Morning in Algiers

(Written April 8, 2006, my first morning in New Orleans)

Teach my heart to love you
Jesus, teach me here today
To lay aside the issues
And start loving you today

Show me Holy Spirit
The error of my ways
Redeem me, precious Saviour
From my ashes raise

Strengthen my conviction
Don't let me walk in vain
The heartache, fear and bloodshed
Lord, let me feel their pain

Give me tears of understanding
If I'm to cry today
A heart that wants to love again
In spite of its decay

Rid me of the fear still strong
Let courage ever shine
And as I walk in faith and trust
I'll claim your love as mine.

Clouds

From my window seat above the earth
I watch the clouds below
It's amazing how God fashioned them
What He thought, I'll never know
But as I fly overhead a feeling bursts forth
What joy would be to show
To jump from my seat on this airplane
To the cottony blanket below
I can't see the earth below me
Just the pillow of fluffy mist
Surely nothing would happen
The clouds would catch me as I wish
But to think that such a feat would work
Is utterly absurd
I would fall through the clouds to the ground below
I'm a human, not a bird
Such a thing would mean my death
But to imagine it, I smile
Yes, so utterly absurd it was
But still much worth the while

Better left a memory

(Thanks Dean - for making my first day in Toronto special)

Better left a memory
Best to walk away
If I hold on to what is mine
There will be no dismay
I won't know what could have been
But then I won't create the pain
I'll keep within the feeling
And maybe think of him again
He touched a chord inside of me
But all he got back was a hug
And a t-shirt to maybe remember me
If I could gain such luck
Will I see him again
Should I make it known
Of the feeling now burning in me
Or should I leave well enough alone
And leave him a memory

Moon over New Orleans

(KK,MS - for my brother and sister in Ontario)

Moon over this city
Shine on me tonight
Smile for me so
I'll not be led to cry
I'm leaving here tomorrow
And inside I'm quite torn
Sitting 'neath your beams so bright
Until evening meets the morn
I've made some precious friends this week
And I sit here with them now
Laughing over silly things
As you peak through lofty bow
I don't like that I must let them go
But parting ways we must
There's faith that our Father who keeps us one
Will hold us in His trust
Oh the joy in our hearts
As we dream of the day
When again we all shall meet
If not in this life
If not on this earth
Then in glory at Jesus' feet
Moon over this city
God placed you up so high
To shine on us tonight
As we share and bid good bye