Stumbling along the sidewalk

What am I afraid of?
This sickness in my stomach,
That won’t go away.

Anxiety ripples
Through my body.
Is it God,

Or is it man?
Perhaps both.
But I know

Who I am
And whose I am.
And I know

Who holds the future.
If God knows
Even when the

Little sparrow falls,
I know he watches me.
I must sing

Because I’m happy,
And I must sing,
Because I’m free.

God will take care of me,
And my little worries.
He will be there,

Every step of the way.
He will carry
All my burdens.

No matter what,
I am his child.
With his help,

I can do this!

Breaking free
From what’s been done before,
Is no easy task.

To say something new,
Or to say it in a new way,
Takes courage.

To risk the scorn
Of naysayers galore,
Coming from every direction.

The worries can overwhelm,
If you let them.
But in order to break free,

One must be strong
In mind, spirit and body.
The toll it takes is significant.

To be sensitive is a gift,
But also a curse.
To be gentle, a risk.

For the world is not compassionate
To that lone voice,
Crying in the wilderness.

People can be cruel,
And they won’t think twice
Before mocking and insulting.

To be truthful
Is an aspiration that comes
With a cost.

Is it worth it?

Running as hard as I can,
To stand still.
Fighting the impulse
To seek a thrill.

Rhythm, routine and rest:
That is what is best.
Got to get this off my chest.
Got to remember how I’m blessed!

Focus, focus.
No hocus pocus.
Keep steady.
Look ahead. Stay ready.

Do what’s right,
Even if it hurts.
Keep the press on,
Do what works.

Trusting no one–
Perhaps a few.
Who to trust, though?
Wish I knew.

Thinking of those I love.
Fit together like a glove.
Got to go, just one more day.
Find the answer. Find a way.

Sometimes,
When something is not talked about,
We get the wrong idea,
That that something is very bad.

I’m realizing, now,
That there are things in my life,
Things about me,
That I have felt very ashamed of,

Because those things were not discussed,
Or, if they were,
That I was given the wrong message.

Now, I am coming to see
That some of my ways of thinking
And feeling are perfectly normal,
Even healthy,

When all these years
I’ve been afraid of them,
Feeling very guilty,
And thinking that there must be

Something very wrong with me
For me to have
These thoughts and feelings.
It’s really weird to realize one day,

That everything you thought
Was the truth,
Is a lie,
And that what you thought

Was bad, is really good.
So, where does one go from here?
I guess, like anything else,
I just have to take

One day at a time,
Slowly relearning
What is okay to think and feel.
It feels good to be set free.

Heaven seems so far away,
Sometimes.
Is it real?
I wonder.

Emptiness
Fills my soul.
But there is something
Out there.

So much
In this world
Cannot be explained.
So many miracles,

Every day.
There must be a God,
After all.
Only with God

Can love exist.
This world can be
So dark,
Sometimes,

But, still,
There is love.
Doubt and fear
Closes in,

But, still,
There is love.
Hate and greed
Sours our lives,

But, still,
There is love.
Still,
There is love.

Peel back the layers,
And what do you get?
Take away the iPhone,
The iPod, the big screen
Satellite television,

The Cadillac SUV,
The gourmet meals,
The dream vacations,
The bling bling.
What’s underneath?

Is your heart big or small?
Does your soul soar,
Up to the heavens,
Around the universe,
And back?

Do you dream big,
Or are you just focused
On spread sheets
And bottom lines?
Do you consider

Those less fortunate?
Do you always ask,
What’s in it for me?
Or do you wonder
How can I help?

What kind of a person are you?
Sure, you have power
Over life and death.
But can you heal?
Can you love?

Do you give of yourself
More than is asked?
Do you look for ways
To make this world
A better place?

When your friends are down and out,
Do they want to talk to you?
When they’re feeling low,
Are you there to lift them up?
Are you a good listener?

What are you really like
Deep down?
Below the flashy smile,
And the firm handshake?
What’s your story?

Can they trust you
With a secret?
Can they ask you
For a ride?
Will you look after

Their children,
If they die?
Do you show them respect?
Are you gentle?
Patient? Understanding?

If you knew
Their deepest, darkest
Secret,
Would you still
Be their friend?

Sometimes,
We forget
What’s really important.
We get distracted
With flashy, new toys.

We worry
About how we’ll get by.
We get obsessed
With our bank account.
Are you a person

After God’s own heart?
How much time
Do you spend
Loving others?
When’s the last time

You turned the other cheek?
Do you bless
Those that persecute you?
Do you pray
For your enemies?

Or are you really
A ruler of a kingdom?
Do you sit in judgment,
A prince of this world?

Choose wisely.

Rainbow children
Descend on the empty town.
Looking for a river
Where coolness abounds.

“Let’s play!” say the simple folk.
“Let’s live for today!”
What we do and where we’re from
Doesn’t amount to much at home.

Let’s act the way,
We would like others to.
Let’s love each other,
Tried and true.

Let’s be a great big family
Let’s sing “ring around the rosy”.
Let’s take care of all the little ones.
Let’s be silly and carefree.

Why don’t you tell me your story?
Why don’t you sit down?
Have a drink and stay a while.
Soak in all the hope,

Faith and love surrounding you
In this little room.
Grab ahold and I’ll pull you up,
Then you can go to bed and

Sleep it all off.
Shall we be who we’re meant to be,
Or should we be someone else?
I think I’ll just be me.

Crossing paths with giant gnats
Is not the vacation I hoped for.
Scratching bug bites,
Rubbing sore feet,

Camping is not
What it used to be.
This is Florida,
And it is hot!

Sleeping bags are thrown aside,
And blankets are never needed,
Unless you camp up near my house,
Where weather isn’t tepid.

So come out and play
With the family!
But if you go to Disney,
Be prepared to sweat!