Thursday, February 26, 2009

Sending my love

I know it may sound cliche
But baby I've got to say
I can't help but love the way
You light up my life every day

I know it may sound trite
Try as I may and I might
Can't get you out of my sight
Your eyes are like sparkling lights

These rhymes are pouring out
Like water out of a spout
They're true without a doubt
You're all I can think about

Just wish you were next to me
Out in the park under a tree
Beautiful sky as far as we can see
That's as happy as I could be

I miss you more each hour
Won't let that get me sour
You're prettier than any flower
We'll survive with God's power

In the words of the Sandy-pup
I love you and can't shut up
It runneth over my cup
Baby you know that's what's up

It's time for this poem to end
Not before your wishes I'll tend
Together again around the bend
Until then, my love I send

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Tears of joy at last!

It's caused my wife great consternation over the past several years that I have developed somewhat of a writer's block when it comes to poetry. In junior high and high school and into my early years of college, I would write poetry. Some of it was pretty good, some of it wasn't, but I was able to put my thoughts and feelings onto paper in the form of verse.

However, about the time I started studying journalism, and by proxy doing more prose writing, the poetry seemed to stop. Now, as Elizabeth and I started dating, eventually became engaged and then got married, this didn't sit too well with her because, well frankly, she wanted some poems written about her.

I've written a few things, but nothing I was really proud of. Tonight, however, that changed. I've been sitting in my room for the past few hours, listening to music. As I was listening to a good friend of mine, Grant Terry, I was inspired to try to write a few verses. And it just flowed out.

So here's my love poem to my wife:

Love Poem

Sitting here alone so far away
From you, the world, everything
I have words in my head, my heart
Just wish I had the voice to sing
A love song just for you
From my lips to your ears
So soft, gentle and sweet
To bring your heart to tears

Baby, I know it’s all so frustrating
The separation, the tough times we face
Just please know that I love you
And wish your fears I could erase
All I’ve ever wanted was to please you
To give you all your hopes and dreams
Know it’s all going to work out in the end
No matter how tough right now it seems

This is my love poem to you, baby
If I were blessed with the gift of song
I’d wrap it in the form of a lullaby
I can’t, but the meaning is just as strong

There may be more than a few hours
Between where you and I now sleep
But please, if I can only ask
Don’t let these times make you weep
Because in the end, we both know
The tough times can only bring
The two of us closer together
It’s just temporary, nothing but a thing

Nothing can change the way I feel
And girl I hope you know that I do
Feel more strongly than I ever have
My love for you is pure and true
Oh, how I wish that you were here
Lying next to me, together at last
I know that day will come soon
Wish I could make it happen oh so fast

This is my love poem to you, baby
If I were blessed with the gift of song
I’d wrap it in the form of a lullaby
I can’t, but the meaning is just as strong

This is my love poem to you, baby
If I were blessed with the gift of song
I’d wrap it in the form of a lullaby
I can’t, but the meaning is just as strong

All Around Me

I can feel you all around me
Thickening the air I'm breathing
Holding onto what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing

Those are just part of the lyrics from one of the greatest songs out there right now, at least in my opinion, All Around Me by Flyleaf. I just wish they applied to me.

Many of you know my spiritual journey. Grew up in church. Knew God. Baptized as a child. Saved while in high school. Rebaptized. Continued to go to church. Spent many a night praising the Lord while in college. Servant in the youth group at my previous church when things fell apart.

I got caught up in something pretty bad, trusted people who ended up straying from the path and got burned. It hurt me badly. Really badly. And my walk hasn't been the same.

One of the things I was so looking forward to moving to New Braunfels was getting back in church. I've found a good church that Elizabeth and I have visited a couple of times when she's in town. There's a group of young married people that I'm hoping we'll get hooked with once we get settled here. It's been nice to be back in church worshipping the Lord.

But I'll be honest. It's very hard to find joy in our current situation. I know all of the right things to say. I know the church answers. It's not my timing. It's the Lord's. This time apart will bring us closer in the end. There's a reason for this to happen. God works everything for the good. He won't put more on us than we can handle. Sometimes it feels like those things are just lip service. Sometimes it's hard to actually believe them.

I'll admit, this weekend was tough. Elizabeth had an opportunity we were very hopeful about. But the money's not right. We just can't make it work. Who knows, it still may work out, but it's tough. And once again, we feel like we're starting over, trying from scratch to find a job, while waiting on someone, anyone, to want to buy our house. Each passing day that we're apart, that our family is separated, gets harder and harder.

It's during these times that I should draw closer to God. It's during these times that the Scripture should speak to me and give me strength and hope for a brighter day tomorrow. I'm not going to lie, though, it's been awhile since I've felt Him all around me, since I've felt "fully alive" to quote another Flyleaf song.

It felt great to be in worship Sunday night, singing praise to the Lord. Having Elizabeth by my side in the House of the Lord was amazing. Things felt right. Unfortunately, it didn't last. It was fleeting. She had to go home, with both of us searching and wondering when this separation is going to end.

Those of you who have been praying for us, I sincerely thank you and ask that you continue the good work. Sometimes, it's very trying to keep the faith. But it hasn't wavered. I know everything will work out in its own time. It doesn't mean it's not hard. At times, it's very hard. I'm so glad I have wonderful friends and family to help me during this time. I can't tell you how much you mean to me. Thank you.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

A new blog (such a creative title)

At the risk of sounding cryptic, which I don't want to be, please keep us in your prayers this weekend. There's a good opportunity that we're hopeful about, but I don't want to count any chickens before they hatch. More info will come at a later time.

So while most of my friends are thinking about a party coming up next week, I'm thinking about a party coming up in a couple of weeks.

The big 2-7. Let's P-A-R-T-Y! I'll be the first to admit that I've never been all that big on the whole birthday. Give me a little bit of money (thanks Mom and Dad!) and say happy birthday. Yay, now let's move on. However, my wife is a big birthday celebrator, so I've started to come around to this whole celebration.

And strangely enough, while most people put less emphasis on their birthday as they get older, it appears I'm backward and am placing more on it each calendar year. So on March 8, I'll be turning 27. There's nothing monumental about it. It's not 18. It's not 21. It's not 25. Not that those days were very monumental to me any way.

But just like this New Year was a unique one for me, so is this birthday. It's the first one on the newest chapter of my life, the first one I've ever spent outside of Louisiana (you know, besides that actual "birth" birthday) and one where I can really sit back and reflect on everything that has happened since I turned 26.

It's been a strange couple of months, honestly. A tough, trying time for obvious reasons. So I'm ready to party. I'm going to enjoy this birthday. And it looks like it has the makings of a really good party, with family and friends from all over converging on Pineville for a combo birthday bash/annual Granger crawfish boil

I can't tell you how excited I am about this. There are faces I haven't seen in awhile that I'm ready to see again, and honestly, I'm not sure how many more times I'll get everybody together like this. Sure, there will be holidays. But not everybody will be together. That's why I'm so excited for this one.

If you can make it, I want you there. Friends, family, everybody. Let's have a big party for the big 2-7!!!