Signs, Dreams And Visions

In the Path of the Cat

2011-03-25T20:18:00.010-04:00

Meditation: And I think God meant us to be this way

This day was grey;

A thin layer of snow lay over the sidewalks and flagstones of the little city.

I printed it as I walked along;

Feeling the slightly raw cold of the late Lenten winter.

Not many snows left in it, I suppose;

But rain, oh yes, there would be rain.

Looking down I saw that other feet, little feet had come this way.

Critter feet, cat feet, planted carefully;

Back feet falling in the same prints as the front feet;

Darkly pressing through to the sidewalk, with no details showing.

The snow was damp, and I imagine those little feet were wet;

Yet they wandered from side to side on the sidewalk, with curiosity;

Investigating a postal box on one side, peering down an alley on the other.

Until finally they started to be filled, more and more with snow.

The snow must have been falling as the cat walked, and he, or she,

Had been walking in the opposite direction from the direction I was walking.

I wondered by how much we had missed each other,

Me going, and the cat coming;

Did the cat pause, and watch me as I set out?

Eyeing me as I adjusted my bag over my shoulder and zipped my coat?

Or was the cat well past, with only me aware of our passing;

Inches away from each other in space, but more distant in time?

The cat’s journey was certainly a series of moments lived for themselves;

Whiskers a-tingle, damp feet getting the occasional shake,

Eyeing a bird, pausing to let a car slide by….

But for me it was more contemplative.

What was the cat doing where the prints moved just so?

Was this near the beginning or the end of its journey?

Ah, look how it moved!

Like with us, the cat’s life is lived forwards,

But can only be contemplated properly in reverse.

On The Inside of St. Patrick's Breastplate

2011-03-24T20:17:00.001-04:00

Meditation: My Shepherd Is The Lord

Christ be with you, Christ within you,

Christ behind you, Christ before you,

Christ beside you, Christ to win you,

Christ to comfort and restore you.

Christ beneath you, Christ above you,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love you,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

-Amen

Finding Joy -or- A Light In Dark Places

2010-12-11T02:50:00.000-05:00

Meditations:

Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

John 14:23 Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

For many, these are hard times. Times when we find it hard to do the next thing, hard to move ahead, when we perhaps wish that there was just some way to give up. Times when we remember joyful times and wish for them again, when we miss our loved ones who are gone from us, when we feel we cannot move on.

If someone could show us a way back to joy from these hard, sad, dark places, would we not seize it and follow it, like a lover follows his or her beloved, like a bee follows the scent of nectar, like a bird or squirrel following a trail of seeds?

I have the way, but it means giving something up. Here it is, in six steps. Think of it as a half-price twelve-step program:

Give Up
Smile
Love
Make Do
Help Others
Start Over

Give Up: Give up your hurts and pains, your feelings of being subject to injustice and cruelty, your need to nurse your injuries, your sense that your rights and entitlements have been crushed. Forgive whomever you need to, and put these wrongs out of your mind. They are not helping you. Give them up, new and old. Many more hurts will come, and you will have to give them up in turn.

Smile: Because you are in God’s hands, and because it will give you courage, and encourage those who are with you. This is a battle, and if we fight it with courage, we are assured of our victory. Smile for courage, for yourself and others.

Love: Because when you love, you invite God into your life, and love reminds you of how much you care for others. Remember, our care for each other is a good part of why we are here. Love each other, and remember to love those who are difficult to love. Remember that you have been unlovable yourself at times, and others have loved you anyway. Honor that love by multiplying it.

Make Do: Decide what you really need, and make do with that, and try and be smart with your time and abilities. Find the best way forward you can for now, and keep your eyes open for the next practical and healthy opportunity. ‘Make Do’ means no wallowing in self-pity, no giving in to despair. It means you step forward and say ‘Here I Am’ and ‘What Can I Do Now.’

Help Others: No matter how little you have, you can help others. Sometimes helping is as little as a smile, or an ‘I Care’ said (or written) with feeling, or a listening ear - sometimes it is much, much more. Everyone can give. Figure out how much giving you can reasonably do, and do it. Make time to touch other people’s lives. Seek out those in need, and make a difference. Do this faithfully, carefully, lovingly, practically, and with a smile, and you will find joy in your heart. This is the joy of Christ. Cherish it.

Start Over: Start over in a better place, emotionally and spiritually. Reset your needs, and your attitudes. Let go of desires for things that are high-maintenance and expensive, and latch onto the practical and reasonable. And in that spirit, start over at the beginning of this list, happily, prayerfully, thoughtfully, and with care for yourself and others.

And if you do these things, you will be truly blessed.

With Love,
LE

I heard that God lived in the forest

2010-12-06T22:40:00.000-05:00

Proposed Antiphon: Deep in the forest, if you listen, You can hear faint hymns of joy among the trees

I heard that God lived in the forest

And I built a fence around it

Every day, I chopped down as many trees as I could

One day the forest was gone

And I felt very free and alone

The next day a robber showed up and took everything I had

And he laughed at me

I brought him to a court of law

And the judge said that it was all relative

My children said to me ‘why have you lied to us?’

And they abandoned me to seek pleasure

My spouse said ‘what does my vow mean now?’

And left with a richer, perhaps wiser man

I heard that God lived in the forest

And I built a fence around it

Every day, I chopped down as many trees as I could

One day the forest was gone

And I felt very alone

The Word 'Love'

2010-11-11T20:07:00.000-05:00

Antiphon: Break my chains and free my heart

We have only one word for love,

And I think that we need more.

We say we ‘love’ coffee, and we say we ‘love’ donuts;

And we ‘love’ chocolate and we ‘love’ caramel;

We ‘love’ ice cream and custard.

We ‘love’ going for walks;

And we ‘love’ going out;

And we ‘love’ wearing nice things.

We ‘love’ cars, and we ‘love’ houses;

We ‘love’ movies, and we ‘love’ art;

We ‘love’ books, and we ‘love’ sunsets;

But these are not the same Love;

As what one feels for a spouse or a friend;

Or a brother, or a sister;

Or a child, or a stranger.

These are not relational loves.

And they don’t deserve the same word.

If I had my way, they would be cast off;

Left to find another word;

A word appropriate to the world of things that don’t feel;

Things that don’t answer back;

Things that don’t know love;

Things that cannot feel hurt.

Love is too strong for them;

They cannot know it;

And it is not about them.

I Believe

2010-10-26T20:38:00.000-04:00

Antiphon: Love rejoices in the truth

I believe in God the Creator,
Who gives us breath and life,
Maker of all that is.

I believe in Jesus the Christ;
Wholly God and Wholly Man,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
And was born to a maid named Mary,

Who was tormented by Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was entombed.
Who ministered to the dead,
And whom the gates of hell and death cannot restrain.

Three days after his death, he arose,
And ascended into heaven,
He sits on the right hand of God the Creator.
He shall come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The Church, the Body of Christ,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.

Something to look at when times are hard;

2010-10-11T14:30:00.000-04:00

In Life’s Cycle, Lessons

2010-10-01T12:24:00.002-04:00

Meditation: Provision for charity

God brings forth his bounty

Fruit hangs on the vines

In preparation for winter

For much colder times

Go, pick and eat

Harvest and store

It’s a blessing from God

When the earth brings forth more

In kitchens and pantries

Ferment and preserve

In store rooms and barns

God’s bounty conserve

In life’s cycle, lessons;

Plant, harvest, store

Setting aside in the light;

So when the dark comes, there’s more

Do You See the Children?

2010-09-24T11:44:00.000-04:00

Proposed Antiphon: Use your gifts wisely.

Children move among the aisles;

I say children, but they are not that young;

Some are old;

Some are young adults;

Some are middle-aged.

Children move among the aisles;

Their job is to sort;

To adjust;

To make things neat;

To make it easy for things to sell.

Fancy clothes;

Fancy bags;

Fancy shoes;

Shoes that cost the earth;

Clothes that cost the sky;

Bags that cost the sun, the moon, and the stars.

The children work in their best clothes;

Which are sad and worn.

In their best shoes;

Which sometimes are worse than no shoes at all.

They carry no bags;

Bags are for leisure, for shopping, for preening.

Children move among the aisles;

Adjusting things they cannot own;

Wearing broken clothes;

And living broken lives.

Do you see the children in the aisles?

The Wonder of Naming

2010-09-23T14:13:00.008-04:00

Proposed Antiphon: Take time to understand

The men and women sit around on plastic chairs
They wear boots held together with packing tape
Their socks mostly don’t match

Their pants are dark and worn, but not torn.
You won’t get sent out, if your pants are torn.
They are washed and clean shaven
You won’t get sent out, if you are scrufty.
The bosses don’t like it.
There is soap and razors if you need them.
Soap and razors for those who can’t afford them.

One or two of them will talk – will talk a lot
These are the new ones, the ‘I have a dream’ ones
The egotists, the scammers, the ‘cover-it-with talk’ ones
The rest say only what they must
They are silent, and mostly still
They are here to work

They sit around and wait for someone to call their name
It may be the only time they hear their name all day
Unless someone at home speaks it
Whatever home is for them
Wherever they go at night

Other than that, they are nameless

It is bad to make attachments
A waste of time to litter your mind with names
Names of people who don’t want to be here
Names of people who don’t want to be remembered here
Names of people who will go, and you will never see again
Names of lost people, people like you

Oh they have names
Names that are important to the bosses
Names that are called out sometimes to go work
Names that must appear on checks or vouchers
And in reports and tax forms
And sometimes in legal documents
That take what little they earn

But mostly they have bodies
Legs and arms to lift and carry
Hands to grasp and open and close
Brains are not required
And names are just labels anyway
They could just as well be numbers

But sometimes life breaks through;
Someone stops, and smiles, and the smile is returned
Someone speaks a name
A name for no reason
A name that shows someone remembered
A name that shows that someone cared
Enough to add your name to the list
To their personal litany of remembrance

Whether you are lost, or not.

I Help and Stand Back (Reprise)

2010-09-20T17:34:00.003-04:00

I am reprising this post to honor Maple Leaf Lutheran Church of Seattle who voted overwhelmingly yesterday to host Tent City 3 against not insignificant opposition.

Proposed Antiphon: We are all one in God's great scheme, in God no lonely ways. ; But myriads of blessings over an infinity of days.

I help and stand back
I open the door and get out of the way
I show you those in need and you reach out to them
I whisper a question in your ear and you find a solution
I find you a little cash and you donate it
Some food, and you share it
A moment of peace...
An ounce of grace...
I am a silent helping presence while you work
You invoke me and credit me
But I was just a signpost and a prop
You pushed to your feet
You stepped in harm's way
You tangled with hardship
You struggled with need
You made do with little
You loved in the midst of carelessness and hate
You do not stand without help, it is true...
But you stand
And I love you

Bless you, each and every one

Original post here.

Throw Me Away

2010-09-17T00:37:00.006-04:00

Proposed antiphon: God blesses us and keeps us, and hereafter will make us new

Sometime in late spring
The pansies were discarded
Dumped in the common area
Behind the houses
Where the blackberries grow
And the morning glories dance
Twisting from cane to cane

There the soil is rich,
Full of grass cuttings and bits of bark
Discarded potting soil
Leaf mould and pine needles -
The detritus of years past

There the essence of green life
Spirals up like slow flame
Through the stems and leaves
Through the curling growing tips
And into the air

You can smell it, see it
Wafting from the full petals
And shining from the generous faces
Of the pansy blooms that grew there
Burgeoning with beauty and life

Throw me away
Cast me aside
Into the dung-heap of creation
Let the sun beat down
And the wild rains fall
Let me bloom

Get More Signs, Dreams and Visions...

2010-09-12T18:13:00.009-04:00

More of the inspiration that you came here for - in a 132 page book available in paperback via Amazon's CreateSpace (here), and in 'e-book' form via Smashwords (here) and Kindle (here).

A great way to give the gift of inspiration, or to take a little bit of the spirit wherever you go!

I'm also pleased to share on this blog the publication of my 'Gospels in Parallel' - a great bible-study and preaching resource that not only shows you parallels between the gospels, but also parallels and prefigurings from the Old Testament. Available via Amazon's CreateSpace (here) and on Kindle (here).

We Wander in the Wilderness

2010-08-18T01:40:00.004-04:00

Proposed Antiphon: Creation starts with chaos

We wander in the wilderness

And all our stars are out of place

We hide in holes and in ditches

And the wind passes over where we lie

We have little

And what we have is taken from us

Once our counsel was sought after

But now we are counted as fools and idiots

Once we spoke and others leapt to obey

Now we speak and only the beasts answer

Friends are struck down

And family members suffer and die

We persist in our prayers

And call out to our God

Where is the path of truth?

Where is the way that leads through this desert?

We wander in the wilderness

And all our stars are out of place

These Broken Parts (Reprise)

2010-07-19T00:27:00.004-04:00

I have many topics to write about and yet today this previous post is inspiring me in my life of broken parts.

Proposed Antiphon: Push Towards The Light!

Today a little person
Was trying to re-make her bed
She thought she must have been doing it wrong all week
Because the sheets wouldn’t lie flat
And tended to come off

But really her bed
Was made this week with sheets that weren’t quite right
They were an odd size
Big enough
Workable
But not perfect
And she thought it was her fault
I laughed and explained the problem to her

And thought
That life is like that
Funny but functional
Wrong but workable
Makeshift and marvelous
And that we are forever filling the cracks
And jumping the gaps
And thinking we must be doing something wrong
When in fact, we are doing marvelously
With what we have
Which is enough
Which is workable
Which is a blessing

Perfect is some other world
Not the one we live in
No, we are surrounded by
Appendices of errata
Panda’s thumbs and horse’s toes
Scars and defects
Duct tape and bailing wire

See, in a perfect world
Where everything works well
You would already be at the goal
And that’s not what we’re about
We’re about the next thing
The thing you can barely imagine from here

The thing that you can make if you cobble together
These broken parts
With the contents of the junk drawer
And some duct tape
And bailing wire
And whatever else happens to be lying around

And when we get close to that barely imagined thing
We’ll mostly make it work
But not perfectly
Because we are already busy
Working on the next thing
The thing you can barely imagine from there

And I think God meant us to be this way
Always a little broken
Always working on that next thing
That we can barely imagine from here

That's Still Nuttin - 8,000

2010-07-08T11:58:00.003-04:00

As of today, this blog swept past eight thousand visitors.

That's quite a few folks wandering by since December 9th, 2006, and with me posting less lately, due to the interesting nature of my life, it seems like a milestone I should mark by reprising my poem 'That's Nuttin!'

...And thank you for dropping by, all eight thousands of you. See, there was plenty of room after all...

That's Still Nuttin:

Eight thousand folks came knocking
Eight thousand at the door
Eight thousand people searching
Eight thousand, and now more

Eight thousand hidden smiles
Eight thousand who came by
Eight thousand from all countries
Eight thousand who drew nigh

Eight thousand quiet moments
Eight thousand friends to tea
Eight thousand 'I understand's
Eight thousand friends for me

Eight thousand people questing
Eight thousand asking why
Eight thousand gleaming stars
Eight thousand in the sky

Eight thousand cups of coffee
Eight thousand bits of toast
Eight thousand hands held in comfort
Eight thousand times a host

Eight thousand questions answered
Eight thousand, more or less
Eight thousand joined in prayer
Eight thousand joined to bless

Eight thousand is so little
Eight thousand is so small
Eight thousand is not many
I have space for one and all

So come in off the doorstep
Come in, come through the door
Come into my guest room
There's room for many more

Thanks to each of you for coming
I'm sad when your visits end
And please do come back often
And please do bring a friend

I'll be waiting by the doorstep
I'll have the kettle on for tea
Come by whenever you want to
And spend more time with me

-LE

The King Awoke

2010-07-01T02:21:00.008-04:00

Proposed Antiphon: 'How wonderful and encouraging that you can serve God as an Angel'

The King Awoke;

And the over-servant shouted; ‘The King Awakens! The Great and Powerful King! We Worship the King!’

And the under-servant arose from tending the fire and brought him a steaming cup of spiced wine.

The King put on his riding cloak;

And the over-servant shouted; ‘The King Rides Forth! Praise the King! We Worship the King!’

And the under-servant arose from his seat at the doorway and brought forth the King’s horse.

The King rode out into the city;

And the over-servant shouted; ‘Way! Way! Make Way for the Great and Powerful King! Praise the King!’

And the under-servant steadied the King’s horse as the King rode out into the crowded streets.

An old seamstress fell as she tried to make way for the King, and a young boy ran out from the crowd to help her up.

And the over-servant shouted at them; ‘Praise the King! Make Way for the Great and Powerful King!’

And the under-servant lifted the old woman to her feet.

And the King stopped;

And he said to the over-servant: “I believe that this seamstress needs your help more than I do. Go and serve her from this day forward.”

And he said to the under-servant: “Good and faithful servant, you have served me well. Please continue to do so as my over-servant.”

And he said to the boy: “You have shown yourself worthy of my service. Please join me as an under-servant.”

And the boy bowed in assent.

And the King rode on;

And the old over-servant was silent.

And the new over-servant ran beside the King to steady his horse, with the new under-servant beside him.

And for a moment everyone was silent, and you could hear the clip-clopping of the horse's hooves;

And then the people all shouted:

‘Make Way! Make Way for the Glorious King! Praise the Beloved King!’

The Voices We Will Not Hear (Reprise)

2010-06-24T17:55:00.003-04:00

Alternate Title: 'We Are The Friends'

Previously Posted Here

Proposed Meditation: It is, in the end, all about love.

They are wrong.
They are so very wrong.
We can't hear their voice.

They call out to us - they say:
Isn't this injustice?
Isn't this torture?
Isn't this slavery?

But we can't hear.
We talk louder.
We talk about other things.
We talk about their failings;
We talk about their sin;
We talk about their error.

They sit in their ash-pits,
Covered with sin,
Covered with death,
Covered with sores,
Maligning righteousness,
Indicting the good we do,
Trying to pull us down with them.

They call out to us - they say:
Is this right?
Is this fair?
Is this justice?

But we won't hear;
Instead we talk about maintaining order,
We talk about helping others,
We talk about sharing,
We talk about becoming involved.

They moan on their death-beds accusingly,
They sigh from their cells,
Their deaths scream out to us,
Maligning righteousness,
Indicting good,
Trying to pull down God.

They call out to us - they say:
Would you want this?
Would you choose this?
Would you live this?

But we refuse to hear,
Instead we talk about precedent,
Instead we talk about independence,
Instead we talk about the needs of others,
We shift away so that they don't contaminate us.

They shuffle in their shackles frighteningly,
Occasionally they catch our eyes uncomfortably,
They abusively mention their lost children,
They truculently bring up their lost freedom,
Trying to make us feel sorry for what they deserved,
Trying to shift the argument,
Trying to unseat justice.

They call out to us - they say;
Would you do this to your friend?
Would you do this to a servant?
Do you still keep slaves?

But we won't hear;
We make up stories about them that might be true,
We talk about the rights of others,
We talk about how they cannot be trusted,

They are wrong.
They are so very wrong.
We can not hear their voice.

Chocolate

2010-05-09T11:54:00.009-04:00

Proposed Antiphon: A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Chocolate, ...

Honey, ...

Bread, ...

Lemons, Butter, Trees, Dogs, Sunshine, ...

Elephants, Grass, Eggplant, Olives, Fuzzy Peaches, Beaches, French Fries, ...

Birds, Streams and Brooks, Skipping Stones, Crayfish, Noses, Eyes, Ears, Toes, Poppy Seeds, ...

Blue Sky, Clouds, Baklava, Milk, Cats, Eggs, Goats and Sheep, Vines and Grapes, Flowers, ...

Kittens and Puppies, Baby Animals of All Sorts, Wine and Water, Pepper, Fingernails, Milkweed and Monarchs, Persimmons and Figs, Curiosity, Spaghetti, Rings, Marshes, Cloth, Skin and Bark, Gold, Iron, Paprika, Stars, Ants, Beans, Volcanoes, Whales, Churches, Oxen, Snack Time, Work, Blood, Bells, Rainbows, Fur, Dirt, Electricity, Paper, Nests, Love, Crystals, Malt, Felt, Silver, Eyebrows, Dyes, Mist and Fog, Houses, Watches, Helpful Strangers, Parties and Friendships, Co-Workers and Acquaintances, Wives and Husbands, Parents and Children, Grandparents and Grandkids, Aunts and Uncles, Nieces and Nephews, …

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…Scott and Hilary, Craig and Lora, Ian and Renee, Libby and Jill, Mom and Dad,

And Most of All,

YOU

Are Evidence That God Loves Us

-And Wants Us To Be Happy.

A Winter Faith (Reprise)

2009-12-20T11:09:00.003-05:00

Proposed Antiphon: Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God

Cruel wintry winds
Howl, hiss and blow
Across the ice
Over the snow

Bare trees poke up
No life is seen
The ice gives all
A glassy sheen

Nothing moves
Lest blown about
High up above
Cold stars are out

Your face is numb
Your fingers chill
Breath a brief cloud
And all is still

Below the snow
Below the ice
In buried peace
Lie seeds and mice

Fish dream fish dreams
Deep in the ponds
While cruel winds whip
The cattail fronds

Chipmunks sleep tight
And dream of sun
Of nuts and grain
Of chipmunk fun

Down in the mud
The frogs all sleep
Turtles mark time
In burrows deep

Warmth will return
The ice will go
And life will rise
And water flow

Snow drops will leap
Out of their grave
Then crocuses;
These plants are brave

The buds will swell
And burst and bloom
The earth will shed
This wintry gloom

But bravest, first
Sign of the mild
The Christmas birth;
The holy Child

Reminding us
This wintry strife
Lies briefly over
Our vibrant life

From out of dark
Comes life and light
Showing us God's
Power and might.

Original Post

Jacob's Ladder, Reprise

2009-11-14T12:03:00.002-05:00

On Genesis 28:10-19

Antiphon: Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos

In the desert all alone
beneath his head he laid a stone
the stars looked down upon his face
in this dark desolate place.

In his dreams a ladder shone
let down from heaven to his stone
beside him holy voices spoke
out of fire and out of smoke.

"Where you go there I am too
I will always be with you"
-every place, a place of God
if floored with sand, gold, wood, or sod.

Original Post

After Psalm 90

2009-11-01T17:45:00.003-05:00

Antiphon: Laugh with the joy of the spirit; Who stands with the humble and meek.

Dearest God, our hearts and souls are yours
And have been since time began

Before the earth brought forth mountains
And before the seas were formed
From everlasting to everlasting
You are God

At your will we return to dust and are forgotten
For a thousand years in your sight
Is like yesterday when it is past
Less than a watch in the night

Our days, our lives, even our times are swept away
They are like a dream,
Like grass that withers and dies
Grass that you renew in the morning, in the spring
With the rising of your Son.

LE

I am a jumble of broken parts that know nothing of each other.

2009-10-22T16:59:00.003-04:00

Antiphon: We Will Meet Again, The Wolves, The Fire, And I.

I am a jumble of broken parts that know nothing of each other.

It is as if a farmer opened his seed bin and found;
An acorn,
Seventeen rusty machine screws of unmatched sizes, some covered in tar,
Three quarters of an inch of bailing wire,
Half of a stale cookie,
Four ants,
And a dead mouse.

Or maybe it is as if a householder planted squash in the garden;
and watched the plants sprout, and grow and put forth leaves,
and blossom, and begin to set fruit;
only to come out one day and find them all blackened and shriveled with a blight.

Or maybe it is like a merchant who plotted a trading route;
And built a ship and set out;
And travelled for leagues and leagues,
Only to look through the glass and find his destination laid waste.
And planned a new route, a new destination,
And travelled to within sight of shore,
Only to be driven off by pirates.
But being unwearied and unbowed, he plotted yet another course
To a new destination, and sailed strange waters,
Only to be halted by impassible reefs and inhospitable masses of land.

So I sit with the fragments of the lives I have lived,
And wonder what to do, and where to go;
And I remember not long ago,
When these mismatched parts,
Somehow lined up and made a perfect and remarkable machine.

A plan of goodness;
A pathway to a new place;
The seeds of a new life.

And today
With my water running low
And my sails ragged
And my options limited;
I pray for inspiration to God;
Who knows how these broken, jumbled parts
Are remarkable, and
Can made to work together
Once again

-LE

A Revised Our Father

2009-10-06T08:28:00.000-04:00

Dearest God And Holy Father Of All,
Who Surrounds Us With Love,
Glorify Your Sacred Name,
Complete Your Holy Kingdom Here On Earth,
And Establish Your Will On Earth, As It Is In Heaven.
Increase Our Faith And Bless Us With The Holy Spirit,
Satisfy Our True Needs,
And Forgive Us Our Sins;
As We Forgive Those Who Have Harmed Us.
Shield Us From Temptation
And Save Us From Evil,
For All Power And Glory Descend From You,
Who Is Deserving Of Eternal Praise.
Amen

-LE

Slightly revised from a version written and published online by me in 2001

Antiphon: God knows the fish of the sea, and the stars of the sky, every one by its own name.

A Change of Tense to Contemplate

2009-10-05T05:22:00.004-04:00

Being handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ takes bread; and giving thanks to God, he breaks it, and gives it to his disciples, saying; “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And he also takes the cup of wine; and giving thanks, he gives it to them, saying; “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

-LE

God is awesome; God stands before time and also after;

I like this.

2009-09-25T20:09:00.002-04:00

Perhaps related: A worn courderoy kind of life

Be Strong

2009-09-04T11:20:00.002-04:00

by Maltbe D. Babcock 1858-1901

Be Strong!
We are not here to play, to dream, to drift;
We have hard work to do, and loads to lift;
Shun not the struggle-face it; 'tis God's gift.

Be Strong!
Say not, "The days are evil. Who's to blame?"
And fold the hands and acquiesce-oh shame!
Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God's name.

Be Strong!
It matters not how deep intrenched the wrong,
How hard the battle goes, the day how long;
Faint not-fight on! Tomorrow comes the song.

GoD and DoG

2009-08-19T18:44:00.008-04:00

This afternoon I found a wonderful video by Wendy Francisco entitled: GoD and DoG.

Wendy's website is Here, and her blog is Here.

Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord!

LE

p.s. Problems with displaying video properly made it clear blog template was out of step with YouTube and also with normal screen widths - so behold a wider blog. :)

My Shepherd Is The Lord (Reprise)

2009-07-19T19:11:00.002-04:00

My shepherd is the Lord
For nothing shall I want
In pastures green I rest
From waters still I drink

My soul my God restores
In fear God gives me strength
When lost God leads me home
And keeps me as God's own

God names me as his child
My sins for me forgives
With oil anoints my head
And sees to all my needs

My home is with the Lord
With God I'll always be
In joy God leads me out
With love God leads me home

In dark I have no fear
In trouble I have peace
In God I put my trust
For God is always near

In faith I have my life
and rise when life is done
The Lord keeps me each day
In life eternaly

(prior entry)

Answer

2009-07-05T17:48:00.005-04:00

Did you think
That all you had to do was read
That all you had to do was pray
That all you had to do was recognize me?

I am sorry
that the answer is not so simple
and that this is not all that is required

But in truth
what is required of you is much more

When everyone else is aligned with evil
You must speak of good

When the evil are dying
You must save them, and

When you are dying
You must speak of life

Did you notice the special deference allocated my son
And his disciples?

Know that they are not alone
And that you will share with them
The rewards of my kingdom

If you can gird yourself
with the word.

Nothing comes for free

And your sacriifice

Is not wasted

But the reward

Is also

Not visible

In this world

The peace of God

Such as it is

Be with you.

In response to 'Unclean'.

Unclean

2009-07-05T10:09:00.003-04:00

His name we deny
And cross it out of our books
It must not be mentioned
Not in public
Or in the counting-house
Or at conference
Or even between strangers

We are embarrassed to call upon His name
We do not stir ourselves to take hold of Him
Wisdom is cast aside
And folly is counted as righteousness

We abandon His houses
And they rot
They are burned and not rebuilt
Or are used to store dead things
Or as drinking halls
Used for revelry and debauchery

Our leaders no longer contemplate His words
But instead their own
Saying that there is no true spirit
Only contemplations

So our portion is taken away
As it should be taken from unfaithful servants
And we weaken and fade
What is your instruction
To the servants who remain?
What is your word?

No Resolution

2009-06-06T17:29:00.002-04:00

The chant doesn’t resolve
Nor the song
They fade away
They end
On a half-tone
On an unfinished phrase

And today my life feels like that
Half finished
Between this and that
Not at the beginning
Nor at the end
But somewhere in between

And it isn’t really clear
That I will ever find that end
That resolution
And that makes me sad

Because I am trained
To plan
To achieve
To make goals and meet them
To do more

But, I am advised
Life is not about
The things you check off a list
But more about
The relationships you build along the way.

Now.
How to put that on my To-Do List?

Along The Way

2009-05-24T20:02:00.002-04:00

At the tomb they told us he was not there,
That he was ‘risen.’
But we saw him dead. How can that be?
They said to look for him in Galilee –
What is in Galilee? Why would he go there?
There’s nothing there but some poor slobs.
Galilee is peanuts. We’re in Jerusalem!
This is the center!
Certainly anything really earth-shaking should happen here!

Well, I suppose we might as well go.
We could always tell the believers in Galilee what has happened.
Maybe lend a hand there –
A lot of them don’t have two stones to rub together.
They could use a hand with the spring harvest.
And who knows who we might meet along the way?

The Empty Place

2009-04-23T15:23:00.007-04:00

Photo Copyright and Credit: Ciril Jazbec

There is an empty place

Where we had left you

Where we thought to find you

No one we recognize is there

A hole in our hearts-

Is this what you did to us?

Leave us with a hole in our hearts?

There is an empty place -

How do we fill it?

Hold On

2009-03-15T12:20:00.003-04:00

The land is grey
and cold winds blow
the rain spots down
mixed in with snow

The reeds sigh in
the the wind so cold
their roots hold tight
to mud and mold

The grass and reeds
are bleached light dun
by wind and rain
and distant sun

Around their roots
the mud lies black
around the ponds
ice-water, black

The ponds seem dead
abandoned, left
-of mammals, bugs and fish
bereft

The eagle eye
sees more below
within the depths
a greenish glow

Life perseveres
and will return
and send up shoots
and uncoil fern

Hold on through one more storm
and then
wild life will arise
again

I Want Only Those Books Which Are Worth Reading Twice

2009-02-23T23:31:00.004-05:00

I want only those books
Which are worth reading twice

And why read it again
Lest it’s worth reading thrice?

And if I must read it thrice
It should be worthy of more -

The number of readings
It must exceed four

It must be worth reading again
It must always be new

It must tell me things hidden
It must tell me things true

It should grip me and draw me
It must make me lose sleep

It must teach me to laugh
It must cause me to weep

The story must flow
through my body and soul

It must make me feel wounded
It must make me feel whole

So when I hear ‘oh, I read that’
I think ‘oh, how sad’

A book you read once
Must be unbearably bad.

And just so may we be reading
The good book of 'The Other'

Good books much worth reading;
Book Sister and Book Brother

God’s Sheep are Confused

2009-02-18T12:51:00.002-05:00

God’s sheep are confused;
Stubbornly, we have wandered astray;
We wander in the wilderness;
And know not where we go.

Where is our Lord?
Where is His staff, that keeps harm at bay?
Where is His hand, that comforts us?

We follow His footsteps, and we find food.
We listen for His voice, and it leads us to fresh water.

But the food here is strange and sparse.
And the times of plenty have gone.
At night we lie down where we may,
We are grateful to be able to sleep,
And are grateful to be able to rise to follow the Lord again.

Will the hard times end?
Will we see the land joyful again?
Will we drink the wine of plenty,
And be anointed with blessings once more?

Help us to repent our stubbornness;
Help us to find wisdom, and remember your lessons;
Help us to follow you more closely;
And live within the warmth of your bosom.

God’s sheep are confused;
Stubbornly, we have wandered astray;
We wander in the wilderness;
And know not where we go.

Pray For Your God

2009-02-09T20:47:00.001-05:00

What do we do when we bless the Lord?
In times of need, when times are hard?
What do we do when we bless the Lord?

Why does the Lord need us to pray?
Where is the Lord when we suffer today?
Why does the Lord need us to pray?

Bless the Lord and for God Pray;
That God would share with us this day.
Pray in the dark when all seems Ill;
And life seems vile and warmth seems chill.

The Creator made you; With God be;
Through life and death your God will see;
Pray for your God, your life and soul;
Pray that you grow and become whole.

Have faith and wait and God will come;
And over time, God’s will be done.

Create

2009-01-17T15:56:00.003-05:00

Our God is a Creator;
He generates and nurtures;
He loves and cares;
And you are God's child.

When you are without;
Remember that God is with you;
You are not alone;
You are beloved and betrothed.

God stands with you;
And God's armies surround you;
And God's angeles support you;
Your self, and your soul are safe;
You are not alone;

Listen for the voice of God;
Listen to the voice of God;
It is not a voice that says;
'Reject';
It is not a voice that says;
'Condemn';
It is not a voice that syas;
'Hate';

It is a voice that says;
'Help';
It is a voice that says;
'Share';
It is a voice that says;
'find a place where you can make a difference';

Create in your life;
Do what you can;
In the place you find yourself.

God is with you;
And God blesses your creations;
Leave your frustrations and anger behind, and

Create!

For I Am Your God

2008-12-24T14:58:00.003-05:00

After Isaiah 43:1-7

The One who created you speaks,
The One who formed you opens his mouth with good tidings:

Do not fear your God,
Your sins do not crush you in my judgement;

For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name, and you are mine;

You may feel overwhelmed,
Your problems may seem insurmountable;

But though the waters press down upon you, you shall not be drowned,
Though the fire burn all around you, you shall not be burned;

For I am your God,
The Holy One, your Savior;

I overturn kingdoms and empires for your sake,
I make the darkness light to comfort and deliver you;

Because you are precious in my sight,
I love you, and you stand in honor among my servants;

Do not fear, for I am with you,
I will rescue your children from distant lands,
And the prisons of men shall not hold them from you;

I will ransom every one who is called by my name,
Whom I created in glory,
Whom I formed and made.

May Love, Peace and Grace Reign About You

-LE

"Wait, Wait, Cancel That, I guess it says 'helf'"

2008-12-22T21:43:00.002-05:00

There is a Gary Larson cartoon that I won't replicate here because of copyright, but it shows a helicopter pilot circling a small desert island. On that island a man is hopping up and down, and waving his arms next to the word HELP,

....except that the edge of the P has been trampled out, and now it looks like it says HELF.

The pilot in the cartoon says: "Wait, Wait, Cancel That, I guess it says 'helf.'"

On the right, you should see a 'donate' button from PayPal.

It is there because, in our challenging economy, I need HELP, not HELF.

Help to stay in my house.
Help to pay my bills.
Help to have time to blog on occasion.
Please give generously.

Yours,
LE

Struggling With Matthew 5

2008-12-14T17:38:00.002-05:00

Why should we feed the wolves,
When our sheep go hungry?

How can we abandon our houses to criminals,
And live in the street, when the wintry winds blow?

Why should we forfeit our shoes to those already shod,
And walk the stony ground with bare feet?

Why do you ask us to do so, Lord?

Why should we labor and struggle to enrich the evil,
When we have not two coins to press together?

Why must we give our time and talent to Satan,
And keep nothing but our souls for the family of God?

Should we hold back nothing from the grifter,
The thief, the con artist?

Why do you ask us to do so, Lord?

(Strugging with Matthew 5)

The Squirrel

2008-11-21T19:52:00.002-05:00

The Squirrel
Wakes and leaves its nest
Searches the lawn for
Treats left by me
Or my family
Or acorns
Or seeds
Or anything
In a hard year
In a spare year
In a year of hardship
It will take what it can get
And if nothing can be found
On the lawn
It picks up a leaf
Crumples it in its mouth
And brings it back to its nest
As bedding and insulation
The practicality of this activity
Impresses me
And reminds me
To leave a little something
For those who have
Nothing

These Broken Parts

2008-11-20T00:11:00.003-05:00

Strange Fish Who Seek The Fisherman

2008-11-06T11:32:00.004-05:00

God draws us in.
We are always moving
Always hiding, always shifting
But God knows where we are
and God draws us in.

God draws us in like an angler
Playing a strong fish with a weak line
Gently tugging
Pulling and drawing.

We go other ways
We dart this way and that
Sometimes we circle slowly in
And sometimes we break the line and charge away
And God must cast for us again, and again.

God is a patient fisherman
God’s nets are wide and can enclose us all
And yet we can slip out if we will;

God can land his lures over us,
Wherever we hide
But we can ignore them
Or we can break the line and escape.

We must be fish who want to be caught
Who allow ourselves to be drawn;
Fish who seek the fisher.

Because the day will come
When the fisher packs up his gear
And there is no more time
No time for playing the difficult fish
Who wants to go its own way.

A day when the fisherman will take his catch
To the eternal river
Where they will forever
Swim in the holy water of God.

You Are Given Now

2008-11-03T21:51:00.001-05:00

We have only a moment
Not an hour
Or a day
Or a week
Or a month
Or years, decades, centuries, millennia

We have only a moment to trust
A moment to love
A moment to care
A moment to believe

Who that was who came before
- you cannot know
And who comes after
- you cannot see

But you have now
Use it to believe the best
To do the best
And be as much
As fun
As awesome
As inspired
As you can

You are given now

Use it

Seek Her

2008-10-26T23:47:00.005-04:00

Wisdom tires of being mocked
She tires of chasing you down twisting alleys of lies
She tires of calling and having you run instead away
Of stretching out her hand and being rebuffed
Of having her counsel ignored

Attend, lest She abandon you
And laugh at your calamity
Lest She mocks when panic strikes you
When the storm sweeps you away
When you find yourself and all you hold dear
Lost in pain and anguish.

Call upon Her now
having trampled Her word
having ignored Her histories
having spat on Her offerings
having scoffed at Her reproof
and She may not answer

She may leave you to your own devices
Twisting on a gibbet of your own design
Trapped in a cage of metal and spikes
Food for the carrion birds
A warning to others

Should you not eat the fruit of your way?
Should you not find yourself at the end of the road you have chosen?

Wisdom still calls - but you are far from Her
Her voice is faint - but can be heard

Perhaps you can return, retrace your steps
Do not listen to the loud voices around you
Hustling you onward to bad ends
Resist the pushing and jostling of those around you
You still need not be lost

You still, perhaps, can be found.
I write this for you, you yourself

Seek Her!

I am a poor steward

2008-10-13T22:29:00.001-04:00

I am a poor steward.
I fail to go.
And when I do,
I go too slow.

I am a poor steward,
I have not done much.
I have not helped
I did not touch.

I am a poor steward,
It was not enough
I did not volunteer
When things got tough.

I am a poor steward,
I whine and moan
To help is hard
I trudge, I groan.

I play dumb games,
I waste my time,
I forget names,
I make up rhymes.

I am a poor steward,
And much I waste.
I don’t do good,
I am less ‘salt’ than ‘paste’.

I will be a poor steward,
But still I’ll go.
Please, forgive me, Lord,
That I go slow.

The House With The Broken Door

2008-10-05T22:25:00.002-04:00

You decided against the same old thing
You turned right, instead of your usual left

And you saw a brightly lit house
Its door hanging open
A broken door – Askew, Unworkable.
Like it was no longer something that people closed
From inside the voices came
Laughing, singing, and debating

Smells rolled down to you too
Fresh-baked bread
Apple pie
Roast chicken
New wine

A smiling face appeared at the door
And a friendly body hurried down to take your arm
“Oh!” “You’re Here!” “We were so hoping you’d come today!”
And they were all there
Old friends and new
Their names and faces filled with joy
Filling you with joy
Hugging and kissing
Slapping your back
Welcoming you in

Silly, Silly, So Foolish
How long you walked that lonely road
The house had been waiting for you
The friends had been waiting for you
But no matter
The time was paid for
And the time is at hand for you to be honored

“But I did nothing!” you said…
“I went the wrong way!”
“I did the wrong things, again and again!”

No matter, no matter
On your way you did much good,
More than you could have known
And your mistakes,

See!

They have all been redeemed-
Turned about like an engine at a roundhouse
Like a lump of clay on a wheel
Like the sun breaking through the rain
Like a starfish regrowing its arms

The journey is over
And you are home
What was forgotten has been recalled
What was stolen has been restored
What was lost has been found

There was always room for you here
You were always wanted and needed
Always wanted at our table
Always present in our prayers
If it was not so, would we not have told you?
Welcome Back!
Welcome Back Home!

The Crazy Lady and the Angel

2008-09-13T10:52:00.003-04:00

On the section of the Berlin wall located near Battery Park City

The crazy lady and the angel
Stand on the wall

The crazy lady on the outside
The safe side
The ‘go about your business’ side
She wears bright colors
Her skin is green
Her lips are brilliant red
She is lively and creative

The angel is on the inside
Where people used to get killed just for walking
For running to freedom
She is harder to see
But she is there
Who painted her, and when?
Who saw her in those days?
Was she the last thing someone saw?
Perhaps she was meant to comfort, to mourn, and not be consoled
To commemorate children, brothers and sisters, parents, friends, cousins lost

Perhaps that was her purpose
Certainly she does that now
Now that she no longer stands in the shadow of machine guns and barbed wire
Now that she is a curiosity, and a memorial

And it strikes me that life is like this
There is the wild and crazy ‘go about your business’ side
And the serious side
The side of life and death
where people struggle for life and freedom
Where angels stand close to comfort and assist us

It is good to be bright, lively and creative
But let us also be strong and helpful
And stand to help those who struggle for life and freedom

The Leather Shoes I've Had A While

2008-08-29T23:30:00.005-04:00

The leather shoes
I've had a while

They're worn and scuffed
They're broken in
Into my shape

They're shaped like me
Perhaps too much

Sometimes I switch
what feet they're on

I wear them backwards
Now and then

Just for a bit
To feel the way

They press my feet
Differently

Somehow it is comforting
To feel them different
And unmeshed

Unmatched to my feet

It is also strange
To wear something

So broken in
And yet so mismatched

It reminds me
Of how comfortable
They are normally

It is kind of like

Seeing an old friend
Doing a new thing

Meeting something
That you know well

In a strange place
Far away

Realizing again
What you are about

When you had forgotten
Or become preoccupied

See, I have made all things new
Even the shoes on your feet

Let them remind you who you are
Remind you what you are

Let them help you remember your calling
And enter into the Kingdom of God

Peace,
LE

The Unusual Desk

2008-08-21T03:06:00.002-04:00

In the night I pray for guidance in this interesting life I live
And I see warm brown leather
With ink drawings appearing and disappearing on it
I see the letters ‘VS’ appearing between two fragments of drawing,
And I wonder what they mean
The scene shifts and I find myself in front of a large wooden desk
In a large room that is strange to me, all done in wood of light tones
It is empty, but it feels welcoming and warm
The thought comes to me that this is like an English courtroom
But it is not much so to my eye
The desk is in the middle of the room
And there are wooden barriers like altar rails down either side
Beyond which several ranks of wooden chairs rise
Perhaps more like a room of parliament
But the dream is focused on the desk – the room is the background for the dream
The desk itself is odd
There are vertical ridges dividing it into three major sections
Making it uncomfortable to write the way I would like
With a paper at a jaunty angle
The left section is decent sized, no more than two feet wide
And the right one is very wide, over three feet wide
But the center one is narrow, too narrow for letter sized paper
To write here, you would need narrow paper
It seems that the form of what one would write here would be restricted
I opened the desk, the center section lifts and there are writing materials
A drawer as wide as the right section pulls out,
And there are disassembled bits for old ink pens,
Wooden shafts and nibs,
I start to assemble a pen and begin to look for the ink
And I wake

After 2 Timothy 2, Reprise

2008-08-20T11:32:00.005-04:00

This is a re-run of After 2 Timothy 2 (with some formatting changes), which text is speaking to me today.

Remember Jesus in your sufferings,
and if you are chained,
remember that the word of God cannot be chained.

Endure for the sake of the world,
that the world may also obtain salvation,
for if we die with Jesus,
we will rise with Christ,
and if we endure we will also reign with him.

Jesus cannot save us while we deny him,
but he remains faithful to us,
seeking us and consoling us when we despair.

Even in our denial,
in our guilt and sin,
Jesus must remain faithful to us,
because he cannot deny himself,
and there is great hope in that.

Jesus is our redeemer,
and seeks our redemption,
so seek to return to and keep true to Jesus,
even as he keeps true to you.

Peace,
LE

Some minor blog changes - you will notice the 'Zeitgeist' of tags is now alphabetical - much more useful. Some blogs that ceased to inspire me have been removed, and I have re-resurrected my rotating 'taglines' at the top.

It's big to me...

2008-08-19T22:27:00.002-04:00

I am pushed to the cliff
Where I now stand
What's over the edge?
Rocks or Water? Or is it Sand?

I am pushed quite near the edge
I worry I will fall
And the vain things of my life will end
Many, if not all.

And God is with me as I push back
And as I squirm and twist
But can I count on God to help?
Or is my God just mist?

Oh sure my soul will be intact
I suppose that’s great
But a little help here as I squirm?
God won’t cooperate.

Shall I fall, and say that this
Is all God’s will and fine
And will I lose the little bits
I hold on to and call ‘mine’?

Help me Lord,
Show me the way,
It is not fun
To squirm this way.

LE

Up

2008-08-17T00:25:00.002-04:00

Up...

Up we reach

Up we strive
Up we grow

Up...
Higher....
Higher, still

Striving...
Growing...
More and more...

Called to the light...

It is in our cells,
Our souls,
Our very being...

A voice speaks to us all
It says:

Live,
Love,
Grow,

Be Blessed;

Do!

-LE

The Invisible Made Visible or 'When We Pray'

2008-08-05T11:27:00.004-04:00

When we pray,
God doesn't come near;
God doesn't drop in,
God is already here.

When we pray,
God doesn't say 'Oh!'
'So that's what they need!'
God already knows.

So when we pray-
What happens then?
If God knows, is close,
What is prayer then?

Perhaps prayer is
Something WE do
To walk with Love;
And each other, too.

-LE

Balance

2008-08-03T08:46:00.001-04:00

Balance
Is not perching on a balance-beam
Is not standing beneath a cliff, or on its edge
Is not building your house on the sand
Is not mortgaging your tomorrows to pay for today

Today you live and breathe
Tomorrow may be very different
Take care of the world, the neighbors and the self you have been given today
Do not sell their or your tomorrows
The world wants you to do this-
Selling your tomorrows can make your todays very comfortable

But when tomorrow comes
With storm
And wind
And earthquake
And chaos
And you find you have mortgaged your future
To pay for a pretty today that is gone
You may regret
Not having taken the slow route

Find a less dynamic way to balance
Plant your feet on the level path
And go in through the straight gate

-LE

I Found The Door Unbarred

2008-07-30T23:09:00.001-04:00

I found the door unbarred
I found my way within
There was a basin there
Placed welcoming, yet dry
An unlit candle stood tall
The light within was dim
Warmed by illumined saints
Precious woods shone and
Ancient stones gleamed coolly
I paced down the aisle
As carvings spoke to me
Of legend, ritual, faith
I knelt there for a moment
And next to me knelt God
Who accepted my foolish words
Alone in that spare place
And as God often does
I found that my small requests
Were blessed and all came true
The large ones… …it could be
God is leaving them for me

LE

O Lord of Life and Death

2008-07-23T21:46:00.002-04:00

O Lord of Life and Death
We thank you for the saints
Who left to us the word
And sang and taught and gave
And bled and suffered much

O Lord of Life and Death
Preserve the gifts they gave
Tend the light of the saints
For those yet to be born
Who will have much to learn

O Lord of Life and Death
Help us to remember
Those who went before us
All that they did for us
And all that they were and are

LE

Jacob's Ladder

2008-07-20T12:42:00.005-04:00

On Genesis 28:10-19:

In the desert all alone
beneath his head he laid a stone
the stars looked down upon his face
in this dark desolate place.

In his dreams a ladder shone
let down from heaven to his stone
beside him holy voices spoke
out of fire and out of smoke.

"Where you go there I am too
I will always be with you"
-every place, a place of God
if floored with sand, gold, wood, or sod.

-LE

The Voices We Will Not Hear

2008-07-03T13:04:00.003-04:00

Alternate Title: 'We Are The Friends'

They are wrong.
They are so very wrong.
We can't hear their voice.

They call out to us - they say:
Isn't this injustice?
Isn't this torture?
Isn't this slavery?

But we can't hear.
We talk louder.
We talk about other things.
We talk about their failings;
We talk about their sin;
We talk about their error.

They sit in their ash-pits,
Covered with sin,
Covered with death,
Covered with sores,
Maligning righteousness,
Indicting the good we do,
Trying to pull us down with them.

They call out to us - they say:
Is this right?
Is this fair?
Is this justice?

But we won't hear;
Instead we talk about maintaining order,
We talk about helping others,
We talk about sharing,
We talk about becoming involved.

They moan on their death-beds accusingly,
They sigh from their cells,
Their deaths scream out to us,
Maligning righteousness,
Indicting good,
Trying to pull down God.

They call out to us - they say:
Would you want this?
Would you choose this?
Would you live this?

But we refuse to hear,
Instead we talk about precedent,
Instead we talk about independence,
Instead we talk about the needs of others,
We shift away so that they don't contaminate us.

They shuffle in their shackles frighteningly,
Occasionally they catch our eyes uncomfortably,
They abusively mention their lost children,
They truculently bring up their lost freedom,
Trying to make us feel sorry for what they deserved,
Trying to shift the argument,
Trying to unseat justice.

They call out to us - they say;
Would you do this to your friend?
Would you do this to a servant?
Do you still keep slaves?

But we won't hear;
We make up stories about them that might be true,
We talk about the rights of others,
We talk about how they cannot be trusted,

They are wrong.
They are so very wrong.
We can not hear their voice.

Emily Dickinson on Hope

2008-05-31T17:59:00.001-04:00

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chilliest land
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

May God bless your hopes and prayers with love and peace.

LE

A Bit of Spirit

2008-05-12T09:20:00.002-04:00

I had written what I thought was a lovely post on Pentecost at my church, and the season after Pentecost, but then the gremlins of the internet consumed it in one foul gulp.

So, rather than spend another hour recreating it, with so many tasks calling me, let me instead post a link to an intriguing video by Quayola called 'Strata' which you can find here.

May you seek and find The Holy Spirit every day of this season, and for you, may it be ExtraOrdinary time.

Peace,
LE

Who Is?

2008-05-09T21:30:00.004-04:00

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

John 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

John 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine.

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will [my] Father honour.

John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for [so] I am.

John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am [he].

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

John 14:11 Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

John 18:5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am [he]. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

Exd 3:6 Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Exodus 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them?

Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Jesus Is.

Peace,
LE

Downspout

2008-04-26T06:44:00.002-04:00

Rain comes down
Not every day
But it does come
Sometimes more often than I might like

And under my downspout
I have a watering can
Because when it isn't raining
A very small person likes to wander the yard
Blessing the flowers with water

And in this way
I keep water handy for her
To help her in her mission
And help make the world more beautiful
One drop at a time

May all of our dark rainy days
And all of our sadness
Be similarly transformed into moments
Of sharing and joy

Blessings
LE

Christianity is a Verb

2008-04-12T22:41:00.002-04:00

I am the vine and you are the branches.

If you abide in me, and keep my commandments, my Father who lives in heaven will come and make his dwelling place in your heart, and I with him, and you will bear much fruit.
And my commandment is that you should love another as I have loved you. You are my friends if you keep this commandment. Go and bear fruit, my friends. If you keep my commandments, the fruit you bear will not be like that which rots or withers, or fades away, but which will last, and will grow – that will bear seeds that will grow in turn and lead to more fruit.
So bear much fruit, and do not despair if you are persecuted, because before you were persecuted, so was I, and when you are persecuted you lay up treasure in heaven. Show mercy and do justice, and love one another. The commandment is not hard. -And if you do you shall live in me, and I in you. And you shall have everlasting life and great reward in heaven.

All My Love,
Your Brother.

Raise Your Light!

2008-04-11T09:35:00.004-04:00

The sun rises, the sun sets
The moon waxes and wanes

The green life rises and leafs out

Fauns and children are born and grow

Old people hold hands, walking into the sunset

Rain waters the earth
Blue skies catch our breath

Birds sing
Fish splash
Squirrels leap
Chipmunks search the undergrowth for seeds

Woodpeckers knock, while skunks hunt for grubs below
Tiny sparks of life burrow in the earth and dance in the air

People help each other
People they know
And people they do not know

They set up funds, institutions, and ways of life to see to the care and shelter of others
For people they will never meet, for those who will come long after they have gone

Others have labored, and we have entered into their labors

Good is not the exception
We live in a very blessed world

We do not light a single lamp in the darkness
But add our light to the constellations lighting the sky

We do not sing alone in a vile place
But join the celestial chorus

There are those who do not hear
Who turn away
Who see the dark first, who struggle to pick out any good
Who cannot see how very blessed we are
Who cannot imagine the world of sharing that we really live in
And we must sing to them
And raise our light, our hearts

There is enough grace,

enough good,

… enough God for all of us

Raise your light!

God Is Not Alone

2008-04-10T07:41:00.001-04:00

God is not alone

God is with God’s self, a Trinity

God is with Creation, a vast Unity

God is with us all, an extensive Plurality

God is with the saints, a choir of Sanctity

God is in our homes, a member of our Family

God is with us each, in personal Fraternity

And we are with God

When we care

When we help

When we share

When we love

When we create

And when we show mercy

God is Love

And Love cannot exist alone

How Long?

2008-04-09T07:34:00.002-04:00

How long should a sermon be?
Sixty minutes? Forty? Three?

Should it explain ancient words?
Touch on Darfur, or the Kurds?

Should it tell a faith-filled story
Through anecdote or allegory?

How should it move the ones who listen?
Should they laugh, or should tears glisten?

Should it touch the heart, or brain?
Or remind us of the cross again?

A sermon should engage, not bore;
So we don’t drift off, or snore.

Doing all these things takes time;
Just look how it fills out my rhyme.

I hope the sermon’s short today;
I want to go outside, and play.

Post topic suggested in comment on prior post.

None are Unclean

2008-04-01T20:36:00.004-04:00

From Acts 11 NRSV:

Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air.

I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.”

But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.

At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.”

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’

Hinder not God, but treat all with fairness, favoring none, poor nor rich, weak nor strong, discerning not between the races, or the sexes, or by who was born of what parents. For all are called to be Children of God, and all are desired at the great feast.

Look at yourself, and see if you truly treat all alike, repent and turn to the way of God.

Peace,
LE

After John 20:19-31

2008-03-29T21:10:00.003-04:00

That Sunday they met in secret, locking the doors because they were afraid of further persecution. And as they were talking, Jesus appeared among them, and said “Peace be with you!” Some were full of joy, some were frightened, and many had trouble believing. But Jesus showed them his hands, and the wounds in them, and his side, where the spear had pierced him, and they believed and rejoiced.

And Jesus said “Peace be with you; As the Father has sent me, so I send you!” And he breathed on them, saying “Receive the Holy Spirit!”

But Tom was not there in the locked room where Jesus had appeared, and when he heard the story he said “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and touch them, and touch the wound in his side, I will not believe.”

So a week later, they were again in the house with the doors securely shut, and Tom was with them. And Jesus again appeared among them and said; “Peace be with you.”

Turning, he said to Tom: “See and touch me, touch my hands - and my side where I was pierced - do not doubt, but believe.”

And Tom grasped his hands and fell to his knees, gasping: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him: “Have you believed because you have seen? Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet still have come to believe.”

Peace
LE

What to Wear?

2008-03-29T08:25:00.005-04:00

When we go a feasting
We wonder what to wear
Which shoes go on our feet
If we should 'do' our hair

Is this a time for white
Or should we all wear black
Should we buff our buttons bright
Or could we wear a sack

When we enter in
If we aren't like the rest
We might feel singled out
The cuckoo in the nest

But some don't have the means
To buy a fancy suit
For them 'What to Wear'
The question is quite moot

So when we gather in
And hope that all will come
I'd like if we dressed humbly
Both rich and poor as one

And maybe the Lord God
Who forgives our sinfulness
Will value every single soul
No matter how we dress

Peace
LE

Blessing for a Non-Sectarian Wedding Feast

2008-03-21T09:40:00.004-04:00

This Good Friday, I had the pleasure to contribute a blessing for a wedding feast.

Somehow that feels particularly appropriate for the day when we commemorate the sacrifice of a man who often referred to himself as a groom.

The Prayer:

God, we thank you for bringing us here at this time, to share with friends and family the joyful wedding of N and M. May God continue to bless them, and work through their lives to make them, and the world a better and more loving place. God bless this meal before us, bless us as we share it, and continue to bless us as we travel and as we return to our individual lives. May the strength of N and M’s love inspire us each to a renewed commitment to each other – to live more kindly, to share more fully, and to love more passionately.

In God’s name we pray;

Peace,
LE

A Future Full of Stars

2008-03-19T09:15:00.005-04:00

Arthur C Clarke, father of the idea of communications satelites and the idea of of using geosynchronous orbits for them, prolific author, polio survivor, scuba diver, and environmentalist passed on to his reward at his home in Sri Lanka today. He was 90 years old.

Wikipedia has a fairly good article on his life, and the Fox has a decent write-up from AP. I suggest reading them, and thinking about this life, where it started with the "War to End all Wars", how it was changed by World War II, and how this man with an active mind re-tooled himself, several times, and helped to change the world.

For me this passing is a milestone. Clarke came from the world that was, and wrote about the world that he thought might come to be, some of which came to be, and some of which still might come to pass. The story of his life and how it wove into the movement of history reminds us that the journey continues, to this day, and that the future continues unfolding for us. Our job is to continue, to work to breathe life and love into it.

May we find that it is full of stars.

Peace,
LE

On Palm Sunday

2008-03-16T20:12:00.004-04:00

It’s the King!

The King is at the gates!

The King is just down the street!

The King claims He is One with God!

Blind people see!

Deaf people hear!

Run, Run and find him!

Praise him! Praise him!

Save! Jesus Save Us!

Save us from hunger!

Save us from oppression!

Save us from hardship!

Save us from pain!

Save us from difficulty!

Save Us!

Lead Us!

Be our King!

Topple the Government!

We will rise!

We will march!

We will fight!

Wait, he slips away…

He will not fight…

He will not confront…

He is… …he is arrested…

He goes meekly, like a lamb…

His disciples run like frightened children…

We are betrayed…

We remain oppressed…

We remain in hunger…

We remain in desperation…

But he said he was the One!

Jesus?

What to DO with Jesus?

The one who dashed our hopes?

The one who pretended to be the King?

The one who pretended to be GOD?

Crucify!

Crucify Him!

Hope for the Hopeless

2008-03-07T09:18:00.005-05:00

I found myself in a valley, and the floor of that valley was strewn with bones.

Human bones.

Dry, dusty, no life in them, nothing in them that anything could live on.

And a voice said to me: “Can these bones live?”

Live? They are the essence of death!

“Prophesy over these bones! They shall live!”
“Sinews shall grow, flesh and skin shall cover them, breath shall enter them and they shall live!”

So I spoke the word of the Lord, and flesh came upon the bones, and breath entered them, and they stood upon their feet, a living multitude.

And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD. -Ezekiel 37:1-14

Photo Credit Rob Wakefield

Here's Mud In Your Eye:

2008-03-03T08:18:00.006-05:00

100 Words on Dirt (John 9:1-11):

He rubbed dirt in his eyes!

What?

The man they are calling ‘Teacher’.

Oh, the new prophet-guy, Jesus. You said he put dirt in someone’s eyes?

Worse, he took dirt, he spit on it, made mud and rubbed it in this man’s eyes!

The man didn’t try to stop him?

No, No, he was blind.

What, it wasn’t bad enough that he was blind in the first place? Didn’t anyone else try to stop him?

No, we didn’t think of it – and it made him see!

He puts dirt in people’s eyes and makes them see; now that’s a miracle.

Peace,

Something Interesting to Look At

2008-02-21T21:01:00.005-05:00

I love it when creative people colaborate, and here is a wonderful example - Enjoy:

A peaceful Lent to you -

That Evening

2008-02-17T07:36:00.005-05:00

That evening, after it was dark, one of the chief men of the city came secretly to speak with him.
His name was Nicodemus, and after he had been welcomed, the two of them sat on a bench in the courtyard, with the stars glinting down at them, and a pleasant evening breeze carrying the smell of night-blooming flowers past. They do not speak rapidly, and although thoughtful, are casual with each other:

Nicodemus: Teacher, we know you are from God, because the signs you show us are the work of God, and no one could do them who is not with God.

Jesus: Yet none - no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.

Nicodemus: How can I be 'born again' - an old man like me? I certainly can't go climbing back into my mother's womb!

Jesus: No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of the water and the spirit - what is born of flesh is flesh, and what is born of spirit is spirit - this should not astonish you.

The spirit works differently from the way of the flesh - it is more like the wind, -we cannot tell where it comes from, or where it goes, but when it is blowing, we sure know it is there!

Nicodemus: I don't get it.

Jesus: Search your heart, and you will know what I say is true. Do you not teach as much in the temple?

I am telling you what we both know and have seen, ...and yet it is difficult for to recieve. If you cannot hear these things that we share, how will you accept what I have to tell you about heaven?

But I will tell you anyway - and I know this, because the Son has seen Heaven:

The Son of Man must be lifted up - just as Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, so that those who believe in him - whomever they are - may have eternal life.

This must happen because God loves the world, loves the world so much that he will give his only Son, so that everyone who belives in him will not die, but instead may have eternal life.

Mind you, God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that it might be saved.

And the nightengale sang, and the two talked late into the night as the perfume of the night blooming flowers drifted around them and the stars twinkled.

Tell Your Story

2008-02-12T09:56:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since the passing of Madeline L'Engle, but thoughts of her and her writing keep coming to mind, and so maybe, in this meditative season of Lent, contemplating the following words from this spiritual woman is appropriate:

“Why does anybody tell a story?” Ms. L’Engle once asked, even though she knew the answer.
“It does indeed have something to do with faith,” she said, “faith that the universe has meaning, that our little human lives are not irrelevant, that what we choose or say or do matters, matters cosmically.”

So, my guests and friends, share your stories. It will help us all, more than we can know.

Peace,
LE

All Lenten Thoughts

Carnival or Shrove Tuesday?

2008-02-05T08:57:00.000-05:00

Carnival has arrived this year wrapped in gauze.

Lent is early this year, arriving almost as early as it can, and today is Carnival.

And I don't feel festive.

Instead I feel in need of blankets and bandages.

Comfort and quiet.

Time to heal life's wounds.

Time to grow and seek quietly.

And so today's fog, the wet quietness of the day, the muffled shapes and sounds seem in tune with my mood.

A gauzey bandage over a bruised life.

A chance to heal.

A time of peace.

Today for me will be more of the 'Shrove Tuesday' than 'Carnival'.

Shrove Tuesday, when we confess our sins before our Lenten fast.

A time to confess and be healed.

May your Lent also start with the kind of day that you need.

LE

All Lenten Thoughts

ps: I am returning to rotating the meditation or antiphon that appears in this blog's description. I never intended to stop rotating it, but life got busy, and the one I had up seemed so appropriate; 'For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.'

pps: And look at the meditation that was up next: "I'm giving up being angry.". Great for the start of Lent, and great to follow my post 'The Others'. I think I smell the Holy Spirit in this...

Peace,
LE

The Others

2008-02-04T08:44:00.000-05:00

It seems like there are always 'others'.
Bad people, stupid people, ignorant people;
people we don't like;
People it is ok to hate.

Perhaps their last name is Clinton,
Or perhaps their last name is Bush;
Or Paul, or Kennedy, or Obama;

Or perhaps 'the others' are a race;
Or a belief;
Or a gender;
Or a sexual orientation;
Or a nationality;
Or a class or category.

We hate them, and everyone who likes them.
We hate what they represent.
We put bumper-stickers on our cars awash in hate or contempt;

We post vitrol on websites,
We wear buttons and T-shirts that drip anger, lies, and hatred.

We tell jokes that dehumanize;
We repeat slander;
We mock;
We make angry, racist, sexist, and paranoid comments.

We find it hard to relate to anyone who likes the other.
Who sees good in them.

We can't countenance a single good thought about them.

And this is unfair.

It is unfair to the other.
It is unfair to those who love or appreciate them.
It is unfair to the world of people who don't want to pass a litmus test to even speak to us.
Or who find that in our presence their speech must be censored.
And it is unfair to us ourselves - because hate blinds us to the truth.

And the truth usually lies in a third place,
Distant from the hills and trenches of our petty wars.
And it is to the truth that we must find our way.

If we can be honest with each other,
If we can hear the voice of the other and not blot it out,
Not block it out with hate;
Not ignore it.
Not censor it.
Not turn it off.
Not walk away.
If we can be in dialog with the other;

We will be wiser people.
We will be richer people.
We may be kinder people.
We may find better leaders.
We can step aside from our anger.
We can cease our fighting.

But first we need to open the gates of our heart and truly listen.
And open our minds to truly hear.

May We Find Peace
LE

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2008-02-03T08:23:00.001-05:00

Today is SO busy
There is Sunday School to plan
A fallen tree to chop up with a chainsaw. (This tree, in fact)

And blogs to add:

Welcome:
The Geranium Farm (Long overdue)
titusoneten (Returned from a long silence)
This Passage (Just discovered)

I hope to add more later today.

Forgive me for not posting more!

LE

Walking the Line

2008-01-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

A young man walks in the frigid early morning air along a disused railroad line.

His grey and white camoflage jacket is partly unzipped: more open than you would think reasonable given the temperature.
But perhaps he has been walking for a few minutes.

The rail line he is walking on probably stretches half a mile behind him before it touches another road, and I know that he has a little ways to go before hitting the next crossing.

No school lies in the direction he walks, but perhaps he is older than he seems to me, and walks to work, perhaps at a factory, hardware depot, or service firm - all of which lie along his path.

It is a bit countercultural to walk to work. Does he lack a car? Does he enjoy the exercise and encounters with wilderness along the way? I suspect this is more a pragmatic approach to his life than a choice, but bless him for it, and hope that he finds it a blessing;

Once I walked along the rails to work, and I found it a blessing...
...The deer who stand in the shadows;
...The skunks who greeted me on my way;
...The bunnies that lounged in dust baths and eyed me warily;
...The birds, singing and flying about;
...The life that we share;
...The peace in those places more secluded from the daily bustle.

Perhaps this is the best part of walking between the busy places in our lives: the moments of peace.

May you, also find peace between your busy moments, and the means to enjoy it.

LE

The Bread and the Wine

2008-01-20T17:03:00.000-05:00

Some reach for the cup
Others open their mouths, faithful that you will tip carefully
Some grasp the bottom of the cup
And control the tip
Some just sip, so timidly that you wonder if they received
Others manhandle the cup and take a significant helping

Some raise their hands for the bread
But many, many leave their hands low
Their hands cupped, almost closed
You must reach down
Reach in
And place the bread inside their hands
Like a seed within a pod
Like a child within a womb
Encourage them to take, to taste

The wine seems more welcome than the bread
Perhaps the wine is like the spirit
The blessings of the spirit
Heady, inspiring, and lifting
And the bread is like the body
Reminding us of our mortality
Of our flesh, and its failings
Of our suffering, of our limitations

Or maybe we want to sense the physicality of the bread
To have it thrust upon us
To have God reach out to us
Touch us in our mortal life
We need the thrust, the touch, the impinging of God upon us

Perhaps this is why
It feels like I must give the bread
But that the wine
People are eager to receive

May you find that God reaches out to you
And that you are much beloved.

-LE

A brief flash of consolation

2008-01-11T22:29:00.000-05:00

A brief flash of consolation
Is worth months and months of pain
When God bends down to be near us
As He does now and again

Or, is it that in peaceful moments
When our minds slow down
We can notice Divine presence
And we know that God bends down

If we make it to that country
Where we walk in endless light
Then we'll know true consolation
And see Love in all its might

Work to be worthy of that city
Where the very plainest can
Dine at table with Life's master
And help work the Divine plan

That great city has so much joy
It would make the nations cry
We can glimpse it where we're standing
We do not have to die

There every beggar is annointed
(Kings wear no crowns at all)
There the humblest and the smallest
Feel as if they're ten feet tall

There all the troubles that we teethed on
And all the locust stole
Are restored, repaid and healed
We will be made more than whole

There the ending and beginning
Are knit joyfully to one
Errors, missteps, pain and shortfalls
Are completed and are done

Pray to see that holy city
Work to make it here
It is worth our minor troubles
To see our God bends near

Peace,
LE

Diggin

2008-01-10T01:09:00.000-05:00

Do you have anything for me today, Lord?
Something in your sack?
Some miracle for me Lord?
Something to bring my cheer back?

I don’t want to dig all my life, Lord,
Don’t want to dig and hew
Don’t want to labor for the taskmaster, Lord,
Isn’t there anything you can do?

I owe my life to the government, Lord
And the banks stole it all away
I never agreed to sell my freedom, Lord
I never gave it away

Find me where I am working, Lord
Kuz they won’t let me stop
Find me where I am slaving, Lord
Working on the job

I’ll be digging for your glory, Lord
I’ll be digging for Love
I’ll be telling my story, Lord
And dreaming of heaven above

May all your dreams be peaceful and happy,
Even if your life is less cooperative.

Some Bible Quotes on Baptism

2008-01-06T08:41:00.000-05:00

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:

Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Mark 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto [them] all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

John 1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

John 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Peace,

LE

Justice and Mercy

2008-01-05T09:19:00.000-05:00

We are called to do justice, show mercy
This calling requires great strength
Wringing our hands will help no one
We must both speak loudly and act
Words without actions mean little
Oppression ignores empty words
We are called to do justice, show mercy
We must not be silent and still

The Grace of Baptism

2008-01-04T22:32:00.000-05:00

I like baptism
I like the gathering of the community
I like the approach, the welcoming of the candidates
I like the blessing of the water
I like the vows taken by and for the candidates
I like the ritual of washing
I like the symbolism of immersion
I like the unity of the body of Christ in the church.

But baptism is a peculiar thing
We do it once
We do it for others
And not for ourselves

Baptism is the Rubicon of Christianity
Once done, we have crossed over
We belong
We are sealed as belonging to Christ

Baptism is a sacrament to many Christians

An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.

The sign is the wetting, the bathing, the annointing, ...and the grace?

The grace is the forgiveness of sins available to the repentant Christian through Jesus Christ.

And perhaps this is the forgotten beauty of baptism: not its celebration of becoming a member of the body, not the spiritual vows made to actively seek to turn from evil, -these are outward signs- but the initial recognition that we are all in need of perfection, that we all have stumbled, that we all need forgiveness, and that in particular the candidate is recognizing his or her errors, and is formally repenting and seeking forgiveness.

And perhaps this is what Jesus brought to baptism that it did not have before: the authority to say:

"Rise and walk, for your sins are forgiven you."

Rise and walk, and if you stumble, pick yourself up, and walk again.

May you, dear reader, also Rise and Walk

Peace,
LE

frosty filigree

2008-01-03T21:23:00.000-05:00

A fantastic frosty filigree has silently decorated my window while I slept.

Now the sun catches the twisting tiny twirls of tinsel that have grown there, sparkling and glinting as if dotted with diamonds.

I am glad that I am inside to enjoy the beauty in a warm place.

May you have a warm place to shelter in your cold days also.

After The Fifth Psalm

2008-01-02T09:25:00.000-05:00

Hear my cry, O Lord
May my sighs arouse your mercy
Hear me, help me Lord
Let my morning prayer incite you

Evil is not of you
You overturn all it's schemes
You expose it's lies
It cannot abide your judgement

Killers you bring down
Decievers are reduced to shame
Their sins are exposed
You abhor them and bring them down

But the good you love
And the repentant they are blessed
Welcomed to your house
Worshiping you in your temple

Lead me O my Lord
Lead me in your great righteousness
Straightly in your paths
Help me to walk in your favor

My foes surround me
They lie constantly against me
Declare them guilty
Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Against you they rebel
But let your servants find great joy
All your faithful, bless
Let those who love you sing for joy

God blesses the good
God sheilds them within his strong wings
They pray not in vain
Their souls lie safe within his hand

So

2007-12-31T14:25:00.000-05:00

So:

If we don't have sin from Adam,
Or Cain, or from the Jews;
If we are not corrupted
Then why is Christ good news?

Why did God come to us
Why did he have to die?
Does tossing out original sin
Make Christian faith a lie?

Christ was not big on judging
He did not tally sin
He did not judge between us
Did not say; "You aren't in!"

He was named; 'God is with us';
And he said; "The kingdom's near";
He said to love each other
As our God holds us each dear

He said to treat each other
As we'd like, if we were they
He named us sisters, brothers;
These are the things he'd say

So why did Jesus come to us?
To show that God is near;
To show God's great love for us;
To make God's message clear.

And why the cross and calvary?
Why did Christ have to die?
To show how much God loved us
To draw to God each eye.

So let's learn to love each other;
Let us be calm and kind
Let's leave old wrongs and grudges
In the dust behind

Let's live through Christ's commandment;
To love each other well,
So that when some person meets us;
That we're Christian, they can tell.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T07:12:00.000-05:00

Crack your eyes
Slippers on feet
Get some coffee
A bite to eat

Exchange cards
Open gifts
While outside
Snow swirls and drifts

Today no work
Today for fun
Today for love
For God's true Son

Merry merry
Be of good cheer
Happy happy
Christmas is here!

His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful

2007-12-22T07:04:00.000-05:00

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.

For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

-NRSV Isaiah 9, 1a-7

After The Fourth Psalm

2007-12-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

God of my strength
Answer my call!
You sheltered me
When I was hurt
Be kind to me
And hear my prayer

I am Ashamed
Held in contempt
Truth matters not
When men seek lies
Raise me back up
Save me from shame

My God has set
His folk apart
He hears our cry
When we suffer

Hard times should not
Cause us to sin
Stop, pray and think
Pause and reflect
Do what is right
Before the Lord

These times are hard
And long and cruel
O that we might
See better times!
But shine upon
Us Lord and God
And we will be
Glad beyond cause

I will lie down
And sleep in peace
God guards my soul
God gives me peace

After The Third Psalm

2007-12-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

Many are against me
Many rise to harm me
They mock my faith
They tease and taunt:
Where is your Savior now?

They ask where is my help.
But it is with me still.
God stands by me
In good and bad
My sheild and advocate

My God lifts up my head
Assures me of His love
God honors me
And comforts me
And answers all my prayers

God watches when I sleep
Sustains me so I wake
How should I fear
Ten thousand men
When my God holds me dear

Arise my Lord I pray
Deliver me from woe
Unseat my foes
And save my life
And wipe away my tears

God, bless the saints with love
Restore them by your hand
Show all the world
Your saving love
So they can understand

A Winter Faith

2007-12-18T23:09:00.000-05:00

Cruel wintry winds
Howl, hiss and blow
Across the ice
Over the snow

Bare trees poke up
No life is seen
The ice gives all
A glassy sheen

Nothing moves
Lest blown about
High up above
Cold stars are out

Your face is numb
Your fingers chill
Breath a brief cloud
And all is still

Below the snow
Below the ice
In buried peace
Lie seeds and mice

Fish dream fish dreams
Deep in the ponds
While cruel winds whip
The cattail fronds

Chipmunks sleep tight
And dream of sun
Of nuts and grain
Of chipmunk fun

Down in the mud
The frogs all sleep
Turtles mark time
In burrows deep

Warmth will return
The ice will go
And life will rise
And water flow

Snow drops will leap
Out of their grave
Then crocuses;
These plants are brave

The buds will swell
And burst and bloom
The earth will shed
This wintry gloom

But bravest, first
Sign of the mild
The Christmas birth;
The holy Child

Reminding us
This wintry strife
Lies briefly over
Our vibrant life

From out of dark
Comes life and light
Showing us God's
Power and might.

Perhaps on a similar note: The Winter of Contentment

Dreaming of the Father

2007-12-14T00:12:00.000-05:00

I dreampt that I was a father,
An adoptive father,
Posessed of a particular race,
A race different than my usual;
And that I had seven adopted children,
Of all different races,
At first I was suprised,
That I had adopted so many children, and that I had dared to adopt children of other races;
But then I saw what a joy and wonder it was;
and how full of love we were;
I saw that it was good in a profound way;
And very, very right.

Happy Dreams
LE

Jesus The Small and Meek

2007-12-13T00:12:00.000-05:00

Tonight, the television showed me a person going into a church.

The person was shown moving up an aisle, with chairs stretching wide on either side. The church was huge. The next shot showed someone praying, eyes closed, from the level of the prayer's face.

You could see the first person approaching from behind, but barely could pick out the back wall, which ascended out of view.

Finally, the shot looking forward. The two people are small figures, dwarfed, like the seats and everyone there, by the immense wall with it's giant, resplendent, red-robed Jesus.

Which is wrong.

Way I hear it, Jesus wasn't that tall, and didn't go in for robes, or making people feel small.

His idea of worship was a few people gathering and talking about God, some prayer, a blessing and a spot to eat and drink, oh, and a psalm to end the meal.

The whole point of Jesus, it seems to me, is his approachability.

God came to be with us, as one of us. Not as a giant, red-robed, inscrutiable vision, but as a friend and counselor, who would have a bite with you, tell you a story, and be with you no matter how mean your estate.

I don't mean to De-God Jesus. By no means. My point is Jesus is the God who loves us so much that he takes on our very matter and life, and lives as us.

So take heart: no matter how small and fallible you are, Jesus is coming to meet you. And you'll be able to look him in the eyes.

Peace
LE

I originally titled this post 'Jesus the small' but then I got thinking of Dorothy's line from 'The Wizard of Oz'...