30 November 2013

The River

I find myself drawn to The River. 
With its beauty and power, 
The River calls to me. 
The River can be known but not fully. 
Therein lies the mystery. 
The River has a voice, 
and I love the way it sounds.

may my heart slow
to quiet
so that I might hear
His whisper
peace, be still
still
.  
seeking still with Sandy

 

29 November 2013

first glance

time once again seems to have donned wings
was it already a week ago
that I caught my first glance
of the river?

here
back in the chill winds
my spirit whispers
change
in ways I don't yet understand

something caught
held, reflected
by water I have not
touched or tasted
but breathed

 

27 November 2013

calling Your children

While digging through stacks of old papers, in the process of cleaning I uncovered a scrap.
Lyrics to a song that has no melody but rhythm that resonates in my spirit.
Now that I have reclaimed it perhaps music will come forth.

You Are calling Your children to draw closer
You will gather us together
to sit around Your throne
You desire us all to linger in Your presence
You Are glory
You Are shelter
You Are home

You Are what we cry for
a love we've never known
all we've ever needed
is You and You alone

and yes, we will dance
when You ask us to dance
and yes, we will sing out Your name
our Father
our Savior
the Spirit of life
forever and ever the same

Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. 
Give it plenty of room in your lives. 
Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. 
And sing, sing your hearts out to God! 
Let every detail in your lives
—words, actions, whatever—
be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, 
thanking God the Father every step of the way

26 November 2013

renewal

time crushes, demands 
more than it gives
harsh wind pulling
away from my source
too much not enough
left me hard, brittle
disconnected

the call was thin, almost 
too quiet to hear
come away

leaving snow
and static behind
to breathe, washed 
by steady rain
heart pores open
made supple once more



finding my place elbow to elbow with the other poets today

 

19 November 2013

unplugged

retreat, an act of 
withdrawing
a move toward
peace
slowing, stopping
seeking shelter

I am giving up
giving in
to silence, surrender
three nights
four days away
in the company of other
hungry hearts

my fingers tremble
on these keys
feeling the need for them
so deep
that I know
retreat is called for
even here

this laptop
this connection
will be left behind
that I might find
connection
of a richer kind


hanging out at the pub with the poets tonight

16 November 2013

light source

The sun shall no more be your light by day, 
nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you, 
but the Lord shall be to you an everlasting light, 
and your God your glory and your beauty. 

singing with Deidra and the Sunday choir

 

packing light

My life is the story of a man 
who always wants to carry too much. 
My spiritual quest is the painful process 
of learning to let go of things not essential. 
reallivepreacher.com weblog

as I prepare for a time of retreat
I desire to pack light
to carry less
so my hands are free to grab
whatever He offers

 I want to live
with open hands
and an open heart
 letting go
to lean in to Him
waiting in the quiet with Sandy

15 November 2013

the corner tree

when I try to catch the changing light
or the wind in photos
the variable texture of life here
the tree on the corner is there
posing, announcing home
there, where the road curves
where we begin to leave our land
it stands 
sunrise to sunset
almost, but not quite hidden 
in fog
branches waving goodbye as we go
and welcoming us as we return
not very large
or particularly beautiful
but familiar

the day is coming
when we will take that curve
a final time
moving toward trees of a different sort
baobabs, palm, African teak

and I will be grateful
for photo memories
digital eternity

Five Minute Friday

I'm linking to Lisa-Jo to talk about the word tree

 

14 November 2013

all my colours

one week
seven days 
in the pre-dawn hours
I will step into a airplane in Winnipeg
and after a brief stop in Chicago to change planes
(impossible to think that was home for forty-three years)
I will step out in the Texas air, alone
to meet friends
unknown in the flesh
yet in deeper ways fully recognized
all they have is words I have shared
years of my heart bleeding here on screen
exposing all my colours
at the same time
instead of taking the path
both easier and more complex
of trying to change 
showing one shade at a time
to fit, blend in
or disappear into the background

am I nervous at this?
remarkably so
remind me then, Lord
my approval comes from You alone
and all the rest?
sweet icing on the bread

next week, by the Frio
when we all see each other 
heart to heart
eye to eye
face to face
I pray we will see You shining


 
jamming with Bonnie today

 

13 November 2013

reflect and shine

Do you ever wonder if you possess anything useful to God's Kingdom?
I do. So I asked -
what have I to offer Lord to You and to the world?

I opened my journal and my heart to hear His reply:

Your willing heart and your availability are a gift to Me.

As you surrender and allow Me to do as I will, it matters not at all what you have for I Am able to use what I have, in you, through you.

It is your capacity to be empty.
To retain this gift you must release all pride.
Knowing it was Me Who stooped low, it was Me Who reached high.

Never claim a bit of the glory as your own.
Reflect and shine.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.[a] This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT


walking with Emily in imperfection

 

12 November 2013

warm side of the glass

on the warm side
of the glass I am
holding fast against
the wind
symphony of knocks
whistles, cries
leaves dance mid air
as branches crack
splinter on the narrow road
covered far too soon
with snow


hanging out with the poets today

 

09 November 2013

new snow

Whose woods these are I think I know.   
His house is in the village though;   
He will not see me stopping here   
To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   
To stop without a farmhouse near   
Between the woods and frozen lake   
The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   
To ask if there is some mistake.   
The only other sound’s the sweep   
Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.   
But I have promises to keep,   
And miles to go before I sleep,   
And miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost

I am finding rest 
in the silence and the beauty
of His new fallen snow
smoothing rough edges
coating the world with fresh
 
finding the stillness with Sandy
 

08 November 2013

truth in weather

morning dawned remarkable
fuchsia streaking light
soon the sky was littered with flurries
did one option better display His glory
simply because I preferred it?

would I deny the truth
of His creation, His control
as the weather shifts
in ways not to my liking?

the rain is His
as much as the sun
the brittle winds
blowing at His command

the ground is covered white
yet there is beauty here

Five Minute Friday 
joining Lisa-Jo talking about truth

 

07 November 2013

come away

in the early morning hours
while the world is yet asleep
there is a voice that whispers
deep calling to deep
come away My beloved
come away with Me

I crawled out of bed earlier than usual today.  I have neglected my journaling time with Jesus. I knew it was time to rekindle my desire to listen when He spoke these words into my spirit:

Would you hear what I hear?  Then listen.  There is too much noise of the world screaming into your spirit, clamouring for your attention, flash and splash and glitter.

Come away.  In the quiet, by My side.  Realign your heartbeat.

You dreamed of visiting a type of church, a place of beauty.  Photos were not allowed and all at once you understood - it was a place of holiness that could not be sullied or captured in worldly ways.

I have set you apart.  Don't allow the world to change that call.

 

06 November 2013

thanks for all

I woke this morning singing 
words arising from my spirit
without forethought
words of adoration, words of praise
words of gratitude
I thanked Him
for love, for light, for life
I thanked Him
for His plans, His purposes
and continuing on
I even sang thanksgiving for pain
knowing I may be crushed
but never, no never destroyed

I woke this morning singing
words of adoration, words of praise
words of gratitude

We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 The Message

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV

walking with Emily in imperfection

 

05 November 2013

the bent I

I am re-reading, slowly, a little gem of a book titled The Calvary Road by Roy Hession
To be broken is the beginning of Revival. It is painful, humiliating, but it is the only way. It is being "Not I, but Christ” (Gal 2:20), and a "C" is a bent "I." The Lord Jesus cannot live in us fully and reveal Himself through until the proud self within us is broken. This simply means that the hard unyielding self, which justifies itself, wants its own way, stands up for its rights, and seeks its own glory, at last bows its head to God's will, admits its wrong, gives up its own way to Jesus, surrenders its rights and discards its own glory - that the Lord Jesus might have all and be all. In other words it is dying to self and self-attitudes. 
strip away
layer upon layer
ashes and dust
scattering
and still
too much of me 
remains weary of the I 
stiff, hard, straight
aching deep
to be pliable
yielding
forgetting
to be bent
I must be 
broken

hanging out with the poets today

 

02 November 2013

Send me

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” 
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”


Deidra is back and I'm rejoicing with the Sunday choir

 

know and be known

There have been many words this week
blogged confessions
about the two sided coin
of pride and shame
wanting to be seen
wanting to be known
social networks filled
with virtual head nodding
sighs, tears, hearts
on sleeves

I surprised myself
with an unusual choice
to remain silent
exposing fragile emotions
not to the world
not to myself
but to the One
Who formed me

His reply was swift
and brief

be still
know and be known
let My glory be revealed


finding the still place with Sandy