Every soul is fighting a battle, however great or small. So take heed unto yourselves, and be mindful lest ye fall.

Every soul is fighting a battle, however great or small. So be kind and caring always; be humble is our call.

Everyone is on a journey which they cannot fully control. Each one with their own frailties; each fallen heart with its own hole.

Each pair of shoes must walk a pathway
designated for them alone. One pair of eyes to search the wilderness; with enough uncertainty of their own.

For every person is one being, possessing only just one soul. Giving all their breath and purpose to meet just one single goal.

For they too must be a conductor on their train of choice and will. They must purpose their mind, enslaved to time,
to be faithful, immovable still.

Whether they live for good or evil, their choices are outside our rule. So let God be the ultimate judge: He who condemns his neighbor is a fool.

For in each person is a life of greater value than fine gold. Each with their own uniqueness; a classic story to be told.

So thank God for your neighbor
And find good in the unlovable too
For this is how to win their hearts
The path to peace pursue.

Livin' on a free food ticket
Water in the milk from the hole in the roof where the rain came through
What can you do? What can you do?
Tears from your little sister
Crying cause she doesn't have a dress without a patch for the party to go
Oh but you know that she'll get by
Cause she's:
Livin in the love of a common people
Smiles from the heart of a family man
Daddy's gonna buy you a dream to cling to, Momma's gonna love you just the best that she can
She can

It's a good thing you don't have a bus fare
It would fall through the hole in your pocket and you'd lose it in the snow on the ground
Walking through town to find a job
Trying to keep your feet warm, but the hole in your shoe lets the cold come through and it chills you to the bone
Better go home, where it's warm, and you can:
Live in the love of a common people
Smiles from the heart of a family man
Daddy's gonna buy you a dream to cling to
Momma's gonna love you just the best that she can
She can

Living on dreams ain't easy
But the closer the knit, the tighter the fit and the chills stay away
You take it in stride for family pride
You know that faith is the old foundation
With a whole lotta love and a warm conversation
And of course there's the prayer
Making you strong the way you belong

Cause your:
Livin in the love of a common people
Smiles from the heart of a family man
Daddy's gonna buy you a dream to cling to
Momma's gonna love you just the best that she can
She can

It's always a skill to make wise decisions
With the limited facts one has on hand.
Not all things are as they appear to be;
One must seek to understand.
Feelings can be right at times;
Some choices they are helpful for.
Although it's an art to know which ones to listen to,
And which ones to simply ignore.
It is also a great skill to see the big picture
In every circumstance
That the reason for my dilemmas
And why I am here
In each situation is not
A happenstance
Misconceptions and misperceptions
Are traps that can leave me marred;
They will overtake and seize me
If I happen to let down
My guard.
Open-mindedness is key
To the right degree
Combined with humility
That perceives the possibilities
And besides all this,
I simply cannot miss
Wisdom
The jewel to keep in the safe of my heart;
A mother of knowledge and virtue
From which I must never depart.
Though I may never find all the answers
I seek from the complications of life,
Love with Truth will be my compass
To help me live out, to the best of my ability
All that I know is right.

There are a lot of feelings
Within the human heart
An astronomical number...
I don't know where to start
For I cannot paint a picture
Or make feelings come alive
By simply writing them down on paper
Words alone cannot survive
If you do not have an inner thesaurus built into your heart
The words will have no meaning
But from your memory soon depart
So as you consider all the words of the language that you have learned
Consider the language behind the words, and perhaps your feelings will be discerned.

One day as I was meditating 'neath the sunshine bright and fair; I beheld an expansive highway, whose passage led to I knew not where.

A great number of souls; each with a different destination. I watched them from a distance, with eyes of trepidation.
Nothing could stop them from venturing down the thoroughfare: Of perplexity and enigma; I could only sit and stare.

The signs and markings tried to show and tell where each one was bound; not knowing the minds of those arbitral travelers - worthy advice could not be found.

Only a roadmap would help to guide them, if they knew not where they were.
A guide that only claimed to know would surely confuse and obscure.

I wondered which collection, or source of information, the people would cite. How would they know just which road was right? And could they truly trust their own headlamps in the darkness of night?

Further observation revealed just what I suspected: The mob was on a fixed and stipulated course; they would scarcely turn around, and would not care to be corrected.

What might cause a multitude to behave in such a way? What caused this scene of deception that my senses did betray? The sight that lay before me was an undeniable fact: A highway of free will and choices, brought about by just one act.

Up ahead in the distance, there arose a statuesque hill. On it's mount were three wooden crosses, standing somberly and still. They seemed to dare those passing by to glance up and chance a look. The message that the crosses bore told more than could be written in any book.

What significance would this symbol have on those rushing by? Would the people see beyond its uncomeliness, would they even try? Or would they consciously or otherwise its meaning deny?

Though the emblem would be viewed and interpreted adversely, it would still provide living water to those that were thirsty. The middle cross would serve as a reminder and a promise to all; a door to someone's heart, where through God could call.

I wish I had a sidekick
To jot down all my thoughts;
As they came rushing like a freight train
Through my overwhelmed brain.
Triggering emotions like an avalanche
That rumble and tumble
down
the mountain of interpretation.
Knocking me off
my diplomatic
feet;
Burying me
in my passions,
Before I get a chance to articulate myself
To the Peak.
I'd shoot down inspiration like flaming arrows
If I made it to the top,
Piercing hearts with words of wisdom,
Awakening their spirits with a shock.
The truth of our origin,
And the purpose on Earth we serve;
The reality of our created purpose
I'd convey to them unnerved.
O to have a sidekick
To record this in a book
No more to search and hunt down memories
I'd only have to read the ink
Open the page and take a look.

I didn't write this, but it's a favorite song of mine:

I remember Daddy's hands folded silently in Prayer
And reaching out to hold me when I had a nightmare
You could read quite a story through the calluses and lines
Years of work and worry had left their marks behind

I remember Daddy's hands how they held my mama tight
And patted my back for something done right
There are things that I've forgotten that I loved about the man
But I'll always remember the love in Daddy's hands

Chorus:

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was crying
Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong
Daddy's hands weren't always gentle,  but I've come to understand
There was always love in Daddy's hands

I remember Daddy's hands working till they bled
Sacrificed unselfishly just to keep us all fed
Well if I could do things over, I'd live my life again
And always remember the love in Daddy's hands

Chorus