Abstract: Psalm 10

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Psalm 10

God! Where are you?

Are you paying attention?

Your enemies celebrate their greed,

The violent wage war,

And the schools brainwash their students by calling you a myth.

They lie about You and mock us,

While the use laws to destroy our children.

Before judges and juries,

They attack You and us.

What will You do?

Everywhere we look, your people are on the run.

But, my feet stand forever on solid ground.

You’re the One who delivered the Hebrews from slavery,

And then again from Babylon.

Most of all, You gave us Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

We are free and will prosper anywhere we go to work,

Unbound by culture or customs.

You stand for the oppressed and persecuted,

And all evil will die the death it is due.

I cast all my worries and fear toward you,

And wait for Your righteous words.

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Abstract: Psalm 9

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Psalm 9

I’ve seen too much, know too much, 

And I can’t stop loving You. 

My darkness was chased away, 

And all the lies died in Your Presence. 

Nothing has life aside from You Jesus, 

And whatever breathes outside of your Kingdom will eventually grow cold and turn to ash, then back to the dust. 

But, Your culture and work is eternal. 

Time and space are Yours alone. 

They say prayer is stupid and we foolish, the happy few who choose to love You. 

They are wrong. 

Like I said, I’ve seen too much, 

And I live in the knowledge of Your grace, 

For orphans, widows, refugees, the mentally ill, the abused and belittled.

For white trash and children of ghettos.

For old men and the grieving women. 

You are the Hope for all people. 

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Abstract: Psalm 8

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Psalm 8

I’m in Awe of You, my dear Lord.

Each night, when the sky is clear,

I stare at the stars in wonder.

I mediate on the vastness of Creation,

A universe packed with color and life and mystery.

So, what is humanity?

Your unique artistry, not You, but of You,

In a way nothing else is.

You’ve made us the crown jewel of creation,

Set us as kings of this earth,

And entrusted us to care for it.

How glorious are You and the way You work.

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Abstract: Psalm 7

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Psalm 7

Dearest Father,

Save me! From this age and culture.

It is a beast, seeking to destroy me.

And if I add to the wickedness and violence, sift me.

Lay all my greed and lusts in the ground, far from my heart and Your presence.

Come Lord, and pour Yourself out on the whole world.

Teach us to love each other as Jesus commanded,

and the whole will know He is real.

For what can we give you?

The earth is Yours, but you want our hearts and minds.

So, I weep for the proud and those who refuse to follow you.

They live and build in vain,

and nothing they do will last beyond a generation or two.

I praise you Lord and my hopes in You.

You preserve me and the work I do.

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Abstract: Psalm 6

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Psalm 6

Have mercy on me Lord.

I know I am worthy of judgment and prison, but I beg you for grace and mercy.

I am grieving and weak.

Save me Jesus,

and be the Savior I know.

I’m exhausted, and I’m tired of weeping.

I reject all the world has to offer, which is little more than addiction and pain.

But, I know the Lord hears me and he will come through.

And the world will know He is God.

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Vol III: #47 Did I, Grow Up?

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As you may know, or perhaps you don’t, I am writing a novel. The process is slow and I spend more time pondering the story than writing it. This is good, I’m told. (I heard a lifelong artist say “an artist should spend more time observing than creating. Then each brush stroke will be made with an educated purpose.” This approach is good for writing too.) And, I since I realized a novel is nothing more than collection of short stories with a common cast of characters organized around a central plot, I spend a considerable amount of time thinking about my characters and how they interact with one another.

Tuesday, I sat down to write a pivotal part of the novel’s climax, and…it sucked. Oh, it sucked bad. The crucial chain of events made little sense to the rest of the novel, and the plot holes were staggering. And the dialogue? It was eight grade school play awful. The shame of such bad writing and composition set in mere minutes after I finished composing it.

I spent the next 24 hours doubting my ability to write a novel worth reading, though I never thought of giving it up. Then, a Holy thought formed in my mind. Write down your fears/disappointments and start over. So, I grabbed my notebook and jotted down my thoughts on what I wrote. Afterward, I took my pen and slashed through eight pages of garbage, ready to start again.

Believe it or not, a moment like the one I had this week- some bad writing or a wrong brush stroke- has derailed me in the past. I have dozens of unfinished projects because I couldn’t handle my mistakes. My mistakes were seen as a judgement on my ability and talent. But you know? I’m learning. Bad writing is part of the process of becoming a good writer. And, I’m not done with my mistakes. Creative people must be able to work through bad choices and missteps. So, I must learn to keep moving/writing/sculpting. And, I think I have.

Feels good to grow up.

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Vol III: #46 What I Have To Say

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I saw a drug commercial today and it freaked me out. Why do they want to mess with the biology of children? One day we’ll look back at this era with shame for what we allowed them to do to our kids. And, say what you will to defend the American medical system, I think it is one of the most immoral and corrupt industries in the entire world. They make trillions- literal trillions- off making us sick or ashamed. Instead of healing our diseases, they simply want to help us manage them. And boy, do we have a lot of diseases.

But, I’m not here to rant about the Big Pharma or doctors. They are sinners who do not know what they do. Rather, I want to turn on the light.

The current state of the western world frightens me. I see a death culture shaded in Blue Donkey Left and/or Red Elephant Right. And, like so many, I feel drawn to “take a stand” or say something. So. I will:

The Lord is good and His love is eternal.

He holds us and guides us,

and takes away our shame.

We can hold our heads high and hope for the future because of Him.

Jesus died so we may live and every thing we do and every thing we say matters.

We are the light and salt,

Without us, the world is dark, bland, and voilent.

I will not seek answers from politicians or demand satisfaction from greedy men,

But I will love the orphaned and the broken.

I will wave to my neighbors and pick up trash left by the addicts.

I’ll pray for miracles and smile at the darkness,

for greater is He in me than this bullshit in the world.

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Abstract: Psalm 5

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Psalm 5

Listen to me God,

listen to my cries and pain.

I need You, the only One worthy and true.

I come to You first and always,

in all stages of my life- through grief and joy, when I have much or none.

I give you control of my heart and my steps.

Because, I know Your ways.

You don’t take pleasure in lies, adultery, violence, or bigotry.

No one can flatter or deceive You.

And You lead anyone willing to be led by You.

Though some are wicked and delight in mocking You,

Delight in destroying Your blessings,

I beg You to save them, like You rescued me.

Redeem the love of those who walked away,

and pour Yourself out on those who have never known Your warmth and grace.

For You love all the world and all the those in it.

I pray you turn my enemies into friends, my new brothers in You.

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Abstract: Psalm 4

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Psalm 4

Hear me Lord, I need hope for my struggles.

You’ve it before- given me hope.

But some think I am an idiot for following you, for loving you.

They say my prayers are worthless because evil and hardship exist.

But, I know better.

You love what is good and provide for your people.

You hear me, and I know it.

And I will press onward, and tell my loved ones,

“Wait on the Father and focus on His blessings,

and all He did for us. He will do it again.”

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Abstract: Psalm 3

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Psalm3

My sorrow has grown.

The world is against You.

Those in power say “trust in us and not a god.”

But, I know better.

You are my rock and my love,

who answers my sorrow with joy.

I will not fear the lies of the enemy or the shame they put on me.

You will bless Your people and be our salvation.

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Abstract: Psalm 2

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Psalm 2

What is wrong with people?!

Why are they mad at the Lord and His people?

I see them rally together, to plot our demise.

But the Father laughs at their efforts and will destroy their plans.

Regardless of what comes, the word of the Father will go forward,

and subdue the enemy.

And all people on this planet, rich or poor, mighty and weak,

must decide to worship Him or perish.

And, I pity those who choose death.

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Abstract: Psalm 1

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Psalm 1

Blessing comes to those who focus on the words, commands, and promises of the Lord,

and to those who don’t listen to the wisdom of the worldly and the critics,

or tangle themselves with the immoral,

or take a seat of judgement.

For those who put the Lord above all else,

and find joy in His love and glory,

will grow stronger.

They will endure harsh seasons, persecution, and even death.

For their foundation is the King and their trust is in Him.

Those whose hope is the Lord will always stand for what is good.

Everything else will fail, in its time.

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