Light And Shadow

The shadows of demons appear on the wall.
Spectres all screaming at the Siren's call.
Ascending the castle in the darkest night.
My reflection glows in the dim firelight.

The Spectres are here and the light recedes.
I tremble in fear while my conscience bleeds.
The light has faded. It's gone, gone, gone.
The light has faded. It's gone.

Flashes of color in the cool autumn breeze.
Make me remember, fall down to my knees.
The demons all leave. They tremble in fear.
The light they perceive has become quite clear.

The Spectres have gone; consumed by the light.
The curtain is drawn. The beast is out of sight.
The curse has faded. It's gone, gone, gone.
The curse has faded. It's gone.

And so light and shadow are always at war.
Even though they don't know what they're fighting for.
Circles of light spinning out of control.
The demons will fight for your very soul.

Light and shadow in a constant duel.
Wherever they go, the world becomes cruel.
I look in the mirror. It's gone, gone, gone.
I look in the mirror. It's gone.

West Texas Cowboys

Yes, I received your letter yesterday.
About the stolen gold we stashed in Santa Fe.
And I know you just won't realize,

'Till you've seen the treasure with your greedy eyes.
That I wasn't there, when they robbed the canyon mine.

Yes, I received your letter back in June.
About an old guitar that's always out of tune.
And I know you love Hank Williams songs, 

The open road is where your heart belongs.
But I wasn't there, the day the music died.

West Texas cowboys all understand.
When you get this far from the Rio Grande.
It ain't too hard to be found by the law.
They'll send you running down to Arkansas.
West Texas cowboys are rough outlaws.
Bad boy rebels with a damn good cause.
They're riding hard in Tulsa time.
It's a real good living this life of crime.

But these two letters share a common theme.
They both relate a lonesome cowboy's dream.
So make your peace with God, drink your whiskey down.

Because the last of the outlaws has just left town.
But I wasn't there, to see the cowboys ride.

So when you're down in Texas then you'll hear a tale.
From back when horses delivered the mail.
Adventure stories of the wild, wild west, 

Bandits, lawmen and all the rest.
But I wasn't there, to see the Lone Star fly.

West Texas cowboys all understand.
When you get this far from the Rio Grande.
It ain't too hard to be found by the law.
They'll send you running down to Arkansas.
West Texas cowboys are rough outlaws.
Bad boy rebels with a damn good cause.
They're riding hard in Tulsa time.
It's a real good living this life of crime.

Hijos e hijas de Dios, un reflexión en Gálatas 4:6

Un tema central que es necesario para entender el evangelio es nuestra adopción como hijos e hijas de Dios. Nosotros, que estábamos lejos, hemos acercado a Dios y somos parte de Su familia eterna. Es tan fácil olvidar cuán amados somos por Dios en Cristo. Es tan fácil buscar el amor y la aceptación en otro lugar, cuando Dios ya ha demostrado que nos ama tanto a gran precio para sí mismo.

Gálatas 4: 6 dice: “y debido a que somos sus hijos, Dios envió al Espíritu de su Hijo a nuestro corazón, el cual nos impulsa a exclamar ‘Abba, Padre’” "Abba Padre" resume maravillosamente la relación del creyente con su Padre. Padre es un título de respeto y reverencia, y "Abba" es un título de cariño e intimidad como "papi". Dios ha prometido esta relación a todos los que creen en Su Hijo Jesús. Sin embargo, nuestra adopción tenía un gran precio. Jesús, mientras estaba en la cruz, experimentó la separación de su Padre, mientras estaba pagando por nuestros pecados. Sólo en el sacrificio de Cristo podemos llamar a Dios "Abba Padre".

Nuestra adopción en Cristo cambia nuestro estado ante Dios: antes éramos vistos como esclavos del pecado, afuera de la familia de Dios, ahora tenemos todos los privilegios de ser hijos. Dios nos dio la mejor túnica, puso zapatos en nuestros pies y su anillo de sello en nuestros dedos. También declara una gran fiesta para celebrar. No sólo somos perdonados, sino que se nos da una posición en la familia de Dios. En la muerte y resurrección de Jesús, Dios nos ha mostrado Su favor y Su gracia mucho más de lo que podemos imaginar.

Entonces, ¿por qué vamos a buscar el amor en otro lugar: buscando el amor en todos los lugares equivocados? Muchos pensamos que encontraremos ese amor en una relación con gente pecadora como nosotros. Olvidamos cuán profundo es el amor del Padre por nosotros. Nuestro amoroso Padre está siempre buscando prodigar Su gracia sobre Sus amados hijos. Cuando te sientes ansioso, cuando te sientes inadecuado, cuando las tempestades de la vida son tan intensas, corre a los brazos de tu Padre amoroso.

Sons and Daughters of God: A Reflection on Galatians 4:6

A central theme in understanding the gospel is our adoption as sons and daughters of God. We, who were once far away, have been brought near to God and made part of His eternal family. It's so easy to forget how loved we are by God in Christ. It's so easy to look for love and acceptance elsewhere, even when God has already demonstrated that He loves us at great cost to Himself.

Galatians 4:6 says, "And because you are sons (and daughters), God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" "Abba Father" beautifully sums up the believer's relationship with Christ. Father is the term of respect and reverence, while "Abba" is the term of endearment and intimacy like "daddy." God has promised this relationship to all who believe in His Son Jesus.  Our adoption came at a great cost however. Jesus, while He was on the cross, experienced separation from His Father, as He was paying for our sins. Only because of Christ's sacrifice can we call God "Abba Father."

Our adoption in Christ changes our status before God: once we were seen as slaves to sin, alienated from the family of God, now we have all the privileges of sonship. God gave us the best robe, put shoes on our feet and His signet ring on our fingers. Then He threw a grand party to celebrate. Not only are we forgiven, but we are granted a place in God's family. In the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has shown His kindness and His grace to us so much more than we can imagine.

So why do we go seeking after love elsewhere: looking for love in all the wrong places? Many of us think we'll find that love in a relationship with sinful people like ourselves. We forget how deep the Father's love is for us. Our loving Father is always looking to lavish His kindness upon His beloved children. When you feel stressed, when you feel inadequate, when the storms of life threaten to overwhelm you, run into the arms of your loving Father.

Angel of Light

When the seas all burn in the darkest night,
And I see your reflection in the firelight.
Don't think that I won't care; I will always find you there.
When your storms arise, you will be alright.

When the forest echoes with happiness,
And the whole world sees your loveliness.
I'll celebrate with you, only if you want me to.
You know, I could never love you any less.

I can’t get these visions out of my head.
So I’ll pick up my guitar and play awhile instead.
The strings they tell the tale, leaving out no detail.
It seems we’ve said all that needs to be said.

Pretty fire bolts of love are flowing.
While the loneliness inside me is slowly growing.
With a love unrequited, and feeling uninvited.
Goodbye, it's time for me to be going.

Up the winding stairs the lady walks in white.
I watch her for a time, until she's out of sight.
As she is ascending, she finds her happy ending.
But it's not for me to share in this glorious delight.

The Lonely River

Time begins its unending course at the source of the river winding.
The universe, an unstoppable force and, of course, it's eternally binding.

I search to find the eternal spring, the thing that eludes me still.
While time keeps flowing, onward going, I guess it always will.

Long have I looked through the forest of life, but the strife was holding me back.
Searching madly for the stream, in a dream, and everything I did lack.

Finally the end of my journey is here, I fear it too soon has ended.
Time has run out for my life on this earth, and now my time is suspended.