words.

"Its as if in life we are a metal frame structured in the likes of a skeletal system. every word that is spoken to us is the putty slowly manipulating who we are and who we are becoming. Unfortunately most of the time the words that we remember are all the negative words, it is our choice whether we are going to believe them or not. whether to make a statue out of the words spoken."
-S. C.

By Your Side

By Your Side- Tenth Avenue North

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

Those Who Have Been Hurt Tend To Hurt Others

So I wrote this blog a while back when I didn't have a blog. I want to officially post this because I still think about the following content often.

It was a rainy April afternoon, and I was on my way to the airport with Dan to pick up our dear friend Trish. As Dan and Stacia’s little Saab rounded the corner onto 55th street, a very large, low-riding Cadillac seemed to come out of nowhere and was centimeters away from side-swiping us.

Shocked and speechless, Dan and I both experienced the closest we have ever gotten to an accident. Seconds later, we encountered the man in the Cadillac at the next red light. This time, he inquired with great force why Dan turned onto 55th street when his car was quickly approaching. Dan then proceeded to apologize saying that he did not see his car coming and was very sorry.

Then the light turned green.

Just like that, at the simple change of a light, we were out of that mans life, and forgiving him for his frustration towards us seemed quite easy. Later on that same day after some reflection, I asked Dan what he thought that man was trying to accomplish by yelling at us. My good friend Dan responded by saying, “Those who have been hurt tend to hurt others.”

These words often times pop into my head when I feel like I have been hurt by someone who has been hurt themselves. Although this time, it’s not so easy to forgive. Its not so easy to forgive after a conversation that rounds a corner brings hurtful words that seem to come flying out of nowhere, leaving us frazzled, shocked, and wondering where those words came from. And instead of being centimeters from being side-swiped, these words pierce our hearts and can leave us torn and confused. After some reflection its easy to wonder if that person truly meant what they said.

“Those who have been hurt tend to hurt others”

Sometimes I wish that this were true: that those who have been forgiven tend to easily forgive others. I’m afraid that this isn’t always the case. Its hard to say “I forgive you” after we are left bruised, and forgiveness isn’t even directly asked of us.

I wish forgiveness was something that I could give as easily as I received. Forgiving others and healing takes time, yet at the same time gives us only a glimpse of the grace that has been lavished on us. I think David Crowder sums it up pretty well when he passionately sings,

“Oh, I can’t comprehend

I can’t take it all in

Never understand

Such perfect love come

For the broken and beat

For the wounded and weak

Oh, come fall at His feet

He’s the remedy””