At the foot of the cross

At Formacion 2013 we've had times to reflect in silence. Time just to be still before God  and listen. This poem started forming during the time of singing before we headed into our reflection time and then continued into it. It's very honest and quite personal. I think these are the most honest poems as they show you your heart and mind. They're like a window in. This poem is both mine and everyone's. Everyone's welcome at the cross of Jesus.

At the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross I lay my fear
All those worries that I hold so near
For he listens as he holds me dear
And calms my troubled heart.

At the foot of the cross lay my dreams
all things I'd hope to be
For he knows the plans he has for me
And I know those plans are good.

At the foot of the cross I lay my pride
Those selfish thoughts I keep inside
Your cross shows a servant side
To the person you want me to be.

At the foot of the cross I lay heart
In all its broken, battered parts.
You gather up the broken, Lord
And restore them in your love.

At the foot of the cross I lay my sin
These blood-stained rags I'm living in
And watch your son put them onto him
Making me whiter than snow.

At the foot of the cross I kneel, my king
My only plea is that of Him
Who died to buy this sinner free
Would cover every sin of me.

At the foot of the cross I stand once more
As a child of the living God restored,
My eyes are fixed on the heavenly goal,
Oh, sweet, sweet Jesus you've made me whole.

What can I say?

This poem came out of a word someone brought this morning at church. It's simply a reflection about what I've come to know about what Jesus has done and what that means. It just leaves me thinking, What can I say?!

What can I say?
What can I say
My new-found friend?
What can I say
'bout the God who sends
His son to change
The state I'm in?
To make me free
From a weight of sin?
I'll tell you what
I've come to know
Then have a think
Is this what you know?

You took an accused
You made me free
You paid my dues
And ransomed me.

You gave me life
At your great cost,
Gave your son
To save the lost,

Stepped into this fetid pool
And purified its waters

Took all my sin,
Bore it for me,
Carried it all
To Calvery.

You chose me first,
Gave up your rights,
Held legions of angels
From their saving flight,

Took all that sin
that stained my soul
And bore it on the cross
To make me whole.

So, what can I say
To the thing that you did?
What can I say
To the choice that you made?
What can I say
to a father's love?
What can I say
To the price that you paid?

But thank you, dear father,
Thank you my king,
Thank you sweet Jesus
For giving everything.

For choosing this sinner
In spite of my stain.
For enabling this stray
To become your child again.

For making a bridge
'cross the chasm-like pit.
For holding my hand
As I crossed over it.

For welcoming home
With wide open arms
This one who was bought
By those nail-scarred palms.

Oh yes, I will say,
And cry out in song
That the thing that I craved
Was you all along.

You made me complete,
You'll see me on through
& you'll guide me each day
'til I come home to you.

So, what can I say?
My friend, simply this.
My God reached out to me
And gave one saving kiss.

Now knowing what I know,
I leave it to you.
What will you say
As he reaches to you?

The rainbow fox

The idea for the rainbow fox came from Tanya's twitter feed today:

1. The boy's made-up stories - incl a rainbow fox and friendly lamb 2. Kathleen Norris' The Cloister Walk. 3. Good writing stint #fb

— Tanya Marlow (@Tanya_Marlow) June 17, 2013

What is the rainbow fox, you might ask?  This is the rainbow fox.

The rainbow fox
Have you ever wondered
about the blueness of the sky?
Or the scented rose's redness?
Have you stopped and wondered, why?
Why are colours all so vivid?
Why's the world not black and white?
Well, today do choose to look and see
The world's most marvellous sight.

The rainbow fox my friend is out!
He touches every flower he sees,
from the tiniest of daisies
to the most towering trees.

He skips among the children's clothes
and dots between the shops
and all the while he smiles his smile
as colour waves he drops.

His tail is like a burning fire
all oranges and reds.
And crowned on top in crimson flame
stands his majestic head.

His eyes are deepest pools of ink
each darkest shades of blue.
But if you look more closely
there are others colours too.

His paws are striped bright green and gold
like emeralds flecked with light
each blade of grass he graces leaps
and dances in their light.

His body, oh that glorious sight!
changes all throughout the day
From orange with the rising sun
to purple late in day.

Keep your eyes open and you'll see
a glimpse of foxie's art.
From the yellow in your cornflakes
to the greenest leafy park.

Each sunset graced by foxie's tail,
is laced with goldish tones
and when that chariot meets the sea
he sits his golden throne.

So now you see, my new-found friend
the colours all around
are the rainbox fox's finest work
our master artist, found.

TheWeeScottie

Couldn't give life

Couldn't give life

Sometimes I think I'm the giver
The supporter, the sustainer,
The shoulder to lean on,
The listening ear.

I can give life

I can ease pain
I can make it better.
I'll listen to your problems
I'll carry you through
When your feet won't carry you
When you stumble and cry
I'll steady you.

I'll give you life.

I'll lend you my legs
My hands and my feet
My heart and my mind
If it will help.
My time and my energy,
Ideas and creativity,
All that I am I give.

Can I give life?
Is it mine to give?

I can give my friends all of me
But I can't give you life.
Every ounce of me I can give,
Down to the last molecule of hope

But life I cannot give.
It is not mine to dish out
Though at times I wish I could.

It is someone better's to give,
Someone more loving, more caring
He can give his friends life.
It is his to give.

If you were offered life
Would you say yes?

Hands

I know I can try and do things myslf. In fact, I really like to. I like to be in control and know what's happening. I like crafting my own life. But in fact, God reminds me that it's his nail-scarrd hands that want to fashion me, change me and mould me into somehing more beautiful, more loving, more like Him. This poem is about hands.

Hands

I created my life with hands of steel
I chose to stand and never kneel
Though I kept my hand on the driver's wheel
I easily lost my way.

I created my life with hands of silk
My problems slid by, they held no ilk
But I never cared enough to milk
The best of every day.

I created my life with hands of stone
I held onto all that I could own
I succeeded in life, but cold and alone
No-one ever stayed for long.

Then He crafted my heart with hands of love
Each sharp, rough edge he smoothed away
He took these hands that loved to craft
An taught them simply how to hold.

He took these hands and held them close,
Enfolded in a Father's palms
He taught this restless heart to calm
To love to walk, hand in hand,
Now together we stand.

Now he shapes my heart and crafts my life,
Though hese hands do itch to work
I'd rather follow the craftsman's lead
And see justs how he works.