I was only 19 when we dug the plot
of land where you would finally rest.
And just like all children I never had thought
you would leave us somewhere less than the best.
Death was always tomorrow, never today,
or simply never for someone like you.
We picked our stories and the songs we would play
then cried a goodbye that never would do.
You were too much for this world to handle
but too little for this world to care.
Just a little Jesus with a broken sandal,
just some angel with the wind in your hair.
You never knew perfect, but never knew hate
and you left us all wondering why
a good man like you would daily fight fate
when in the end you got only to die.
You were more of a blacksmith and less of a hero,
melting our soft hearts to steel.
I guess you knew when your life fell back to zero
iron would would be easier to heal.
Yeah, I was only 19 the morning you died.
Who knew a dead man was hard to forgive?
But now I know, through the tears that I've cried:
your death taught me how to live.
This week one of my bestest friends is staying with me. Kelley is in grad school in Texas so we don’t get to see each other very often any more. Which is a bummer. She’s really groovy. This week she is on her spring break and is staying at the Hotel Wofford while she is in town. It’s some awesome to get to be around her again. She’s one of my favorite people.
Today was an absolutely beautiful day so Kelley and I decided to take a trip to Craighead to play. I had a kite I had purchased but never used so we attempted to make it fly. There wasn’t much wind but we still had a blast. It was one of those moments when you remember that it’s not what you do with someone, but who you do it with.
After the kite, we sat at the edge of the water and threw in rocks. Kelley has the amazing ability to skip stones. I, unfortunately, do not. I’m not too upset though. I’m easily amused. It’s enough for me to just chunk rocks into the water and listen to them ker-plunk! It was a beautiful day.
Psalm 23:2
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
Psalm 33:7
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars ; he puts the deep into storehouses.
Psalm 78:15
He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas;
Psalm 93:4
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty.
Psalm 147:18
He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.
Matthew 10:42
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
Mark 14:13
So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
Luke 5:4
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
John 4:14
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
John 7:38
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
Water is a blessing. This is made clear in the Bible. While there are plenty of references to being in water too deep, water is primarily used as a blessing. Sometimes metaphorically, sometimes literally.
It rained today. I was sitting on our porch tonight, watching it rain. I have a tendency to think of everything poetically and tonight it was bothering me. I didn't want to see this rain shower as anything but rain. I asked God to just let my mind shut up for once.
Instead, he whispered: "Sarah, rain is falling from the sky."
Poetically speaking, God rains his blessings down on us.
Literally speaking, God rains his blessings down on us.
Look at the clouds and listen as he speaks: "My rain falls from the sky."
I suppose there are many poets who would never say this, but I'm going to: my childhood was fun.
It wasn't until I was exposed to parents that aren't around very much that I realized how much my parents were there while I was growing up. Both worked full time, but they always had time for Matt and I.
My mother always talked to us. I'm referring to actual conversations. Yes, we may have only been six or seven but we always got to voice our opinions an thoughts on things. We were constantly talking and discussing, even if it was just the latest Ninja Turtles episode.
My father was a "do-er." An adventurer. I remember him, my brother and I all on our bicycles making the trek to the library. Or going swimming. Or laying in the floor with him watching TV. I don't remember what we would watch, but I do remember curling up behind his knees when he would lie on the couch.
I had an awesome childhood.
To this very day the sound of certain Motown songs gives me the urge to vacuum. This is because on "cleaning days" my mother would play music while we worked. One of her favorite CDs was "the 20 Greatest Hits in Motown History". We listened over and over.
I don't remember all of the cool toys that I had or every cartoon I ever watched. But I remember my parents being there, and being awesome. And really, I couldn't have asked for anything better.
