Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord, that if I followed You, You would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed You most, You have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you.”

-Mary Stevenson, 1936

i saw spiderman yesterday.

he was running around the porch in front of his house, blowing bubbles. his maid was talking to him, though i couldn't hear what she was saying. he was slightly taller than a meter, but he was saving the world already. his own little world, at least. his mom would have been so proud of him in his suit.

well, that's my little hero.

Now the parking lot is empty
Everyone's gone someplace
I pick you up, in the trunk I've packed
a cooler and a 2-day suitcase

'Cause there's a place we like to drive way out in the country
five miles out of the city limit
we're singing and your hands upon my knee

So we're okay, we're fine
Baby, I'm here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I'm stronger than the monsters beneath your bed
smarter than the tricks played on your head
we'll look at them together,
then we'll take them apart
adding up the total of a love that's true
multiply life by the power of two.

You know the things that I'm afraid of
I'm not afraid to tell
And if we'd ever leave a legacy
It's that we loved each other well.

I've seen the shadows of so many people
trying on the treasures of youth
A road that fancy and fast ends in a fatal crash
And I'm glad we got off, to tell you the truth

So we're okay, we're fine
Baby, I'm here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I'm stronger than the monsters beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your head
We'll look at them together
Then we'll take them apart
Adding up the total of a love that's true
Multiply life by the power of two

All the shiny little trinkets of temptation
(Make new friends)
Something new instead of something old
(but keep the old)
All you gotta do is scratch beneath the surface
(and remember what is gold)
And it's fools gold, fools gold, fools gold
(what is gold, what is gold)

And now we're talking about a difficult thing
And your eyes are getting wet
But I took us for better and I took us for worse
And don't you ever forget it.

Now the steel bars between me and a promise
Suddenly bend with ease
And the closer I'm bound in love to you
The closer I am to free

So we're okay, we're fine
Baby, I'm here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I'm stronger than the monsters beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your head
We'll look at them together
Then we'll take them apart
Adding up the total of a love that's true
Multiply life by the power of two

- Power of Two, Indigo Girls

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all ---
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid ---
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine ---
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death ---
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home ---
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

"and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age," a man read.



He had just finished the last chapter of the book of Matthew of the New Testiment in a series of bible studies with a few of the elderly in church.



"Amen," and he closed his bible. He looked up the group of old ladies seated at his side. "And that, dear sisters, is God's wonderful promise for all of us."



One of the ladies removed her spectacles and smiled at him.



"That, son, is not a promise. It's a fact."



(Adapted from Ian's adpatation of a teacher's story in his message on friday.)