When God created the very first golden labrador retriever
He knew, he absolutely knew that you would be a receiver
of that dog's decendents wagging tail,
tongue licking your face,
giving you a dog's unique embrace
(unconditional love)

And it brought God joy to know
one day that dog would show
you love

And each tree and each rock
each sunrise and sunset talked
to God as he knew one day
the earth you'd trod
He knew, yes he knew -
one day you'd come to be
and you'd enjoy the God that is he
For all you see  is a gift of love
from the God of Eternity
As you exist to give him pleasure
so this earth exists to give you pleasure
Truly we can not measure
God's love
for the source is forever!

The God I Know

She'd been a prostitute in her former life
The one she led before she met Christ
She came to him with no one to blame
"My daughter" he said, "I'll take all of your shame"
"To me, I see you as clean and brand new
pure as a virgin, through and through
Now come my child, rise and serve Me"
and she accepted his invitation, joyfully.
So she went to her pastor, her church, her denomination
with her heart full of joy and celebration
Till they told her you're not worthy to serve the Lord our God
because you were a prostitute, you'll forever be at odds
Only those of us we deem worthy -
who have always been in our eyes Holy,
may serve the God of Eternity
With her heart broken by man once again
She felt abandoned and forsaken
Oh my sister when He calls you - rise up and go!
For the God they serve is not the God I know

When Timothy met God he couldn't help but reveal
To all he met the joy he could not conceal
He was an evangelist from the start
for God had mightily touched his heart
and all who met him soon knew God is real
But as he went to his elders for their approval and commendation
all he got from them was condemntion
You're too young, too inexperienced,
too uneducated, rebellious and headstrong
You must submit to us or you'll get it all wrong
They quenced his zeal, stopped up his flow
made him sit on a pew, wouldn't let him go
For all you Timothy's out there
don't let them steal your share
of the Glory and Grace God on you bestows
for if there's one thing I do know
The God they serve is not the God I know

They drive more people to Hell then they save
through their godless, religious ways
They don't enter in and prevent others too
flee from their midst or they'll ensnare you
in their cage of religion and throw away the key
and then you'll never know your God granted destiny
no,
the leadership God uses to place you under his care
will always with you God's mind and heart share
They'll serve you - not lord it over you
of this you can be sure
their love for you will be Holy and pure
With one motivation guiding their hearts
to present you to God a pure and mature bride
and for you they'll lay down their lives
As a father would for his son or daughter
that with you they may please our heavenly Father
Equipping you     to go and do
all He's called you to
They'll bear his fruit
they'll reap and sow
for they are sent
by the God I know...

Canaan Bound

The soft green hills of Canaan seeming
so close I can almost taste it's air
The golden sunsets, the stars are gleaming
oh my love, I'll meet you there

All God's promised - He's not forgotten
the land of love where war is rare
He'll bring to fruit all He's begotten
and I know my love - I'll meet you there

This land of strife
this land of war
This land of hate
will be no more

The strife of tongues
they will soon cease
As we fill our lungs
with the air of peace

So rest my love, take my hand
As God leads us to our promised land
Where milk and honey they flow abundantly
and God forever loves you and me,
loves you and me,
faithfully

Here i sit
                       forlornly
waiting for
                         inspiration
                                      to come to me

My mind wanders with so little to do
I think of exotic locals like Kathmandu
I think of swarthy skinned men on flying carpets
traveling far with their turbans starlit
and I think of jungles filled with prowling things
and of the sight of eagles borne on majestic wings

Yes, i think of many things
                        both far and near
but the thought that I now hold most dear
is
        oh how i wish i had some
                                 toilet paper here!

Live in the moment, live in the now
Don't look back when you hands to the plow
The past is gone, the future may not be
So enjoy each days beauty
For in every day is something unique
Enjoy each breath, each thought you think
You don't know when it will be your last
so
    take a deep breath, relax
    notice that wayward cat
    or that cloud drifting by lazily
    or the ripples that fish leaves after jumping
    That flower not only looks good but smells good too
    but you've hurried on by without even a clue

What if you stopped one step short of the finish line?
What if you survived, made it through alive, only to find -
You're just one step short of the finish line,
you've one more peak on your mountain to climb?

You never know what the next day will bring
You never know when you'll quit breathing
You never know when through your struggle and your tears
You'll see the finish line drawing near.
So my friend please keep this in mind
You could be just one step short of the finish line
with just one more peak on your mountain to climb.

So don't give in to that thought
"it's just too hard to go on"
Don't find your self bein' caught
singin' that devil's song -

no,
take that step, then the next one
and soon you'll find your journey's done
when forever you'll dwell in the light of the son
where your burdens lifted and your war is won
oh yes, you've won, oh yea, yea cause you didn't quit
yes you didn't sit, you didn't forget
the next step
the next breath
you passed the test...
you're eternally blessed

Christ was born
on that first Christmas morn
and he's still being born today
in every heart that gives him place

For he humbled himself so long ago
that every heart could come to know
the life and the love
of the Father above
that to heaven we may go
that to heaven we may go

So now lay the Lord down
in the manger of your heart
Yes humble your soul now
that our Father may impart

                                 Christ in you
                                 the hope of Glory
                                 Christ in you
                                 the true Christmas story!

The angels made it clear
to us God's drawing near
with peace, good will and cheer

Yes Christ was born
on that first Christmas morn
and he's still being birthed today
in every heart that gives him place
in every heart redeemed by Grace...


Merry Christmas every one! I know he wasn't born in december but I'm just glad he was born among men, our best friend, no matter when we celebrate him.

I need to feel the warmth of the sun upon my skin
I need to breathe the air of the One within
I need you each and every day
can't survive till I hear you say -
                       I love you my son
                       I'm pleased we are one
                       And when your days are done
                       Your life has just begun
I need to hear your thoughts inside my head
I need to know that you and I are wed
Life is empty and worthless,
a desert, vanity, unless
you confess -
                       I love you my son
                       I'm pleased we are one
                       Your sin is under my blood
                       You're purified by my touch
my love...

We're reaching for the stars
with our hands and our hearts
Deep inside
there is a drive
to do something extraordinary with our lives
We want to reach, we want to be
far beyond earth's boundaries
We innately know we have a greater destiny
then just ending up as part of the soil from which we sprang -
We're meant to live forever
Exploring the Universe together,
singing the song the angels sang
the day we were born.
We're meant to always be                         loved
for love will always be.
Now that is a glorious reality
for you and for me!
So take God's extended nail scarred hand
and rise above this fallen land,
Rise, oh yes rise, far above this limiting sky,
to the infinite, where angels fly
Oh be forever loved, oh don't let love die,
let Jesus be    the apple of your eye.
So set your heart to know him
for he's the only way you'll be goin'
far beyond the stars
to where eternal joy and wonder are........

There is a place
where the unloved, the least,
the hurting, the hungry, can sit down and feast.
There is a love unending that satisfies.
There is one who hears every lonely cry,
who sees every tear shed in the night,
who's love will last forever,
who will make every wrong right.
GOD IS LOVE     OH     GOD IS LOVE
What you're looking for     He is made of
For God,           for God,             He is Love
He's gentle, he's kind, he'll leave no one behind.
He's patient, (our sins) he forgives
that we may always live
He doesn't list the wrongs
of those who sing his song
His mighty song of Love
who embrace Him with thier hearts
So those who live with rejection and poverty and pain
will have paradise to their gain
So all that you crave can be yours today
simply open your heart to the One who saves...

Don't let the day come
when we no longer kiss and hug,
when the day is done.

Don't let the moment arrive
when our love is no longer alive

No matter how many difficulties
daily confront you and me
Let this fact always be -
There's a hug and a kiss
at the close of every eve

I know there's times i say things
I'd like to take back.
I know there's times when it seems
all we do is attack.
But the best way to combat the combat
is to lay down (in) our arms so that
a kiss and a hug
can reaffirm our love...
Cause well we both know this within -
LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

Fade

The ache of living
never fades completely
Sometimes,        the knowledge of Him
Overwhelms    and consumes me
causing    my heart to burst
The dam to break
The love that I thirst
for which my heart aches
Destroys me
all that isn't of Him
shatters from within
and
I am undone


His love will heal you, will steal you away
His love will seal you for the Judgment day
His love is mightier than any sword ever made
His love will never, will never, ever
fade

At the foot of Your Throne

At the foot of Your Throne
there can be no pain
At the foot of Your Throne
there can be no shame
As I bow low before Your face
I know here in this place
I find only love, wholeness and grace

As I worship You my pain's released
and as I worship all attacks cease
As my worship makes me Holy ground
my enemy's defeat is what I've found
At the foot of Your Throne

I thank You Lord for being my God
And under my feet my enemy you trod
and straightening every crooked way in me
and setting my captive heart gloriously
free
at the foot of Your Throne...

One Shot

You got one shot, don't ya know it
You got one shot, don't ya blow it
This is it, this is your life
You get no second act
You get no rewrites
You either get it wrong
or you get it right
So what are you doing with Jesus Christ?
Is he just a cuss word on your lips?
Or has he become a relationship?
Is he just a name you hear on Sunday?
Or has he become your only way?
Is he alive to you or dead?
Is he in your heart or just your head?
You got one shot at living this life!
And when it's all been said
And when it's all been done
Will you end up wed
to God's Holy Son?
Nothing else in this life really matters
but preparing yourself for the ever-after...

My heart just burst through my chest
it's made a terrible mess
So this is what it means to be
blessed...

Love is messy
I have found
Just won't stay inbounds
Crashes the gate
Often won't wait
When we love
Pain and Joy are both our fate

Words fly free,   too easily
sometimes when we're angry
emotions entangle us
You've made quite a fuss
Can it still be
that you're in love with me?
But you don't invest that much energy
in someone you don't care for deeply
But as my heart's lying beating on the floor
please don't step on it once more...

Don't give up

Don't give up
Don't ever quit
Life's a struggle - don't you forget it
Sure there's times of peace and rest
times to relax and be refreshed
but many other times in this short life
you've got to make a stand, you've got to fight
For your enemy comes to steal your faith
steal your joy, lay your life waste
He'll plunder your soul
of all that is gold
and turn you into a slave that's been sold
no
Don't let it happen, don't give up
Fast and pray as often as you must
but don't give in to the battles you face
Stand up to your foe - put him in his place
Use the Word of God as a sword like Jesus did
In the light of God's Word your enemy can't stay hid

Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world...

Our Offering

Jesus looked at the buildings all around
And knew that one day soon it was all coming down
Nothing will be left of the Temple built by men
but as to the Temple I've built - in 3 days I'll raise it up again
Later that week Jesus hung upon a cross
His disciples in grief thought that all was lost
But he hung there to take away the world's sin
And in three days our Saviour rose again
It's now been almost two thousand years since then
We're about to enter the third millenium
And though our enemy's tried so hard to win
All that he's destroyed will be raised again
Nothing that is of God will be lost to us
For His redeeming Blood - it is enough
Every heart and soul committed to his hand
Will all in the end be raised up again
O DEATH WHERE IS YOUR STING?
A victory song over you every saint will sing
And we'll all rejoice together in the Salvation he brings
Because Jesus is made forever our offering
And Father will forever be praised
as on the third day -
we are all raised.....

Little Pieces

I hate my computer
and my computer hates me
How do I know this? You may be wondering...
It mocks me while often chuckling evilly
It delights in bringing me misery
as it crashes or refuses to obey me
but one day soon it will keep company
with the hammer I'll use to smash it, joyfully

Little pieces! Little pieces!
Oh how sweet the release is!
When I smash my computer into little pieces!


(Yes I thoroughly enjoyed writing this, even more than "Ode to Odious drivers")

Help! Strange Pictures

Dear readers,
These photos were shot recently near my apartment in Yang Pyeong, South Korea. It was a special night, the night of our second snow fall. My youngest daughter Karianna and I were walking home and I happened to have my camera with me. I like to take "snow" shots, that is, I like to aim the camera straight up into the falling snow and use a flash to take the picture. The flash will illuminate the flakes and create some fun shots. As we turned a corner on the way home, Kari asked if she could play in an empty parking lot. When she did, I took these four shots. All four were taken in rapid succession, within about a minute.
Keep in mind, the smoky looking effect, could not be seen with the naked eye, only through the camera lens. There were no buildings close by, closest was 20 feet behind me, a convenience store. No smoke appeared to be coming from that building or any other.The last shot was actually taken in between the others, showing no effects. I am at a loss to explain what I'm seeing in these pics, if anyone has any ideas, let me know through the comment section below. Thanks so much. Chris

Jesus laid his life down
so we would not fear to lay down our own
And he rose again to show us all the way home
One of the reasons he died was to let us know
We can trust our Father won't ever forsake us
or leave us alone
And the Cross also says to all
Will you rise or will you fall?
Will you cling to a life
that doesn't include Christ?
Or will you too lay it down willingly,
in sacrafice -
an offering to the Father,
pleasing in his sight?

oh the yearning
oh the tug on my soul
oh the compelling urge
to go
just go
I can no more stand here
beyond the appointed time
than I could stop myself
from forming this rhyme
The call of the wild
The call to explore
The call to experience
more and more
New lands and faces
New vistas and vast spaces
is God's way of saying to me
Come explore,
forever more
new and exciting Galaxies
Eternity will always be
full of fresh discoveries
for there is no end to God's creativity
(perhaps you and I will join him in fashioning new worlds and skies,
forever, together, seeing new sights!)

Sung to the tune of "Winter Wonderland"

I see the flakes, they're a fallin'
I hear the snow, it's a callin'
it's sayin'
Come out and play
Be happy today
It's time to be a kid again!

Don't you worry about it
I'll throw a snowball - don't doubt it!
And true will be my aim,
as we play snow ball games
actin' like little kids again!

We could go and hire a horse and sleigh
and pretend that we are Santa on his way
or we could get a sled and find a hill
laughin' all the way down - what a thrill!
(playin' like little kids again)

So come now, take my hand
let's enjoy this winterland
with cold noses but warm hearts
it's like a work of art
I'm seein' with my child's eyes again!



You guessed it! It snowed again last night, here in South Korea.

I like roads and trees
there's something about them that's appealing to me
I like mountains, streams and fields
before such majesty by soul more easily yields

I am not the creator, I am the created
everything that is - He first instigated
all that's man-made came from what God made first
no wonder for Him I hunger and thirst

This vast world is to Him but a pebble
a grain of sand of the Eternal God of man
Yet people's sight is often so dim
eyes not seeing though they're staring right at Him

We were designed and created solely for His pleasure
if we'll humble ouselves, like Jesus,
we'll receive his spirit without measure,
forever

Don't turn away
from sorrowful days
when your heart is burdened by words that pain
don't reject the rejection you gain
but rejoice because God knows your name

The more you suffer in this life
for knowing and doing what is right
the greater your reward in paradise
for in you your God will take great delight

So praise Him loud and praise Him long
in the midst of your pain sing a victory song
for every slight and wound
God notices and soon
you'll be avenged and your enemies will swoon

The island of the innocent

I've moved to the island of the innocent
where I was always and forever meant
to be
to be
For when men are cast down
I'll make this joyful sound -
There is a lifting up and
all you humble come and sup
And when I make a decree
it shall be established unto me
For when I pray He shall hear me this day
This Day that the Lord has made
will never fade
I will delight in the Almighty
and for every thought he has for me
And I lift my face unto him
for he is my defense and safety
and my salvation from my sin

Yes, I now dwell on the island of the innocent
where resides those who truly repent
and we are delivered by his purity
forever living splendidly

Begging

Hi everyone, just a quick note before today's poem. I will be on the radio here in Seoul every Saturday and Sunday evening throughout December at 8pm. Remember, that's 8pm Korean time. You can hear me at www.febc.net (go to the bottom of the page, click on the fm button) - Chris

Each of us is like the beggar
sitting outside the rich man's gate
helpless to feed ourselves
unable to change our fate
But if we choose to sit outside the gate of the King of Kings
Begging
We'll not be denied
a place inside
but we'll be invited in
Because our God cares for the lowly and the poor
and he demands that we care for them too
for truthfully my friend, compared to Heaven's store
we are all beggars, destitute
Our only position can be
to approach God on our knees
begging "oh Lord please, have mercy on me"

And when we've fed at his table and are satisfied
we should listen carefully for other beggar's cries
and invite them too, inside

Yes, when we "love one another"
we're simply caring for each poor sister and brother
So share my feast
with the very least
with the thirsty and the hungry
Sell all you have, give it to the poor, then come, follow me
Only with a heart fully committed to love,
can you be my disciple, you see"

Yes, we're all beggars, all of us, starving for love
the kind we can only find
in our precious, sweet God above
Now found in our hearts below
so let His love flow
freely let it go
so all in this sick world may know
the King of Love, loves them so....

Can I have my rib back?

Lord, I don't mind the woman you gave me
but there are times she's drivin' me crazy
Once in awhile, mind you not all the time
I'd like you to honor this request of mine -
Don't mean to sound like a sad sack
but Lord, could I please have my rib back?
I could do without the nagging and tongue wagging
the jumpin' my case, getting in my face,
constant scrutiny - tryin' to measure up to her standard for me
When things get too far out of whack,
Lord, I'd just like to get my rib back!
Remember how it was?
Just the two of us?
Just the guys hangin' - we never made a fuss!
Just once in awhile I'd like to take this tack -
Lord, can I please have my rib back?

And I felt your breath as you breathed inside of me
and my heart beats because you desire me
and if I lived to be 103
you'll never cease to amaze me

And I'm struck by your generosity
and by your constant pursuit of me
and may my days reciprocate your ways
and may I take care for my soul as well as you do
that at the end of this life I'll still belong to you...

For nothing has more value or worth
in or on this planet earth
than my soul you died to save
may I forever sing your praise

Jesus he ate with the poor and the blind and the lame
and if he was here today would he do the same?

Well he is here today - he walks the earth in you and me
and he still has much to say through anyone who believes

But before he speaks to their shame
his hands still desire to touch their pain
and before he calls them in
he wants to touch them in the midst of their sin

So will you allow him to go?
Will you allow him to show
this naked and lost world so full of shame,
will you go forth in his name?

Or will you sit in your church pew
never to know what he would have done
through you?

Yes Jesus spent most of his time
in the homes and the hearts of those guilty of crimes
Yes Jesus got dirty and he suffered so much
just so his hands could reach out and touch...

What else could we expect of Love?