Not There

            Its a year today since my friend, Jacob Davies left us. He was always great to be around and the memories and funny things we did I'll always remember. He's one of those people you don't forget. Jacob had cystic fibrosis and so time was always ticking. If there's one thing I've learnt from Jacob, it was his ability to smile and live his life no matter what might happen. I only saw him breakdown once. And even then he got back up and kept on smiling.

        Life is short. You don't know when you're going die. So don't waste the time you've been given and make the most of it. That doesn't mean I'm advocating a licence to do stupid things, life's pretty short and there's no need to make it shorter.

        I knew a guy. His name was Jacob Davies. He was brilliant.

    Heres to you Jacob (Y)

Not There

I see the Sharks,
Or just a jersey,
The words, "Cronulla",
But you're not there,

I see a rose,
Like the one always on my blazer,
Red,
So red,
So very very red,
But you're not there,

My tears felt red that day,
At the service,
In streams they flew
Because I knew,
That you're not there,

We were friends - not best friends,
But a friend indeed,
The memories now only I recall,
For you and I were in them,
But now you're gone,

I see your name,
And I stop.

And I think.

I'd like to speak to you,

But you're just not there,

           

Born Again Close To You

Verse 1

Here I stand at the cross once again,
Every sin that i've done; mocking Jesus to his face,
Here I am the worst of sinners,
Yet there he said, instead, "It is finished",
For me,
For me,

Through trials and pain, how can I complain?
Death is my deserve, Yet I'm here by the Lord's grace,
So distant I ran, away my own way,
Yet Jesus, you ran to me,
To me,

Chorus

Teach me Lord that I am nothing more,
Than a teardrop in the harbour of this city,
Your glory, Your power, Its here I realise,
That I'm not even close,
Not even close,

Fill Me Lord with a passion ever burning,
To see the lost saved, to see them turning back,
I could try on my own, but i'd fail, 'cause I need you,
Cause I'm not even close,

Verse 2

I'll be gone one day, buried in the grave,
In time be forgotten, no longer remain,
Al my efforts and achievements gone to dust,
In your blood I put all of my trust,
For your the only thing that'll last forever,
Forever,

Fill our hearts with love for you,
Throughout these ages you're all thats true,
Like Nehemiah, be on fire our visions,
Having visions for you,
For you,

Chorus 

Teach me Lord that I am nothing more, 

Than a teardrop in the harbour of this city,

Your glory, Your power, Its here I realise,

That I'm not even close,

Not even close,

Fill Me Lord with a passion ever burning,

To see the lost saved, to see them turning back,

I could try on my own, but i'd fail, 'cause I need you,

Cause I'm not even close,

Bridge

I was so far away,

Dead and in dismay,

But I've been born again close,

To you,

Lord breathe your word in me,

Ever for eternity,

Let Christ be in my final words,

I was so far away,

Dead and in dismay,

But I've been born again close,

To you,

Chorus 

Teach me Lord that I am nothing more, 

Than a teardrop in the harbour of this city,

Your glory, Your power, Its here I realise,

That I'm not even close,

Not even close,

Not even close,

But I've been born again close, to you

Verses

A hand to grip and hold,

Silent, nearing cold,

Yet the scars they show are bold,

And warmth is in your heart,

Words seem slow,

They're there, although,

What can one say or do?

But sing,

But sing the tune of your soul,

The pipes are far away,

The glens and bonnie braes,

The snow is hushed,

The flowers wither,

In an ancient tongue,

Our ancestors sung,

Of summers in the meadow,

Of life as bright and mellow,

So I'll sing these verses,

Your favourite verses,

I'll sing them one more time,

And where the church is,

My soul it searches,

To sing to you one more line,

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide,

Such is This

And such is life that we would come and go,

That we would plant and reap,

Store and keep,

To be blown by the wind afar,

And such is time that it would never stop,

Not for many or even one,

To stand and become,

A point of silence in pain,

And such is peace and pain,

That it should be,

Again, and again, and again,

Bringing Joy and loss,

And such is death that we should leave,

Bringing comfort,

Bringing peace,

To those who travel different roads,

And such is this,

That we should come and go,

Yet always know,

That the great I am,

O' how he walks beside us,

Asleep

And hence departs a soldier,
Who soldiered all his life,
The pipes have called,
The snow's been hushed,
The trumpets sound -
A final post of rest,
O' but the test,
Has come and gone,
A mark is all that's left,
No score,
No number,
But a mark,
And on this journey you embark,
It's beginning is with us still,

This life you gave,
In time and words,
Continues,
Ever to spur,
The ones who are yet to join you,

And on the wings of brolgas,
The light is clear and deep,
And in the morning the sun will rise,
Though some may stay asleep,

Lingering

My thoughts, they linger,

They do not form solid,

They do not conclude,

Indeed! They linger,

My mother’s pain, it lingers,

Never going this way or the other,

Pain, for the death of her mother,

Never gone, it lingers,

If only trust did Linger!

If we were not certain

Of person,

Of their morals,

Of who they are,

Yet why is it that people do not trust?

Yes, ‘tis distrust that now doth linger,

More than two years since all this unravelled,

I travelled to the west,

For the rest,

To be brought to the light,

Yet the right,

Version of that night,

Would plague and ache,

My mother would break,

Down her cries sinking her heart,

As her world was torn apart,

And all I could do,

Was ask, “what was true?”

Asking indeed, yes I will,

Do you really sleep in peace,

So still?

Or do you linger,

Linger as a restless spirit,

Among these ledges,

Or the hedges,

Of lands afar?

My mind ticking,

Plodding,

Tinkering,

And what say you,

Are you lingering?

Ghost Gums

In the side of a cliff I see a tree,

Breaking out from the forest, it seems free,

Its leaves ritually swaying,

Calm not fretting nor fraying,

White, you are so white!

Are you cold? Do you freeze?

‘Tis like ice out here,

In the midst of this breeze,

Yet strong you grow,

Only ever slightly,

Moving to and fro,

Frighteningly white as a ghost,

I wonder about the soil you use,

These nutrients you choose,

Is there much substance and sense?

Or do you plant yourself just merely for the view?

The soil is leeching, still beseeching,

You calm,

Yet a cliff is where you’ll be pushed,

Strong and beautifully willed,

Have you chosen to be filled,

With what you know,

Shall not last?

Whiter and paler you become,

Still strong and not yet numb,

Not much longer can you stand,

Mighty and majestically,

Gum,

In this valley,

You shall wander,

With no borders,

Not as a ghost gum,

As a ghost.