When I Look to the Sky - a reflection on an old Train song
When it rains it pours
God crying.
Bad things.
Storms at inconvenient times.
Ruining my plans.
No sun in sight.
And opens doors
We can lock ourselves all up tight
Hiding from the world
Thinking we are safe.
All it takes is one small puff of God’s breath to open the doors we have locked up so tightly to let the light hit all of those things we try to hide.
So why do we bother to lock the doors?
Why do we spend so much energy trying to hide from the world?
From God?
And floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry
Maybe life is like a houseboat. We think we are in a normal house standing on solid floors. Then the storms come and the floor starts to pitch back and forth. Water starts pouring in and we realize that we aren’t standing on the solid ground we thought we were. We are in a houseboat and we are sinking fast.
And in the midst of sailing ships
We are all on a boat or ship, floating along together. Some of us are on a raft all by ourselves. Some are in a boat with their family. Some are doing life on a cruise ship ~having fun in community with all you can eat buffets.
We sink our lips into the ones we love…
We hold on so tightly to those we love – sink our teeth in like a bulldog not wanting to let go ~to be alone~to be left by ourselves, unloved and unwanted. So we hold on so tight because we are afraid and holding on is the only thing we can do to combat the fear-to feel like we are doing something.
Anything.
That have to say goodbye
Everyone eventually has to leave.
EVERYONE.
Some move away, some move on.
No matter how tightly we hold on – we will be hurt. People are human – and even if they aren’t trying to hurt us they will.
Some don’t even have a chance to say goodbye – death will come to everyone and a void will be left where they were. We have to learn to walk the balance of holding on (committing to one another our love) and holding loosely.
Do we ever get that?
Only one person will never leave-
never say goodbye.
And as I float along this ocean
Life is a journey
I can feel you like a notion
That won’t seem to let me go
I will never leave you or forsake you
I will be with you always- even until the end of the age
I promise I will hold on tight
I promise I won’t let go
Cause when I look to the sky
Open expanse of the heavens
Firmament
Holy dwelling place
More desirable than earth
Holy height
Seeing the King
Everlasting light
Treasure sight
Something tells me you’re here with me
So do not fear, for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed for I am YOUR God.
Isaiah 41:10
And you make everything alright
I will work all things in your life together for good.
For YOUR good.
For MY glory.
I will take over.
Let go of the control.
I can handle it.
I am trustworthy.
I promise.
Let go.
And when I feel like I’m lost
Lost
a : unable to find the way
b : no longer visible
c : lacking assurance or self-confidence
HELPLESS
Alone
Lonely
Out of control
Something tells me you’re here with me
And I can always
Find my way when you are here
And every word I didn’t say…
I love you.
I miss you.
I am proud of you.
Thank you.
You hurt me.
I am sorry.
You are beautiful.
You are my best friend.
I thank God for you.
I wish you were here.
I am scared.
I am lonely.
I don’t have it all together.
I am a mess.
I need help.
So many words we didn’t say…for so many reasons. We are scared. We are busy. We think we have all of the time in the world. But sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we run out of time. Sometimes we end up living with regrets. Wishing we had said those words that scared us. Because although they are “just” words. They have the power to change others. They have the power to change us.
Caught up in some busy day
I am busy. You are busy. We as a society are busy. We have palm pilots to help us manage our busyness. But what are we doing it all for? So we can get to the end of our lives and say…look how much I squeezed into a day. Look how much I accomplished in an organized fashion.
God doesn’t ask us to be busy. Actually he asks us to be the opposite of busy. He asks us to be still. Be still and just know Him. Be still and know Him as our father, our friend, our creator. Be still and listen for His voice. We miss so much when we are busy. We stick our heads down and run for the finish line and miss all the scenery along the way.
God is crying out for us to stop.
Just stop.
Look around you.
What is so important that you can’t take time to smell the flowers?
What is so important that you can’t take time to be with God?
Just be with Him.
With no agenda.
Just be with Him.
He would love it.
So would you.
And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn’t have before
Take the time to dance Darren’s Dance Grooves.
Why not?
Who is going to see you?
So what if people think you are crazy.
So what if the neighbors are looking in the window.
So what.
It is fun.
It is fun to dance.
It is fun to let go and be silly.
So let go.
Dance
And every sunset that we’ll miss
"When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator"
Author: Mahatma Ghandhi
I’ll wrap them all up in a kiss
There is the kiss of welcome
And of parting, the long, lingering, loving present one; the stolen, or the mutual one;
The kiss of love, of joy, and of sorrow;
The seal of promise
And receipt of fulfillment.
-Thomas C. Haliburotn
A kiss is something you cannot give without taking and cannot take without giving.
Pick you up in all of this when I sail away
And while I float along this ocean I can feel you like a notion that I hope will never leave
hope
to cherish a desire with anticipation
archaic : TRUST
to desire with expectation of obtainment
to expect with confidence : TRUST
Cause when I look to the sky
Something tells me you’re here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I’m lost
Something tells me you’re here with me
And I will always find my way
Whether I am up or down or in or out
Or just plane overhead
What if we were so focused on steering our boat or our raft or our cruise ship that we did not realize that we had options. We think we have to steer our way out of the storm all by ourselves. We are so busy doing and doing and doing all by ourselves…with no help from God (because you know that we have it all figured out already!) that we miss something VERY important.
There is not just a little boat.
There is not just a raft.
There is not just a cruise ship.
There is a plane.
There is a jumbo jet.
There is another way that we don’t even see.
Instead it feels like it’s impossible to fly
How do we get from the boat to the plane. We so badly want to fly above the storms but we can’t see how to get there. We worry about how we are going to get to the plane. We try to invent things to get us on the plane. We ask friends how they think we should get on the plane. It seems impossible. There is absolutely no way to jump from a boat UP into a plane. It might be possible the other way around but everything is against this plan. It is impossible and we are tempted to just give up.
Forget it.
BUT
One little word we don’t usually want to hear…
This time though….it is a good thing
with you I can spread my wings to see me over everything that life may send me when I am hoping it won’t pass me by
What!
I have wings.
Since when?
How come I never knew that?
Oh wait, with YOU I have wings.
You are the wind beneath my wings.
You are the one who does it and I just need to relax and let you do your thing.
You will help me get through the storms of life.
You will bring me peace.
You will bring me adventure.
You will bring me joy.
You will send me soaring over all.
You will renew my strength like an eagles.
It is all about YOU isn’t it?
Not me.
Never me.
And when I feel that there’s no one that will ever know me
Deep inside all of us is the longing to be known.
We want there to be someone who knows all of us –
the good and the bad,
the happy and the sad.
But we spend most of our lives hiding from other people. Putting up walls so that people won’t know the true us. Because we are afraid.
Afraid of rejection.
Afraid of being alone.
Afraid of everyone leaving us.
But we long for that connection with another person.
We long for someone to know us.
To care about us.
To love us.
No matter what.
There you are to show me
I am always here.
And I always will be.
Even when you don’t think I am.
So take my yoke upon you and learn from me.
For in me there is rest for your soul.
In me is peace that passes any understanding that you have.
In me is joy overflowing.
In me is fulfillment in this life and the next.
But most of all in me is love.
Pure, unconditional, overflowing love.
The most important thing of all.
In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God and the Word was God.
And God is love.
And you were created out of this love.
You were created as an expression of the love He has for you.
You were created TO love.
You were created to pour out His love here on earth.
So it is not an accident that this song ends with love being the most important thing of all.
Because it is not really the end at all.
It is the beginning.
You are writing the story.
You are the author of your love on this earth.
So go and love.
Love well.
Love extravagantly.
Love like Jesus would.
Love like He loves you.
Love.
Just love.
God crying.
Bad things.
Storms at inconvenient times.
Ruining my plans.
No sun in sight.
And opens doors
We can lock ourselves all up tight
Hiding from the world
Thinking we are safe.
All it takes is one small puff of God’s breath to open the doors we have locked up so tightly to let the light hit all of those things we try to hide.
So why do we bother to lock the doors?
Why do we spend so much energy trying to hide from the world?
From God?
And floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry
Maybe life is like a houseboat. We think we are in a normal house standing on solid floors. Then the storms come and the floor starts to pitch back and forth. Water starts pouring in and we realize that we aren’t standing on the solid ground we thought we were. We are in a houseboat and we are sinking fast.
And in the midst of sailing ships
We are all on a boat or ship, floating along together. Some of us are on a raft all by ourselves. Some are in a boat with their family. Some are doing life on a cruise ship ~having fun in community with all you can eat buffets.
We sink our lips into the ones we love…
We hold on so tightly to those we love – sink our teeth in like a bulldog not wanting to let go ~to be alone~to be left by ourselves, unloved and unwanted. So we hold on so tight because we are afraid and holding on is the only thing we can do to combat the fear-to feel like we are doing something.
Anything.
That have to say goodbye
Everyone eventually has to leave.
EVERYONE.
Some move away, some move on.
No matter how tightly we hold on – we will be hurt. People are human – and even if they aren’t trying to hurt us they will.
Some don’t even have a chance to say goodbye – death will come to everyone and a void will be left where they were. We have to learn to walk the balance of holding on (committing to one another our love) and holding loosely.
Do we ever get that?
Only one person will never leave-
never say goodbye.
And as I float along this ocean
Life is a journey
I can feel you like a notion
That won’t seem to let me go
I will never leave you or forsake you
I will be with you always- even until the end of the age
I promise I will hold on tight
I promise I won’t let go
Cause when I look to the sky
Open expanse of the heavens
Firmament
Holy dwelling place
More desirable than earth
Holy height
Seeing the King
Everlasting light
Treasure sight
Something tells me you’re here with me
So do not fear, for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed for I am YOUR God.
Isaiah 41:10
And you make everything alright
I will work all things in your life together for good.
For YOUR good.
For MY glory.
I will take over.
Let go of the control.
I can handle it.
I am trustworthy.
I promise.
Let go.
And when I feel like I’m lost
Lost
a : unable to find the way
b : no longer visible
c : lacking assurance or self-confidence
HELPLESS
Alone
Lonely
Out of control
Something tells me you’re here with me
And I can always
Find my way when you are here
And every word I didn’t say…
I love you.
I miss you.
I am proud of you.
Thank you.
You hurt me.
I am sorry.
You are beautiful.
You are my best friend.
I thank God for you.
I wish you were here.
I am scared.
I am lonely.
I don’t have it all together.
I am a mess.
I need help.
So many words we didn’t say…for so many reasons. We are scared. We are busy. We think we have all of the time in the world. But sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we run out of time. Sometimes we end up living with regrets. Wishing we had said those words that scared us. Because although they are “just” words. They have the power to change others. They have the power to change us.
Caught up in some busy day
I am busy. You are busy. We as a society are busy. We have palm pilots to help us manage our busyness. But what are we doing it all for? So we can get to the end of our lives and say…look how much I squeezed into a day. Look how much I accomplished in an organized fashion.
God doesn’t ask us to be busy. Actually he asks us to be the opposite of busy. He asks us to be still. Be still and just know Him. Be still and know Him as our father, our friend, our creator. Be still and listen for His voice. We miss so much when we are busy. We stick our heads down and run for the finish line and miss all the scenery along the way.
God is crying out for us to stop.
Just stop.
Look around you.
What is so important that you can’t take time to smell the flowers?
What is so important that you can’t take time to be with God?
Just be with Him.
With no agenda.
Just be with Him.
He would love it.
So would you.
And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn’t have before
Take the time to dance Darren’s Dance Grooves.
Why not?
Who is going to see you?
So what if people think you are crazy.
So what if the neighbors are looking in the window.
So what.
It is fun.
It is fun to dance.
It is fun to let go and be silly.
So let go.
Dance
And every sunset that we’ll miss
"When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator"
Author: Mahatma Ghandhi
I’ll wrap them all up in a kiss
There is the kiss of welcome
And of parting, the long, lingering, loving present one; the stolen, or the mutual one;
The kiss of love, of joy, and of sorrow;
The seal of promise
And receipt of fulfillment.
-Thomas C. Haliburotn
A kiss is something you cannot give without taking and cannot take without giving.
Pick you up in all of this when I sail away
And while I float along this ocean I can feel you like a notion that I hope will never leave
hope
to cherish a desire with anticipation
archaic : TRUST
to desire with expectation of obtainment
to expect with confidence : TRUST
Cause when I look to the sky
Something tells me you’re here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I’m lost
Something tells me you’re here with me
And I will always find my way
Whether I am up or down or in or out
Or just plane overhead
What if we were so focused on steering our boat or our raft or our cruise ship that we did not realize that we had options. We think we have to steer our way out of the storm all by ourselves. We are so busy doing and doing and doing all by ourselves…with no help from God (because you know that we have it all figured out already!) that we miss something VERY important.
There is not just a little boat.
There is not just a raft.
There is not just a cruise ship.
There is a plane.
There is a jumbo jet.
There is another way that we don’t even see.
Instead it feels like it’s impossible to fly
How do we get from the boat to the plane. We so badly want to fly above the storms but we can’t see how to get there. We worry about how we are going to get to the plane. We try to invent things to get us on the plane. We ask friends how they think we should get on the plane. It seems impossible. There is absolutely no way to jump from a boat UP into a plane. It might be possible the other way around but everything is against this plan. It is impossible and we are tempted to just give up.
Forget it.
BUT
One little word we don’t usually want to hear…
This time though….it is a good thing
with you I can spread my wings to see me over everything that life may send me when I am hoping it won’t pass me by
What!
I have wings.
Since when?
How come I never knew that?
Oh wait, with YOU I have wings.
You are the wind beneath my wings.
You are the one who does it and I just need to relax and let you do your thing.
You will help me get through the storms of life.
You will bring me peace.
You will bring me adventure.
You will bring me joy.
You will send me soaring over all.
You will renew my strength like an eagles.
It is all about YOU isn’t it?
Not me.
Never me.
And when I feel that there’s no one that will ever know me
Deep inside all of us is the longing to be known.
We want there to be someone who knows all of us –
the good and the bad,
the happy and the sad.
But we spend most of our lives hiding from other people. Putting up walls so that people won’t know the true us. Because we are afraid.
Afraid of rejection.
Afraid of being alone.
Afraid of everyone leaving us.
But we long for that connection with another person.
We long for someone to know us.
To care about us.
To love us.
No matter what.
There you are to show me
I am always here.
And I always will be.
Even when you don’t think I am.
So take my yoke upon you and learn from me.
For in me there is rest for your soul.
In me is peace that passes any understanding that you have.
In me is joy overflowing.
In me is fulfillment in this life and the next.
But most of all in me is love.
Pure, unconditional, overflowing love.
The most important thing of all.
In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God and the Word was God.
And God is love.
And you were created out of this love.
You were created as an expression of the love He has for you.
You were created TO love.
You were created to pour out His love here on earth.
So it is not an accident that this song ends with love being the most important thing of all.
Because it is not really the end at all.
It is the beginning.
You are writing the story.
You are the author of your love on this earth.
So go and love.
Love well.
Love extravagantly.
Love like Jesus would.
Love like He loves you.
Love.
Just love.
posted by Amie at 3:57 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home