Isaiah 40

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28‭-‬31 NIV

Gentle Stranger by Captain & Tennille

Somewhere on a beach in Martinique:


Gentle stranger, you came into my life
When I was feelin' sad
And I looked up that day
To see your face shinin' in the sun

Your eyes were kind and you spoke softly to me
You were just passing through
Tomorrow you would be gone
But we shared conversation and wine and talked of many things

And on that night I slept softly in your arms
And you'd kept me warm
You kept me from harm, you gave me love

Yes, I knew you'd be leavin' in the mornin'
By the dawn you'd be goin' on your way
But we can never know about tomorrow
And I know you made me beautiful, beautiful today

Gentle stranger, I'm now returned again
To lonely days and nights
But now I cannot feel the pain so much
For a memory of you
Comes and wraps itself around me in the dark
And in my dream I sleep softly in your arms

And I am warm, I am safe from harm, I am loved

Grateful Dead - Looks Like Rain

I've never been much of a Grateful Dead fan, but boy did I ever love this song.

Did you ever waken to the sound of street cats making love?
You guess from the cries you were listening to a fight.
Well you know, oh know, haste is the last thing they're thinking of.
You know they're only tryin' to make it through the night

No Doubt

I don’t so much pray that my death will be without pain, but that it will be without doubt.
John Piper

Welcome Home

Joe Beam described what he thought his first moments in heaven might be like. “I’ll see angels of all kinds, Godly people singing, and the Loving Light streaming from the throne. Somewhere, sometime, in that introduction to the home of God, I expect to hear an angel call my name. He’ll know me, though I won’t yet know him. ‘Joe. Good to see you here. Welcome home.’”

Colton Dixon - Through All of It

Sunday Will Come

“Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.” 

― Joseph B. Wirthlin
source: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/sunday-will-come?lang=eng

Good Friday. The Day Death Died

Never again wonder if you are loved. If you had been the only sinner on the planet, Good Friday would still have happened, just for you. Someone asked Jesus, "How much do you love me?" He answered, "This much," as he spread out his arms and died. All for you. Just for you. 
- Jim Dennison
source: http://www.denisonforum.org/why-easter/326-good-friday

1Corinthians 13 "The Love Chapter for Mothers"

The Love Chapter For Mothers

If I talk to my children about what is right and what is wrong, but have not love, 

I am like a ringing doorbell or pots banging in the kitchen.

And though I know what stages my children will go through and understand their growing pains, and can answer all their questions about life and believe myself to be a devoted mother,

 but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give up the fulfillment of a career to make my children’s lives better and stay up all night sewing costumes or baking cookies on short notice, but grumble about lack of sleep, 

I have not love and accomplish nothing.

A loving mother is patient with her children’s immaturity and kind even when they are not; a loving mother is not jealous of their youth, nor does she hold it over their heads whenever she has sacrificed for them.

A loving mother believes in her children; she hopes in each one’s individual ability to stand out as a light in a dark world; she endures every heartache and backache to accomplish that.

A loving mother never really dies.

 As for home-baked bread, it will be consumed and forgotten; as for spotless floors, they will soon gather dust and heel marks.

 As for children, right now toys, friends, and food are all-important to them. But when they grow up, it will be their mother’s love that they will remember and pass on to others.

 In that way, she will live on.

So care, training, and a loving mother reside in a home,

 these three; 

but the greatest of these is a loving mother.

-by Dianne Lorang

I'll Stand By You

Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'Cause I've seen the dark side too

When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothin' you confess, could make me love you less

I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

So, if you're mad, get mad
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now

Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I'm a lot like you

When you're standing at the crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'Cause even if you're wrong

I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you

And when, when the night falls on you, baby
You're feelin' all alone
You won't be on your own

I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you

I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Yeah

Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you

I'll stand by you
No, no, no, no, no
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you

Songwriters
HYNDE, CHRISSIE/KELLY, TOM/STEINBERG, WILLIAM E

Published by
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lift Up Your Head

God does not want you to be downcast – constantly looking at the regrets behind you, the problems around you and the sin within you. Rather, lift up your head and see the help above you – walk with your head held high, and your eyes fixed on Him.

Merry Christmas

Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail the incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King!”

You Should Be Here

42 years gone. I thought of you today. Just like I promised. You should be here. Wherever you are, you should know I still carry you with me.
Cole Swindell: You Should Be Here [Lyrics] by

Forgiveness

"Forgiveness is choosing to pardon those who hurt us. It is not excusing ,forgetting or pretending. It's just not allowing them to hurt us again.  Do not punish them.  Leave that to God. Be kind and break the cycle of retribution and replace it with Grace."

**taken from Denison Forum on Truth and Culture 9/14/16

The God I Know

If it  was all about religion
What to do, what to say, 

what to wear on a sunday,
All about perfection
Black and white, wrong or right,

never grey.

I'd never make it.
I'd never be good enough.

I tried to walk the line, 

pray that I'd find somethin' that I knew was real.
But I began to realize, the harder I tried
The colder I'd start to feel.
Until the moment....
The second I met Your love.

Then I threw my hands up, 

worries down.
I remember when He showed me how
To break up with my doubt.
Once I was lost, but now I'm found
No strings attached when he saved my soul.
I want you to know the God I know
You gotta know the God I know.

Read more:  Love & The Outcome - The God I Know Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

If I Could - Regina Belle

If I could
I'd protect you from the sadness in your eyes
Give you courage in a world of compromise
Yes, I would

If I could
I would teach you all the things I've never learned
And I'd help you cross the bridges that I've burned
Yes, I would

If I could
I would try to shield your innocence from time
But the part of life I gave you isn't mine
I'll watch you grow, so I can let you go

If I could
I would help you make it through the hungry years
But I know that I can never cry your tears, babe
But I would if I could

If I could
In a time and place where you don't wanna be
You don't have to walk along this road with me
My yesterday won't have to be your way

If I knew
I'd try to change the world I brought you to
Now there isn't much more that I can do
But I would if I could

If I could
I would try to shield your innocence from time
But the part of life I gave you isn't mine
I'll watch you grow, so I can let you go

If I could
I'd help you make it through the hungry years
But I know that I can never cry your tears
But I would if I could

If I could

Not My Problem

Separate Ways

Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched
And went our separate ways...
 If you must go...
I wish you love

Nichole Nordeman - Slow Down

Slow down
Won’t you stay here a minute more
I know you want to walk through the door
But it’s all too fast
Let’s make it last a little while
I pointed to the sky and now you wanna fly
I am your biggest fan
I hope you know I am
But do you think you can somehow
Slow down

The Gospel In Four Minutes

The Angels Are Crying In Heaven Tonight

Peter Noone & Natalie Noone - The Angels Are Crying In Heaven Tonight

It was getting dark
Across the park,
When I saw her sitting there,
A little girl who must have lost her way.

The night was clear and I could see
The tears welled up in her eyes.
She didn't say a word,
She just kept staring at the sky.

I asked her why she was so sad,
And did my best to make her laugh
And when she finally spoke,
Her words took me by surprise. She said:

(REFRAIN):
The angels are cying in heaven tonight
Their hearts are so heavy,
They've got tears in their eyes.
The angels are cying in heaven tonight
'Cause they can't understand,
Why we can't find the light.

She said they cry for all the lies we live with everyday,
And for all the children sick and in the rain.

For the noble dreams that somehow seem to always be in vain,
And for the the gentle hearts who still believe in the miracle of faith.

It seems so strange that a little girl could know so much about a troubled world,
But now I see, she had to be an angel in disguise.

Happy Birthday - Mike- Never Forgotten

I look to the sea reflections in the waves spark my memory
Some happy some sad
I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had
We live happily forever so the story goes
But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold
But we'll try best that we can to carry on

 Styx - Come Sail Away

I Know Your Out There Somewhere

The mist is lifting slowly
I can see the way ahead
And I've left behind the empty streets
That once inspired my youth.

And the strength of the emotion
Is like thunder in the air
'Cause the promise that we made each other
Haunts me to the end...

Happy Anniversary , John

"Friday night it was late I was walking you home,  we got down to the gate ,and I was dreaming of the night ,would turn out right ? How to tell you girl, I want to build my world around you, tell you that it's true, I want to make you understand I'm talking about a lifetime plan. " ......1978
We  were stopped at a light and this song came on the radio. John started singing... the rest is 37 years later. Happy anniversary, John

Forgiveness

Some reflections on forgiveness...

"A good marriage is the union of two forgivers." Ruth Graham

"Once a woman forgives her man she must not reheat his sins for breakfast" Marlene Dietrich

" Whoever forgives ends the argument"

"To fogive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you"

And then of course there is ...

" Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Colossians 3: 13