mercy,

His Peace,

And His Love in Faith.