Have You Ever Been In The Presence Of God's Holiness?

Holiness is such a nearly indescribable word. God's holiness is such a nearly indescribable feeling or thought,notion or experience. I have never felt that, except in my times of full surrender. Because God has placed a special heart for worship in me, those times usually occur when I'm before Him in praise, humbleness, and inquiry through worship. I have never felt it in the exact same way, it isn't some spiritual peak that you get to, it isn't a conjuring. I'm afraid no matter how much you try, you could never achieve that level of vulnerability without the Holy Spirit. When I know that I know I am before a Holy God, and that Holiness is apparent and vivid, my first reaction or feeling is a sense of wanting to just hide my imperfections. When your impurities are so obvious to your own self, you do feel vulnerable and open. Something like,"I have nothing to offer,except imperfection". Then in His holy,perfect love he touches us and lifts us up,once we see our inadequecies. It is a tender moment when you feel helpless to your fallenness,which we are without God, and even then He never leaves us without hope.

Poem: "Hold Fast"

I wish there was something that I could do or say
That would make all of this just go away
A tender touch to help you trust
And all your burdens fall to dust

Many a mile I know you've tread
And many a breath spent living for death
Time doesn't give you much hope
And patience is a feeble way to cope

It isn't easy watching you hurt
The pain cut deep and the anger burn
I don't know how to bring you faith
Or a genuine smile to your face

It isn't that I'm giving up
It's not that there's nothing left
"It's not that I'm still holding on
I'm never letting go"

Be free of the ache
Let loose your cage
Don't settle for darkness and despair
There is no peace there

Destruction is not your only path
There's something to build,
Something to last
Finding out love can stand fast
And dreams don't have to fade

Hold fast,my dearest friend

God Is In Control

Times like these
When my life is slow
When my world crashes
But my dreams lie intact
When storms rage then cease
When I am saved from pain
When I find peace in adversity
This is when I know
God is in control

Moments of joy
Flickers of happy memories
When I remember special songs
When a smile breaks across my face
The laughing for no reason
When theres stillness in the chaos
And that calm keeps me alive
That is when I feel
God is in control

When I have no words to say but 'I love you'
The hugs and the tears
When I kiss the forehead of a dying friend
When I hold a new life in my arms
The times that I've spent on my knees
And others running away
When in all the darkness I find light
Then is when I see
God is in control

When I hear the music of the wind
The birds sing to me the harmony
Trees sway and clap to the anthem
And the oceans beat against the shore
Then in all of the noise of the world
I hear a still small voice
Thats when I hear
God is in control

When I dance without fear
When I find unadulterated truth
When I look at the stars
When I sleep deep and well
When I know there is hope
Every second I breathe
God is in control

Poem:"Alive"

Swaying to the music at midnight
I make a smile at the full moon
And carry on the dance
The stars sing a melody
The milky way moves with me
Eyes closed to the darkness
I step out on the wind

And I'm carried away
The clouds clear,the sounds ring true
And nothing stands in the way of the morning
When the sun will break through
And I will go to be with you

The cold has become so stinging
My thin skin holds no weight in this world
I hope my children remember
To hold on to the warmth while it lasts
The curse of youth is
That beauty belongs to the past

On the morrow
My reflection will not cause me pain
In the light of the Son
My bones will remember their strength

When I leave my footprints on the earth
And walk on a staircase of swirling airs
To the place of golden streets of rebirth
And to the tender fountain of grace
Please rejoice in my going
Think fondly in knowing
I will be with you all of your years

Gentle scents of the dew fall on my lips
I hear the morning-bird singing
The sunrise is hastening on
I am being drawn up to the arms
The everlasting arms of rest
My head now lies against his chest
I feel like I can dance
I am truly alive

Poem:"Marine At Mt. Suribachi"

Their country's flag soon to unfurl
Atop a mount of useless woe
For upon that day doom had fallen
Six would come, four would go and
Only memory could revive
The precious moments of their lives
The stories don't recompense their cries

Agony upon a beach
Writhing pain nevermore to cease
Dying for days and days on end
Our guilty soil to defend
The captive soldier best not hope
For soon enough he'll die by rope

On that day you'd hear angels sing:
"If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on heaven's scenes
They will find the streets are guarded
By United State Marines"

A doctor,a farmboy,an indian
A teammate,a leader,a follower
Together forged a vision
Of desire,hope,and strength
A symbol of unity
A rise in morale to make

Forever and eternity
Rememberance of the war
The debt we have,the blood they shed
The freedom they insured

For soldier on, they do
And fight the good fight o'er
The seas,the earth,the wild lands
For all the world to see
Determined to destruction
They sacrifice their years
They thunder in,with gun hand
In a rain of blood,sweat,and tears

Those who carry on the burden
Of the comrades now deceased
Flashbacks filled with horror
Wake them furious in their sleep
Peace,peace they seek for
They hang their heads in despair
Why did I not die alongside
All the others who were there?

No matter what the cost
In the end,they would never
Take back the choice
To raise their voice
Shout "gung ho"
And boldly go
Where a few good men
Have never gone before

America now stands
Home of the free
Because of the brave
A warrior til your dying day
No mortal can undo your deeds
Some men must die
So others can sleep

Semper fidus,Semper fidelis
Always faithful, ever-true
All men of war
Hats off to you

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I wrote this after having seen Flags of Our Fathers and reading the book. Soldiers have always inspired me,and their sacrifice is among the most honorable of all. Thank you Men of War,Men of Honor....you will be remembered.

It Doesn't Interest Me...

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

I doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. I want to know of you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty everyday, and if you can source yourself from God's presence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver moon, Yes!

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.

I doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

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Quite the interesting thought-provoking blip(and so true to what I feel in my heart towards others). I'm sure this has curculated thousands of blogs,emails,etc. already...but alas,it was too good to not post it yet again.