What am I to be? Is there a way to know?
Is it just DNA or is it how I play?
Who will help me change?
Am I consigned to be irrelevant and a slave
To forces controlling me?

I know the evil my ancestors did
The family fables that reconstruct their id
Now I see myself acting out those things
I said I would never do, I hated those acts
Help me not to do or be like them

I do want their accomplishments
Many things I live about me
Change those things I hate
Go thru me like a cleansing rain
Take away my pain and shame

Today I will be kind and smile, uncritical
Helping those around me survive their own demons
Lord is there a way to harness all the good in You
Putting it in me so that I can be a reflection of You?
Then my ego flairs its nasty claims and responds with pain

Back to You I run, Lord I’ve failed again and evil’s won
The sun sets, day done, What am I to be? Is there a way to know?
Jesus comes to me, “be calm, be slow, listen and know that I love you”
Etched in my brain is His response, the night, the morning, the new day
Today I will be kind and smile, uncritical

Clay Corvin
November 25, 2007

When I am lonely and blue, made a mess of the day
I want to turn away from those things that I need to do
My emotions hold sway, I refuse to do what I should
Who will have my back? Who stands for me?
Jesus

Failure often calls, I gladly grab its hand
Then the moment comes, I realize what I’ve done
I hurt and ache, how can I recover from this act
Who will have my back? Who stands for me?
Jesus

Life is marching on and I’m not what I seemed
So many things undone, my life’s not a pretty scene
I’m not what I meant to be nor am I trying hard
Who will have my back? Who stands for me?
Jesus

Joy and exuberance are short lived friends
All my foes come in, I welcome them again
Seems I’m at my best when my foolishness wins
Who will have my back? Who stands for me?
Jesus

Clay Corvin
November 25, 2007

I must admit that preparing for a journey is often more exciting than the journey
Thinking what can be and reveling in what I see
Then the day comes and off I go
Facing the rigors of travel and letting myself be distracted by the terror of the moment

That first night I seek to reclaim my joyful journey
Setting aside my halcyon view of travel and refocusing on reality
Travel is an opportunity to step outside my self
Uncontrolled by the rigors of daily life, free for a moment to dream

My journal opens and I become the recorder of the dream
My heart remembers those reasons for the trip and regains control of my soul
I sleep a quiet night and arise to find my way
This is the day of adventure and I will find it at every turn

Recording the journey becomes the activity of the moment
New sights, sounds and smells open up my mind
The experience is mine to interpret and I can choose my response
I choose to rejoice and revel in the moment often taking pictures as I go

Quickly the journey ends and those special moments are mine
My pictures are catalogued and filed there for me to review
When I do the moments return and the joy spills out for me to feel
It was a grand experience and it makes my life more real

Clay Corvin
November 25, 2007

Fact and fiction side by side
Occupying significance in our minds
Everyday we live one way
So often evil as though Christ had no say

Yet in our minds we know the truth
Jesus died for my soul to be loosed
Loosed from evil, loosed from sin
But again and again sin wins

Why this way? Am I a fool?
Or must I school my heart to use
The way of truth and obedience rules
Jesus is Lord and He is the king

I take for granted those truths of grace
Jesus gave them for me to face the day
The unknown looms and the stacking pole
Gives me strength to walk in the cold

This world-this place is passing away
Soon I’ll stand before His throne
I’ll give an account-I can’t tell a lie
Obedience is the key to controlling my mind

Clay Corvin
11/11/07

Growing in Christ by faith
Requires I walk His way, each day, without fail
Focusing on truth, applying His rule to my life
Letting His light shine in me, demanding purity
His goodness a gift from His throne
Praise God I’m not on my own
My experience is a result of His work
I live by His strength, create in me a new mind

Glowing because of His life in me
He puts His grip on me and gives me a grip on life
Self-control is active in me, don’t say it just do it
Master my passions and petty desires
Sensuality no longer in control of me
Piety and reverence a result of His work
I respect myself because of His love
I respect you because His life is in me

Glorifying God in all I do, I see His goodness
It is pervasive in all I do, troubles go leaping through
I am not lost in pity or foolishness, Christ in me
His strength, my all, divine love is His gift each day
I feel it in all Christ does in me, being love as I do for you
I am, you are, and we can change the world
Useful in the things we do
Fruitful because Christ is alive in me and you

Clay Corvin
11/9/07

No exceptions, no excuses, life is real and we must choose
Right now where we are, life is available, unless we curse ourselves

Knowing God is important, the life-giver is the key to growth
Without His Word, without His way, we are destined to failure each day
Jesus speaks the truth in love, showering His mercy on us
Giving us the wisdom, to know God and love Him

Listen as you live your life, claim the time for His advice
Obedience strengthens our grip on life, it paves the way for sacrifice
Sacrifice deepens our walk of faith, we value others and build on grace
Knowing the way to His first place, will give us hope to live

Lasting now and tomorrow, I can see God blessing me, I will cling to Him
Life is real, and blessed and my way is God’s gift of life today

Clay Corvin
October 27, 2007

I began this journey from the south, deep in the Negev, many thoughts
Wondering where you would begin, talking with me again
The desert was all brown, yet filled with wonder and awe
I saw the stars that looked on you, my heart felt renewed

Up the valley, the Dead Sea on the right, David’s flight on the left
Noting the Roman camp, they wanted to destroy all of You, they didn’t
Jericho comes in view, a tax collector followed You
Your Word was warming my heart, the events are real, a thrill
Have you spoken yet? Did I miss what you said? Please speak again

The Galilee was great, each morning on the shore, began with You
History unfolded, I saw Your hand at work, what a joy in my heart
Each day renewed my thoughts of You, I’m overwhelmed by Your work
Too much to see, put it deep in me, bring it out in bits and spurts giving recall to me

On to Jerusalem, I’m still listening, wanting you to speak
Each day goes so fast, the road passes by, another historical site
Then the walls of Jerusalem, that stoning place, God’s place
I walked all Your streets, they spoke to me, it happened here, my place

Soon I will return home, I’ve read Your Word and walked Your roads
You have been with me, every step of the way, watching as I slept
My life is dear to You, it makes me want to serve You, I pray I do
Home, familiar, time with You, You speak, here with me, I love You

Clay Corvin
October 17, 2007

O Jerusalem, walls that stand and watch, sin and all its work
The stoning of the prophets, worshipping evil’s kin
Sin, and sin and sin again, the years revealed in men

Why would God care? What is that gives man worth?
Love has come and brought His heart, Christ gives each of us worth
His love and care and grace bestowed, even when we don’t care

Why would you not believe? Stoning wasn’t the worst
Pride and hate condemned, the grace God ushered in
Then we sinned, condemning Him, we put Him on the cross

Rising from the dead, forgiveness offered free, grace a gift for me
But many would rather die in sin, than bend their knee to Him
Letting go the war within, many demanding sin, self the rule, they give in

O Jerusalem, you will see the day, each of us will know with you
That day when He returns, no alibi, no time to deny, the choice we have made
Chose right now, the Lord or No, Christ is here today

Clay Corvin
October 17, 2007

Little town, eternal renown, angels knew what God would do with you
The greatest thing that God has done, He came to save me and you

No army, no war, just a man, woman and child, the child was God Himself
He stepped into His world, the world I was destroying, caring only for myself

Knowing the pain, facing the shame, Jesus came with grace for me
His journey to the cross began in Bethlehem

Soon He would pay my price, for the evil I began
Redeeming me from sin and strife, He shed His blood for me

One day soon He will come again, everyone will see
The Babe of Bethlehem, will set His world free

Clay Corvin
October 17, 2007

Marco Polo, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and the Crusaders admired Acco
All were here, did their work and moved on, it was never a great port
The Ptolomies came and named it Ptolemais where Paul sailed from
Biblical history overlooks it, Asher never took it, nor did Napoleon
Although he filled its harbor with guns, left on sinking ships

I like the Suk, I love the walls, once twenty foot waves threw water fifty feet
It was cold, Dennis and I both got soaked, I love the winding streets
I can hear the voice of history as I walk, Italian city-states, and Turks, Brits expelled
I can imagine Egypt’s interest 3,800 years ago, mentioned on a scroll
I enjoy the fruit juice sellers at Khan El-Umdan, fresh squeezed

Memories are powerful, even those we create, they push and shove us
Reality is often ignored, ideas in ones mind are strong
The cold hand of things from years ago can tip us off the edge
Suddenly we’ve done or said or felt, no reason at all, that we can recall
Our call is to give our all to Christ, the Word of God our guide

We may be like Acco, no footnotes, we are what we are
We are important because there is a Godly record, we count, our lives have value
God’s plan for us involves others, we do God’s work as His partner
We will face many obstacles, failure often our friend
We are not forgotten, our name is inscribed on the hand of God

Clay Corvin
October 16, 2007