There didn’t seem to be much she didn’t want. It seemed like half the toy catalog was written down on her list. Barbies, doll houses, princess things, and dolls. Not to be left out were matchbox cars, board games, Playmobil things, and a football. She even asked for love. She was just a young girl.
Her list changed over the years. Now there were clothes, gift cards, and money on the list. She also asked for iPods, iPads, and other things that start with I. One thing hadn’t changed though, she still asked for love. She was just a teenage girl.
She had most everything she ever wanted. She didn’t have much of a list this year. A new pair of Nikes, some pots and pans for her new apartment, gift cards, and money. Mostly, she just wanted her family to be together. She still was asking for love. She…
I am the traveler. I have searched high and low to find what is missing in my life. I have traveled by boat, car and plane. I have traveled by foot, bus and train.
I have climbed to the top of Mt. Everest. I have looked in wonder at the Dead Sea. I have hiked across the Sahara Desert. I have swam in the seven oceans. I have seen the beauty of the white snow in Antarctica. I have seen the lush lands of the Amazon Rainforest. I have seen the majestic Great Wall Of China.
Still, I searched. Nothing filled the emptiness inside of me. Nothing cured me. What was I missing?
It was December and I decided to travel back home and start again. Find a new plan. Search for a new land where I can find me.
That’s when the strangest things happened.
On the plane back to home a child told me about a baby born in a manger. My connecting flight was delayed and that is when a woman told me about the life of a man named Jesus.
When I landed I had to take a train to my city. On that train a man told me about the crucifixion of Jesus and how he was raised from the grave. He told me about forgiveness of our sins, His grace, and how much he loves us all.
I was in deep thought about all these conversations as I walked to my house. I connected the dots as I looked at all the lights and decorations. Christmas. Jesus had to come to earth to be born in a manger. He had to be like you and me to share in our pain and suffering yet to still give us joy, forgiveness, and love. He had to die to fulfill God’s promise.
If we believe in him then we will have eternal life in Heaven. If we believe in him then he is in us and that is what I was searching for. That is what I was missing.
After all my travels I found what I was missing and it was right with me the entire time.
Now I travel again. Back to the places I was searching before. This time I bring Jesus with me. I bring his words and give them to everyone who has never heard them before. With the help of God, I will spread the news of his love, his forgiveness, his grace to the world.
I am the traveler. It all started with a journey many years ago to a tiny town called Bethlehem. It all started with a baby born in a manger.
Remember the season is because of the birth of a child
It’s not the decorations or presents
Or all the parties and events
Here is an open invitation
To join in the celebration
No gifts to bring or trees to decorate
Whenever you are ready, we will wait
A genuine heart with love to give
I believe you are meant to live
Do not give up, Do not be dismayed
If you are having a string of bad days
There is a hope for a better tomorrow
One not promised without sorrow
One not promised without pain
One not promised without rain
One promised that you are never alone
One promised that you have a home
One promised that you are loved
One promised of HOPE, sealed by His blood
I can’t promise tomorrow will be better
I can promise you have a helper
Instead of falling down it’s time to rise up
Don’t give up when you’ve had enough
The night will fall and the sun will soon shine
Please, please give it some more time
Tomorrow is new
Perhaps a blessing for you
Tomorrow will soon be here
And maybe, just maybe, it’ll be your year
A baby boy was born in a manger
Don’t let him be a stranger
Get to know hope, love, forgiveness and grace
Tomorrow you will gladly embrace
I want you to know you are known
And that you aren’t alone
Don’t give up, YOU are loved, even when you are blue
This is my Christmas prayer for you
Talk to your doctor if you are feeling sad for long periods of time. They can refer you to a mental health specialist. If your feelings of sadness during the holidays are accompanied by suicidal thoughts, do one of the following immediately:
Call 911.
Go immediately to a hospital emergency room.
Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).
You can improve your mood by practicing self-care during the holidays. Eat a healthy diet, and maintain a regular sleep pattern and exercise program. According to the kept Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, as little as 30-minutes of cardiovascular exercise can provide an immediate mood boost similar to the effects of an antidepressant medication. Joining a support group where you talk to people with similar experiences to yours can also help.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU HAVE WORTH AND YOU ARE LOVED MORE THAN YOU KNOW!
Lots of songs but couldn’t decide to put suicide or hope or someone loves you song so put a mix of all them.
A post from last year about being patient in God’s time you will be used for bigger and better things you can ever imagine if you put your complete trust in Him.
From the time she was a small sapling she knew what she was born for. She was born and raised on a Christmas tree farm. She heard stories from her family and friends about how one day she would be picked to go be inside someone’s house.
Each year she grew a little bigger but each year she kept hearing people say the same thing. “She isn’t big enough.” “Her branches are still too weak.” “Her needles are too thin.”
She would wonder the same thing each year. “What’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t anyone want me? ”
Another year passed and she thought for sure this would be the year. She was almost as big as all the other trees but it was the same old story for our Christmas tree. “She isn’t quite there yet.” “She’s almost full enough but not as full as we want.” “Her branches…
It has been a couple weeks but hopefully I am back on track now.
Four new musician followers this week. Take a listen, find some new music to listen to. Please feel free to share/purchase the song I wrote the lyrics to, Lily Messer is the voice and Ceylon Wise is the producer. I have many more songs I would like to get out there but can not financially afford to record them. If interested in teaming up together, feel free to contact me.
Thanks for all the follows, musicians and non-musicians.
Start Over by Roger Jaeger –
Her by Stanton Berry –
Ifiga Yakho by NewCasts –
The Waves by Nate The HitMaker –
Some other music from non-followers I have listened to recently. Pick out a few you haven’t heard and take a listen.
Alicia Keys:
Work On It
Where Do We Begin Now
Blended Family (What You Do For Love)-
All Sons & Daughters:
My Roving Heart
This My Inheritance
Creation Sings –
Banks:
Mother Earth –
Blackberry Smoke:
The Good Life
Ain’t Gonna Wait
Believe You Me –
Bon Jovi :
God Bless This Mess
Knockout
Born Again Tomorrow
Roller Coaster
This House Is Not For Sale-
The Bouncing Souls:
Satellite
Writing On The Wall
Gravity
Up To Us –
Brent Cobb :
The World –
Carrie Newcomer :
Lean In Toward The Light
A Shovel Is A Prayer
Sanctuary
The Slender Thread
Help In Hard Times –
Chris Tomlin :
Home
First Love
Kyrie Eleison
All Yours –
Citizens & Saints :
Crown Him
Faith
Kids –
Dave Barnes :
Sunset, Santa Fe
Honey, I’m Coming Home
Wildfire Heart –
Dawes:
Roll Tide
Quitter –
Dee Snider:
Believe
Close To You
Rule The World
We’re Not Gonna Take It [Acoustic]
We Are The Ones –
Dreamers:
Sweet Disaster
Painkiller
Lucky Dog
Last Night On Earth
Come Down Slow –
Inc. No World:
In This Dream –
Joe :
Lean Into It
So I Can Have You Back
Hollow
Tough Guy
I Swear
Our Anthem –
Johnnyswim:
Rescue You
Lonely Night In Georgia
Let It Matter –
JoJo:
Music.
I Am. –
Jonathan David & Melissa Helser:
Beautiful Surrender
You Came ( Lazarus)
Find Me
Outrageous Love
Strength
The Gospel –
Joseph :
Blood & Tears
Hundred Ways
I Don’t Mind
White Flag –
Mo Pitney:
Take The Chance
When I’m With You
Behind This Guitar
Boy And Girl Thing –
Phantogram:
Barking Dog
Answer –
Relient K:
Local Construction
Cat
Mountaintop –
Ronnie Dunn:
I Put That There
Young Buck
Still Feels Like Mexico
Ain’t No Trucks In Texas –
Sabrina Carpenter:
Thumbs
Run and Hide
Shadows
All We Have Is Love –
Saint Motel :
Move
Born Again
You Can Be You
For Elise
Happy Accidents-
Shovels & Rope :
Invisible Man
BWYR-
Sleigh Bells :
It’s Just Us Now
I Can’t Stand You Anymore
Crucible
I Can Only Stare-
Sum 41 :
A Murder Of Crows
There Will Be Blood
God Save Us All (Death To POP)
The Fall And The Rise –
War –
Teenage Fanclub:
Hold On-
Tenth Avenue North :
Afraid
What You Want
Overflow
I Have This Hope
One Thing
Sparrow (Under Heaven’s Eyes)
No One Can Steal Our Joy
Fighting For You –
Whiskey Myers :
Good Ole Days
Trailer We Call Home –
Winston Jarrett :
Writing on the Wall –
and our song:
I Question You by Lily Messer –
On Itunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943
Dear God, I am not sure how to do this because I have never done it before, as you probably know. I will make this short because I know I don’t have much time. If Satan finds me on my knees praying to you I will be sent to the next circle of hell. I don’t know if you hear prayers from hell but here I am on my knees.
I know the way I lived my life was my choice. I know I lived for me and me only. I know I didn’t love like I should’ve. I know I didn’t give like I could’ve. It was all about looking out for number one, me.
I know I had many people who tried to tell me about you and that I didn’t listen. I didn’t need you. My life was going exactly the way I wanted it to. Well, looking back, maybe not so much. I did have the job I wanted, all the money I could ever spend and the biggest house in the richest neighborhood. I was also divorced four times. I ran through women like a kid runs through a candy store. Speaking of kids, I had three. Well, I still have three but they quit talking to me a long time ago.
I didn’t believe in you. I didn’t believe in hell either but here I am. I guess what I am asking for is another chance. You know maybe you and the devil can do a role reversal of Job. You let the devil test Job to prove his heart was true to you. Maybe you can make a deal with the devil to let you test me to see if I will stay true to the devil.
This is no place to be. Maybe you could just ask the devil to let me come back for a month, a week, even just an hour. Just enough time for me to tell people that I now know the truth. I know a lot of people that are heading here if they don’t change. I know I squandered my opportunity when I was alive but I pray that you can give me one more chance to change.
One more chance to learn more about you. One more chance to live my life for you and not for me. One more chance for me to love and not hate. One more chance for me to give and not take. One more chance to save someone’s life. One more chance to show my kids how much they truly mean to me. One more chance for me to say I am sorry.
God, I pray that somehow, some way you can give me a miracle. I know I don’t deserve it but I know you are the God of second chances.
Thank you for listening. I pray that you can hear my prayer from hell.
It doesn’t matter where your hell is, it could be right in your own home. Only God can get you out of it. Whatever hell you are in there is nothing you have done or no place you can go that God can’t reach you.
I sit in a box all year Waiting to share the Christmas cheer When I was shiny and new I was in the front, had the best view Now that I am old and scratched Another year of being in the back Oh how …
This is a story of a snowflake. A unique and one of a kind snowflake. All snowflakes are made that way by their creator.
The snowflake in our story was filled with joy. He loved being a one of a kind snowflake. He has his own personality and demeanor. He truly enjoyed being a snowflake.
When it was his time to go and fall to the ground he was ready. He remembered everything he had been taught. He remembered how much he was loved. The most important of these was to spread the word of love. To teach others what a true, sincere, and unique kind of love looks like.
As he was falling to the ground he looked around at all of the other snowflakes. He could see they all were different than him, but they all had the same smile that he did. They were all so happy…
I watched her clinging to life. The last leaf on the tree. I didn’t know if I should feel sad for her or if I should admire her.
Should I feel sad for her? I mean, she is the last leaf. All the other leaves are gone. Her husband, her kids, her close friends, her distant relatives. All of them were gone. Why was she still clinging to life? Why would she want to hang on?
It was then that I thought I should admire her. She was strong. She had more to say. Yes, she longed to be with her friends and family but she wasn’t done with this life yet.
She gave me hope. She gave me a reason to continue. The cold winds blew, she held on. The rains came, she held on. The snow came, she held on. I knew if she could do it that I could do it too. There wasn’t anything that could take me down. I had a story to tell. I had a reason to hold on.
Every day I looked at that leaf. I wondered how she could do it. Some days were worse than others. At least that’s how I felt. I swear that she smiled at me. Even in the worst conditions I felt like she was smiling. I wondered what she was up to. I wondered what did she know that I didn’t know. Where did she find her joy?
Winter faded to spring. The warmer weather brought the green buds to life. The leaf held on. The new leaves overtook the tree. I had to look hard to find her but she was still there.
Then one day she was gone. I saw her on the ground. I imagined she stayed long enough to teach the new leaves what she knew. I could see her looking around with a smile on her face. I could see her saying it’s okay. I could see her saying it is now my time and then letting go of the branch.
I had to pick her up and take her home. I put her in my scrapbook along with the picture of my grandma. She reminded me a lot of my grandma. Tenacious, stubborn, lived longer than most of the people she knew, and she passed down her words of wisdom. She passed down her Bible, with all her underlined and highlighted passages. Words that spoke to her.
I know it may be silly, since she was just a leaf, but she taught me a lot. She helped me to remember a lot. She helped me to be thankful for what I have. She taught me to cling to life. It is precious.
I am thankful for that leaf. I am thankful for my grandmas and grandpas. I am thankful for my parents. I am thankful for my teachers. I am thankful for all the military. I am thankful for all those that have come before me, that have paved the way for me. The ones who gave me words of wisdom and taught me lessons. The ones that encouraged me, that gave me life, that gave my dreams life. To all of you I say thank you.
If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it.
In The Time That You Gave Me by Bradley Walker feat Joey Feek –
My Last Breath Here (Joey’s Song) by JK Nick Nichols –
Tears Of Joy by Phil Wickham –
See You There by Joey Feek –
To Say Goodbye by Joey & Rory –
Live On by Olivia Newton John –
After You’re Gone by Iris Dement –
Love, Me by Collin Raye –
Sing Me To Heaven by Bradley Walker –
The Last Leaf by Blackmore’s Night –
Last Leaf by Tom Waits –
Last Leaf by Ok Go –
Last Leaf On The Tree poem spoken by Dr. James Dobson –
My God, My Music, My Life 