Keynote Address

"Ahem... is, uh, is this thing on? Okay. "

"one-two-three-one-two-three,
There's a song inside of her
It hasn't found a home
She isn't very easy you see
As easy as they come
Death came to town today
Uninvited, it came just the same
It stole our hearts and numbed our minds
We have no one to blame
It shakes us to the core we say
Turns the world around
Our faith, now upside down
It's hard to see through tears she says
And keeps walking, but not away
Toward something no one else can see
Maybe she will find some peace
New places, same old things
New journey and he's not along
But we're so sure he'd be glad
Freedom in a letter found
Saved for a moment such as this
Momentary lightness she has found
Almost like solace in a kiss
It is fleeting and here we are
At the crossroads again
Is it okay to be ugly and hateful
Should we have grace for unmerciful behaviour
Can Jesus heal this bleeding wound
Without permission, so far from our lips
So close to our thoughts
So hard to pray, almost feeling traitorous
Worshipping One who betrays us so
We find we cannot understand
This is part of His plan

And we hate it.

Where does the grief go?
There is no place to breathe here.
Pack everything in a box and leave this place
But grief will follow like a stray cat
It has snuck into our pores like smoke
And yet life continues its events all around us
Again without permission.
We fall, but getting up seems more than we can bear
Father, meet us here
We only ask because we have to
There is no choice.
When my heart is in a corner
Will I sing a new song?
Born of Your mercy that falls down like rain
Flooding my heart, I can't be unchanged
When I'm faced with the choice to deny God or praise
Will I sing a new song?