In Black and White

O bomb a...

Habakkuk's prayer to the Lord after he saw a vision of Jerusalem destroyed:

"Though the fig tree should not blossom

And there be no fruit on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive should fail

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock should be cut off from the fold

And there be no cattle in the stalls,

Yet I will exult in the LORD,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord GOD is my strength,

And He has made my feet like hinds' feet,

And makes me walk on my high places.

For the choir director, on my stringed instruments."

--Habakkuk 3:17-18

Change in the Air

There's something talkin' in the wind
Whispering through the trees
That feeling in my bones again
Just puts me right at ease
It takes me back to all the times
I' ve been here before
But crossroads, old familiar signs
Tell me there's something more

Can't explain, there's something
strange about the early fall
It's comfort leaving me without a care
I remain but everything around me hears the call
And tonight I feel a change in the air

The leaves are turning, soon they'll fall
There's a norther blowing in
The memories flowin', I recall
Those changes in the wind
But I can never try to understand
There's nothing you can hold in your hand

Can't explain, there's something
strange about the early fall
It's comfort leaving me without a care
I remain but everything around me hears the call
And tonight I feel a change in the air

Yes I'll surely feel a change in the air

A Woman's Question

"A Woman's Question" by Lena Lathrop

"Do you know you have asked for the costliest thing
Ever made by the hand above?
A woman's heart, and a woman's life
And a woman's wonderful love.

Do you know you have asked for this priceless thing
As a child might ask for a toy?
Demanding what others have died to win,
With the reckless dash of a boy

You have written my lesson of duty out,
Manlike, you have questioned me.
Now stand at the bars of my woman's soul
Until I shall question thee.
You require your mutton shall always be hot,
Your socks and your shirt be whole;
I require your heart be true as God's stars
And as pure as His heaven your soul.

You require a cook for your mutton and beef,
I require a far greater thing;
A seamstress you're wanting for socks and shirts
I look for a man and a king.

A king for the beautiful realm called Home,
And a man that his Maker, God,
Shall look upon as He did on the first
And say: "It is very good"

I am fair and young, but the rose may fade
From this soft young cheek one day;
Will you love me then 'mid the falling leaves,
As you did 'mong the blossoms of May?

Is your heart an ocean so strong and true,
I may launch my all on its tide?
A loving woman finds heaven or hell
On the day she is made a bride.

I require all things that are grand and true,
All things that a man should be;
If you give this all, I would stake my life
To be all you demand of me.

If you cannot be this, a laundress and cook
You can hire and little to pay;
But a woman's heart and a woman's life
Are not to be won that way."

Clumsy

You think I’d have it down by now
Been practicin’ for thirty {nineteen} years
I should have walked a thousand miles
So what am I still doin’ here
Reachin’ out for that same old piece of forbidden fruit
I slip and fall and I knock my halo loose
Somebody tell me what’s a boy {girl} supposed to do?

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

I’m gonna get it right this time
I’ll be strong and I’ll make You proud
I’ve prayed that prayer a thousand times
But the rooster crows and my tears roll down (again)
Then You remind me You made me from the dust
And I can never, no never, be good enough
And that You’re not gonna let that come between us

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

From where I stand
Your holiness is up so high I can never reach it
My only hope is to fall on Jesus

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah
--Chris Rice

Tribute to Chancey

I LOVE MY BAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!

MY bay.........................

*falling hearts*


Sometimes she takes the bit and gets too strong
And sometimes when I neck rein she turns all wrong
But right or wrong she's right beneath me, like only a friend would be,
And that's close enough to perfect for me

The other horses get their kicks from her hind legs,
Course she don't like it when I kick her insteads
Oh I know she's not an angel, but how boring would that be?
She's close enough to perfect for me

She comes to me and nudges
And follows me around
She don't have to say it
I can see it in her eyes

Don't you worry bout my horse,
What you think she ought to be,
She's close enough to perfect for me.

Sometimes she'll spook and take you by surprise
And you will land hard if you don't compromise...
She's all the horse I've ever wanted
And all the one I need
She's close enough to perfect for me.

She comes to me and nudges
And follows me around
She don't have to say it
I can see it in her eyes

Don't you worry bout my horse,
What you think she ought to be,
She's close enough to perfect for me.

--Jessica Traylor lyric substitute for "Close Enough To Perfect" by Alabama

You save my life

I was driving down the road today
Song came on I haven't heard in a few years
Sobered I shifted and turned it up
As memories tortured me with my past

Kneeling on a hardwood floor
Three o'clock still sleep is my enemy
Streams of lies filled my head
Screaming at darkness, alone and empty.

Nightmares agonized my soul
Demons jeered "my destiny"
Haunted just like a prey
To be caught in traps of illusions

Just three hours of sleep
And tears for food
Still I must be secluded, trust no one
In my foolishness I fought alone

"I must grieve," sounds convincing
Any explanation to excuse my insufficency
Bleeding inside, trembling
Surely I was a captive of his lies.

My days were rushed,
Just to get through
So I could take off my mask
And be a zombie to the world

"Leave me alone, please" I said
To die in my pain was my murmur
The grips of death squeezed
Quickly air fled from me

My heart called You
and then You came
Giving me light
I saw Your mercy and grace!

You stretched out your arms to me
I walked by You and believed
Resting in Your love,
In the fullness of peace

I'm always confounded how You are there
In the darkest of times, if I just look!
Though winds blow hard and clouds are dark
You say peace and my heart is still.

I praise You, for Your presence
Has filled my heart with song!
And turned my mourning to joy,
Changing my death to life.


It's when I cannot talk to You...

You talk to me.

It's when I think You're gone...

You appear.

It's when I'm angry in fright...

You comfort.

It's when I've collapsed from fighting on my own...

You offer strength.

It's when I'm not sufficient...

You suffice.

It's when I'm dying,

You save my life.

~Jessica Traylor