MAN!
i'm finishin' up some work here at CCM and i'm listening to John Mayers VULTURE.
i promise you this has been one of my anthems since i been here. as i close out this chapter in my life i listen to him sing that chorus...those words that give me chills and send a shiver of VICTORY down my spine. i hear those words and i lift my hands and i sing. i got a smile on my face even now.
my clothes are torn and barely hanging on.
they've been singed to the hems.
my hair is missin' in some places.
i don't have my shoes on no mo'.

but i walk away from this burning building unscaved.
my body ain't burned but it's glowin' and blingin' with the frost of freshly purified gold.
a halleluJah is in order.
so i lift my arms and clap my hands and snap my fingers and grin...

down to the wire
i wanted water but i'll walk thru the fire
if this is what it takes to take me even higher
then i'll come thru like i do when the world keeps testing me testing me testing me....

halleluJah for bringing me thru the fire and never running away when the wolf came.

picture this: you're walking in a forest like the one below. there are no cars just natural life. you hear squirrels and birds and other forest animals all around as you walk hand in hand w/ your Lover. you've been in this forest a million times so it's very familiar to you.

ahhh, doesn't it feel so good; the breeze in your hair and your Lover on your arm?
you're holding each other and enjoying the scenery when it gets eerily quiet. you look around and notice it's getting dark...not just that but you notice it's getting really dark really fast. the pitter patter of squirrel feet and bird wings is replaced by howling wolves and whistling winds and all of a sudden you realize that you are not holding your lovers hand anymore. then before you have a chance to take in this sudden change...it's dark. "ohmygosh. what's  going on?" it's gotten dark so fast that your eyes have barely had the chance to adjust. you call out to your Lover, "WHERE YOU? What just happened? Hello are you there???" then all the sudden, as if to be whispering in your ear but apparently not close enough to touch, you hear your Lover...

"Psst. can you hear me?"

 "yeah, but what in the world is goin' on?"

"Shhh, listen to my voice and i'll guide you through this and if you stop moving you'll be able to hear even better. i know how to get through this but you have to trust me...do you? Do you trust me?"

For a split second you're like, "this fool is crazy! what the h*@! did he get me into?" but then you hear your Lover ask you again,

"Hey, focus! do you trust me?"

and then you feel it...the kiss. the soft kiss from His mouth that first drew you to Him.and then... gone. theres a rush of warm that runs through your body and nervousness, love, fear, excitement and adrenaline all seem to bleed into one color within. and then before you have time to talk yourself out of it,

"yeah. i'm listening; i trust you".

i waited patiently for the Lord, He inclined and heard my cry. He lifted me out of a miry pit; out of the mud and mire>>>>>>>>>>Los Angeles here i come.