What I Need to Walk this Path

It’s getting dark, there’s no light on the path. I stumble and fall. I shouldn’t have left my best flashlight back there in the hall. I look all over for something to eat—forgot to bring lunch!My stomach rumbles and grumbles complaintwith nothing to munch.So now my strength is wilting away,with no energy stored.Then I hearContinue reading “What I Need to Walk this Path”

At Home

more and more at home he is entering with glad assurance no longer knocking wondering if I will see him as interruption intrusion guest who puts me on my toesmy best behavior politenesswith an edge of tensionwhisking litter out of sightswabbing the sinkshutting a bedroom doormessout of sightout of mind?I used to make sureI paidContinue reading “At Home”

Made to Bear Fruit

Chosen: before you spoke the world, the sky, humanity into beingRescued: from my rotting self and destiny of darkness, loss, eternal deathGifted: to do my special part in this Body, your Family, for your purposesSent: to bring the news about the Rescuer to others still hopelessPlanted: just where you want me rooted in your loveContinue reading “Made to Bear Fruit”

For the Joy Set Before Him

He knew where he was going when he rode into the City of Peace that received him with such welcome: shouts of joy based on false expectations,praise that would dissolve to bitternesswhen his peace was not what they’d hoped for.He knew that they would turn on him,following their leaders, men jealousof his power and risingContinue reading “For the Joy Set Before Him”

Craving Joy

When sorrow sits heavy on my soul I want to remember to go deep, stretch down to my foundations, touch the joy that lies there, waiting, holding on. It’s easy to forget, to wallow in the mud that seems pervasive, heavy, dark. But my Mentor has been nourishing my roots, plunging them yet furtherinto theContinue reading “Craving Joy”

Poured Out

I pour out my heart before you and there it lies, a puddle in your golden bowl: scent of sorrow, undertone of angst. You swirl the mixture deftlyand I see the colors whirlto form a spiral carousel:black of blindness, counterpoint of pearlwith an interplay of scarlet(all the dreams I’ve hadnow seasoned and remadeinto a fragrantContinue reading “Poured Out”

Unnamed but Chosen

She lived in a land of darkness oppressed by cruel foreigners. She carried deep personal shame: “barren” was her common name. No hope for a descendant! No sign she could conceive! Her husband had not spurned her,his name must have consoled her:“place of rest: Manoah.” So she was quick to tell himthat a God-sent messengerhadContinue reading “Unnamed but Chosen”

Tangible Intangibles

to grasp the love that cannot be held to know the love that cannot be known to be rooted in love that sent God’ Chosen to die by torture yes, even this is possible although incomprehensibleeven this can be accomplished although never finishedeven this will be my goal although it hangs on things yet unseenIContinue reading “Tangible Intangibles”

The Cleansing

I stand in the wind while it whips along, plastering my body with fine dust, the powdered aftermath of life and death and thirsty earth.Deadwood and seedpodshit the roof, my legs. Birds of prey swoop overheadlooking for the innocent,uncovered, to devour.O Wind of God,protect your own.Hover over, cover us.Breath of Life, strengthen us.Heart of Sun,Continue reading “The Cleansing”

The God Who Parts Waters

The river ahead is at flood stage, water spilling over the edges and onto the shore sand all around, no way to cross, full of sledge. The other side is out of sight. We’ve been stranded three days, waiting for word: what’s next?Now Joshua tells us to break camp.We priests must carry the ark aheadandContinue reading “The God Who Parts Waters”