I originally posted the majority of this post on Saturday. It has been a particularly emotional season for me these past weeks. The Lovely Bride has been struggling with health concerns for the better part of three months, she's lot quite a bit of weight etc.

This past week was a tough one for some of my dearest friends. My best man saw his mother disintegrate quickly from brain cancer. Another of my friends from the college years, whose beautiful young wife is still very much in her prime, had bilateral masectomies yesterday - and 20 lymph nodes had to be removed.

Life is harsh sometimes... you lose track of people you care about, and then BAM life has a way of crashing everything back together. Please pray today for Doug and Beth, and David and Robyn.

Then on Sunday night the news started to get out about Owen Wilson. A man who by all measures had everything. Girls, Money, Fame, and on the other side of all of that it appears he chose to take a cue from the Royal Tannebaums character that his brother Luke played (and Owen also co-starred in)... where the man slits his wrist in hopes of ending everything. 

It's not as nearly an uncommon occurrence as we would like to think it is.

It is also a reminder that these days we have upon this place are exceedingly short! On the outset we need reminding that we were created for but one purpose.

To KNOW the God who made us, and to KNOW the peace and contentment within one's heart that only comes from a right relationship with him. Because of our inability as human's to do this in our corrupt and sinful state - we need redemption that only comes from outside of us.

We need redemption that has the power to supernaturally break the hold that all the wrong answers for our life insist upon feeding us.

Interesting enough... GOD - the Creator, is the only one capable of providing such redemption. And it is in HIM we have need to place our faith, trust, obedience, and life.

In doing so WE DO FIND not only redemption but a renewed relationship with the Father who made us, and in doing that we find peace, contentment, and true joy (not its bastardized substitute "happiness") for now and all eternity.

I've probably said it in as sloppy a way as it could be said.

This says it far better and with far fewer words:

And how can I stand here with you, and not be moved by YOU? But you tell me, "How could it be, any better than this?"

"...'Cause YOU're all I want, YOU're all I need, YOU're EVERYTHING!"