From The Badlands

How many times, Lord, must I learn that You’re here even amidst the chilly winds and the battered streets among naked trees?
When times are good I question them and when times are bad I seek understanding
Thankfully, You lead me to those who extol Your counsel in a world where pretentious friends flee in their shame
But would-be foes learn to bond in their similarities
Lord forgive me for my lack of faith, for now I can discern when it was You guiding my heart in the reflective moments, even when I rarely sought You out by name
Thankfully I had been grounded in Your precepts, so that when youthful angst pressed my limits, I knew to always keep a clear path back toward Your Way
But mostly, Lord, I thank You for showing me not to wander off in the first place!
And that those with foolish inclinations toward the world are not worthy of my trust
Lord, as I look around once again I ache at these badlands and I wonder how Your grace would ever reach to such a pit
But I stand on Your promise to meet me where I am, and I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able
Take me now, O Lord my God, to the place You have ordained for me to do Your will, for You have already inspired me beyond words with Your sweet song and my heart yearns for the MOUNTAINS of GLORY I’ll reach riding this train

Seeing Things

I had you pegged

As someone I knew

Had all the hard facts

Yet, no more than a few

The years came and went

We grew side by side

You fell in the shadows

I stuck by my pride

Till understanding revealed

There’s a hidden agenda

Is there something wrong?

Was it I who offended?

All those times, insecure,

You’d curl up in a ball

And then I’d back away

To avoid a great fall

Hints you gave softly

Not entirely wasted

Just stored away till

God’s wisdom I tasted

How His flowers do bloom!

Some quickly, some slowly

There’s more to you...but,

Is there more than just me?

The Good Ole Days

She brushes her dark hair

Midday shadows on the wall

Will the wait never end?

Doesn't know what she wants yet

But won't stop till she gets it


Tired of thinking

Can't decide what to do next

Outside the window

Things are going on

Don't understand most of it

What's it got to do with me?

Muggy day is uncomfortable

Would sleep but not tired


He thinks about her sometimes

Never solving the mystery

But now the mind is rested again

So it's off to another adventure

Surely she's fine, just as she is

Why am I kissing you?

Why am I kissing you? Because I can?

Curiosity got the best of me, now I'm in a strange room.

Forgive the candor, but this reminds me of the ham hocks Mom cooks with soup beans.

Kinda slippery but needs more salt.

This is getting surreal, but if it makes you happy...

Why am I kissing you? Is this how we say goodbye now?

I get a flashback of this every time I approach a mirror.

You're a cute girl and I really like your company

But...doesn't this seem a little contrived?

Why am I kissing you? This is supposed to communicate something.

But, I find I have little, if nothing, to say this way.

You seem to be caught up in this,

But I'd just as soon go work on a project or something.

And why do you get so mad when I look at the TV? Sheesh maneesh.

Why am I kissing you? Because I like your flavor...

But, even I can see this is going nowhere fast, so later gater.

Why am I kissing you? Because usually it can smooth things over...

Or buy me time, or...just pass the time.

Why am I kissing you? If I ever knew, I guess I forgot at some point.

Why do I waste your time and feed your false hopes?

Forgive me?

Why am I kissing you? Well, I'm not, and that's obviously best.

Think I'll stick with letters and numbers from now on.

Tyrant

She's sharp and she's cool
She's patient; no one's fool
Determined

Bubbly when attention's given
Boys talk to her, idea of livin'
Agenda

Waiting in her stance
For perfection wearing pants
Black Widow

Eyes of coal, smile a phenom
Laugh as music, sweet as venom
Medusa

Her heart burns on still
She must enforce her will
Gestapo

Special kind of gal
Not typical, yet so real
Pitfall

As for me, this won't stand
So I hold up my hand
Resistance

She turns and looks on
Spots another, she's gone
Insatiable

Today in History

On this date in 1966: Edwin C. RANT of Canada used a homemade apparatus he hoped would take him to the orient via the center of the planet. However, due to both malfunction and human error, he soon resurfaced in a grain field about 45 miles southeast of Dallas.  The local sheriff was not amused; nor was the landowner, although he later admitted in an interview that he would have "forgiven the feller if he'd a just brung some dadgum oil up with him".

Lamb to the Slaughter

I am a young man
Her hair's long and dark

I'm invited to supper
Since her son is at work

After mutton and rice
We relax and I hold her

So warm and so nice
Her head on my shoulder

Guess her husband was crazy
Left her years before

Hints of hard life till
She moved in next door

It gets close to bedtime
Says she wants me to stay

That I have no cause not to
Tomorrow's just one more day

Secrets are known now
How it feels so right

She tells me she's happy
And that I am her light

But out of a dead sleep
I awake to a scream

She lies in her own blood
Is it just a bad dream?

He says it's all over
Then fires his next shot

Here I am all alone now
Guess this is my lot

Inspired by Proverbs Chapter Seven