a thousand miles to one.

As of late, I have been finding myself wanting to write: blog posts, lyrics, songs---you name it. I feel like there is a mass amount of original thought that needs to pour out of my massive brain, but then I realize that I am simply collaborating others' ideas with my tiny brain.

I am still growing out of that phase where I feel like I need to be someone, to be the best at everything I do, to self express in anticipation of feedback... you know: self worship. Let's not even beat around the bush. I'm sure that a great deal of my motives and passions were birthed from youthful zeal, but most of them have been rather pointless and have led me to breed quite an attitude of false value and pride.

Another thing I've been learning is the difference of true love rather than love as simply a feeling/emotion. It is so easy to make decisions based upon the way something makes us feel, a personal preference or a faint dream of false hope that will lead us to that thing which will eventually satisfy us. Have you been completely satisfied with your significant other, family members, career, hobbies, title, talents, abilities, etc.? Those things are sweet, but be honest: are they completely perfect? I didn't think so.

A pretty good model of love: it's Christ---he sacrifices, He is faithful, He is merciful, He is forgiving, He is worthy of all praise but humble, He loves men and women as they are, He is patient, He is a leader, He is diplomatic, He is compassionate. Wait, you don't know anybody like that?

This song was written to accurately portray love in its' depth aside from what society or our fleshly human nature likes to tell us. It begs the question: are you willing to walk a thousand miles for someone who would only walk one for you?---that, I believe, is true love.

A Thousand Miles To One

If I painted a picture,
a portrait of empty feeling
would you wonder: what is love?

And if warm summer days
bring both harvest and decay
would it make you wonder: what is love?

Because emotion wanders
like a fleeting wind
until it finds a place
to rest its' weary smile
And as comfort fades
from these old, familiar days
will you stop and wonder: where is love?

Any why is it so hard to find?
without selfish ambition
And by what terms is it defined?
or is it simply a label?

Love is real when it is given
with no hope of a return
Love is eyes for the blinded heart
that's burdened and undone
Love's a two-way street
and it's the one that's far less traveled by
And sometimes the path to life
can be a thousand miles to one.

And if you follow your heart
as you chase your dreams
and you're left feeling empty:
will you question love then?

And as hope starts to fade
will you give or will you take
So is your sacrifice in vain?
or is it love?

Because it's easier to choose
the path that leads to happy endings
But when the road is suffering
who will persevere?
to find love.

Love is full of hope
even from unlikely to uncertain
Love is full of pain
when its' sacrifice is forgotten
Love will wait
for those who find it hard
to take that leap of faith
and start those few steps that become
a thousand miles to one.

Oak's rap:
If love meant that you had to walk a thousand miles
would you walk it or would you despise it in its' distance?
would you take one step in my direction
or stay in your bubble
locked and full of self interest?
would you attempt this journey
of a sacrificial life style or get fatigued
and turn from its mission?
or make a decision to pour out your life for another
whose in need of grace and forgiveness
what's a thousand compared to one step?
there's many in the sand footprints the Son left
the Son left heaven
I hope you feel this Dude

who would choose sinners, dude?
my feet are minuscule
if I look to fill His shoes
A love that is perfect
it don't increase or diminish
it's not of this earth,
it's from above
and was needed for expression
to answer the question that everybody has: what is love?

reality.

Let's face it: as human beings, we love comfort.

In relationships---one finds comfort. In safety---one finds comfort. In ease---ones finds comfort. In a job well done---one finds comfort. In truth---one finds comfort. In warmth---one finds comfort. In a gentle touch---one finds comfort. And if one is truly to be honest with himself, he can spend moment upon moment dreaming of future comforts and how he will attain them and be satisfied.

But what kind of life is that? I spent my time on this earth pursuing... that's right: comfort.

Lame. Stupid. Pathetic.

You see, I am a huge fan of reality. I realize that I don't have a chance with Carrie Underwood. I'm not going to be the next Pele. I won't be considered as one of the best guitarists of my generation. I am not the worlds greatest coach or teacher. Not everything that I cook is going to taste great. But if my value doesn't lie in the comforts I could potentially receive from these things, I've missed nothing at all.

You know what's comforting? Grace. Freedom. Purpose.

Here's the thing: it is so incredibly refreshing to not be needed, to be a vessel of opportunity, to be given second chances, to be a project, to need help and to be loved with an everlasting love.

I've received these beautiful things by faith. I bring nothing to the table. In fact, I feel like I screw things up most of the time.

But Faith is so delicate. God could literally walk up to me, hand me a map and sometimes I feel like my response would be "pfft, this is bs... I have to search?" It can be so easy to feel like you're playing a "one-sided" relationship with God. "God, why don't you answer me!"

Seriously?

I think it's because we love reality. We want something tangible---but guess what? God loves reality too. Remember how your not floating away like a fricking balloon because of gravity. Did you forget that the sun does a lot more than just shed light onto the earth? Are the nutrients in your food not sustaining to you? You're right, I guess it's not really that impressive that God created everything around you and holds them together---man, He should probably get on top of things, eh?

It is so easy for me to play a doubting Thomas. I like to look back at those who doubted Jesus after He told them he would be raised after three days and laugh---as if I wouldn't have done the same thing. He fulfills prophecy after prophecy, he answers prayer after prayer, yet it isn't enough for me:

"¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. "

We have two choices: doubt Him and live an empty life pursuing passing comforts, or worship Him by faith. Not a feeling of faith but true zealous action that longs to see Christ personified through "faith to faith" as Romans says.

Yeah, we're only human. I understand the doubt---I even see a need for it many times. Faith is a battle. It's hard to believe in the unseen, but that is exactly why God shows Himself.

Look for Him.

backwards.

I seem to do everything backwards. I read lists from the bottom up. I like to stay up till five and wake up at noon. I like to use my left hand for things because it's harder. I try to teach myself things before using any type of consultant.

Am I stubborn? I think so. Am I original? Probably not.

But it has me thinking... How vast is our God?

People seem to fight over rights and wrongs all the time, but maybe there is a lot less right and wrong than we think.

Maybe if we truly opened our eyes to the gospel, it would become a pandora's box of personal liberty and enjoyment in a creator who intended such beautiful purpose for our lives... if we would just let Him---just simply trust Him to use us as He sees fit.

Think about it.