plastic moment

now that it is almost October
I decided to finally take down the spring wreath
hanging on my porch wall
and put up a more seasonal fall one

to my surprise
I found a nest had been carefully built into the top of the wreath

this wreath that is very colorful
but absolutely false
plastic
and fake
and it reminded me how discerning we must be
about the place where we give birth
to the things of the Spirit

things can look real
smell real
feel real
and yet be totally false

scripture warns us about casting our pearls .............

if the babe in your womb
does not leap
when you are with the people who surround you
you are surrounded
by the wrong people

hidden moment

there is a light
hidden inside
each candle

hug moment

there are times
words not only aren't necessary
aren't needed
aren't wanted
times only a touch will do

and sometimes
that touch
is a hug

there are hugs
and there are hugs

last Saturday
I was hugged
by a gentle man from Australia

it was a beautiful hug
a totally asexual hug
a heart hug

it was a safe hug

I was hugged

and today
such a difficult day
filled with such difficult news
it was the echo of that hug
that carried me through

fickle moment

hope and despair
peace and angst
like dancing with a fickle lover

wind moment

the wind
singing
calling
wooing
causing fingers of water
to lift up
and reach out in anticipation

the wind
glorious in its dance
then suddenly gone
leaving only the echo of its sigh
as a remnant upon the land

value moment

those who know the exact price of things
often don't know the true cost
or value
of anything

midnight moment

the supply of Bread
the fullness of the Spirit
comes on the other side of midnight

writing moment

writing is sitting at the keyboard
and
opening a vein

peace moment

at dinner last evening with some friends
there was talk of "church" things ........
and I was reminded of a statement
made by Jean Vanier in a recent series of lectures -

"a modest proposal for peace:
that Christians around the world would stop killing one another"

we don't shoot many bullets against one another on this side of the world
but a critical word
snide remark
a word of judgement
pierces deeper than any bullet
leaving a scar that wounds for years

its echo can reverberate loudly in our hearts for a very long time

passion moment

how many have allowed their passion
to be replaced
by achieving position

recover moment

you must recover your
NO
before you can exercise your
YES

conundrum moment

what does one do
when a friend
is about to make a huge mistake

it is so true -
"love is blind"

something happens to discernment
wisdom
caution

we are able to convince ourselves all is good
when other eyes see opposite

do we blind ourselves
or are we blinded

is it the longing of our hearts
that pulls the shade down over our eyes
and a comforter over our discernment

to speak
or
not to speak

that is the question
the age old conundrum

the cop out answer is
"just pray"

and of course prayer is a huge part of this
but sometimes a spoken word of caution is necessary ..........

knowing the spoken word will not be wanted
and probably not received
and so a relationship is then damaged

the risk is huge

blind moment

rejected light
increases blindness

voice moment

emotions
are the cry
that
gives the heart
a voice ..........

scent moment

when your life has become most frantic
when fear and worry have made their home in you
and anxiety attends your days
may there come from somewhere
the scent of pomegranate and cedar
apple and myrrh
cinnamon
frankincense
and fig

family moment

only when we have the courage to cross the street
and look in one another's eyes
can we see there
that we are children of the same God
and members of the same human family

Henri Nouwen

orphan moment

"Sons are teachable, orphans are not. Orphans earnestly desire some spiritual achievement and distinction and are willing to achieve it, they have a desire to be seen and counted among the mature. Sons are content simply to experience daily the Fathers love and acceptance and be sent as a representative of His love to family and others."

Jack Frost "Slavery to Sonship"

running moment

there is a little boy
who still loves to run
inside every man
no matter his age

stump moment

a few years ago
I came across a magnificent children's book
called "The Giving Tree"
written by Shel Silverstein

I knew immediately God was speaking to me
through these words ........
but it is only recently
that I am gaining some understanding

the story basically is about a tree
who gives itself away
piece by piece
because of love

the time eventually comes
when the tree believes it has nothing left to give
no branches
no shade
no fruit
no body

and yet
this tree
now only a stump
discovers that a stump still can give

this stump is able to provide a place of rest
enough strength remaining to enable someone to lean against

most of us reach a stump phase in our lives
wondering if there is anything left to give
feeling somewhat set aside
forgotten

having recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease
which has caused my body to be at war with itself
I find this story even more poignant
and even more comforting

right now in an acute phase of this disease
having difficulty with mobility
not able to even hold a coffee cup with one hand
(necessitating becoming a two fisted drinker!)
thinking a lot before attempting anything
this old stump is privileged to provide a place of rest
for those who are weary
for those who need to lean a bit
for those who simply need a spot to "be"

at the lake last week
I came across a stump
down by the water

a stump of a long dead cedar
that had to be cut down years ago
before it fell on someone

this old old stump
has a tiny sprout of green life
birthing from it

what many would pass by
seeing only death
those who walk slowly
would see life

Vanier moment

To look forward, to want life, means we have to be willing to look backwards and become more conscious of all those who have hurt us, all that is broken in us and that has brought us inner deaths, hurts that we may have hidden and stifled. It means that we acknowledge the story of our origins, of our own lives, see and accept our brokenness and the times we also have hurt others. When we have accepted who we are and what we need in order to grow in compassion and peacemaking, we can move forward to give life. To forgive is a gift of God that permits us to let go of our past hurts.

Jean Vanier