Turnover Tuesdays IV

"these times you're healing
and when your heart breaks
the times that you feel like you've fallen from grace
the times you're hurting
the times that you heal
the times you go hungry and *are tempted* to steal
in times of confusion and chaos and pain
i'm there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
i'm there through your heartache
i'm there in the storm
my love i will keep you by my power alone
i don't care where you've fallen, where you have been
i'll never forsake you
my love never ends, it never ends"

Turnover Tuesdays III - Cycle

Pebbles.

Tears.

Laughter.

Autumn.

Flickers of light.

Increased smiles.

Shadows in the dark.

Tandems of happenings that make you want to fast-forward through life.

You’ll be ashamed when you press that button though.

Ashamed that you just existed… just went through the motions.

When you throw pebbles, throw them angrily.

When you shed tears, shed them emphatically.

When you share laughter, share cheerfully.

When you see autumn, embrace it forcefully.

Regardless, light still follows the dark.

Why not go through the cycle with a smile on your face?

Turnover Tuesdays II - Regrets

…I wish I hadn’t met him

…I wish I hadn’t met her

…I wish I hadn’t met them

Wishful wishes that make you forget the beauty of the red autumn leaves that fall carelessly to the will of the Maker.

Wishful wishes that mask regrets on a sunny afternoon… one of the last few before the absence of the sun.

…I wish he hadn’t left

…I wish she hadn’t left

…I wish I hadn’t left

you sit and you wish upon stars in broad day light. If you hadn’t taken those paths you wouldn’t be sitting still watching the autumn leaves fall, appreciating the beauty of the current cycle.

Red autumn leaves fall… people fall away. Winter comes, just like a trying period that always hits relationships. When spring comes, new leaves sprout up – stronger and more beautiful than the previous season. After all trying periods, relationships meant to be do grow stronger – are still present. Those that fall away – like the red autumn leaves, were never meant to stay in the first place. Have no regrets.

Turnover Tuesdays I

It turns out that sitting across a landscape pond buttressed by trees, whose leaves attempt to evade the setting of autumn without success, is peaceful. Somehow I’ve spent the past four years here and must have passed this spot a million times over, and I never noticed how calming it could be. I’ve found other cute silent niches across campus, and yet, the very obvious one was oblivious to me.  

Funny, life can be ironic like that.

I’m guessing there is irony in being let down by the people you thought would always be by your side?

I’m guessing there is irony in me and you mistaking the reason that God sent His son to dwell with us?

I’m guessing there is irony is me sitting here relaxing but still working?

Not so funny.

Everyone in Israel was waiting for the promised Messiah… you know the one of whom was said:

            “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9 vs 6 (KJV).

They wanted retaliation against the Roman government. They wanted freedom form physical oppression, physical pain, physical poverty… everything needed to be turned over in the physical.

He didn’t come to do that… *shocked look on my face in physical pain (not literally!)*

What then did He come for?

“He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” – Luke 24: 25-27 (NIV).

So he wasn’t set on liberating just the physical pain… emotional hurt… mental abuse etc… It was more than that. Complete turnover actually. He came to free us (me of not just my physical face pain (pain not literal!) but also my soul pain).

I just want all my worries to go away. We just want all our worries to go away. The Israelites just wanted the Romans to go away and so they mistook the mission of the Messiah.

I’ve been making such mistakes – thinking I just need Him to get through life, thinking since He saved my soul then what is the point of all this meandering

            Its just got be all meaningless – this life. So what is the point?

But then He cared enough to leave His Heavenly business to spend 33 years among us. He knew that He alone could give hope to mankind. So He died on all of our behalf, was made sin such that if we believed in this crazy idea, we would be saved.

Its crazy – ever heard of a King who died for His people?

Its mind-boggling – ever heard of a King who not only has the power to heal those physical worries (yup! He could’ve just called fire and brimstone on the Romans, and yet He didn’t) and also save your soul at the same time?

This realization makes me do a complete turnover everytime… and yet, I always forget time without number what He has done for me, and I fall and stain the beautiful robes He has adorned me with.