Who says you can’t go home?
I look at the world and see a lot of scared, hurt people
Were they always that way?
No.
Many had a church or good background.
And made bad decisions.
And they ran away.
I look at the world
I see people running
Maybe they went out looking for fun and more
Maybe they walked out the door
Didn’t know what was in store
And now life’s not fun anymore
You don’t know why
Sometimes you want to cry
Until no more tears can leave your eyes
You look to God and say why
But deep down you know why
It may have been one decision
That sent you on a collision course
Of things just getting worse
Now everything hurts
You ask How can things get any worse?
So you start to ponder
The days of yonder
How you served your Heavenly Father
But somewhere down the line
You thought you knew what was best
So you tried doing things on your own
Next thing you know
Things are out of control
You may have flunked a college course
Or maybe you’re heading for divorce
Maybe your record now has too many police reports
Or drugs and alcohol don’t soothe you anymore
Maybe you went your own way
Why do we go our own way?
Didn’t Jesus tell us that he was the way?
The truth and the life.
We wouldn’t have so much strife in our life
If we just turned our life over to Christ.
One decision to go your own way can lead to another.
Next thing you know, you’re saying.
I can’t get a job
I can’t keep a job
I need a drink to relax
I need a pill to relax
I need a smoke
I need another coffee
I can’t live with out food.
Are you kidding me?
How many things do we say we can’t do without?
But it wasn’t always that way, was it?
Jesus made a way
You can come home today
Doesn’t matter how far you ran away
A mile down the road or in a galaxy far, far away.
This is the day that the Lord has made
Put away your foolish pride
Put all the pain and trouble aside
Jesus is on the front porch and his arms are open wide
And he’s smiling, and saying.
My son, My daughter
It’s time to come home.
Who says you can’t go home?
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Monday, August 14, 2006
Poor timing
They say there is a time and place for everything.
I guess.
But with the tragedy that took place in my brother’s family recently, I came across a situation that doesn’t fit a right time or place.
When Landon passed away, there was a lot of pain. There obviously still is, but the initial pain cannot be described. In now way can I imagine what Ben and Nicole were and are going through.
Last night Ben opened up to my brother in law Craig and I. The three of us went to see Superman and had some time to kill. So we walked to the nearby Target and started talking. I asked if anyone asked him any insensitive or inappropriate questions. He turned and rolled his eyes and then told me one of the comments.
Now keep in mind that prior to this comment being made, Landon’s death was already ruled SIDS. But someone apparently asked them if they thought it was because of Landon’s allergies.
I started this post but saying there is a time and place for everything. But not something like that.
1). The doctor already said what it was. To imply or try to think something else is ludicrous.
2). The grieving family doesn’t even need to have that as a thought in their mind. Think about what was said. It may not have been implied, but all it says to the mother and father is “You’re bad parents.”
3). Why even say it when someone is grieving. Now is not the time to ask questions about the circumstance, but the time to ask what you can do for them. It’s not the time to find out what happened, but to find out how they are doing.
One simple question could end up ruining a friendship or relationship. I don’t know how close the person was to them. It doesn’t matter.
There is a time and place for everything. There is a time to talk. There is a time to ask questions.
But right now, it’s a time to be quiet.
I guess.
But with the tragedy that took place in my brother’s family recently, I came across a situation that doesn’t fit a right time or place.
When Landon passed away, there was a lot of pain. There obviously still is, but the initial pain cannot be described. In now way can I imagine what Ben and Nicole were and are going through.
Last night Ben opened up to my brother in law Craig and I. The three of us went to see Superman and had some time to kill. So we walked to the nearby Target and started talking. I asked if anyone asked him any insensitive or inappropriate questions. He turned and rolled his eyes and then told me one of the comments.
Now keep in mind that prior to this comment being made, Landon’s death was already ruled SIDS. But someone apparently asked them if they thought it was because of Landon’s allergies.
I started this post but saying there is a time and place for everything. But not something like that.
1). The doctor already said what it was. To imply or try to think something else is ludicrous.
2). The grieving family doesn’t even need to have that as a thought in their mind. Think about what was said. It may not have been implied, but all it says to the mother and father is “You’re bad parents.”
3). Why even say it when someone is grieving. Now is not the time to ask questions about the circumstance, but the time to ask what you can do for them. It’s not the time to find out what happened, but to find out how they are doing.
One simple question could end up ruining a friendship or relationship. I don’t know how close the person was to them. It doesn’t matter.
There is a time and place for everything. There is a time to talk. There is a time to ask questions.
But right now, it’s a time to be quiet.
Going home
Well, the day most of us knew would happen is upon us.
Eliza and I are going to Living Word. For me, it’s a trip home to my roots and the church I grew up in. This is a whole new adventure for Eliza. She’s never attended any place but Bethesda.
I’m thankful I have a sensitive heart. Or at least a heart that is sometimes sensitive to what the Lord is saying. A few months ago, we visited Living Word on a Sunday and it seemed like a homecoming for a few people. I think I talked about heroes that week. But I saw friends there who hadn’t been at Living Word in as long as or longer than I have. Yet there we all were, home on the same Sunday.
And it got me thinking.
About a month later, we were back at Living Word with the Bethesda choir. I spoke again, and the Lord led me to speak about going back home. The title of my message was “Who says you can’t go home?”
And it got me thinking.
Shortly after that, I was at a graduation party for my cousins. Out of nowhere, a couple of the guys asked me to finish out the softball season with their team. I asked Eliza, because when we got married I told her I’d only play on one team at a time. I was already playing at Bethesda, but she said yes. So I did.
And it got me thinking.
After the first night of playing softball with them, some friend had a bunch of people over for a bonfire. There we were, just like old times. All grown up. Some of us married. Some of us soon to be married. But it felt like home.
And it got me thinking.
It was around then that I started praying about it. I could feel God leading me that way, but nowadays me is we, Eliza and I. So in my prayer time, I asked for Eliza to bring up the subject. I wasn’t moving until she was ready.
So 2 Sundays ago, after church at Bethesda, she asks me what I think about going to Living Word from now on. It was out of the blue. My first reaction was no, until I remembered what I prayed. We decided to sleep on it, and we both had a peace about it.
And now we’re going back home.
Eliza and I are going to Living Word. For me, it’s a trip home to my roots and the church I grew up in. This is a whole new adventure for Eliza. She’s never attended any place but Bethesda.
I’m thankful I have a sensitive heart. Or at least a heart that is sometimes sensitive to what the Lord is saying. A few months ago, we visited Living Word on a Sunday and it seemed like a homecoming for a few people. I think I talked about heroes that week. But I saw friends there who hadn’t been at Living Word in as long as or longer than I have. Yet there we all were, home on the same Sunday.
And it got me thinking.
About a month later, we were back at Living Word with the Bethesda choir. I spoke again, and the Lord led me to speak about going back home. The title of my message was “Who says you can’t go home?”
And it got me thinking.
Shortly after that, I was at a graduation party for my cousins. Out of nowhere, a couple of the guys asked me to finish out the softball season with their team. I asked Eliza, because when we got married I told her I’d only play on one team at a time. I was already playing at Bethesda, but she said yes. So I did.
And it got me thinking.
After the first night of playing softball with them, some friend had a bunch of people over for a bonfire. There we were, just like old times. All grown up. Some of us married. Some of us soon to be married. But it felt like home.
And it got me thinking.
It was around then that I started praying about it. I could feel God leading me that way, but nowadays me is we, Eliza and I. So in my prayer time, I asked for Eliza to bring up the subject. I wasn’t moving until she was ready.
So 2 Sundays ago, after church at Bethesda, she asks me what I think about going to Living Word from now on. It was out of the blue. My first reaction was no, until I remembered what I prayed. We decided to sleep on it, and we both had a peace about it.
And now we’re going back home.
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