Eternal Echoes

deep to deep ( a prayer)

from deep to deep

you call,

out of the depths I cry,

take my life,

I can offer you no other...

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I hold my prayer before you,

pouring out my longings,

come work in me a wonder,

take this time,

this place,

this fragile heart and soul

and build your kingdom here,

begin in me

that I can begin,

breathe your Spirit power

that this flickering spark

might burst and dance with life,

prune me tenderly

and with skill, then

pour your living waters

through the

desert of my days

refresh me and cause me

to bring forth fruit

in season

to your glory

+

from deep to deep

you call,

out of the depths I cry,

take my life,

I can offer you no other...

 

here I am...

Come to me

get away with me,

all you who are

weary and burdened,

walk with me, work 

with me...

I have quoted

those words over and over,

they are among the

most comforting words I know...

so here I am,

weary and burdened,

with no strength of

my own to rest upon,

 empty and spent,

so I have come,

here I am,

responding to the invitation

I have given so often

in your name,

here I am 

acknowledging my need,

falling into your arms

of grace,

here I am,

to whom else

could I go?

here I am,

will you help

me to

move

in your unforced rhythms of grace?

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out (on religion)? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11: 28-30

costly extravagance.....

costly extravagance

love poured out for love

first given, love

anointing death for life,

filling the air,

seeping into every pore,

assaulting the senses, here

heartbreak and hope

mingle and flow free,

soaking and searching,

an insistent anointing

of love mirroring love's

unfettered 

unbounded abundance,

costly extravagance,

this is

love poured out for love,

anointing death for life...

broken encounters....

I see myself

in you, 

your eyes

 a mirror

to my carefully

concealed brokeness,

 you

demand

reality from me, 

bring reality to me,

and you hold out

hope, 

 a rainbow wrapped promise,

of possibilities

and grace,

and I wonder,

if my eyes

reflect

loves broken

beauty too...

 

hold on....

hope weaves 

her golden thread,

silently, softly,

calling , drawing,

those with

eyes to see

and ears to hear,

take hold, take hold,

take hold

and follow, 

hold on,

 even in the struggles,

and the pain

I will not forsake you,

hold on,

and I will bring

you through,

hold on

for there's a blessing in

the holding,

hold on,

hold on,

hold out

for hope, for

hope weaves

her golden thread,

silently, softly,

even here...

I was chatting with a client at a drop in today, he articulated the Christian hope in a gracious and thoughtful way, seeing hope for transformation even in his darkest struggles.... and I was blessed.

hope....

all around us

hope,

whispering softly,

floating gently,

brushing by us,

wooing  wonder,

hope,

all around us,

hope

surprising, illuminating,

opening visions,

colouring dreams,

food for our souls,

hope,

all around us,

hope,

seeming elusive,

more often graspable,

hope

 

 For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

(Jeremiah 29:11)

 

life song

throughout

my life songs'

melody, of

joyous celebration

and deepest lament

there flows

a counterpoint

of grace, as a golden

thread through a  dull

garment, bringing

it to life,

and as each part changes

the thread remains

constant, holding

my song gently,

drawing from it

a richer harmony

than I could sing 

alone, it sings heavens

richest melody,

brings light

to all my ways,

tells me

I'm not alone...

Sarah Lamb and Edward Watson in Electric Counterpoint, photo by Dee Conway

 

the choice....

i have a choice,

and today i choose life,

life in its complexity,

in its absurdity,

life filled

with challenges,

life demanding questions,

offering few answers,

life in its ups and

its downs,

life to be lived

and breathed,

to be faced head on

and grasped

with determination

and faith,

i have a choice,

and today i choose life

creative,

abundant,

overwhelming,

perplexing,

life...

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i have a choice,

and today i choose life,

i choose life

for life has

chosen me!

as he was... (pondering Mark 4:35-41)

tired, weary,

hard pressed

on every side,

criticised,

examined,

sought after,

and rejected,

physically,

spiritually,

emotionally,

sharing and giving...

+

empty

they took him

as he was

into their boat

to cross

to another shore...

+

 he slept...

+

a storm raged...

+

terrified

they woke him,

and drawing from the very

depths of his

spent-ness

and given-ness

he spoke,

peace

and the storm was stilled...

+

empty

they took him

as he was

into their boat

to cross

to another shore...

+

and awe,

more powerful

than any storm

descended...

+

they took him

as he was...

+ 

Picture; Jesus calms the storm by Daniel Bonnell

rooted.... ( a reflection on life)

cut back,

exposed,

unsure,

re-directed, and

vulnerable,

vulnerable,

yet hopeful

+

cut back,

exposed,

unsure,

learning

to trust,

there will

be fruit,

there will

be life

+

cut back,

exposed,

unsure,

yet there

is hope,

we are

rooted

and grounded

in love

Picture by Tim