Half a mile a day

fra albummet Personal File

(Spoken) One night after a concert I walked through the streets of the town and came upon a little church. The service was over but the testimonials had just begun. People caught up in the spirit of the night just didn’t want to leave. So I stepped inside the door and sat down by a little old lady in the back.

A man stood up in front and said “I just want all of you to know that I’m going straight to heaven as fast as I can go like an arrow shot from a bow.” Then he sat down. Another man stood up and said “I’m sailing right straight into heaven like a giant clipper ship. Sailing on a sea of blue and nothins gonna deter me or keep me from that safe harbor.” He sat down and another man stood up and said, “I’m flyin into the portals of heaven on silver wings. Sailing over all the troubles and trials down below. Straight on in.” Then he sat down.

The little lady beside me made it to her feet slowly and all got quiet as she raised her face not to the preacher or the congregation but toward heaven and prayerfully said:

I’m coming Lord for my heavenly reward
I’m on my way to you can you see me coming through?
Through clouds of persecution and stumbling on the way
But I expect I’m makin bout a half a mile a day.

The road to heaven doesn’t have a rapid transit plan
Its one way with no changes goin to the promised land
But I believe that if I heed the things He had to say
Even I might get to heaven at a half a mile a day

Lord when I let you lead, I don’t make any speed
cuz I have to stop and touch the one’s who need so much
And then sometimes others pull me off of your narrow way
And by my mistakes I barely make a half a mile a day

The road to heaven doesn’t have a rapid transit plan
Its one way with no changes goin to the promised land
But I believe that if I heed the things He had to say
Even I might get to heaven at a half a mile a day


 

Lidt efter lidt

En aften efter en koncert vandrede jeg gennem byens gader og kom forbi en lille kirke. Gudstjenesten var egentlig forbi, men folk var be­gyndt at give vidnesbyrd. Det var som om, ånden den aften fik dem til at blive. Så jeg smuttede ind af døren og satte mig ved siden af en gam­mel dame på bageste række.

En mand oppe foran stod frem og sagde: ”Jeg vil bare fortælle jer, at jeg er på vej mod himlen så hurtigt, som jeg kan, som en pil skudt fra en bue.” Så satte han sig ned. En anden mand stod op og sagde: ”Jeg sejler lige ind i himlen som et stort skib. For fulde sejl hen over bøl­ger­ne, og intet skræmmer mig eller hindrer mig i at komme sikkert i havn.” Han satte sig ned, og en anden mand rejste sig op og sagde: ”Jeg flyver ind ad himlens porte på sølvvinger. Jeg svæver let hen over alle bekymringer og besvær lige ind i himlen.” Så satte han sig ned.

Den lille dame ved siden af mig rejste sig langsomt, og alle holdt vejret i stilhed. Hun vendte sig ikke mod prædikanten eller menigheden, men løftede sit blik mod himlen og bekendte: