cont1

Me eyes see scales that weigh me day to day,

Faces of this world, measure sticks come my way,

Though no matter how hard I may try,

I never measure up - God, I don't know why.

Difference should not be seen as always missing the mark,

I'm human, with desires, yet I feel like I walk in the dark,

Day by day, rulers strike my bruised, measured head,

I'm tired of not measuring up, measure yourself instead.

The world mirrors back at one another, expectations by the mark,

If another doesn't fit our desires, we leave them in the dark,

Don't you ever get tired of slapping others over the head?

Do you measure up to your own expectations my friend?

People are human, we each have something incredible to offer,

Created uniquely and wonderfully by our immeasurable heavenly Father,

It's time to quit trying to measure up to the world's desires,

Jesus Christ is my leader and through Him I can look higher.

For I left my ruler at the foot of His cross,

My own gain was His measurable loss,

We will never equal the price He paid,

Put down your ruler and look higher, on the hill is a cross, your new incredible gain!

As the sun rises, the water glows with the bright reflection,

God's face looks down at the rolling ocean tide,

Endless patterns of waves, stretch in all directions,

Calm and refreshing, an ocean so filled with pride.

A place for children to dream and parents to run free,

Beautiful ocean life beneath the waves, created by God,

Oh what joy and peace fills the eye of all humanity,

Observing the ocean and hearing one's heart applaud.

God is so great - a wise and wonderful creator,

With love like an ocean, so peaceful and true,

Never-ending and stretches all the farther,

When the beach leaves you dry, the water first meets you.

Though it may be soothing to gaze upon this ocean tide,

God's love requires action; will you be carried by the waves?

Drowning in God's love, a Father who will never hide,

Whose face I seek and knowledge I most crave.

It's time to go swimming, step off the dry, sandy beach shore,

Experience the love of your Father, so peaceful and pure,

Renew your strength, sailing places you have never been before,

You are in good hands, with the Father only can you rest assure.

In my hand lies a crumpled dollar bill,

It's worth means much, but appearance little,

Though within the colors and beneath the dust,

I manage to recognize the phrase, “In God We Trust.”

I thought to myself in silence, not a word was spoken,

When financial needs are extreme, God's door is always open,

Like a bird rests peacefully on a thin, wooden branch,

We must trust in God, regardless the circumstance.

When we find ourselves in the deepest valley of our life,

There is a hand that will hold us through each dark night,

After the walls of life seem to have left us without room to breathe,

Sigh deeply my friend, God's air is in your being, it's Him you need.

The meaning and answer to life, written so clearly in my hand,

Yet everyday we see these words, and look for answers on our demand,

My friend, remember your forefathers as they created words especially for us,

In this land of freedom, liberty and pride - let us never forget that it is in God we trust.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Boundless Praise

Once again, Lord I have stumbled - I have failed You,

I lay here on the ground; there is nothing humanly possible I can do,

The weight of sin has crushed me, I thought I was so strong,

Please come and help me now - I can't hold on for long.

I promised I would try to follow You this time around,

Yet You walked out on the raging seas and my faith drowned,

My trust is weak, my heart is sore, my promise to You now broken,

You must look down on me now, for it is You that I have forsaken.

“My child,” the Lord calls, “Let me give you a hand,

I have been beside you all this way, waiting for your command,

You have been trapped here for quite a while I can see,

This burden you carry is too heavy, it belongs here with me.”

Quietly and softly the Lord removed the weight from above,

Yet He expressed no anger nor rejection - but smiled with love,

As I sat there in awe, peacefully and weightless I laid,

While Jesus showed me His wounds; my price He had already fully paid.

He knew I would fail Him, endless fallen accounts,

Yet He still paid such a price for the burden, which weighed me down,

Perfect is His love and His grace is sufficient for my every need,

Why try to hide my sin from Him - in peace I want to be.

Countless accounts I remember turning my burdens over to Him,

Memories and pain lead me to repenting once again,

As He holds me in His comforting arms and from the silence within,

My ears hear His soft voice echo, “My child, I remember no sin.”

A person should not define their life by the future or the past,

But the Lord sees only the present, no strings attached,

Therefore, lay in peace, oh precious child of God, sing praise,

God knows when you will fall, but each stumble He can erase.

Lay in peace, most precious child of God, sing praise, sing praise!

U. F. I., three simple letters,

Yet one incredible phrase,

Surrounded by sin's debtors,

A way to look and find God to praise.

First my friend, when trouble comes your way,

Look up and seek God's comforting grace,

Though the valley may seem too steep and the mountain soar too high,

His hands are always with you, right by your side.

Secondly, when you think darkness is all you know,

Look forward to the future, God's light will eventually show,

Though your feelings may doubt, and in hopelessness you fear to drown,

His light will shine in the afternoon, right before the sun goes down.

Last and most importantly, remember the decision to seek Him starts with you,

Look inside yourself, in the midst of this darkness, what solution will you choose?

Though you may feel that you were not created for such misery,

His breath brought you life and His pain gained your destiny.

U.F.I., Look Up, Forward and Inside,

You will see God's grace in all three roles,

At the end of your struggle, you will receive this prize,

Through looking past the darkness, God's never-ending love for you will be what you hold.

As I sit in the quietness, beneath the moonlight,

The events of the day rush through my head,

When I look into the mirror, I see a human sight,

But Lord, You see a vessel for which You bled.

Out of my mouth has come advice and encouragement,

Your wisdom, I pray will guide my tongue,

Why do others trust my counsel and judgment?

I am human, flesh and blood, beating heart and lungs.

My Father, the Great Counselor, help me rest tonight,

I know that wisdom only comes from You,

As the sun rises again and I search for spiritual insight,

Remind me that I can be Your vessel, it's Your will I want to do.

As I marvel at Your wondrous tears,

My feet lay soaked in Your puddles,

Precious water, poured from heaven, oh so very near,

This rain comforts me in my deserted troubles.

Just like a child, I leap and kiss the cloudy sky above,

My feet land in a shallow puddle, peace fills the air,

In this day only, my shadow does not cover me like a dove,

For the sun is not needed, this rain shows God's true care.

Though my heart will cherish the sunsets I have seen,

It will always be in the rain that I see God's face,

Tears of happiness and grace, flow directly down to me,

Oh how I love these cloudy days that I may sing in Your heavenly grace!

Peaceful heart and dreamy eyes,

A creation of God, a Potter's prize,

Molded and crafted, purified and whole,

Running towards the finish line, within the Father's hold.

Watching the sunset, resting underneath the stars,

Within the dark, the Shepherd watches not far,

Pushing and crafting, this soft piece of clay,

With dreams and passions to complete His masterpiece one day.

As the Creator pushes softly on His art,

Trying to form His vessel to be like Him at heart,

Wishing so much to bring His child joy,

Only the best of His love will He ever employ.

As the Father, the Potter, pushes passionately on the clay,

He discovers hard and dark areas, not willing to form to His ways,

Filled with pride, sorrow, sin and fear,

Hardened and far from the Father's graceful tear.

Still the creation walks down the road of life,

Dreaming of the future and trying to climb great heights,

Though the Great Shepherd will never leave the lamb's side,

He still dreams of His passion to form His complete masterpiece with pride.

As Christians we have choices and endless human desires,

Wanting to become the vessel God most deeply inspires,

Yet we harden ourselves with areas of fear, doubt and the darkened past,

Hoping to be made into the finest sculpted task.

It's time to strengthen our trust and soften our guard,

Willing to enter the Refiner's fire, purified with a renewed heart,

A complete and worthy work of Christ,

It is now that you will truly venture undefined heights.

As I walk down this road of life,

I encounter hurdles from every side,

Some high and others low,

They often leave me trapped, with nowhere to go.

At times, I feel like crying out in pain,

Yelling for my Father's guidance, his death is my gain,

Even though I feel that I am alone,

God is right by my side, guiding me home.

Holding me as His precious lamb,

Though I kick and scream, not feeling His peaceful hand,

Through this struggle I will eventually see,

The Great Shepherd's comfort, always close, never leaving me.

Though I am not flying high, I'm not grounded,

I am not perfect, but mistakes take me farther,

Though I am not finished yet, it is to God I am bounded,

I am not independent, but I have a loving Father.

Though I am not able to hear quite right, I can still respond to the Great Shepherd's voice,

I am not present with two strong arms, but I work through God's hands,

Though I am not here with perfect sight, His light will guide my choice,

I am not able to face against the wind alone, but on God's rock I will stand.

I am still hungry, but only through Christ will I be filled,

I am still blind, but God's light will guide my feet,

I am still a child, but my Father holds me still,

I am still in love, walking towards my home, for my creator will I finally meet.

“This is the day that the LORD has made,

Let us rejoice and be glad in it,” (Ps. 118:24)

As the sun rises, Lord, You will be my shade,

Yet when the clouds cover the light, You will keep my path lit.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,

His love endures forever,” (Ps. 118:29)

Though at times my faith seems like watery mud,

You rescue me, flying as light as a feather.

So, in You my Father, shall I place my trust?

From tomorrow on, I will weep,

But today I will be glad, even looking at this dust,

Soon tomorrow will be today and joy to keep.

When stressful darkness fills my eyes,

It is You Lord, that makes me smile,

For You created laughter and surprise,

In distress, in the sun's heat, You hold me all the while.


	Measuring Up Ocean's Love In God We Trust Boundless Praise Look U. F. I. Wisdom Rainy Days Purely Whole Never Leaving Me I Am Today Is Joy Measuring Up Me eyes see scales that weigh me day to day, Faces of this world, measure sticks come my way, Though no matter how hard I may try, I never measure up - God, I don't know why. Difference should not be seen as always missing the mark, I'm human, with desires, yet I feel like I walk in the dark, Day by day, rulers strike my bruised, measured head, I'm tired of not measuring up, measure yourself instead. The world mirrors back at one another, expectations by the mark, If another doesn't fit our desires, we leave them in the dark, Don't you ever get tired of slapping others over the head? Do you measure up to your own expectations my friend? People are human, we each have something incredible to offer, Created uniquely and wonderfully by our immeasurable heavenly Father, It's time to quit trying to measure up to the world's desires, Jesus Christ is my leader and through Him I can look higher. For I left my ruler at the foot of His cross, My own gain was His measurable loss, We will never equal the price He paid, Put down your ruler and look higher, on the hill is a cross, your new incredible gain! Ocean's Love As the sun rises, the water glows with the bright reflection, God's face looks down at the rolling ocean tide, Endless patterns of waves, stretch in all directions, Calm and refreshing, an ocean so filled with pride. A place for children to dream and parents to run free, Beautiful ocean life beneath the waves, created by God, Oh what joy and peace fills the eye of all humanity, Observing the ocean and hearing one's heart applaud. God is so great - a wise and wonderful creator, With love like an ocean, so peaceful and true, Never-ending and stretches all the farther, When the beach leaves you dry, the water first meets you. Though it may be soothing to gaze upon this ocean tide, God's love requires action; will you be carried by the waves? Drowning in God's love, a Father who will never hide, Whose face I seek and knowledge I most crave. It's time to go swimming, step off the dry, sandy beach shore, Experience the love of your Father, so peaceful and pure, Renew your strength, sailing places you have never been before, You are in good hands, with the Father only can you rest assure. In God We Trust In my hand lies a crumpled dollar bill, It's worth means much, but appearance little, Though within the colors and beneath the dust, I manage to recognize the phrase, “In God We Trust.” I thought to myself in silence, not a word was spoken, When financial needs are extreme, God's door is always open, Like a bird rests peacefully on a thin, wooden branch, We must trust in God, regardless the circumstance. When we find ourselves in the deepest valley of our life, There is a hand that will hold us through each dark night, After the walls of life seem to have left us without room to breathe, Sigh deeply my friend, God's air is in your being, it's Him you need. The meaning and answer to life, written so clearly in my hand, Yet everyday we see these words, and look for answers on our demand, My friend, remember your forefathers as they created words especially for us, In this land of freedom, liberty and pride - let us never forget that it is in God we trust. 1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Boundless Praise Once again, Lord I have stumbled - I have failed You, I lay here on the ground; there is nothing humanly possible I can do, The weight of sin has crushed me, I thought I was so strong, Please come and help me now - I can't hold on for long. I promised I would try to follow You this time around, Yet You walked out on the raging seas and my faith drowned, My trust is weak, my heart is sore, my promise to You now broken, You must look down on me now, for it is You that I have forsaken. “My child,” the Lord calls, “Let me give you a hand, I have been beside you all this way, waiting for your command, You have been trapped here for quite a while I can see, This burden you carry is too heavy, it belongs here with me.” Quietly and softly the Lord removed the weight from above, Yet He expressed no anger nor rejection - but smiled with love, As I sat there in awe, peacefully and weightless I laid, While Jesus showed me His wounds; my price He had already fully paid. He knew I would fail Him, endless fallen accounts, Yet He still paid such a price for the burden, which weighed me down, Perfect is His love and His grace is sufficient for my every need, Why try to hide my sin from Him - in peace I want to be. Countless accounts I remember turning my burdens over to Him, Memories and pain lead me to repenting once again, As He holds me in His comforting arms and from the silence within, My ears hear His soft voice echo, “My child, I remember no sin.” A person should not define their life by the future or the past, But the Lord sees only the present, no strings attached, Therefore, lay in peace, oh precious child of God, sing praise, God knows when you will fall, but each stumble He can erase. Lay in peace, most precious child of God, sing praise, sing praise! Look U. F. I. U. F. I., three simple letters, Yet one incredible phrase, Surrounded by sin's debtors, A way to look and find God to praise. First my friend, when trouble comes your way, Look up and seek God's comforting grace, Though the valley may seem too steep and the mountain soar too high, His hands are always with you, right by your side. Secondly, when you think darkness is all you know, Look forward to the future, God's light will eventually show, Though your feelings may doubt, and in hopelessness you fear to drown, His light will shine in the afternoon, right before the sun goes down. Last and most importantly, remember the decision to seek Him starts with you, Look inside yourself, in the midst of this darkness, what solution will you choose? Though you may feel that you were not created for such misery, His breath brought you life and His pain gained your destiny. U.F.I., Look Up, Forward and Inside, You will see God's grace in all three roles, At the end of your struggle, you will receive this prize, Through looking past the darkness, God's never-ending love for you will be what you hold. Wisdom As I sit in the quietness, beneath the moonlight, The events of the day rush through my head, When I look into the mirror, I see a human sight, But Lord, You see a vessel for which You bled. Out of my mouth has come advice and encouragement, Your wisdom, I pray will guide my tongue, Why do others trust my counsel and judgment? I am human, flesh and blood, beating heart and lungs. My Father, the Great Counselor, help me rest tonight, I know that wisdom only comes from You, As the sun rises again and I search for spiritual insight, Remind me that I can be Your vessel, it's Your will I want to do. Rainy Days As I marvel at Your wondrous tears, My feet lay soaked in Your puddles, Precious water, poured from heaven, oh so very near, This rain comforts me in my deserted troubles. Just like a child, I leap and kiss the cloudy sky above, My feet land in a shallow puddle, peace fills the air, In this day only, my shadow does not cover me like a dove, For the sun is not needed, this rain shows God's true care. Though my heart will cherish the sunsets I have seen, It will always be in the rain that I see God's face, Tears of happiness and grace, flow directly down to me, Oh how I love these cloudy days that I may sing in Your heavenly grace! Purely Whole Peaceful heart and dreamy eyes, A creation of God, a Potter's prize, Molded and crafted, purified and whole, Running towards the finish line, within the Father's hold. Watching the sunset, resting underneath the stars, Within the dark, the Shepherd watches not far, Pushing and crafting, this soft piece of clay, With dreams and passions to complete His masterpiece one day. As the Creator pushes softly on His art, Trying to form His vessel to be like Him at heart, Wishing so much to bring His child joy, Only the best of His love will He ever employ. As the Father, the Potter, pushes passionately on the clay, He discovers hard and dark areas, not willing to form to His ways, Filled with pride, sorrow, sin and fear, Hardened and far from the Father's graceful tear. Still the creation walks down the road of life, Dreaming of the future and trying to climb great heights, Though the Great Shepherd will never leave the lamb's side, He still dreams of His passion to form His complete masterpiece with pride. As Christians we have choices and endless human desires, Wanting to become the vessel God most deeply inspires, Yet we harden ourselves with areas of fear, doubt and the darkened past, Hoping to be made into the finest sculpted task. It's time to strengthen our trust and soften our guard, Willing to enter the Refiner's fire, purified with a renewed heart, A complete and worthy work of Christ, It is now that you will truly venture undefined heights. Never Leaving Me As I walk down this road of life, I encounter hurdles from every side, Some high and others low, They often leave me trapped, with nowhere to go. At times, I feel like crying out in pain, Yelling for my Father's guidance, his death is my gain, Even though I feel that I am alone, God is right by my side, guiding me home. Holding me as His precious lamb, Though I kick and scream, not feeling His peaceful hand, Through this struggle I will eventually see, The Great Shepherd's comfort, always close, never leaving me. I Am Though I am not flying high, I'm not grounded, I am not perfect, but mistakes take me farther, Though I am not finished yet, it is to God I am bounded, I am not independent, but I have a loving Father. Though I am not able to hear quite right, I can still respond to the Great Shepherd's voice, I am not present with two strong arms, but I work through God's hands, Though I am not here with perfect sight, His light will guide my choice, I am not able to face against the wind alone, but on God's rock I will stand. I am still hungry, but only through Christ will I be filled, I am still blind, but God's light will guide my feet, I am still a child, but my Father holds me still, I am still in love, walking towards my home, for my creator will I finally meet. Today Is Joy “This is the day that the LORD has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it,” (Ps. 118:24) As the sun rises, Lord, You will be my shade, Yet when the clouds cover the light, You will keep my path lit. “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever,” (Ps. 118:29) Though at times my faith seems like watery mud, You rescue me, flying as light as a feather. So, in You my Father, shall I place my trust? From tomorrow on, I will weep, But today I will be glad, even looking at this dust, Soon tomorrow will be today and joy to keep. When stressful darkness fills my eyes, It is You Lord, that makes me smile, For You created laughter and surprise, In distress, in the sun's heat, You hold me all the while. Lord, help me to look at life through Your heart, I believe I would see a clear masterpiece, Each day filled with its designed trial of art, With the choice to see anger or peace. I'm tired of lying on anger, hatred and my own tears, Help me Lord, to see the sunshine through the clouds, Within my doubts, unpleasant moments and fears, Let me see Your smiling face and join with you in a joyful shout.