in their shoes

not my words today, but His as I opened my journal to listen--

walk in their shoes

or lack of

right now

to gain empathy

to hear 

My heart

be open to learn

be open to feel

accepting emptiness

gives me space

to fill

that is where

the joy goes

the pub is open again, I'm hanging out with the poets
 

Knocking down mountains

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
Psalm 121:1-2 The Message

I have looked to mountains
created mountains
sought support and encouragement there.
Am I smart enough? Am I warm enough? Do I have and use the gifts God gave me?
Am I clever?  Am I wise?  Do I have enough empathy?
Do I go to the Source with my questions and insecurities?
Sometimes.  But too often I turn to my mountains.
And here, where I crawl out of my cave
and pray for boldness to (as Billy Coffey said) write naked
and live with transparent integrity
with my words from the inside out
I have looked to the mountains of comments, mentions,
tweets, and retweets
to tell me I'm okay
soaking in that affirmation
like drinking from the wrong well

For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all! Jeremiah 2:13 NLT

So today, the encouragement I seek
the encouragement I need
is that you would help me
shatter the mountains
and direct me back to my Lord
the lover of my soul
my thirst quencher

and if I see you
looking up to the mountains
I'll do the same for you.




Jamming with Bonnie where we're taling about the need for encouragement

Dry eyes

Image via Wikipedia

For the last little while I've been having trouble with my right eye.  I am continually wiping away clear strings of matter that annoy me and sometimes blur my vision.  Wondering what was going on, I googled the problem.

It seems that the cause could be infection or some sort of allergy, resulting in an eye that is too dry.  Eye drops were the solution of choice.  Artificial tears.  We had drops in the medicine cabinet and I have been using them.

Yesterday, with my emotions touched by one thing or another, I began to weep.  As the water flowed from my eyes, I blinked.  The tears were soothing, refreshing.

Like a slap in the face, it hit me.  I don't need artificial tears.  I need real tears.

I am one who is known for crying, and we keep a box of tissues in every room of our house.  But in that moment I realized that for some reason, lately the release of tears has been blocked for me.

So I pray for true weeping, Lord, moved by joy or sorrow or both.  Let my eyes and my spirit be washed in what is real and what is true.

Snowblind

Image via Wikipedia 

 

Environment Canada predicted
only 5 centimeters of snow
a mere 2 inches
more or less
but who ever trusts
a forecast?

The falling was scattered
light, continuous
sun muffled
clouded skies
an appropriate backdrop
for the funeral
I set out to attend.

(I can't, in fact, recall any funeral days that have been bright.  As if God Himself weeps in loss)

I myself am not grieving
but intended my presence to be
a sign of support for a friend
a family
who will miss their mother
no matter how expected
was her passing.

I wished to be obedient to the Word
that speaks of compassion

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn Romans 12:15 NIV

I set out
down our country lane
where even such scant accumulation
created havoc with my vision
and unable to discern
what was road or field
my progress was tentative.

Empathy drove me forward
nervously to the highway
where wisdom
prevailed and turned me back
toward home.

Snowblind, I prayed
that the God of all comfort
would grant peace
to those who gathered
and arriving safely
in our yard
took a long, deep swallow
of that comfort for myself.