Spiritual Journeys Today

Where can you look and not see God? I was on the bus, people watching when this ‘master of the obvious’ idea for a song hit me.
JOHN

‘God Is There, Everywhere’

Look to the left, look to the right
What can you see, is God in your sight?
No matter what you see there, within your view
You can be assured that, God is present too.

Everywhere that we go, God is there too
Everywhere that we look, God is within view
Have you learned to see with more than your eyes?
View the world through your soul, see the word come alive
God is there, everywhere, calling you!

Walk through this world, of wonder and strife
The joy and the pain, are all part of life
You can help to change the hurt that you see
God will work through you, God’s love is the key

Everywhere that we go, God is there too
Everywhere that we look, God is within view
Have you learned to see with more than your eyes?
View the world through your soul, see the word come alive
God is there, everywhere, calling you!

See Stars in the sky, and birds in the air
In the fish in the sea, God is always there
Of all of the wonders God’s chosen to give
The best is the fact that with God, we do live

Everywhere that we go, God is there too
Everywhere that we look, God is within view
Have you learned to see with more than your eyes?
View the world through your soul, see the word come alive
God is there, everywhere, calling you!

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

I did meet Lynn for coffee yesterday. We had a great and far-ranging conversation. I saw God’s healing processes at work within him as we spoke. It’s so obvious that he misses Carla so but also that he has found a way to cope. I woke up this morning and shortly thereafter the first line of the first verse came into my mind. I went and got my phone and started writing. Lynn and Carla, your love was obvious, special and at a level that the rest of us all strive to achieve. I hope this song captures a tiny bit of the essence of what I believe you must be feeling.

May you feel and recognize God moving in your life today and always!
JOHN

‘God Has Blessed Us So’

I keep a photo in the pocket of my heart of
Someone so dear to me who has departed
From this life we shared together
Twenty months, ten days, and fifteen hours ago
She left the pain and hurt cancer imparted
My agony will last forever

I know that she is still with God in another of life’s phases
Full of so many questions ’bout this new world she now faces
Waiting impatiently for me to join her there
Our love continuing to grow, our souls still share
Our precious mem’ries, God has blessed us so

I keep on looking through the albums of my mem’ry
Just to keep the pictures fresh within my mind
Sharp and bright, dreams made together
Children, grandkids, friends made throughout the years
The laughter, tears and joy, treasured bits of time
Go flashing past my eyes forever

I know that she is still with God in another of life’s phases
Full of so many questions ’bout this new world she now faces
Waiting impatiently for me to join her there
Our love continuing to grow, our souls still share
Our precious mem’ries, God has blessed us so

I must keep going life moves ever onward each day
The love she gave us all has now continued
Back to her, as it will, forever
I make it through each day by thanking God for her
Her message and her hope for all God’s children
Remembering, time spent together

I know that she is still with God in another of life’s phases
Full of so many questions ’bout this new world she now faces
Waiting impatiently for me to join her there
Our love continuing to grow, our souls still share
Our precious mem’ries, God has blessed us so

Thanks for the mem’ries, God you’ve blessed me so.

Copyright December 3, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

This song came to me this morning as I was thinking about meeting a friend of mine, Lynn, for coffee later today. I hadn’t seen him in quite a while and he called a few days ago to let me know he’d had an article published in a local magazine. Lynn’s wife, Carla passed away in 2010, leaving a gaping hole in his life. Carla loved Christmas and I knew the holiday would likely be tough for him again this year. He wanted to meet for coffee and he is one of my Christian friends who has been an inspiration to me, so I said yes eagerly. I hadn’t read the article yet but I started to think about those people who have been there for me over and over again, taking time out of their busy lives, in spite of their own problems, hurts and pain. God took over and in a little over an hour, this is the result. I read the article twice on the way to work this morning and cried both times. Awesome article, Lynn and thanks for the inspiration yet again.
JOHN

‘As Your Hands’

As I review, the people who have been
An influence and shaped what I believe
I start to realize how many you have sent
To help me grow up spiritually

As Your hands, they’ve molded me
As Your eyes, they’ve let me see
As Your guides, they’ve led me through
The times when I, couldn’t see You
As Your heart and soul and wisdom
They’ve made me understand
That without Your love, I’ll never be much more than a man
With the knowledge of You that they have provided
I am a new being in your Spirit, Lord, free and excited

My mom and dad, people who’ve always lived
Their lives each day to match what they believe
They put their trust in You and tithed inherently
They demonstrated living faith for me

As Your hands, they’ve molded me
As Your eyes, they’ve let me see
As Your guides, they’ve led me through
The times when I, couldn’t see You
As Your heart and soul and wisdom
They’ve made me understand
That without Your love, I’ll never be much more than a man
With the knowledge of You that they have provided
I am a new being in your Spirit, Lord, free and excited

Preachers, teachers, I’ve learned so much from them
About Your Word, the stories of your love
The things I once believed, became foundation for
Knowing you live within, not up above

As Your hands, they’ve molded me
As Your eyes, they’ve let me see
As Your guides, they’ve led me through
The times when I, couldn’t see You
As Your heart and soul and wisdom
They’ve made me understand
That without Your love, I’ll never be much more than a man
With the knowledge of You that they have provided
I am a new being in your Spirit, Lord, free and excited

My Christian friends, who spend their precious time
In fellowship, share what they know of You
Living examples of, the way I want to be
Living, loving, serving, Lord praising You

As Your hands, they’ve molded me
As Your eyes, they’ve let me see
As Your guides, they’ve led me through
The times when I, couldn’t see You
As Your heart and soul and wisdom
They’ve made me understand
That without Your love, I’ll never be much more than a man
With the knowledge of You that they have provided
I am a new being in your Spirit, Lord, free and excited

Copyright December 02, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

Many of us keep looking somewhere else trying to find God and trying to find happiness. I’m convinced God is with us every moment of every day, if we can just find a way to see.

May you feel and recognize God moving within your life today and always!
JOHN

‘Already Here’

I’ve heard ‘Good things in life are hard to find’
I know that it’s not true
The problem is that most the time,
We’re not looking, Lord, for You
We wander, searching everywhere
But you’re already near
Can’t find the hope we’re after, Lord
Though you’re already here

Hope of the world, grace to save us all
Why is it so difficult, to hear You when You call
If only more of us, would live as we should live
Following Your footsteps, learning just how to forgive
Loving as You do, unconditional and free
We’d stop and realize, how truly happy we could be

I’ve been, there and I know for sure it’s true
Lost, scared and so lonely
Just praying I could see the path
You had set in front of me
I was hurt by someone I had loved
And no one seemed to care
If only I’d have realized
You were already there

Hope of the world, grace to save us all
Why’s it so difficult, to hear You when You call
If only more of us, would live as we should live
Following Your footsteps, learning just how to forgive
Loving as You do, unconditional and free
We’d stop and realize, how truly happy we could be

We choose to carry on it seems
Without You, chasing empty dreams
And yet You wait,
For us to figure out…
You’re already here

Hope of the world, grace to save us all
Why is it so difficult, to hear You when You call
If only more of us, would live as we should live
Following Your footsteps, learning just how to forgive
Loving as You do, unconditional and free
We’d stop and realize, how truly happy we could be

Copyright November 15, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

Starting in late April 2011, I felt distant from God for about 5 months. This song was one of the few I wrote during that time. Reading it now, I still don’t know what brought on the distance that led to despair I must have felt while writing this. In the good times, that pain can seem so far away but it can also come rushing back so quickly.

May you feel and recognize God’s spirit moving in and around today and always!
JOHN

‘Sometimes’

Sometimes within the castle of my soul,
I pull the drawbridge up when guilt and fear have taken hold
From the piercing eyes of God I try to hide,
Fearing God will find me as guilty as I feel deep down inside

Remember God’s compassion lives
When we would judge, God only gives
His grace and love have overcome the worst we can do
So praise Him with your voice raised high
Sing all about God’s love cause I
Know God loves me just as God loves you

Sometimes within the loneliness I feel
That God has left me helpless to the evils of this world
But when I open up my eyes I always see
That God’s standing right here with me and forever he will be

Remember God’s compassion lives
When we would judge, God only gives
His grace and love have overcome the worst we can do
So praise Him with your voice raised high
Sing all about God’s love cause I
Know God loves me just as God loves you

Sometimes within the hopelessness and pain
I wonder where God’s gone and if I’ll see his face again
From the bottom of my heart I loudly cry
Have you truly forsaken me and left me here to die?

Remember God’s compassion lives
When we would judge, God only gives
His grace and love have overcome the worst we can do
So praise Him with your voice raised high
Sing all about God’s love cause I
Know God loves me just as God loves you

Copyright May 6, 2011 John Lage, Jr All Rights Reserved

This song originated in a period where much of my focus was on the soul literally being a part of God. I still think it extremely likely that this is true. I wrote the first two lines of the first verse then God took over and the song moved away from that central theme to one of being open to God’s will. I started it a couple of months ago and finished it today.

May you feel and recognize God’s blessings in your life today and always!
John

‘Open’

Open my soul
The piece of me that is You
Open my ears
Let me hear Your truth
Open my heart
To Your loving way
Open my hands
To do Your work this day

Open heart, open hands, open door
I’m ready to live as You’d want me to, Lord
With Your Holy Spirit, every inch of me fill
I’m open, ready, willing to do Your will

Open my cupboards
I’ve plenty to share
Open my closets
I’ve clothes to spare
Open my wallet
To those in need
Open my eyes
To view the world You see

Open heart, open hands, open door
I’m ready to live as You’d want me to, Lord
With Your Holy Spirit, every inch of me fill
I’m open, ready, willing to do Your will

Open my thoughts
And let my spirit soar
Open my time
So I serve You more
Open my arms
To embrace those in pain
Open my mouth
To sing Jesus’ name

Open heart, open hands, open door
I’m ready to live as You’d want me to, Lord
With Your Holy Spirit, every inch of me fill
I’m open, ready, willing to do Your will

Open my will
Do with me as You please
Open my world
To opportunity
Open my fears
And help me understand
Open my palms
To welcome every hand

Open heart, open hands, open door
I’m ready to live as You’d want me to, Lord
With Your Holy Spirit, every inch of me fill
I’m open, ready, willing to do Your will

Copyright December 28, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

This song is meant to honor Mark Callahan, a Mayo physician who was to travel with us to Guatemala this year. He passed away December 28, 2011, a few days after learning he had pancreatic cancer and likely had a few months to live. I met him as we prepared for the trip. He was a great guy and I very much looked forward to traveling with him and getting to know him better.

‘Mark’

I’ve lost a friend, someone who I didn’t know too well
You’ve left this world to be with God, for with God I know you’ll dwell
The times I saw you weren’t too many, but somehow I knew
You were the type of person, I could count on to be true

I’m going to miss you Mark, I was looking forward to
Knowing more about you, hearing you talk about you
I know you loved your fellow man, as your mission trips attest
In the short time that I knew you, I knew that I’d been blessed

You went to Guatemala, to serve the Mayans there
A doctor with a conscience, Lord, who always knew how to care
It didn’t take too long to figure, out that you would do
Any task that needed doing, no pretentious bones in you

I’m going to miss you Mark, I was looking forward to
Knowing more about you, hearing you talk about you
I know you loved your fellow man, as your mission trips attest
In the short time that I knew you, I knew that I’d been blessed

A short time, Mark, way too short, for those who knew you here
God’s called you home to be with Him, couldn’t wait to draw you near
We’ll see you when our own time comes, with your awesome smile so wide
A hale and hearty welcome, standing there God at your side

I’m going to miss you Mark, I was looking forward to
Knowing more about you, hearing you talk about you
I know you loved your fellow man, as your mission trips attest
In the short time that I knew you, I knew that I’d been blessed

Copyright December 28, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

I wrote this at Christmas time, 2011. A great deal was happening. Jan and I were preparing to go on our second trip to Guatemala and one of the physicians, Mark Callahan learned he had terminal cancer about 10 days before the trip. We are preparing to take a mission to dispense prescription glasses with us for the first time. Christmas seemed to be very meaningful this year. I was writing songs at a pretty rapid rate and this was one of them. I wrote the first couple of lines, then hit upon the storm/natural disaster theme and God just kept sending more words.

May you feel and recognize God’s blessings in your life today and always!

John

‘Storms of Life’

Unprepared for this flood of emotion
All mixed up and swirling, a tornado of thought
The joy that is Christmas, friends dealing with cancer
The trials of a mission trip, in these whirlpools I’m caught

Lord, help me remember to share life’s storms with you
Too often I forget to use prayer, yes it’s true
I try to control, to take charge of the gale
Forgetting that without you, I’m so sure to fail
With your guidance through all of life’s hurricanes
I will survive, Lord, please guide, all of my life

Can’t avoid all the landslides that happen
When life seems to crumble, I’m buried by debris
The friends that I hold dear, some now slipping away
Others facing illness, changing their lives quickly

Lord, help me remember to share life’s storms with you
Too often I forget to use prayer, yes it’s true
I try to control, to take charge of the gale
Forgetting that without you, I’m so sure to fail
With your guidance through all of life’s hurricanes
I will survive, Lord, please guide, all of my life

We do not see these eruptions coming
Life throws us a fireball, a volcano of change
But life doesn’t stop because, we have a new problem
The hands of time marching forth, don’t pause for our pain

Lord, help me remember to share life’s storms with you
Too often I forget to use prayer, yes it’s true
I try to control, to take charge of the gale
Forgetting that without you, I’m so sure to fail
With your guidance through all of life’s hurricanes
I will survive, Lord, please guide, all of my life

These earthquakes they strike without warning
Some, tsunamis of hopeless, unrelenting despair
For those who walk with You, safe refuge they’ll find in
The embrace of Your arms, which will always be there

Lord, help me remember to share life’s storms with you
Too often I forget to use prayer, yes it’s true
I try to control, to take charge of the gale
Forgetting that without you, I’m so sure to fail
With your guidance through all of life’s hurricanes
I will survive, Lord, please guide, all of my life

Copyright December 24, 2011. John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

O spirit of the living God, draw close to us now,
That we may hear the touch of angel wings as they pass

These words were part of our church’s call to worship yesterday (Christmas) morning. I immediately wrote down “Quiet as an angel’s wing” and started writing the song below. I’m afraid I didn’t get much out of the rest of the service except that this song was about 3/4ths of the way done when the service finished. As always God supplied the words and the melody. This morning I actually changed that first line so it fit with the rest of the song, but I’ve decided to leave the name as I first wrote it down.

Merry Christmas!!! 

May you feel and recognize God’s blessings in your life today and always!

JOHN

‘Quiet as an Angel’s Wing’

 
Quiet were the angel’s wings,
Hovering o’er the shepherds flock,
Waiting for that special moment,
When to this world, God’s gift is brought
In Bethlehem, not far away
The baby’s first cry sounds
The voice that will change ev’rything
Proof God’s love still abounds
The heavenly choir breaks forth in song
God’s praises they proclaim
The nations all will bow one day
At the sound of Jesus’ name
The shepherds tremble in the night
Overcome with fear and fright
The angel leader’s voice is heard
Pronouncing these amazing words

Luke 2:10-14
… Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
[11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
[12] And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
[14] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Joyful as they made their way,
Along, anticipating
Toward the city home of David
And the wonder there awaiting
In Bethlehem, they found the Child
A manger was his bed
The babe that will change everything
On hay he rests his head
The shepherds kneel and raise their hands
God’s praises they proclaim
They worship Him, the Holy Child
At his feet their lives are changed
They tell the story far and wide
Through the towns and countryside
The angels’ words became our songs
Join us as we sing along

(Chorus to ‘Angels We Have Heard On High’)
Glo-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-ri-a in Ex-cel-sis De-o!
Glo-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-ri-a in Ex-cel-sis De-o!

Copyright December 25, 2011  John Lage, Jr.   All rights reserved.

This song was written Monday morning after driving back from Indiana for most of the night. We were returning from our Christmas gathering with my family. The first two lines of the chorus came to me while I was still in bed.  I got up to write them down and my wife asked, ‘Another song?’. 

The premise behind this song is that somehow this whole Christmas story just doesn’t make a great deal of sense from a human standpoint but we must assume that it does make sense from God’s point of view.  God’s ways are truly not our ways!  God’s love is amazing and unbelievable, yet I know for sure that he working in my own personal life!
God bless you in the Christmas season!

May you feel and recognize God’s hand in your life today and always!

JOHN

‘Your Ways Are Not Our Ways’

In a manger born, meek and mild
Sent by God’s own hand, is the Holy Child
He won’t rule this world, with a scepter of gold
He will change with God’s love, the beliefs that we hold

We await the birth of the newborn king
Celebrate the joy and the hope that he brings
Not in elegance, not in luxury
Born to common folks, just like you and me
God, Your ways are not our ways, help us understand
Christmas only makes sense, as a part of Your plan

As the angels sing, shepherds quake
Our perceptions fall, ev’ry rule he’ll break
He won’t rule this world, as an earthly king would
He will teach us to work, for humanity’s good

We await the birth of the newborn king
Celebrate the joy and the hope that he brings
Not in elegance, not in luxury
Born to common folks, just like you and me
God, Your ways are not our ways, help us understand
Christmas only makes sense, as a part of Your plan

When the star stops there, wise men bow
In the presence of, oxen, sheep and cows
He won’t rule this world, with new taxes and laws
Using the golden rule, our frozen hearts He will thaw

We await the birth of the newborn king
Celebrate the joy and the hope that he brings
Not in elegance, not in luxury
Born to common folks, just like you and me
God, Your ways are not our ways, help us understand
Christmas only makes sense, as a part of Your plan

Herod’s wrath is felt, children die
Out in Bethlehem, heart broke mothers cry
God won’t rule this world, using terror and fear
Preaching hope, love and peace, He’ll make the whole world hear

We await the birth of the newborn king
Celebrate the joy and the hope that he brings
Not in elegance, not in luxury
Born to common folks, just like you and me
God, Your ways are not our ways, help us understand
Christmas only makes sense, as a part of Your plan

In a modern world, it’s still true
Jesus’ birth still means, hope for me and you
He will rule this world showing love for us all
We must follow God’s Son, we must answer God’s call

We await the birth of the newborn king
Celebrate the joy and the hope that he brings
Not in elegance, not in luxury
Born to common folks, just like you and me
God, Your ways are not our ways, help us understand
Christmas only makes sense, as a part of Your plan

Copyright December 19, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.