no easter monday morning blues for me

no easter monday morning blues for me
i hit the snooze times three
don’t want a jelly belly day
the church is empty and the band went home
the dawn has come to say hello
the plastic eggs are put away
but no easter monday morning blues for me

no easter monday morning blues for me
the kids are late the bus on time
how can a child make so much whine
has there really been a change in me
i need to hunt for peace and be free
from the weight of all the noise inside
He rose
i rise
He rose
i rise
yes
no easter monday morning blues for me

no easter monday morning blues for me
i’m different now and yet the same
shame shadows call and taunt with glee
i’m doing more but i just need to be
remembering love’s refrain
that it is finished
yes, it is finished
and though i fall in that same place
i’ll remind myself of His great grace
and take that little step of faith
no easter monday morning blues for me

He rose
i rise
He rose
i rise
each moment through this crazy day
He’s resurrection lights the way
so i can trust and say
no easter monday morning blues for me

what do i see

what do i see
when i see me
let's see
i suppose i see
what i want to see
and at times i see
what i long to be
at times
i'm such a selfie

self is proud
and can be
so loud
i can push away
by the words i say
those i say i love
why am i that way
if my attitude
or my words hurt you
please forgive me
i hope you can see
a way
to forgive me

i suppose i need
to see through eyes
that are not mine
but belong to the One
who makes me whole
and sees all that makes
me
me

and when i'm known
by the One who knows
all that's inside
i can decide
that i won't hide
anymore

Lord help me see
my wife
and kids
the family
my friends
my neighbor too
and say no to self
and live to serve
Lord help me let go
of me
and be free
to love
to give
to be alive
to others
and die
to
me
and
be
free


the sad sad shadows

so i think that we should sing
about the sad sad shadows
why do i keep remembering
their darkened glance
it seems that they want to dance
into the story
and at any moment
the sad sad shadows
fall on me

so about those sad sad shadows
inside those weathered picture frames
a broken promise here
something undone there
framed fractures and failures
each one calls my name
and the struggle starts again
with one word
oh the shadow
of shame
falls on me

so listen sad sad shadows
i remembered today
that you don’t have to stay
you’re not the whole story
Light and Glory
can rewrite your songs
mend all the wrongs
and scatter the darkness
not just for a moment
but for eternity
all these parts of me
will be
restored
once more

oh sad sad shadow
the final say
will not be yours
the Light will end the night
and all the sad sad shadows
will go away
and there will be
only
Light

so welcome to your new day

so welcome to your new day
time to tell your story
time to give yourself away
let go of the worry
and why so much hurry
time to slow down
what story will you tell
this day

so welcome to your new day
don’t compare and don’t stare
at all the insta-images
that sometimes just won’t dare
to be real and to say

i’m who i am
occasionally stumbling
always broken
anxiety has stolen some joy
but i’m who i am
loved by God
an image bearer
of my Creator
i am here
on this new day

so see the Light
who makes wrongs right
and mends our hurting souls
He lifts our heads
shows us the way
each time we go astray
He forgives
welcome to your new day
let go of that worry
don’t hurry
past the Light
on this new day

it’s a journey after all

i'm so glad
the Light found me
just as i am
i began to be free
identity restored
i'm not trying to earn anymore
i'm so glad
the Light found me

and now a love
has touched my soul
all of my past
all that’s yet to unfold
slowly being restored
i was blind
but now i see
oh, i’m so glad
the light found me

i still stumble
and fall
it’s a journey
after all
so be patient with me
i’ve got miles to go
i’m not what i will be
it’s a struggle you see
but this Light found me
so i trust and i wait
it’s the mess i call faith
but i’m so glad
the Light found me

oh sing my soul

the tomb is empty
and all the emptiness inside
is filled with light
don’t have to run and hide
i will rise
because He lives
 
the tomb is empty
and all the sin inside
all the tears i cried
no matter what i tried
only your life
has resurrected mine
 
the tomb is empty
and all i’m hoping for
this moment now
and forevermore
 
oh sing my soul
i have a home
that will never
fade away
oh sing my soul
all will be new
He is the way
the truth
the life
 
the tomb is empty
and all the shame inside
is gone
His love abides
in my broken soul
i am whole
for He rose
and the tomb
is empty

remember

so i thought
i don’t know
that somehow
we would be different

so i thought
you and i
would be that story
that others
would love to tell

we just
seem to
stay in one place
choosing
immobility
you blame me
i blame you
standing in the pain
with you
brings no light

we said
i do
we said
i’ll stay
come pain
or joy
in loss
in light
we’re in
the wrong
fight

so i thought
so let’s just
look
into each other eyes
take each other’s hand
and gently remember

remember
love
remember
i do
remember
the vows
remember
together
remember
forgive me
remember
love
never
gives
up

remember

i

love

you

all around me

the last goodbye is coming soon
at least sooner than i every knew
trusting that the Light behind me
will be above me
beneath me
before me
all around me

still walking on this road with you
still leaving shadows behind
don’t want to be swallowed up
by all the wrong
the things i said
the things i’ve done
in Your love
those shadows flee
they are gone
in the Light of Your love

this life is long
and yet we know
the yesterdays are longer still
a line called life
stretches behind me
so i'm making a new yesterday
today

looking before me along the way
faith and hope and love will stay
so let me walk along this road
to the Light
in the Light
this burden is light
with You
behind me
above me
beneath me
before me
inside me
all around
me

and can it be

and can it be
you came for me
a withered soul
so tired so cold

and can it be
surrendered glory
for this heart of pride
all the shame inside

o withered soul
lift up your voice
o withered soul
cry out rejoice
your light has come
your peace is near
Immanuel is here

and can it be
once blind i see
forgiven free
You died for me

and can it be
new life is mine
and for all time
not just a while
i'll sing and shine
i am your child

this withered soul
now your son
your own
and can
it
be

in a little corner of my home

a cup of coffee
in a little corner of my home
lights and shadows
remind me of what lies within me
darkness and light
love and hate
goodness and self-centeredness

the memories descend

life and love
family and friends
grace and peace
laughter and song
so many gifts
undeserved and plentiful

soon the wraith
of dim stories arrives
failures
loss
shame
and the quiet ache
of all things left undone
and of all that i have done
to others and to myself

i choose to surrender
to all the images
that so quickly float
through my mind
as i lift my gaze
in a little corner of my home

three crosses
Calvary
such an ugly place
of death
of pain
of sorrow
of suffering

and it is there
in the midst
of the darkness and light
of my life
it is only there
where the lies i tell
and the lies i believe
are exposed

where my shame is undone
in love and acceptance
where i trade my burden
for hope
mercy
love
and the lightness
of forgiveness

and i realize
He is here
with me
in a little corner
of my home