SECURE ME

YOUTUBE LINK
SECURE ME
Am I secure in your love?
In life and in death,
secure?
I express my pain
and the bain
Of what I think my existence may be
With another missed opportunity
To brag on myself,
Displaying my trophies on a shelf
striving to dot all the i's on my agenda ..
Whether in love, friendship, or work
The hostility
of unmet expectations and dreams
Tears me at the seams,
Oh, Father forgive me..these schemes
They reveal my lack of understanding your love
And my position, in YOU, with YOU
Regardless of push gone to shove
You are the one who always will Be
Still and forever a mystery
YET you make yourself known to me
Open these blind eyes to see
I'm your creation, subject of your love…
forgiven and free
Father, shepherd, healer, artist, lover, husband, and creator
Empty me of all that’s not you
Secure me, surround me, fulfill your plans in me
That I might be a lover like you, a worshiper of
Yours.
Pure,
Fully Secure...
Now, IN you,
I'm able
to give and live
real life not just a fable
Face to the street,
humbled at your feet,
with my heart to the city,
this contrite heart you will not despise..
….i love.
Because. You. first .loved. me.

Easter Poem

I wrote this to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. I tried to put all the script over the video but it wasn't working so here's the words.
EASTER’S ITI
He is not here
He is alive, the angel said.
She ran and ran to announce the news
But don’t confuse, what happened 2000 years ago
With a story, of faded glory,
But with the miracle of created beings
Simple and broken
Trembling and weeping
Transformed by the power of his story.
Like You.
Like Me.
Changed, forever because
He woke from this death
by the love and power of his Father
Now waiting to wake me, wake you, wake us..
Will you trust?
Abba?
Burst into my heart
And twist into my eyes
Free me from the lies,
That deny who you are
Easter is more than just a nice little day-
To make me sway
All religious and dress up all fancy
Cooking some potatoes and ham while I
Sit in a pew, with maybe a few of the same hands
That would mar
The God who created the mountains and the seas
In order to do what they-what I- please.
Could I be like them? Willing to dispose of the savior blinded by
His weird behavior, killed then and in some way today
By all those choosing to squeeze him
In a tiny theological box, or paper,
That tell us how to live, give,
as if to shine some little light into the cosmos maker,
Center of the universe He is
Eyes of the galaxy,
mysterious creatures
Wrapped around his holiness –singing-shouting-screaming
Sweetly- loudly as whispers so close like breath, like rain
May I not profane-the one, the great, I am-maker because
There’s no truth in the perfection of a happy holidays picture
If it’s just about eggs..
But the perfection of you, God with DNA
With the sounds of a donkey bray,
Heavenly beings warred and went to battle.
Because the hands that shook a rattle
Creator of a thousand hills and all the cattle
Was Ready for nails, whips, and scars.
FATHER FORGIVE THEM,
FORGIVE ME
FOR I KNOW NOT WHAT I DO
He deserves more than just bumper stickers on our cars
Or just Sunday mornings, or one-week trips, or twenty-minute quips,
God..You are here everywhere. Now and forever.
In my mind.
Sharing my pain.
Removing my shame
healing my anger
with your powerful finger…of God
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, in my life
As it is in your heavenly kingdom always..today, now, and forever more
Jesus, gone from the tomb
He can make a barren womb
Full, safe, and the objection of his affection
So will we live life as though doomed
In our money and in our marriage
Waiting for prince charming
or that perfect date
Are we willing to negate
Truth for what we can’t feel?
Just check the disciples, in Matthew 28
As he ascended, some still doubted
But that didn’t seal their fate
They still worshiped,
With lingering hurt
Because they had experienced him,
Eyelashes in the dirt
Face to the ground,
So profound.
Jesus said, "Peace be with you!
As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
The same Spirit that lifted him from the dead.
Is now in me.
In you.
Lifting you Up.
Filling your cup.
Lets praise him
It’s true what he said
And What he did
Will bless you.
If you let IT.
If you let HIM
Oh Happy Day,
That’s what I say
He washed my sins away,
He washed my sins away.
-my prayer. my poem. my desire.
tonyjgapastione

Thankful, thankful...(video and poem)

Bloggers around the country are all posting today so here's my 2 cents on my Thanksgiving! I have so many things. So I'll post this video of my little scooter girl and share a poem. I'm thankful.



Here's the START of my list, it's just the tip
hopefully not just service of the lip,
but I'm thankful. I'm thankful for God's crazy love,
my wife,
my daughter..
pretty much our whole, crazy life,
our baby due February,
my family, the coffee in my mug, the food on my plate,
the long, long, long.......... wait
For God to move, and heal, and do his will,
cause it's not just an easy swallow
of a pill...
it's waiting, wondering, and realizing..he's a provider
a giver of love, simplicity, and truth..
he's a provider of the clothes in my closet,
friends who pray, friends who call,
friends who help me see the writing on the wall.
Enough money to deposit,
in the bank, or in my pocket,
enough electricity to come out of our sockets,
in-laws who babysit, young adults who don't quit,
California living, Italy visiting,
my dental nightmares,
that reveal my anxious cares
that keep me seeking the Lord
to confess, and to cling
to Him and his love,
which is better than anything....every thing!
I'm so glad he's MY KING...
Thanks God that there's always more
for my heart to out-pour,
so I will settle in, within, not just next of kin,
but son, child, beloved, object of your affection,
the middle of your heart!
So thanks for calling my name,
may I do my part
for your kingdom to come
your will be done
on earth as it is heaven.
To you be the Glory forever, and ever...Amen.
and Thanks again!

a prayer. a poem. a confession. an exhortation.

At least I don't bow down to any statues..

Daniel 3. (It's me)

Funny little story,

Nebuchadnezzar… storing up his glory—

Poor little guy

Better get his act figured out

Cause that's what' it's about..

But it's not just him,

that I can pass over with a whim,

Take a good look at yourself,

For once

Other than to fix your hair,

acting as if you didn't care

About what you wear,

or what your drive

Shiney -shine up that golden chariot, of mine

guzzling its gas-

So what if it doesn't last,

I'll just charge a back up-

Cha-ching-

The American dream-of thee I sing

Getting our way,

Day after day,

forgetting the poor and

Shutting the door to the enslaved & oppressed

Because we're afraid, or confused

and besides I'm way too busy,

And we don't know what one little ol' person can do,

So we write a check at the end of December

And feel good about just being a member.

Could this be idolatry?

Couldn't these all be idols?

Strutting our stuff

With the cigarettes we puff

It's me,

it's you,

We all act like fools,

Tooting our horns

Secretly checking out porn

Acting like we have it all together

Trying to weather

the pain,

of the ten pounds I gained by

avoiding the confession

I should have been telling

to my friend who asked, "Really, how are you doing?"



if I can just whip up a snippet

to avoid sharing the integrity that I lack

I'll put on a show

And receive a pat on the back,

It's the lie I believe

That all I need

Is to be "liked",

Esteemed, the crop & cream

But if I'm honest..

I am an idol,

I am an idolater.

I worship myself, my ideals, my ways,

(And I wouldn't mind if everyone else did the same)

I worship the stuff that I eat and drink every day

I don't even realize

I buy trinkets that decay—

Believing and hoping they will fill me,

make me feel good.

And they do,

For moments, days, and sometimes a week

It's not just the drugs, sex, & alcohol in which we seek

To find this fulfillment

It's the coffee, chips, and the target trips,

brand new threads and king sized beds

Complaining about my spouse,

The size of my house,

and paycheck,

Or any part of my body that I doubt

doesn't match up

with the air brushed models at grocery store check out.



But hey, at least I don't bow down to any statues…

A Eulogy for my Gnome

It was a beautiful Sunday morning.

The espresso machine was crankin out the magic java and Wendy was making a fritatta.

The Gapastiones were preparing for some guests.

The gnome at the door held a post it note that said, "Come on in and

don't make sound, we don't want the baby to cry."

Little did we know this would be the day our beloved gnome would die.

Everyone arrived with smiles and fun banter,

but no one could have forshadowed the events that happened after.

When our time had come to a close, we said our goodbyes,

and ushered our friends back out through the door.

With a crash and a bang,

and someone shouting, "Oh Dang,"

Our morning came to a halt.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry. I didn't even see him there."

Sigh. I"t's OK."

I see how this could happen.

He's so small, so small and so fragile, (and I even thought he was wooden).

His death came by a huge leather purse

and now his body is carried off by a wee- little hearse.

One swift swing to his dome-

did in our poor friend the gnome.

So, Goodbye forever Mr. Broom-holding, hobbit-looking thing.

May you rejoice as you hear all the angels sing in the presence of our almighty king.

One last thing I'd like to say.

You brought us such joy, as we proudly displayed you in our garage.

A poem by Maya Angelou

CHRISTIANS


BY MAYA ANGELOU

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin.'"
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible.
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches.
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner,
who received God's good grace, somehow.