Fishing

Chain

Currumbin

Bella

One Way

Richard Gere

I like this quote. I'm not sure why!...

"I know who I am. No one else knows who I am. If I was a giraffe, and someone said I was a snake, I'd think, no, actually I'm a giraffe."

- Richard Gere

Dirt

When

Sometimes it feels to me like God is so far away. Sometimes I wonder why he would even want to be near me. I look at the world, and I look at myself, and I don't see much hope. And sometimes it seems like it will be like this forever.

I wanted to try to express all this, and you can read some of it in my post "Where are you, God?" back in April this year. The blog to me didn't seem to quite capture it, so I tried to write a song about it, and this is what came out. Sorry if the lyrics are a bit depressing! It means a lot to me....

Why do I walk away?
Why do I fall?
Why do I stand and shake my fist at the air
Like you’re not there at all?

Why do I scream at you?
Why do you hear?
Why are these walls always higher than I think?
And do you still care?

When will you save us?
When will we sing hallelujahs again?
When will you break us
Til we see your face?
Your amazing grace
Again

When will you save us?
How much longer will it go?
Why does it feel like we’re here on our own
And that you’re somewhere gone?

Why can’t I hear you?
Where should I go?
I’ve heard rumours of the glorious land
But it’s sure not here

When will you save us?

God let the angels sing
God let the praises ring
With shouts of glory for eternity
God bring us peace within
God let the children sing
With shouts of glory for eternity

[For me, this last bit is a chorus of hope. One day....]

Fences

Something Large

For a few years now I have had this sense that, if I could only reach just a little more, or run just a little harder, or jump just a little higher, or see just a little further, there would be a whole universe of wonder and glory, exploding with the sights, sounds and inexpressible thoughts of God. My deepest desire is to discover more of this infinity of God.

But I have also been getting the feeling lately that I won't get there by pushing harder or reaching further, but I might find it just by enjoying what I can of God in my own world - in the taste and aroma of my morning coffee, in the spontaneous kicks of my not-yet-born baby in my wife's tummy, in the honest lyrics of a talented musician - and maybe I will stumble onto a path to the God-universe.

Or maybe I will find that God's universe is not somewhere beyond my world at all, but has been here surrounding me all along...? Maybe.

This has got to be one of my all-time favourite songs, by the David Crowder Band, Mostly because of the opening verse. This is my life.

I'm so bored of little gods
While standing on the edge of
Something large
While standing here, so close to you
We could be consumed
What a glorious day

I give up, I lay down
Rest my face upon this ground
Lift my eyes to your sky
Rid my heart of all I hide

So sweet this surrender

How great your love for us
How great our love for you
That grace could cover us
How great your love

- "How Great", The David Crowder Band