I AM virtuous

I thank God that we have the choice to be who we are.  There are many factors about your life that you had zero control over, but what happens from this day on can be your choice.

"I do not run aimlessly, I do not fight by beating the air.  I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize (1 Corinthians 9:26-27)"

What is my most prized possession?
You cannot hold it in your hand,
find it in a box,
see it hung upon the wall
or displayed behind glass upon a shelf,
what I hold most dear to me
is called integrity,
it's made up of physical,
spiritual, emotional and mental purity
it is not guaranteed to stay with me tomorrow
and it hasn't always been together in the past,
It's based upon my every choice, my every thought,
move and words I choose to voice
I do not let my society,
the culture, my friends or even my teachers
define what's acceptable for me,
I won't tell you how to live
or what to do
my choice is mine
as are your choices your own,
as for me, I draw the line
far before where others walk,
If it takes embarrassment or ridicule that's okay
I choose to look away
from all that my culture deems as 'okay'
I don't care if I'm too innocent or old-fashioned
for your taste or ease of comfort
you can be the scientist:
mad: experimenting with your heart
I will be the analyst
identifying how to guard every part
my life's test results challenge to prove that
it can be done,
you can hold on to your integrity,
this is not a losing battle!
everyday there's a fight waiting to be won
I choose the highest integrity
I choose to forget the pleasures under the sun.

I AM vibrant

So many pleasures
lost their luster,
the world turned
black and white
and lost its color.
Cultural divides
became more and more apparent.
the direction of my life
shifted at the flick of God's hand
my heart sailed,
driven by the direction
of heavens wind,
blown from the mouth of God.
His breath was my compass
it led me on.
On His exhale He
broke the dawn.
With His inhale
He hid the sun,
and gave me all the stars
to wish upon.
All of my treasures
lost their luster,
but the life you offer
is even more vibrant
than the whole Earth
illuminated by every last ray of Sun.