When there's nowhere else to turn
All your bridges have been burned
Feels like you've hit rock bottom
Don't give up, it's not the end
Open up your heart again
When you feel like no one understands
Where you are

Someone loves you
Even when you don't think so
Don't you know
You got me and Jesus
By your side
Through the fight
You will never be alone
On your own
You got me and Jesus

After all that we've been through
By now you know I've doubted, too
But every time my head was in my hands
You said to me...

Someone loves you
Even when you don't think so
Don't you know, you got
Me and Jesus by your side
Through the fight
You will never be alone
On your own
You got me and Jesus

Hold on to what we got
This is worth any cost, so
Make the most of life that's borrowed
Love like there's no tomorrow

Someone loves you
Even when you don't think so
Don't you know, you got
Me and Jesus by your side
Through the fight
You will never be alone
On your own
You got me and Jesus

Even when you don't think so
Don't you know, you got
Me and Jesus by your side
Through the fight
You will never be alone
On your own
You got me and Jesus

You will never be alone
You got me and Jesus


-Stellar Kart
-----

The lyrics are tremendously trite for a song. So y'have to understand that it's not the artist that's impressed me this time around, but that the friend who shared it was saying it.

There's a group of people who kind of regard me as a hero for something that I did a few months ago. Whether this was hero-worthy or not is debatable, but we don't get anywhere arguing it. And there's no argument about what I did, and for once, what everyone says about the motivations for why I did it is also accurate. Everything about the event itself, in the common opinion I've heard, is accurate.

What isn't accurate is what they see in my character. Because while I did the right thing and the hard thing that time, I did something twice after it that would cancel out what they see in me if they knew. One of my friends is particularly proud of me, and it hurt that he saw me as so good when I wasn't. He's the one who said this to me....after I confessed about these other two to him.

Blew me away. Because, honestly, I went in there, knowing what I was going to say to him, knowing that I couldn't die without him knowing the truth about me, but also knowing that I just might lose the friendship of this incredible guy who'd made a difference in my life. And he forgave me. He heard me out, he accepted the weight of this, he didn't blow it off as nothing, he didn't flinch away from me crying, and he forgave me.

Over the next few months, I'm doing something reputedly intense, and very lonely. None of the people I love get to come with me (it might be argued that none of the people I love want to come with me - this is neither fun nor easy). Starts tomorrow, and this one came back to play with my brain a little - just a reminder I needed that I'm never really alone.

Mary, you're covered in roses
You're covered in ashes
You're covered in rain
You're covered in babies
Covered in slashes
Covered in wilderness
Covered in stains

You cast aside the sheet
You cast aside the shroud
Of another man
Who served the world proud
You greet another son
You lose another one
On some sunny day
And always, you stay

Mary

When Jesus said, "Mother, I couldn't stay another day longer."
He flies right by and leaves a kiss upon her face
While the angels are singing His praises in a blaze of glory
Mary stays behind and starts cleaning up the place

Oh, Mary, she moves behind me
She leaves her fingerprints everywhere
Every time the snow drifts
Every way the sand shifts
Even when the night lifts
She's always there

When Jesus said, "Mother, I couldn't stay another day longer,"
He flies right by and leaves a kiss upon her face
While the angels are singing His praises in a blaze of glory
Mary stays behind and starts cleaning up the place

Oh, Mary
You're covered in roses
You're covered in ruins
You're covered in secrets
You're covered in treetops
Covered in birds
Who can sing a million songs
Without any words

You cast aside the sheet
You cast aside the shroud
Of another man
Who served the world proud
You greet another son
You lose another one
On some sunny day
And always you stay

Mary


-Patti Griffin

-----
Talking today about Mary, and trying to imagine being there while your son was executed. I don't know if she was screaming or silently weeping, or where she went afterward. I know John was there, too, and he was pretty much Jesus' best friend, and as Jesus was dying, he told his mom that John would be her son now. I can imagine going home after the funeral, and all of your tasks seem pointless but you do them all furiously so that you're trying not to think about what happened today.

I almost said that I was the only one who hadn't had a brush with death in the last two years, but actually, all of us did. I forget about me, and think of how we almost lost one of the others. But I'm thinking now about what it'll be like when my Mom loses me, and how she'll respond.

There's some chance that we'll lose her first, but given what I want to do with my life, and the longevity of her family, it doesn't look very likely. I'm okay with that - I've accepted that this could be the cost, but I don't know that the rest of the family does. And I know my Mom loves me on a deeper level than can get out through words.

I really hope that when Jesus came back, He went to go see her.

Hello, Sunshine,
It's been too long since I've
Felt your beautiful warmth
Upon my face

And how much have I missed
Because I've been focused
On everything wrong?
This road just felt so long,
I forgot to
Lift my head to see you

Oh, my lovely, shining for me
Let my eyes see all the beauty
Oh

Hello, Sunshine,
Since the moment that I
Felt your beautiful warmth,
I knew that I'd do
Anything to keep this feeling of you
My heart comes alive; oh,
Who could add a day
To their life
By drowning every dark sky?

Oh, my lovely, shining for me
Let my eyes see all the beauty
Oh,
Fill my dark skies
Make me see why
Life is fine
So bring in the sunshine
Oh

Let in the, let in the sunshine
Let in the, let in the sunshine
Let in the, let in the sunshine
Let in the sunshine


-Barlow Girl

-----

Another one for the pair of us. I'm not sure we have any one song as "ours."

I've a nickname that's about my tendency to scatter light-sparkles and joy everywhere I go, and he's got a couple that are similar. Plus, he thinks I'm perfectly lovely, which just makes me glow all the more, and anyway, he's the one who really makes me shine. He just naturally shines, no matter what.

And yes, it's easy for me to get stuck on other stuff I'm doing, and distracted, and there's always this point when I'm sweaty, and my hair's a wreck, and I'm just absolutely frustrated from all the stuff I'm trying to put together, and I look up and see him....all better.

I'm in love. And he loves me.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet, their songs repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

And the bells are ringing Peace on Earth
Like a choir they're singing Peace on Earth
In my heart, I hear them Peace on Earth
'Peace on earth, goodwill to men.'

And in despair, I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and marks the song
Of 'peace on earth, goodwill to men.' "

But the bells are ringing Peace on Earth
Like a choir singing Peace on Earth
Does anybody hear them? Peace on Earth
'Peace on earth, goodwill to men'

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
Peace on earth, goodwill to men!

Then, ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of, "Peace on earth, goodwill to men!"

And the bells, they're ringing Peace on Earth
Like a choir, they're singing Peace on Earth
With our hearts, we'll hear them Peace on Earth
'Peace on earth, goodwill to men.'

Do you hear the bells? They're ringing Peace on Earth
They're like the angels singing Peace on Earth
Open up your heart and hear them Peace on Earth
'Peace on earth, goodwill to men.'

Peace on earth
Peace on earth
Peace on earth
Goodwill to men

-Casting Crowns

-----

I'm involved with something of a little project that has the potential to put me in harm's way. No more so than living in the city, I'd wager, but it has a few more friends concerned about my welfare.

One friend, however, is particularly shrewd, and this is part of why I keep him around. He looked at me with narrowed eyes the other day, and speculated that the reason I was doing this was to give all of them an extra kick in the pants to helping out the cause of peace in this area, in the interest of reducing the chances of me getting hurt. I've earned the beginnings of a reputation for trying to do what can be done, and now and again attempting to haul them along on something.

I grinned. "Would I do that?"

"Yes," he responded darkly. "You would."

I would, but I hadn't thought of it...until he said something about it.

Anyway, this is a particularly poignant one, and if you get the chance, you should listen to it. Possibly think about a couple of our troops who aren't home this season - my big brother's one of them.

Somewhere, somehow, sometime ago
Back when the field was filled with snow
I hardly knew what I had to say
I hardly knew what I had...

I was with you when you went
Down down down
To see you again
I was there; I heard you say,
"Hey hey hey,
Wish you were here."

Sleep in, sleep well, sleep best alone
Don't cry, your eyes are made of stone
I hardly cared when you left me there
I almost left...

I was with you when you went
Down down down
To see you again
I was there; I heard you say,
"Hey hey hey,
Wish you were here."

I was with you when you went
Down down down
To see you again
I was there; I heard you say,
"Hey hey hey,
Wish you were here."

I'll be there
Wish you were here
I'll be there
Wish you were here

I was with you when you went
Down down down (I'll be there)
To see you again (wish you were here)
I was there; I heard you say, (I'll be there)
"Hey hey hey,
Wish you were here."
(wish you were here)

I was with you when you went
Down down down
To see you again
I was there; I heard you say,
"Hey hey hey,
Wish you were here."

I was with you when you went
Down down down
To see you again


-Stars of Track and Field

-----

Here's a band I haven't listened to for about seven years. Just got stuck in my head tonight, and nothing would settle until I listened to this one about four times over.

Emotionally, not related to him, but it does have me thinking of a couple of the guys who are like my brothers. We've ditched each other on past times, and let each other down, but still there for each other and care about each other. Just missing them tonight - they're both far from home.