FORGIVEN

After four long months absence, I lift my cyber pen to the proverbial page and once again attempt to write. It's been a season of drought for me, despite the many rainstorms we've had...a season of memories and heartache that don't leave when December ends...but goes with us throughout the year...hour after hour...day after day...month after month...year after year...until that blessed day shall come for which we all long.

Today I've chosen the song "FORGIVEN" by David Meece to go with the photography I'm posting. It has been necessary for me not just to "know with my head" but to truly "believe with my heart" that I am completely and totally forgiven. I chose to do the entire shoot in Black & White. Some thought the darkest cross was too harsh, too grim to represent forgiveness....I knew that it was just the settings on my camera that caused this one to come out so dark, as a silhouette, instead of showing the texture of the stone and the word

"FORGIVEN" imprinted thereon.

But to me, that darkness represented what I had been going through. It represented the darkness of my life before I knew the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. The rising sun caused the light to radiate and shine from behind the blackness of the cross in this photo, creating the silhouette...and though it may look morbid rather like representing death instead of life - That was the significance for me...before we are forgiven, our life is filled with a darkness that we cannot wash away...we could light a billion candles and that darkness of our soul would still haunt us...but the love and forgiveness that Jesus gave us so freely on the cross sheds light through that darkness that clouds our soul...giving us a hope and a future.

Thus, for me, the cross is a symbol that I am forgiven for my failures, my shortcomings, and all shame because Jesus paid the supreme sacrifice so that I may live in the light of His forgiveness...bask in the glory of His willingness to pardon every wrong doing...enjoy freedom from guilt...The cross is not at all an excuse for me to fail, but a symbol of hope that I will overcome & one day I shall succeed.

FORGIVEN By: David Meece
It was a cloudy day

The earth stood still

Man hung crying in the shadows

Of a hill called Calvary

An innocent man, belied and scorned

Had gladly borne the pain

And suffering for a world

That should have died there in His place

And as He did, He said,

"Forgive them no matter what they’ve done

Forgive them and tell them they are loved

And give to them a chance to go on living

And give to them a life that they could

never have before

Father, forgive them"

And to pay the price

He became the sacrifice

Surely, He carried all of my sorrows

And He bore my every grief

And did it willingly

He shed His blood for me

And through the tears, I still can see Him

Gaze with love upon the ones who cursed His name

He gave his all to say

We’re forgiven no matter what we’ve done

Forgiven and sheltered by His blood

And we’re given a chance to go on living

And we’re given a life that we could

never have before

No matter what we’ve done

Forgiven and sheltered by His blood

And we’re given a chance to go on living

Forgiven no matter what we’ve done

Forgiven and sheltered by His blood

I kneel before the Creator of the universe...I accept His forgiveness and I know that because of the cross...because I am FORGIVEN...I can and will be victorious.

And to please my friends...here is a version of the first one with a touch of the colors of the rainbow...also a symbol of God's promise to us...A promise He never fails to keep.