Amy's Song - David Harsh

Deborah Jabs (1960 - 2011)

The day you slipped away
Was the day my pain arrived
And I wonder how my life would be
If you were still alive
There's an emptyness within me
That is crying out your name
And no matter what I ever do
I will never be the same

Chorus:
And all I want to know
Is are you happy now?
Are you in the arms of Jesus
Can you see my life somehow?
As I sit here making wishes
That time will not allow
Please tell me
Are you happy now?

I think about the memories
And the time I had with you
And I laugh about the games we'd play
And the things we used to do
There is so much left to tell you
That I never got to say
And there are words I wish I'd never said
That I cannot take away

I can't wait 'til I can see your face again
In the house of our Father
Where the joy will never end
I can't wait to hold you close to me
And tell you that I love you
We'll be together in eternity

So as I walk along without you
In the years that still remain
I will think about you often
And smile through the pain
'cause there's a part of me that's missing
When you left and went away
But a part of you remains in me
And I know that it will stay

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I really like the feeling and sentiment of this song, even if David Harsh and I disagree concerning what happens to a person when they die.
You can listen to David Harsh sing this song on YouTube here.
You can read the on-line Bible study, "Are the Dead Really Dead?" here.

Remain faithful,
Dave

Whatever You Think

Whatever you think, never think what you feel
You would blush, in the presence of God, to reveal;
Whatever you speak, in a whisper or clear,
Say nothing you would not like Jesus to hear.

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Photo True phone courtesy of Flickr artist Florian SEROUSSI

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Whatever you read though the page may allure,
Read nothing of which you are perfectly sure
Consternation at once would be seen in your look
If God should say solemnly, "Show me that book."

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Photo "Bibliophile" courtesy of Flickr artist K. Sawyer

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Whatever you write, though in haste or in heed,
Write nothing you would not like Jesus to read;
Whatever you sing, in the midst of your glees
Sing nothing His listening ear would displease.

Whenever you go, never go where you fear
Lest the great God should ask you, "How camest thou here?"
Turn away from each pleasure you'd shrink from pursuing
If God should look down and say, "What are you doing?"

Whatever you wear, can you be very sure
That the feelings it quickens are blameless and pure?
Would your face be unblushing and conscience be clear
Should your wardrobe be opened and Jesus appear?

When you think, when you speak, when you read, when you write,
When you sing, when you walk, when you seek for delight,
To be kept from all wrong when at home or abroad,
Live always as under the eyes of the Lord.

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What a marvelous sentiment! Would your life, gentle reader, be any different, if you kept these thougts before you?

Remain faithful,

Dave

Land of Beginning Again

I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat by the door
And never be put on again.

I wish we could come on it all unaware
Like the hunter who finds a lost trail
And I wish that the one whom our blindness has done
The greatest injustice of all
Could be at the gates like an old friend that waits
For the comrade he’s gladdest to hail.

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photo by Lisa Allen

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We would find all the things we intended to do
But forgot, and remembered too late;
Little praises unspoken, little promises broken
And all of the thousand and one
Little duties neglected that might have perfected
The day for one less fortunate.

It wouldn’t be possible not to be kind
In the Land of Beginning Again
And the ones we misjudged and the ones whom we grudged
Their moments of victory then
Would find in the grasp of our loving handclasp
More than penitent lips could explain.

For what had been hardest we’d know had been best
And what had seemed loss would be gain
For there isn’t a sting that will not take a wing
When we’ve faced it and laughed it away,
And I think that the laughter is most what we’re after
In the Land of Beginning Again.

So I wish that there were some wondered place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door
And never be put on again.

by Louise Fletcher

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Oh, that we might have healing in every wounded relationship, past and present. Who among us lives without regrets? But be of good cheer: God has promised that He will wipe away every tear in the ultimate land of beginning again (Rev 21:4).

-Dave

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December is a time of reflection. The end of the year is upon us. We consider the past year and reflect on what has worked, what has not, what we did right, and what we wish we could have done differently. We look forward to January, to the season of beginning again, to the season of hope, to the season of, "maybe I'll get it right this year."

I originally posted this in January, 2008, and love it so much that I wanted to share it again.

Remain faithful,
Dave

Fellowship of the Unashamed

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made. I am a disciple of
Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present
makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by
presence, lean by faith, love by patience,
lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace
is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my
road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,
my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,
compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,
diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander
in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until
Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,
and work until He comes. And when He comes to get
His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
My colors will be clear.

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The preceding was said to have been found written on a scrap of paper by an African Christian pastor who was murdered the next day. Like Paul, he may have said,

2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

As the new year bursts upon us, let us, too, submit and commit ourselves to Jesus Christ that we might be able to preach, pray, or die at a moment's notice, unashamed, and with the peace that comes from knowing that our sins have preceded us to the throne of grace and been blotted out by the blood of Jesus.

Remain faithful,
Dave

I Asked God

I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for ME to take away,
But for YOU to give it up.

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rose bud II courtesy of Flickr artist ceanandjen

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I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
It isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
And brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own! ,
But I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life,
So that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...Ahhhh;
Finally, you have the idea.

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1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

We spend our entire lives trying to shield ourselves from suffering, but God allows a measure of suffering that we might be perfected. Would you give God permission to make you perfect?

Lord God, give me the grace, the stretching and the growth that You intend for the experiences and circumstances that You have allowed in my life that I might be more fully fitted for the work You have for me to do.

Remain faithful,
Dave

Thank You, Lord, For The Thorns

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door.

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Thorns courtesy of DRB62

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Her life had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole her ease. During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come. What's worse, Sandra's friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a Lord-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "Has she lost a child? No, she has no idea what I'm feeling," Sandra shuddered. Thanksgiving? "Thankful for what?" she wondered. For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took that of her child?

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" The flower shop clerk's approach startled her. "Sorry," said Jenny, "I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you." "I.....I need an arrangement." "For Thanksgiving?" Sandra nodded. "Do you want beautiful, but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'?" Jenny saw Sandra's curiosity and continued, "I'm convinced that flowers tell stories, that each arrangement conveys a particular feeling. Are you looking for something that conveys gratitude this Thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted. "Sorry, but in the last five months everything that could go wrong has." Sandra regretted her outburst, but was surprised when Jenny said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." The door's small bell suddenly rang. "Barbara! Hi!" Jenny said. She politely excused herself from Sandra and walked toward a small workroom. She quickly reappeared carrying a massive arrangement of green bows and long-stemmed thorny roses.

Only, the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped -- no flowers. "Want this in a box?" Jenny asked. Sandra watched for Barbara's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems and no flowers! She waited for laughter, for someone to notice the absence of flowers a top the thorny stems, but neither woman did. "Yes, please. It's exquisite!," said Barbara. "You'd think after three years of getting the Special, I'd not be so moved by its significance, but it's happening again. My family will love this one. Thanks."

Sandra stared. "Why so normal a conversation about so strange an arrangement?" she wondered. "Uh," said Sandra, pointing. "That lady just left with . . . uh...." "Yes?" "Well, she had no flowers!" "Off? Yep. That's the Special. I call it the 'Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet'." "But, why do people pay for that?" In spite of herself, she chuckled. "Do you really want to know?" "I couldn't leave this shop without knowing. I'd think about nothing else!"

"That might be good," said Jenny. "Well," she continued, "Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling very much like you feel today. She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs and she faced major surgery." "Ouch!" said Sandra. "That same year I lost my husband. I assumed complete responsibility for the shop and for the first time, spent the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby and too great a debt to allow any travel." "What did you do?" "I learned to be thankful for thorns." Sandra's eyebrows lifted. "Thorns?"

"I'm a Christian, Sandra. I've always thanked Lord for good things in life and I never thought to ask Him why good things happened to me. But when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask! It took time to learn that dark times are important. I always enjoyed the flowers of life, but it took thorns to show me the beauty of Lord's comfort. You know, the Bible says that Lord comforts us when we're afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others." Sandra gasped. "A friend read that passage to me and I was furious! I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with Lord."

She started to ask Jenny to "go on" when the door's bell diverted their attention. "Hey, Phil!" shouted Jenny as a balding, rotund man entered the shop. She softly touched Sandra's arm and moved to him. He tucked her under his side for warm hug. "I'm here for twelve thorny long-stemmed stems!" Phil laughed heartily. I figured as much," said Jenny.

"I've got them ready. "She lifted a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerated cabinet. Beautiful," said Phil. "My wife will love them. "Sandra could not resist asking, "These are for your wife?" Phil saw that Sandra's curiosity matched his when he first heard of a Thorn Bouquet. "Do you mind me asking, 'Why thorns'?"

"No, in fact, I'm glad you asked," he said. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years we were in a real mess, but we slugged through, problem by rotten problem. We rescued our marriage--our love really. Last year at Thanksgiving I stopped in here for flowers. I must have mentioned surviving a tough process because Jenny told me that for a long time she kept a vase of rose stems--STEMS-- as a reminder of what she learned from 'thorny' times. That was good enough for me. I took home stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific thorny situation and give thanks for what the problem taught us. I'm pretty sure this stem review is becoming a tradition. "Phil paid Jenny, thanked her again and as he left, said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for thorns in my life," Sandra said to Jenny. "Well, my experience says that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure Lord's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, Sandra, Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that we might know His love. Do not resent thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take twelve long-stemmed thorns, please." "I hoped you would," Jenny said. "I'll have them ready in a minute. Then, every time you see them, remember to appreciate both good and hard times. We grow through both."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?" "Nothing. Nothing, but a pledge to work toward healing your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." Jenny handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach a card like this to your arrangement, but maybe you'd like to read it first. Go ahead, read it." The card read: "My Lord, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn! I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of thorns. Show me that I have climbed to Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my rainbow."

Most Richly Blessed

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

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Photo courtesy of Flickr artist Matthew Fang

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I asked for riches that I might be happy,
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing I asked for - but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite of myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am among all men, most richly blessed.

Written by:
An Anonymous Confederate Soldier

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Time and again God gives me what I need instead of what I want - and time and again I am grateful that He is so much wiser than I.

Remain faithful,
Dave