Loved, Lost, Lived

It's been a long cold night
Don't want to admit to lonliness
I'm fine on my own
But I still think about you now and then

And we both went different paths
And we've traveled different ways
Parting isn't always so cruel

And we're both different people
And we both had to change
Maybe it's better this way

I don't hate you
No it's not like that at all
I wish it would have turned out differently
But this is life and these are the choices that we've made

And this life is
Beautiful
Beautiful
Beautiful

Light Up The Sky

"Come on, you gotta come see the lightning!" My dad drug my reluctant body out of bed. I was so relaxed, so ready to drift off to sleep. But we grabbed some blankets and headed outside. 


At least one bolt every ten seconds. It seemed to be the storm of the year.

The lighting was about 10-20 miles away towards the northeast, licking the sand dunes with it's fury. Sometimes two or three bolts would hit the ground at the same time. Sometimes the lightning would branch from cloud to cloud, seeming to brighten the entire valley.

Dad started humming an old tune, one by Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.


"When I see the clouds form a black summer windstorm 
That uproots the harvest and hurls it away
In the midst of such anger, destruction and danger
The storm's even beautiful in its own way."

Empty Space

My parents are painting and putting new flooring in their bedroom. The large room is completely empty, and has much better acoustics than anywhere else in the house. So last night I sat alone on the plywood with my guitar, and sang. I sang songs I needed to sing, with words I needed to hear. I strummed different chords, remembering song after song, some old, and some new. And then I remembered. It was a song I'd written the summer before, during pain, loneliness and heartache. Those same feelings were resurfacing, so as I watched the glowing sunset out the window, I sang the song that has become my prayer.

I know your love should be enough
I know I shouldn't need more
But I still yearn for what I've lost
I'm still bitter for the pain I bore

I know your arms are holding me
But they're only in my mind
I miss what was here, what was real
I guess healing takes some time

So don't give up on me
Please don't give up on me

Lord, I know you've got some plans
I'm not sure if this was in them
But it still hurts and all I'm longing for
Is someone to take my hand

So don't give up on me
Please don't give up on me

Pick me up and carry me
Into your undying love
Let your awesome grace surround me
Don't ever let me leave

...and don't give up on me.