As with many song lyrics that I post here, I wrote this several years ago. I hope you enjoy.

Verse 1

The heavens declare Your glory, the works of Your hand. Your wonder and Your majesty we struggle to comprehend. Your ways are not our ways and we are humbled to know that Your Spirit is with us everywhere that we go.

Chorus:

You are our God, may Your name be lifted up. All of our days will never be enough to express our gratitude and love to You our Lord, our God.

Verse 2

It is hard to describe the sacrifice You made when You stepped out of heaven to come to our aid. You did for us what we were unable to do. Where our sins demanded justice Your mercy cam through.

Chorus:

You are our God, may Your name be lifted up. All of our days will never be enough to express our gratitude and love to You our Lord, our God.

Tag:

We sing to You our praise, for it is You that we love. For all of our days, we can never get enough.

Chorus:

You are our God, may Your name be lifted up. All of our days will never be enough to express our gratitude and love to You our Lord, our God.

You remember that scene from Remember the Titans don’t you? It is the semi final game. Petey is making excuses about why he can’t cover his man like he should. For the entire movie Coach Yoast has gone easy on him, but no more. He confronts Petey in front of the team. He says, “If you want to act like a star you have to give me a star effort.” Petey whimps out and another player is brought in to play in his place. A less talented player named Allen who gets the job done because he gives the effort required.

Petey comes back to the coach before the next game and tells him he is ready to play for the championship. Coach Yoast tells him he is going to sit on the bench and cheer for the team and he will have a chance to play the next year. It is only after the less talented player give Petey his spot that Petey has a chance to get back in the game and finally give a star effort. The Titans win the championship. They wouldn’t have if Petey hadn’t learned his lesson and been given another chance.

I see a lot of Petey in myself. I know there are things that I am talented at. I know that I have the potential to be really good in a few areas. I even act like it sometimes, but have I really given a star effort to go along with the star act? Don’t get me wrong, I have worked hard on many things and been successful, but there are areas of my life that I have been slacking. One of the glaring spots where I don’t put in as much effort as I should? Public speaking.

If you have seen me speak, you might wonder what I am talking about. I have been in Toastmasters for 8 years. I achieved my Distinguished Toastmasters award. I have given over 200 presentations in that time. How can it be that I am not putting in the effort? Let me explain.

I am one of those people. You know the ones I am talking about right? Those weird people who have always felt comfortable in front of a room. From as far back as 2nd grade, I remember being in front of large groups and not being that bothered by it. Sure, it was strange, but having the room stare at me was always kind of cool.

For many people, that is the thing they have to get over. Talking in front of people is one of the most fear inducing things known to man. That is why they join Toastmasters. They had a problem they needed to address and are able to get through it. It is always an honor to see folks do this too. It is a serious achievement.

At this point, what would be a serious achievement for me? Knowing that I had put all of my heart, soul, and practice into a presentation and figuring out what my real potential is. Maybe I am close to it now. I have a feeling I am not. Either way, I want to give that star effort and forget about the star act.

I have a contest that I am participating in next Saturday. This is my self nudge to get it done. I may even record it and post it here. We will see what applying maximum effort will do.

Verse 1

It’s graduation day. Yes, it’s finally come. You’ve walked across the stage and now your life has begun. How things go now depends on the choices you make. At this fork in the road which path will you take?

Chorus

Will you? Will you take a stand? Will you live your life at His command? Will you be all He wants you to be? Will you come when He says “Follow Me”?

Verse 2

So please make you decision and carry on your way. For the future you look forward to starts here today. If you choose to follow Christ, if you choose to lay it down He will walk you through this life and reward you with a crown,

Chorus

Will you? Will you take a stand? Will you live your life at His command? Will you be all He wants you to be? Will you come when He says “Follow Me”?

Bridge

I’m not saying it is easy, that it will never be. Sometimes life is hard and you will long to be free. But I know that through your life there is a hope for you. His name is Jesus Christ, He is the one that will see you through.

Chorus

Will you? Will you take a stand? Will you live your life at His command? Will you be all He wants you to be? Will you come when He says “Follow Me”?

I wrote these words to my grandmother right before she passed away. Though it has been many years, I still miss her. She was amazing. She is missed so much.

Dear Grandma,

I have stared at the blank piece of paper for sometime now. There many things I want to say, but I want to make sure that I say them right. It is hard to put into words all the feelings that you feel for someone that you love so much. But, I will give it my best shot.

First, it has been an amazing honor to have you as my grandma. I have so many memories of you that I will cherish all my life. I have not been able to visit as much as I would’ve liked, but I have always felt your love and how proud you are of me. It has given me great joy to make you proud over the years. I loved every time I had the chance to sing for you. It makes me smile because I know that it made you happy. I wish I would have been able to do it much more, but I know you enjoyed the times I did.

Next, thank you for the way that you’ve lived your life. I know that all our lives are connected. The choices that we make affects people we may not even know yet. You have made choices over the years that made my life possible. You are an amazing wife and awesome mother. You chose year after year to take care of your family and to provide for them. You made sacrifices to help your children grow and I’m grateful for that. I feel I have the best mother in the world and that is in large part to the way that you cared for her. The love that she’s given me over the years she learned from you. I can’t even begin to describe how grateful I am for your life.

I don’t know if I ever told you, but one of my favorite things about you are your hugs. Grandma hugs are some of the best the world. It never mattered how long had it been since we’ve seen each other, it always felt like coming home when you gave me a hug. I will miss them until the day I see you again. I expect a really big one then.

I know I am very fortunate to have had 35 years with my Grandma. Not long ago I looked at the pictures of you and mom giving me a bath just after I was born. You have always been a beautiful lady. It showed in those pictures as you were smiling from ear to ear at me. I remember the summers of Falls Creek and getting to be there before I was old enough because my grandma was the cook. The best cook I might add. Those are still some of my favorite summertime childhood memories. I loved every time I was at your house for Christmas or birthday and you would give me clothes. I would always try them on and you finally told me I didn’t have to try them on. It was just my way of letting you know how much I appreciated what you had given me. Plus, i loved getting new clothes. I also remember being at Falls Creek doing mission work and having to borrow large sum of money from you to make it through the summer. It made me feel so good to know you trusted me and knew that I would pay you back. I felt loved all my life. Thank you grandma.

It has also been a great joy to have been able to be married and have a son while you have been here to watch. Thank you for the way that you have Marixa feel so loved and so welcome. She considerers you her Grandma. I appreciate it so much. It has been such a joy to watch Trey and his GG. That boy loves you. It feels so good to know that he got to know you.

I will always carry your love in my heart forever. I promise, I will continue to make you proud. When I sing, I will sing for you. I love you Grandma and I always will.

David

Hang out with me for long enough and there are a few things you will pick up on: I love my wife and son like crazy, I enjoying cooking very much, I talk to myself in funny voices (I can do more than 30), and…did I mention I am crazy about my wife? There are other things that make me me, but loving my wife is the one that really defines me.

I was listening to the radio today and a song came on that I haven’t heard in a while. The chorus said something like this: ‘beautiful girls all over the world I could be chasing, but my time I’d be wasting cause they got nothing on you.’ I had to sit back and smile. I feel that way about Marixa. She is the one for me. There is no other.

Strangely enough, that B.o.B./Bruno Mars song reminded me of a verse from Proverbs 31:29 that I read not too long ago: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” (NLT). Loosely translated: they got nothing on you.

I can think of many reasons why I feel like Marixa has surpassed all the others. She is a beautiful woman. She is a wonderful mother. She is the best friend I have ever known. She is brilliant. She is so very creative. She is compassionate. She has the most amazing laugh. All of these reasons are good ones, but they are not the reason I can say with confidence that she has surpassed all the other women in the world in my eyes. What is my reason? She is my wife.

There is no one in this world that is like her for many reasons, but this is the one that I want to address. I fell in love with Marixa. I asked her to marry me. In front of our God and our family and friends I pledged to love her and cherish her above all others for all of my life. I chose her. I choose her still. She surpasses all the other women in this world because she is my wife. She is the one I made a covenant to love and cherish.

There will never be another. There is no need. I already made my choice. They have nothing on her.

Does this ring true in your marriage? It is my prayer that you can say the same thing about the woman (or man) who wears your ring.