Shining Spirit

Sight unseen and yet everywhere.
If I cannot see it, is it not there?
So often my eyes are not able to see
the Presence that dances and swirls around me.
Is it Love that fans the flame in my heart?
From where did it come? When did it start?
Why are there days when I feel so alone,
my heart is heavy, the weight of a stone.

Sight unseen and yet everywhere.
The Mystery moves on a longing prayer,
hands raised to God, my desperate plea.
It’s then I sense something close to me
like a warm wool blanket on a cold winter night.
I am held by arms beyond human sight.
A new heart beats within my chest,
courage, like a shield, confronts the test.

Like a child who sits on her mother’s lap,
curls up, contented, for an afternoon nap,
I trust in that which I cannot see
for at times it is so real to me.
So real that I could touch and feel
the hand in mind, love now revealed
in the sweet taste of life, Spirit air.
It takes eyes of the heart to see God everywhere.

Skyshapes. Celestial art. Creative imagination.

Gratitude

And a prayer went out and a prayer went up

and it circled the earth until entering space,

a single prayer, a request from the heart,

a plea for God’s wisdom, a measure of grace.

And it raced past the planets and it swerved through the stars

bound for the blackness of deep outer space

where cold stellar winds and silence prevail,

a dark, foreboding, lifeless place.

The prayer found its way through chaos and calm

when in the far distance a small speck of light

shuddered as comets pulled their long tails

across the darkest part of the night.

When finally the prayer found its way to the place

where moons and planets all intersect,

the crossroads where life began long ago

she paused, not knowing what next to expect.

Come in, little prayer; you’ve flown a long way.

Come rest, catch your breath; sit close by my side.

Please tell me the reason you’ve come so far.

Nothing you ask will be denied.

It was then little prayer revealed the request.

Wisdom, dear God, and a measure of grace.

And she knew in a moment all would be well,

by the kindness expressed on that heavenly face.

And a prayer went out and a prayer went up

and it circled the earth until entering space,

a single prayer, a request from the heart

that was answered with love and amazing grace.

Today will be a remarkable day!
Trust what I tell you; hear what I say.
I have it on very good authority
that sometime today we will clearly see
the planets dancing; Saturn will be
flirting with Neptune while Pluto and Mars
string a long necklace of twinkling stars.
All in all, the day sounds grand.
Let’s hope all goes well, according to plan.
Yes, today will be a remarkable day.
Would you like to come out and join the play?
It’s not very often, only once in a while
that the cosmos displays such amazing style.
So, put on your hat…that silly one,
paint your nails blue, come join the fun.
We will all look back many years from now
on this day when humankind figured out how
to sing its part in creation’s song,
to see all that’s right, not just the wrong,
to affirm what all living creatures see,
how grand it feels to simply be
a partner in the dance
of eternity.

It’s a lovely bridge, but then I think most bridges are. Some stand out in my memory, like the Coronado Bay Bridge in San Diego, California. An artistic creation. Little bridges don’t get the recognition they deserve, regarded as utilitarian but not attractive. But the purpose of the bridge is not to be beautiful, but to link two sides together. As people of faith, we are called to do the same thing. We forgive, often an act that brings people back together. We reconcile. We offer healing. Who do you know that is separated, isolated because of words spoken, deeds done? What are the chances that person might be open to reconciliation? Perhaps you could be the bridge that allows him or her to reconnect. The Bridge Builder is ready to start construction if you are willing to be the bridge. By the way, remember that you have been blessed and benefitted by the bridge that links you to the fullness of life and to God. Jesus of Nazareth, bridge to the Sacred One, Christ of God.

Do you think this could be between you and me?
I hold in my hand the official decree,
but I’m simply not ready to share the news.
There are so many conflicting views.
People are ready to take to the streets.
It seems like every person I meet
thinks his way is right and her way is wrong.
I don’t know whether I now belong
to the left or the right, to the blues or the reds,
but I do know that when this news is said,
there could be trouble ahead.

I never thought I would see the day
when honest and thoughtful people would say
such ugly things to their neighbors and friends,
conspire to fight to the bitter end.
It’s as if we’re about to start a war.
How did we let things go this far?
We lost control of our common sense.
There is no legal or moral defense
for violent acts when the news is read,
but the time has come; it must be said.
It must be said right now.

Your attention, please. I have something to say.
Please mark this down as the memorable day
when the long-awaited news was told,
and please maintain your self control.
The decision was made just yesterday
and I have permission to publicly say
that the Warthog parade and beauty contest,
along with the square dance and all the rest,
will start at 10 instead of 9,
but as a concession and neighborly sign,
the Cow Patty Toss will certainly get
the headline in tomorrow’s Tribune-Gazette.
Let me say, in conclusion, have a wonderful time,
and ain’t it just great that everything rhymed!

What an unexpected glimpse of reality. I took the photo because I thought this to be a lovely scene. But, glancing through photographs this morning, not looking for any one in particular, I saw this as if for the first time. Two prominent features, each beautiful in its own way, remind me of Transcience and Permanence. Some things come and go. Something stays. Those beautiful lavender flowers appear for a time, gracing us with color, soft fragrance, and unpredictable motion caused by unseen wind. In a short time, they will be gone. Only photographs and memories will remain. In the background, watching from a distance, the mountain was, is, and will be forever. Motionless, majestic, almost mysterious, it has watched lavender blossoms come and go for centuries. It is the Forever, the Backdrop to all that is. All flowers appear for a time, bless their surroundings with charm and beauty, until that moment when branch and blossom release each other, and the flower, all flowers, dance away in the wind. But the Forever Mountain remains. Always and eternal. Presence and promise. A glimpse of life and Life.

Time out! The morning sun is warm. The setting is peaceful. The perch is perfect. The next task can wait for a little while. Can’t it? Sometime today, maybe every day, listen to yourself, put the phone away, shut down the computer, turn the TV off and take yourself to that favorite place where the sun is warm and the setting is peaceful and the perch is perfect. Be there, not because you need to, but because you want to. And after a few visits, you will go there, not because you want to, but because you have to. That place of inner retreat and renewal will have become part of you. Maybe it’s not a Time Out. Maybe it’s a Time In.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty and darkness covered the deep waters. Then God said: “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that it was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”

If you set aside the debate about “historical accuracy” for a moment, where and how is truth contained in these words? Try not to read the words as “explanation” but more as “exploration.” Sometimes there is uncertainty in “beginnings.” Unknowns abound. Clarity is hidden in the darkness of the moment. I say to myself: “I just can’t get a handle on this” but then “the light comes on,” figuratively speaking. We used to call them “Aha!” moments. Eureka! Now I get it! A caution: just because light is called good doesn’t mean that darkness is bad. Don’t make that assumption. It has terrible consequences. And, what is the role of “light” in your life? Is there any? Source? Purpose? Spiritual implications?

Just wondering.

This is a 2,000 page history book. No, more likely a 2,000 volume library. This window into the world is growing still in a small village in southern Arizona, home for one thousand folks, a place you would go to for the sights and smells and textures of life in the slow lane. Pull up a bench in front of the general store and look to your left. Just over there is the City Park, a patch of green grass with the inevitable brass marker affixed to a large stone. A little to the right, that’s the yellow train depot, now the home of a few elected village officials because the train doesn’t stop anymore. The depot is beginning to show its age, a little paint peel here and there, but still a proud reminder of yesterdays when ranchers tied their horses to a hitching rail and sat under the branches of the History Tree. I think it’s nice, once in awhile, to sit in the shade of an ancient tree, lean back so your body touches the bark, and listen. Amazing stories are waiting to be heard. I think the same can be said about that ancient collection of wisdom we call The Bible. We are people of The Book, and, like the village tree, this book still lives to share its stories, adventures, joys and sorrows. I’m grateful for old trees and old books, for the wisdom of the ancients, for the voices of the past informing and inspiring. Why don’t you sit down and listen today? Lean up against a welcoming tree, open The Book in your lap, and join the conversation. You are an important part of creation’s slow movement toward an Ultimate Reality. You are part of the story, a special chapter being written each day. Be grateful for old trees, an ancient book, and an Eternal Source that still speaks to our souls.