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

'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every 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

In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power
Of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power
Of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
In Christ alone

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

"In Christ Alone (Medley)" - Phillips, Craig, & Dean

High Hopes For A New Year

Lots of people seem to have high hopes for this coming year,
While others predict more doom and gloom.

I am not waiting on any government to make things better - 

I never have, having no true faith in any of them.

I am not sure what all this year will bring -

There's a lot of potential for bad things as well as good.

No matter what, God is with us, and God is for us.

May He see us through this year, as He has every other year.

A Cozy Christmas

Even COVID can't stop Christmas, and all the joy that comes with it.

It was supposed to be our year without my sister and brother-in-law,

But since his parents moved to Germany this past August,

We got them again - and I have no regrets!

Stockings, Breakfast, short break, then Big Presents -

This year it took us until almost 9pm to open them all!

There were breaks in between, and a meal too,

But there is a reason this is my favorite day of the year. <3

The day after my brother-in-law's brother, his wife, and their baby all came.

I had heard things about them previously, of course,

But it's been wonderful to meet them in person, and getting to know them.

I hope they feel welcome and loved. <3

May this next year be better than this one,

But let's remember all the good times we've had this year too. 

Who is Your 2am Friend?

Loyal friends are hard to find, 
Especially 2am friends,

When the sky is dark and your thoughts darker,

And the chaos swirls within.

May I always be one of them,

May I always have them,

Even if we are disconnected 19 times.

It's Hard To Say Goodbye

Today was the last full day at my current job,
The first real office job I ever had.
It has been amazing, even during the frustrating moments,
And in many ways I am not ready to move on.

I never felt like it was my final job,

Though in this time I was not eager to move on;

God can be funny like that - 

Shaking our worlds when we least expect or want it.

At least I am still working there part time for now,

And my boss has been amazing.

I've let her in more in the past two weeks than ever before,

Probably because I finally feel like I can.

I've been there almost four years -

The longest same job I've ever had.

I always wanted to be the person who was at a job 10+ years,

But so far that has yet to happen.

Am I making a mistake?

In the depths of my soul, I know I am not,

Though my emotions definitely think so.

I just desire and need to be wherever God wants me.

Do You Hear The People Sing?

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again

When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again

When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of France

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again

When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Herbert Kretzmer / Claude Michel Schonberg / Jean-marc Natel / Alain Boublil

Do You Hear the People Sing? lyrics © Alain Boublil Music Ltd., Productions Bagad, Boublil Alain Editions Musicales Sarl

She's A Communicator Too

This year something strange has happened - 

I've grown closer to my mother.

Who for so many years was distant because

Of so many different things that have happened.

She's a communicator, like me. 

I take after her in that.

I still don't want to say too much like she does,

And would prefer to say too little over too much, like my father.

But there's value to be held,

And I just hope tragedy does not now strike!

For my worst fear growing up

Was that my mother would die.

For now she is very much alive,

And helps me in more ways than she knows,

And in ways that I really fear,

Although she's still human, and sometimes parrots things like I do.

So much tragedy abounds,

So much sorrow that words cannot express,

But God is there, working and tugging,

Patient in His everlasting plan to bring people to Him.