This is adapted from Psalm 139. I love the thought that God made use unique in His own way.

Verse 1

You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. You see me from a far off. You are acquainted with all of my ways. Not a word is on my tongue that You do not know completely. You hem me in behind and before, such knowledge is too wonderful for me.

Chorus

I am fearfully and wonderfully made…Fearfully. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works my heart knows full well.

Verse 2

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I go to escape Your sight? If I were to climb to the highest peak or dive to the lowest depth of night. If I take the wings of the morning or plunge into the depths of the sea…there Your hand, Your mighty right hand will be constantly there to guide me.

Chorus

I am fearfully and wonderfully made…Fearfully. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works my heart knows full well.

Bridge

So search me oh God and know my heart. Test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in your way everlasting. Lead me in your way everlasting.

Chorus

I am fearfully and wonderfully made…Fearfully. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works my heart knows full well.

Is it strange that I can say someone made an impact on my life and I can’t remember their name? Actually, it was so long ago that I barely remember the whole event, but the little bit that I do remember I find extremely impactful.

It was the 80s. I generally know what year, but I just know I was at a church camp. It must have been a kids camp. I am quite fuzzy on the location and even the church group which isn’t like me, but I am looking back over thirty years here so give me a break.

Up to this point in my life I had only hung around people that looked and acted like me. So, when I met Billy (no this isn’t his name, but like I said I don’t remember it) I have to admit he wasn’t like what I expected. You see, Billy was paralyzed from the waist down and spent all of his time in a wheel chair.

The cool thing is I remember hanging around with Billy. He was a cool dude. We enjoyed each other’s company. I remember that he had an awesome sense of humor. He also had really strong arms from wheeling himself around. After the initial shock of him being a little different, we just had a good time at camp.

One night of camp I remember Billy asking me if I wanted to get a soda. I didn’t have any money. He smiled and told me not to worry. He had money and he was willing to share. We had a soda and enjoyed the events of the evening.

Now, to the impact he made on me. I remember very clearly that Billy was not a prisoner in his wheel chair. His circumstances were not ideal, but his attitude, even at that age, was far ahead of most of the folks around us. I remember clearly that he enjoyed life. He was not a victim of it. Billy had made the decision to enjoy his life despite the circumstances he found himself in.

I have no idea what happened to Billy. I never saw him again after that camp. I do remember him though. He was a shining example of someone who looked for and found the best out of life. He made an impact on me in the short time we hung around. I hadn’t thought of him until recently. I hope that he knows that he is making an impact…even thirty years later.

I wrote this one 14 years ago. I imagine this is what God says to us when we think we are too far away for Him to hear…

Verse 1

I see you crouching down, trying to hide your face. You feel like life is hopeless, nothing but disgrace. You feel you’ve gone beyond the point of no return and all that is left for you is the bad things that you’ve earned. But through your trials, through your fears please remember My child I am here.

Chorus:

Call out to Me, I will answer and set you free. Call out to Me, I will answer and set you free (with Me you are free indeed).

Verse 2

I have seen your struggles, the times where you have failed when you’ve hit the bottom and you’ve thought that no one cares. You think that in all your troubles that you have been alone? You feel like a stranger longing to be home. My arms are open, come to Me. Lay down your burdens, it is time to be free.

Chorus:

Call out to Me, I will answer and set you free. Call out to Me, I will answer and set you free (with Me you are free indeed).

Tag:

I have been here with you all this time. Never forget, child you are Mine.

Chorus: (2x)

Call out to Me, I will answer and set you free. Call out to Me, I will answer and set you free (with Me you are free indeed).

I wrote this for my son almost 12 years ago. I came across it tonight and wanted to share. I hope you enjoy.

Verse 1

Hush little baby, rest safe tonight. Your daddy’s here to make it all alright. Lie there, drift in to dream, for the years will pass too fast it seems.

Chorus

You are in my arms tonight. All the world is finally right because you’ve come. Rest safe my little one right here in your daddy’s arms.

Verse 2

There will be a day when you run and play and experience all that life has. Just for now, little boy sleep sound, here in the arms of your dad.

Chorus

You are in my arms tonight. All the world is finally right because you’ve come. Rest safe my little one right here in your daddy’s arms.

Tag

Your mom and I have prayed so long for this day…for you to come into our lives this way. Just for now little boy sleep sound and drift into dream.

Chorus

You are in my arms tonight. All the world is finally right because you’ve come. Rest safe my little one right here in your daddy’s arms.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and I am shocked at the guy staring back at me. No, I don’t scare myself. I just don’t recognize who i see sometimes. I like the guy in the mirror. He is just an older, more mature version of what I expect. Sometimes, he’s not what I expect at all. Let me explain.

For a long time I have had a mental picture of myself. Several actually. From time to time I must be in one of those mind frames, because when I look in the mirror I expect to see myself that way. It is like I temporarily forget how far I have come. I have come a long way…

I grew up in small town USA…also known as several towns across the southern part of Oklahoma. I was never an athletic kid. I was a bit chunky and unsure of myself. To this day I carry a mental image of myself from some of the school photographs that were taken in elementary school. I don’t guess I ever told my mom when photo day was going to be as I showed up for one photo shoot in a blue sweatsuit and another time I showed up in a sleeveless shirt.

When I was 12 we moved to a new town and I remember feeling glad that we were starting over at a new place. I remember wanting to be different than I was. It didn’t take long in our new town and I looked like a different guy. Granted, I was 12 and hit my first major growth spurt…I went from 5’4” to 5’9” or so in one summer. I was no longer a chunky kid. I was a lanky kid who took a while to get used to his body.

As I got into high school, my self image got a huge boost. It was the 90’s and I had a huge pair of glasses and a chili bowl haircut, but I was starting to be more comfortable in my own skin. I started getting girlfriends sometime in this stretch too. That was a confidence booster as well. By my senior year I was 6 feet tall and in the best shape of my life to that point. I remember graduating high school feeling ready to take on the world.

I can think over several snapshots like this from over the years. I see myself clearly in college trying to come to grips with what I wanted to do with my life. Did I really want to be a choir teacher? Noble profession, but not for me. Incidentally, thank God I didn’t have to have it all figured out at that point. I remember the pressure of feeling like I was getting it wrong. I was, but I had time.

I remember meeting my beautiful bride for the first time and the way I felt when I realized that I had found the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. It was so awesome and so strange to see myself as an adult who was making a lifelong vow to love and care for someone else. It is a decision that I give my all to to this day.

I remember the way I felt when my boy was born and he was put into my arms for the first time. His mama had just been through so many hours of labor and I remember the feeling of knowing I was there to take care of her and our precious baby boy.

I have stared at the man in the mirror so many times through this life. At different times I can see one of the versions of myself staring back. I am amazed at how far I have come. I have come through ups and downs, good times and bad, health and sickness…by the grace of God I am still here. I am thankful. I don’t always recognize the man in the mirror, but that’s ok. I’m still enjoying getting to know him.