let’s chase Light

it's not that the light has surrendered
or darkness has won
it's not that the day is done
or the night has begun

it's the rhythm of all things
the spinning and turning
the inhaling and exhaling
the rising and setting

it's the beauty
that accompanies
all that is held together
the colors that connect your soul
to the Artist of infinite insight
to the Artist who created colors
colors so exquisitely subtle
shades and hues
as countless as the sand on the shore

it's the clouds
and their random patterns
their playful textures
it's the breathless moment
when our eyes are transfixed
when we are able
to analyze and explain
and yet have no understanding

when our minds
our hearts
finally see something greater
we intuit the real
and that place of longing awakens
for love that lasts
for peace that endures
for hope fulfilled
for faith that comforts

let's chase Light
embrace the colors
take the long narrow way
of other-centered living
and loving
and seek
the Artist
of
our
souls

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

clouds

so i might as well
write about the clouds today
lately more than a few
have come my way
but
hey
why do i think
that it has to
always go
my way

clouds
gray
lately they seem to stay
these uninvited guests
well
even when i try my best
to pretend
they just won't rest
until tears reappear
tearing through
my gray
gray
mind
oh i wonder if
i will ever find
a way
through
all the clouds
and all
the
gray

oh cardinal
is there a prayer for me
wrapped up 
in all your music
and melody
through the gray
the notes they fly
to find the light
they tell my soul
that it’s okay
to take a stroll
through
all the clouds
and all
the
gray
and just stay
wait
and
pray

o sunset sky

o sunset sky
i wonder if you cry
as you say goodbye
to all this day
has left behind
o sunset sky
would you stay with me
and cry
my sunset sky
o sunset sky
what do you see
as darkness falls
around me
this pain and loss
and mystery
i cannot see
what lies before me
o sunset sky
won’t you cry for me
o sunset sky
i know you try
to make smile
all that fire in the sky
it leaps so high
and fills my world
with colors
and beauty
and wonder
and that ache
in my heart
just starts
again
so goodbye
my sunset sky
goodbye

just be

what if today
you stopped

and decided
to be
and not just
to do

stillness
instead of the illness
of this
or that

can you be with yourself
can you open your heart
to the presence
of He who made all of the stars
and thought of you
before your first cry
before the first time
you opened your eyes

just close your eyes
breathe
He knows your name
breathe
He loves you
just be

take time
to remind
your mind
that you
are
loved
you
are
His
just
be

cloudrise

no sun today
and that's ok
i won't tell the clouds
to go away
they can stay
it's a cloudrise day
dear cloudrise
help me feel
the sad in me
and to be real
and just be free
to be
sad
pensive
gray
apprehensive
stay here with me
there is beauty
in the shadow
longing in the sky
questions in my soul
sometimes all i know
is i don't know why
it's overcast
and colorless
and with a sigh
the teacher said
everything is meaningless
so i just breathe
just
breathe
so help me wait
in this pale dawn
help me to see
that i belong
to You
though the light is dim
i still see Him
and i will remain
still
quiet
hopeful
one day
no tears
one day
no fear
one day
all will be right
all will be Light
until then
my tears
will help me welcome
this cloudrise

just be

you are not the lies
that tattle and rattle inside
a beauty will rise
when you tell those lies
to slip away and die
in the Light
of your Maker
oh the song of your life
is greater
than those failures
want you to believe

because we’re all
a crazy remix
and mash up
of brilliant stars
and tattered rags
of bumps and dents
that’s who we are
so don’t do anything
just stand
in the Light
of your Maker
oh the song of your life
is greater
than shame
and blame
want you to believe

breathe
just be
and breathe
and see
the Light
inside you

breathe
just be
and breathe
and see
the Light
inside you

you are more
than all
you do
just breathe
your identity
is more than all
you do

you are here
a masterpiece
just breathe
and be at peace
and receive
His love
His light
receive

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