Tattoos hurt.
But they are art so we bare with it for the result.
The artist (hopefully if all went well) brags to friends about how fast and sharp he threw up the piece on your arm.
“Nah, the pain wasn’t that bad. Only 6 hours of work.” You respond to the inquiries hoping for that nod of affirmation that -yes, you are a bad ass.

Allowing Jesus to work on us hurts.
It is uncomfortable.
He may brag to the angels how great we are doing, how proud he is of us but we don’t come out looking like a bad ass, at least not to our eyes.

I am on a solitude retreat right now.
Sitting still.
Allowing God to work on me.
Show me pieces of me I never knew were there.
Lousy prison tats.
He is doing a clean up job.
And it is beautiful.
When I go home I am sure I will complain.
I won’t like the colors he chose.
It should be a little smaller or more to the right.
But that is a slam on his art.
And he only does perfect work.

So I will go back.
I will bite a sock and ask for more.
Lay out on that plastic table.
Awkward, half naked and a little scared
and ask,
What are you thinking now Jesus?
I am ready.




Tiny pricks on my skin
The ink sinks in
The blood rises
I am a masterpiece
Of my Fathers hand.

release

as they fall

I’m reminded

of their refreshing role

to express deep

and complex things

their ability

to communicate far beyond words

they respond to that inside

their droplets of beauty

which  washover my face

renew a needful heart

I lose to them

coming under their release

they stream down

with each one that falls

I remember your care

I know you see them

they were stored for years

believing they represented weakness

acknowledging I have needs

I need you Jesus

in disbelief, mourning, joy, and sadness

I need you

I need you to pour from me

fill me, come closer to me and move inside of me

its wonderful to be reminded

apart from you i cannot stand

my life comes from you

you alone make things right

I see these things in tears

not spelled out

but in a mysterious way

like your kingdom

continue to come my tears

saturate this heart

that is yours and in great need

untitled

when nothing is left and you cant find the answers
for why things have gone and disappeared into blackness
i've tried to remain but change happens fast
too fast to notice until it's long past
trapped
etching inside are proverbs
i've been here before the static no longer bothers
fathers
cannot make life any harder
mothers
love lost to drugs
my offerings are altered
custom fit crosses that come taylor made
i've buried the hatchet reopening graves
being haunted by demons is hard to forget
i'm waiting for patience that doesn't come quick
my quest continues maybe this is as good as it gets
my clothes are still ripped from the the chain linked fence
full of incense from the bowls that were lifted
laid open and bare in the presence of drifters
the organized mislead
organic mechanics
trapped in the orbital magic of bad habits
and the ancient agreements
of those who have come to a decision
nobody asks for the life that their given
a prison surrounds the tap water with bars
we all fall apart and reopen scars

by wes

Advent Conspiracy

adventconspiracy.org

to nini

These are some Lyrics to a song I wrote about a girl I met on the street who reminds me of "Juno" from that movie- cute, witty, young and determined.

She came over to my house one day and we were patching some holes in her pants and talking about life and I smiled at her choice of fabric- some faux fur- to patch her jeans but knew it wouldn't stay on and I thought about how she was doing the same in her decisions in life when I knew of some (God related) fabric that could really patch things up beautifully.

To Nini

i saw your face today on the TV screen and my heart jumped

i love you Nini

your little face and your patchy jeans make me smile

and make me want to

make it all better

i wanna make it all better

Will you let me make it all better?

We can stitch your heart just like your jeans.

Will you let me make it all better?

I'll choose the fabric.

it wasn't your face today on the TV screen but my heart jumped.

i love you Nini

when i think about you i cry

and quickly move on to other subjects

you left far to fast and aren't all better

Jesus make me all better

you can stitch my heart just like her jeans

Jesus make me all better

You choose the fabric.

Nomads Movie

this movie features the Outer Circle "Nomads" of 2008
luke, courtney, emily, and caroline


Outer Circle Nomads from Paul Nix on Vimeo.

pancakes

here is a 2 minute video showing a little of our normal monday mornings.
enjoy!
(song is 'come to the table' written and performed by Darren Prince...outer circle alumnus)