Waves

The waves of life break against my shores,

Erode my banks, and wash away the sand.

But Jesus is my bulkhead and my savior;

The waves now crash against his rocky stand.

My soul erodes no more.

John Edwin Erickson

 John Edwin Erickson 

Man

Son

Lover 

Husband

Father

Friend

Worker

John Edwin Erickson died in 1988.   He was far from perfect.  Drank a lot and smoked a lot.  Probably did other things a lot.  He always had a smile for a friend and he never met a stranger.  He loved people.  He loved to help  people.  While some things he would never find his way out of.  His love for people made up for his failures.  Not sure he would agree.  He tortured himself his whole life, over things that happened.  Probably the reason for the drinking.  He loved with everything he had, but had a darkness inside that he never shook.  Hopefully he found peace and forgiveness in Jesus’ arms.  Love you daddy.  

Sand

The wind blows

Down out of the mountains

Across the sands

As I walk my footprints I see my path ahead

I see my footprints behind

I see the sands wipe them away

Like I was never here 

I look toward the sun

I scream at the sky

Scream across the desert

I was here

I had dreams

I had a life

I had a purpose 

I was me

Grains of sand

I scream

I close my eyes

I see the past

It feels real

There you are

It’s coming

If you can hear me

Maybe it can change

I scream

I open my eyes

Nothing changed

Alone

I’m Alone

Seems like always

It’s just work

I’m Alone

As Always

Possessions

We went through it when my Grandmother's beach house was destroyed by Hurricane Rita.  She lost everything.  Of course possessions can be replaced.  Some things though it's not about the thing.  It's about the memory.  The fact my dad had passed away years before made that loss even greater for her.  All his pictures as a child and things you would think had no value broke her heart over again. 

As I sorted through someone's possessions, throwing away things damaged by the flood waters, Grandma came to mind.  To see the home owner try to decide what to try to save and what to throw away.  Things with meaning and memories.  I realize the responsibility we have helping our neighbors.  To save what we can, but also saving memories.  More than that though, we can give hope and show love to our neighbors.  It's the least we can do.  God bless everyone affected by the storm. 

Sitting In The dark

Sitting In The Dark

Her I am

Sitting in the dark

Thinking about a couple of seconds

Thirty years ago

It's only seconds

What a couple of seconds it is

The lowest of lows

If I only could know

They say i'm forgiven

They say I paid the price

If that is the case

Why doesn't it feel right

I found the light

I switched it on

I went under the water

I sang a new song

I helped a man

I helped a woman

I raised my boys

I showed them a line

Then why do I

Still feel out of sort

A couple of seconds

I can't even the score

Why do you haunt me

Life falls on me

So here I am

Sitting in the dark

This is about my father.  He made a terrible mistake once that haunted him the rest of his life.  I see all the negativity and judgment in today's world.  It makes me think of him.  How the courts made him pay a price and Jesus forgave him, but he never could forgive himself.