Sweat.
Like great drops of Blood.
"Not my will, but Yours be done."
He
denied.
Himself.
He denied.
His comfort.
He denied.
His fear.
He denied.
His own life.
And took up the Cross.
For me.
For you.
"Not my will, but Yours be done."

I am His.
And He calls me to the Cross.
To deny myself.
For His will.
"Not my will, but Yours be done."
Shall I follow?
Or stay comfortable?
Shall I choose the Way of the Cross?
And count all else as loss?

Not my will.
But His.
Be done.

Squeezed by society,
But not getting crushed.
Morals tested and despised,
Not appreciated,but degraded.
Deeply perplexed by nowadays,
But not in despair.
Therefore do not lose heart.
Nor grow weary of doing good.

Always be hopeful of what's to come.

LA California
Starting on the bus
Just shy of 2,600 miles to go
Florida or bust!

All alone and slightly scared
I got into my seat
There was excitement in the air
Anticipation sweet

At 19 and still a babe
I was sure grass green
No carry-on to worry about
$20 in my jeans

I was a waif of a girl
Pixie-like and fey
The men-folk all were looking
As I got on the bus that day

Naive, I didn't notice
But the black woman, she did
Though she had 5 babes with her
Next to me she slid

That lady sure had carry-on!
Ice Coolers and bags
Her kids were toting it all on
Dressed in their best rags

They had the jitters in their legs
As in their seats they jumped
She was smiling, jovial,
Substantial and plump.

"How you doin', Missy!
Where you going to?"
"Clearwater, Florida" I said to her
"Hey, ma'am, how 'bout you?"

"A town in Mississippi
You wouldn't know the name,
But it's where I've lived my life
It's home just the same.

"What's your name then, Missy?
Lands! You're goin' far!"
"Ma'am, my name is Cathy,
Yep. This trip's gonna be hard!"

She said her name was Elsie
Her smile was sweet and good
She reached into her cooler
And broke out some food!

And what food! Hot Fried Chicken!
Fresh made that same day!
Collard greens and hush puppies
That gal fed me the whole way!

Corn on the cob and ice cold pop
Sweet potato pie
Best food I've ever eaten
I tell you no lie!

We did a lot of talkin'
Durin' that long ride.
I found out she loved Jesus
When she talked of Him she cried.

I didn't understand it
It was something that I missed,
Headed for Scientology
Raised an atheist.

It left a great impression
Though didn't know it then.
I accepted Him much later
And I remembered when.

She told me His value,
She told me His cost.
She got off in a town
You could throw a rock across.

I helped her with her baggage
Scared to be alone...
There was a ******* standing there
Eyes hard and cold as stones

I was so offended
"What you lookin' at?
He rolled his chaw within his mouth
Disdainfully he spat.

"At choo, ****** lover...
You is quaaht a sight
Movin' that ol' ******'s bags
Even tho you white."

"God bless you for sneezing".
I said acidly
"This lady needed her some help.
This country is still free".

"Don' mind him", Elsie whispered
And she was plainly scared
Not for herself. But for myself!
And for the feelings that I aired.

"Get back on the bus now!"
She gave the man a look
By then some of her men-folk
Had come over to help.

I got back on that Greyhound,
Just as I was bid,
Didn't know I was in danger
But that black lady did.

The rest of that trip was painful
When I reached New Orleans
My ankles were so swollen
They almost tore my jeans.

But I arrived in Clearwater
Tired yet unscathed.
I'll never forget Elsie
Who helped me on the way.


When I accepted Jesus
I will tell you frank
I remembered Elsie's witness

I have her to thank.


SoulSurvivor
(C) 7/3/2016

A carpenter found driftwood
From a wreck upon the sea
He looked at it with interest
What kind would it be?

He found that it was oaken
Mighty, strong and hale
But it had been broken
By tempest and by gale

He was building houses
From such sturdy oak
So he took the driftwood
Upon it for to work

He carved with sharpened chisels
He began to sand
He had red, raw cuts of pain
And splinters in his hands

He worked with it patiently
Imposed on it his will
It will be something wondrous
He's working on it still

He loves that piece of driftwood
He salvaged from the sea
For the Carpenter is Jesus

And that piece of wood is ME


SoulSurvivor
(C) 6/23/2016

God is very generous
He gives to those who seek
He resists the proud & arrogant
And undergirds the meek
He puts to shame the strong of mind
Gives wisdom to the weak

God is very merciful
He helps the poor & lowly
But He is not like Santa Claus
He will give, but slowly
He will not prosper greediness
For God is pure & holy

God is very fair & just
He protects downtrodden
He will not help the vengeful man
Who wants to **** and plots them
He will repay the evil one
For wickedness he's brought them!

God is of a lowly heart
He came to earth a slave
To His Father's every wish
To be murdered by the knave
Innocent of everything
They put Him in the grave

God is Truth & Righteousness
He won't bend to our whim
He won't wink his eyes for wickedness
Or rubber-stamp our sin
He helps those who want to change
And give them strength to win

For God is strong and mighty
He's not for the high-born
Three lepers ran off multitudes
He defeats who He has sworn
He gave David polished stones
To slay the Philistine

God  is patiently in love
With those of slower pace
He lets them fall, then picks them up
He does not turn His face
Does not regard color or creed
Adores the human race
He suffered the crown of THORNS
He came to share His Grace

God is the total Ruler
The holy angels sing
Around His throne and scepter
On their glorious wings
He's due praise & honor

For HE is our KING!


SoulSurvivor
(C) 6/24/2016

Whenever you have trials
And trouble leaves so slow
A cloud seems to follow wherever you go
Remember that Jesus,
the friend of your heart
says peace be unto you

Peace be unto you
Peace be unto you
Peace be with you

Whenever you have hardship
You are in such pain
Jesus will sing you this lovely refrain
Remember that Jesus
The friend of your heart
Says peace be unto you

Peace be unto you
Peace be unto you
Peace be with you

He is The Almighty
Yet He is your best friend
He'll be right there with you
Right up to the end!
Remember that Jesus
Your Savior and your Love
Says peace be unto you

Peace be unto you
Peace be unto you

Peace be with you


SoulSurvivor
(C) 9/12/2011

if God
dwells
in
thy soul
then
let Him
turn your dust into gold
His footprint
shall not fade away
but
give honor
and
glory to God
i
must say
faith
shall
let
His footprint stay

I raise up my hands to heaven
and say to God,
"Pick me up
Embrace me
Love me"
But then I shrink back
and I insist
that God must be hurt
by my exposed, broken shards

"I am not whole,
and not huggable
My pain is like thorns
that cut and inflict"
And so I look away with remorse

But God answers me
as only He can do, saying,
"Then we have a lot in common
Or did you forget the cross?
My Son on it?
Jesus, who was the most
broken of all"

I agree that I do...
I must!
But still...

"A nail in a hand
A wreath of thorns for a crown
He died quite damaged
for those like you
Yet was I not there to embrace Him
and welcome Him home?"

In spite of my tears, I reason
My mind and heart agree
So my Father and I embrace
and I accepted God's grace

After all

I saw the people standing around me and I heard the angry cries. I felt the cold rain falling down onto my face. I could barley stand because my legs were so weak. I had been beaten beyond any mans ability to stand. The screams and howls could not be distinguished. I only knew that I was at my end. A solider brought me forward then another man stood beside me. I saw the fear that he had. The crowd cheered for him and booed at me. I knew that my fate was sealed. I tried to scream as the put the thorns on my head and the blood ran down my face. I heard the taunts and felt the weight of the beam that I carried as I stumbled along. As I approached a lonely and barren hill, the screaming crowds seem to be filled with laughter. I looked through blood filled eyes and I could see ghostly images jeering at me. I felt the weight of the crossed beams becoming more than I could bear, then another person stood along beside me. He picked up the weight of my load and helped me along, until they laid me down on the cross. I felt each nail as it was driven through my hands and then I looked up at the heavens and tried to scream out why. As I was lifted into the air I felt the full weight of the guilt and shame that was all around me. I tried to free myself, but it was to little avail. I cried out but no one would hear me. Then in the distance I saw someone drawing near, a figure dressed all in white. As he came to me, I felt the pain being lifted and I swapped places with this man. Then I was standing at a distance and I saw him clear as day, he was on the cross where I had been. I then shot straight up out of my sleep and realized that I had seen what they had done to him. I fell to my knees with my heart breaking into a thousand pieces, I cried until the breaking of the dawn. Then when sleep again finally found me, the man met me in a distant and beautiful garden. I fell at his feet and asked why did this happen. He picked me up and simply said to me. You was what you should receive, but what I took on for you. I have forgiven all of your sins and now your free. I awoke with a new understanding of what should happen, the day I was crucified on that tree.