Alive Today

Spreading branches at his feet,
a makeshift carpet for a king,
voices shouting, "Blessed is He!
Blessed is He."

Yet soon the voices changed,
as they railed against his name.
No longer their words hailed
Him King of Kings.

Broken and betrayed,
His final hours racked with pain,
placed in someone else's grave,
and sealed away.

Entombed, the Savior slept,
while His friends in darkness wept,
grasping, struggling to accept
death's final say.

Invisible Opportunities

In the mundane,
routine acts of daily life---

going to work, 
pumping gas into the car, 
trying to keep up 
with dishes and laundry---

I forgot that I am continuously
being presented with limitless opportunities:

to be more than I think I am,
to make a greater impact 
than I think I can. 

At times I only see
what appears
to be on the surface:

my job duties seem
to amount to
little more than
teaching scales and harmonies
that only a few students will ever use;
sharing my music
seems to be a meager contribution
that a mere handful of people might benefit from.
 
But then, I am reminded.
And not only reminded---but corrected.

When Shame Drowns Out Hope, I Need Reminding

Sometimes I need reminding.
 
My mind knows. Even my heart knows.
 
But sometimes I need reminding that I am wrapped in a love too vast for humans to comprehend. I need reminding that my Savior's eyes see me in a completely different light than the eyes of the world---even in a drastically different light than I see myself.

I see my years of past struggling, of confusion and an emotionally crippling affliction, my "thorn in the flesh." I remember desperate attempts of grasping for relief, impaired judgment, and I now feel anger towards the battle that consumed so much of my life.