dance moment

allow my hands Lord to feel new life
under the rubble of death and destruction
let my fingers feel a faint pulse of hope
my ears hear a faint whisp of breath
my eyes see a flickering flame
let my soul finds its feet
and my spirit its rhythm
to dance once more with You

opening moment

unforgiveness

opens the door

to the trojan horse

of bitterness

earthquake moment

this past week or so has been filled with earthquakes..........
what is happening in Haiti has filled the tv screens
the news print
the internet
and for sure has filled my heart
so much death
so much destruction
so much falling down
so much missing

I found it fascinating watching and listening to the dude on the news
who explained why and how it all happened
explained about the shifting plates
about the fault lines
the rubbing together
the shifting sideways of the bottom of the ocean
well below
well hidden from all eyes

this had to happen
nothing could stop it

the only question was when it would happen
and how much death would result

and my eyes
and my ears
and my heart
are filled with the cries of the living
and the cries of the dead
and the cries of the rubble littered land

this land that stole my heart years ago

and then this week
another earthquake
caused by another hidden fault line
another shifting of the land
causing death
and destruction
and a tumbling down

not a destruction of a country
but a destruction of much soil
his soil
her soil
the soil of their children
the soil of hope
of life
of dreams

and as in Haiti
many people buried in the rubble
in this too
many are buried in the rubble

those who come out alive
will be forever changed
might never again fully alive ............

and I fear some may not come out at all alive

and my eyes
and my ears
and my heart
are filled with the cries of the dead
and the cries of the not quite living

and I am filled with the sight of the rubble
the falling down
because of a hidden fault line
that shifted

and I realize that I too am under the rubble of this right now
and I so desire to come out alive
fully alive
but right now
there is a lot of death
the smell of all that has died is very strong .........

and I feel I might drown
because my mouth is filled
with the salt
of an ocean of unshed tears

my spirit feels defiled
simply by the knowledge
of all the winds of this particular earthquake

this is horrible
and no pretending it is not

boats and storms moment

2 boats
2 storms

the disciples in their boat
doing what Jesus had asked them to do
crossing to the other side
Jesus was asleep in the stern of their boat
a storm rose up
fear entered in
they forgot Who was in their boat
until they woke Him, suggesting He had forgotten them
He spoke
the storm ended

Jonah
in a boat
running from what God had asked him to do
running from Ninevah
to Tarshish
where one can "have a religious career
without having to deal with God"
(Eugene Peterson)
a storm came up
fear entered in
Jonah was tossed from the boat
the storm ended

Jesus slept
He had authority over the storm

Jonah did not

Jesus did only what His father asked of Him
Jonah ran from what his Father asked of Him

Jesus was obedient
Jonah was rebellious

2 different storms
2 different boats
2 different outcomes

who is in the boat of my life with me
whose boat am I in
do I have authority over the storms of my life

and then there is the ark
and Noah
who listened to God
and obeyed
he survived the waters .......

it is important who we are yoked with
who we bring into our boat
who rides the waves with us

is there someone in my boat
causing the storm

or only the One
who rules the storm

thoughts triggered by Martha's writing
on the Separator

dedication moment

A Prayer of Dedication

Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work
my feet to go your way
my eyes to see as you do
my tongue to speak your words
my mind that you may think in me
my spirit that you may pray in me.
Above all,
I give you my heart
that you may love in me your Father and all mankind,
I give you my whole self
that you may grow in me,
so that it is you,
Lord Jesus,
who live
and work
and pray in me

Lancelot Andrewes. (1555-1626)