beauty of innocence

take me back to the 

places i knew so well

when i was young

but now my mind and heart 

have filled with such a grief

i almost forget to remember

the joy and beauty

i have known 

and the innocence

that childhood was.

sunburned faces,

freckles on fair cheeks

a little girl playing make believe

under her tree.

waking to 

the sound of heavy raindrops

on metal roofs.

storms in the middle of august

nights without electricity,

a room filled with 

loved ones,

familiar faces

and sillhouettes 

shown in the candle light.

walks on dusty desert roads

in the last traces of the 

dying crimson and gold

southern sunsets.

evening cricket sounds in the twilight 

sleeping under a blanket of village stars

as the silver moon rises.

the sound of laughter

her young voice

singing love songs to the savior

dead on that tree;

bleeding out His love

for our eternity.

blue eyes 

and rosy red, freckled skin

the contrast of 

dark hands and chocolate eyes

best friends

with two little girls

living amongst so much poverty.

learning young that genuine hearts

are worth so much more than

any wealth or money;

the heavy weight of 

compassion

is the true mark of 

a heart yearning

to be like Jesus.

hot dirt on her bare feet

white blood, native tongue

fearless one.

the simple life of a child

yet unaware of this 

world's sin and cruelty.

what would i say to you now?

stay innocent a little while longer,

for soon you'll learn

this world is not a painless place.

though there's beauty,

there is enough sorrow to drown in.

you'll learn, love that words

are often used as weapons, 

and your fighters heart will not

make it through without some

serious battle scars.

you'll have wounds that

make you weak for the pain,

but you'll learn to 

hear the healers voice 

through your surrender,

in giving Him the 

dead weight 

burden of all your grief and sin.

do not forget the beauty

 that innocence was,

the redeemer will restore 

all that was broken.