As We Are Held

For far too long,
I’ve been far less brave than I’d like to be.
And I’ve stood here for two years with you,
Afraid every morning that the sun is through;
Always worrying it has better things to do.
Yet, on me, it continues to rise.

And so it is with the Son;
He chases me all day long.
And for too many years I’ve continued to run;
But today I stopped…and turned around.

He said there’s nothing wrong with me,
That I don’t need to be anything but Anne-Marie.
That from my fear, He’s dying to set me free…
And dying, He’s already done.

So I threw off my fear and
Exhaled it out of my lungs.
In return, He offered me the wine of love.
He kissed my forehead saying,
‘Child, you don’t need to run…
Anywhere but into My arms.’

So that is where I reside this eve.
And even better, so do you...

*We hold each other as we are held*

I know

"God,
Grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference."

~Let go, and let God.
~I can't; God can. So I'll let Him.
~Turn around and face the dragon.

~I cannot control the outcome;
give the outcome to God.

...

Jesus loves me...

THIS I KNOW.

Thank you, Brennan Manning

"I am loveable because He loves me. Period."

"God never says to us, 'I want you to be something else' without also saying, 'I love you as you are.'"

"Harsh though it may sound, it is obvious that Christ is denied today by Christians most of all, because His lordship over their organized religion and their dogmatic convictions has become illusory, theoretical, and imaginary."

"The great turning point in your life comes not when you realize that you love God but when you realize and fully accept the fact that God loves you unconditionally."

~from A Glimpse of Jesus, by Brennan Manning

Lonely Sometimes

"I woke up from a strange rain
And it was dreaming outside
I rolled over for the telephone

I thought I'd call someone
Tell them I dreamed I had died
But I know that I was all alone

I just get lonely sometimes
I want someone to take away my grief
I just get lonely sometimes
I want to wake up in the morning with someone
Lying next to me who I can turn to for relief
I just get lonely sometimes
But I know I just need You

I probably slept in a bed of bitterness
That's why I woke up this way
That's probably why I'm in this lonesome hole

I probably got to needing everything
And needing it today
That's probably why I play this lonely role

But I know I know I know I just need You."

~Waterdeep

I am really sad...

Muchas Gracias

Why does it still amaze me
That God gives me what I need?
And not only my needs,
But sometimes, also what I want...
Like tonight.
A solo dance party while mopping.
Some "Walk it Out" to get my feet moving.
And then an abundance of reassurance
That my heart will heal.
That I am desirable.
That although my heart is broken,
I am not broken.

Gracias, Padre.

Grief

"Grief is a most peculiar thing; we're so helpless in the face of it.
It's like a window that will simply open of its own accord.
The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver.
But it opens a little less each time, and a little less;
and one day we wonder what has become of it."

~from Memoirs of a Geisha