Riches and Praise

Riches I heed not
Nor man's empty praise
Wait... What?!

I am a heeder of riches
And man's praise doesn't seem very empty
Heeded and full
Riches and praise

Truth is/in fact/actually:
I cannot conjure up two things that consume me more
Than my need for
Riches and praise
I grasp and perform all the days of my life
Reaching and striving
For
Riches and praise
Heeded and full

Need is misplaced - out of order - pointed in the wrong direction
Desire is fine
Riches and praise
Need is misplaced

For...
The riches of the heavenly realms and the simple, stunning "Well done"
Are mine.
Desire is fine
Beautiful even.

The need is misplaced
When a man's praise is full
And the world's riches are heeded

For the riches belong to heaven
And me
The praise belongs to God
And me

Riches and praise

Riches I heed not
Nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and Thou only
First in my heart
High King of heaven
My treasure Thou art.

*Inspired by Be Thou My Vision, the 23rd Psalm in The Jesus Storybook Bible, and the painful process of leaving a well-loved job.*

Ebb and Flow

A rock
A rock
Just a silly, stubborn stone
Coarse, ugly
Formed by the water of Your Word

A bride
A bride
A fearful, faithless bride
Flighty, failing
Washed by the water of Your Word

Form me
Wash me
Shape and love are Yours alone to give
Form me
Wash me
In the powerful and loving water of Your Word

Smooth and strong
Spotless and pure

Ebb and flow
Ebb and flow
Smooth and strong
Spotless and pure
Ebb and flow
Ebb and flow

*Inspired by the rocks in Spencer Lake, WI.  The small, smooth ones, just on the edge of the lake, in the ebb and flow.*