Story Book

A story book, I hold to my face
Such adventures I see
The pages, my fingers trace
Oh how they relate to me

A smile twitches its way
Through the memories past
My reality is this day
But it will not last

Those moments were mine
Until they slowly started to fade
How I wish to turn back time
And back through those memories I'd wade

But they've formed who I am now
Made sweet impressions on my heart
And without them I don't know how
I could go on and not fall apart

This is my story book
It makes me feel alive
And when I take a look
Once again, I can thrive

Machinery

In a second
The clocks of our hearts
Can tick, tick
Stop

The mechanisms of us
All can rust
Sputter
Die

With each gear
We all turn
Veer
Spin

Were held into place
By parts essential
Dear
Rare

For a time
We have loved
Hated
Envied

Yet all the time
We are headed rapidly
Swiftly
Hastily

To our junkyards
Where we crumble
Disassemble
Destruct

Now let us turn
From our bars
Chambers
Cells

And break free
So we may live
Pursue
and Dream

Break our chains
That make us machines
Who wait
To break

A Couple of Ecuador Snaps.

The following were taken by my friend Liz, in Ibarra Ecuador and Punguyaco

Through the sea of souls...

I walked right into a sea of souls....

Never can I look at a person the same again. I can't look at someone without knowing their soul might perish if they haven't heard the gospel. I don't understand how people can go on living without him....and continue to live in sin.
I saw all those faces around me. Each face I wanted to look into and tell them many things.

I felt I was trudging through molasses, having the knowledge of each one of them being a sinner in desperate need of a savior...

I want to just cry out to those people. I wish I could drag them in, even if they were kicking and screaming. I wish I could wrap my arms around them and just have the love I receive from God to travel to their hearts....

And I wonder why I was put into these times...where sin is so prevalent, people sin in the open without shame. I wonder why I wasn't born in earlier times...

But I know why....

Opportunity.

Himself

by A. B. Simpson

Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;

Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.

Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;

Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.

Once 'twas painful trying, Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, Now my anchor's cast.

Once 'twas busy planning, Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, Now 'tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the vail.

Dear Father...I am completely depending on you now. I need you to save me, to heal me. I know how you can work through those who have nothing, and that's what I'm feeling now. I feel I have close to nothing, and I know only you can satisfy my longings. I'm trusting in you for this, and ask that you will reach your arms out to me and hold me...comfort me. Help me to be able to rejoice in you the way this writer has, and that my joy can be restored in you. I know I'm not deserving of this...I know I've upset you time and time again and I'm sorry. Please save me from myself....please bring me to you. I despise this world more each day, and eagerly await to see you. Bring that day sooner to me, Lord....