Eternal Echoes

justice...

let me feel justice

as your heartbeat

for the world,

that I might walk

step by step in time

with the rhythm

of eternity, drawing

from it the courage 

to stand up and be counted,

help me to understand that

true justice is not about 

revenge or retaliation

but an act of love and grace

that will not be held back,

teach me the deepest truth

that your justice sets me free

and names me worthy, and

even in my darkest days

you draw me into the light,

you fill me with your light,

I long to be your light,

your voice,

your love,

teach me to act justly,

to love mercy

to walk humbly with you...

 

Rhythms of grace

Image mine

hatred...

I hate it,

but there it is,

weaving its

thoughts through

my heart,

mind, and soul, destroying

peace,

wreaking havoc

in my relationships

as it insists on

being heard, demands 

attention....

+

I hate that it

turns on me,

turns me on myself

a distorting mirror

to the fabric of my being

spreading half truths

and untruths

abroad with

pernicious delight...

+

I hate...

I catch myself

acknowledging the strength

of feeling, the energy

drawn from me

in the very act 

of hating,

and from the corner of my

eye I see a 

tear falling silently

as the crucified one

weeps for me/p>

and washes my hatred

with grace...

+

...and I hear a

whisper...

"Father forgive them,

they know not

what they do..."

 

on emptiness...

I have nothing to give,

nothing to share,

I am nothing,

all is empty,

I survey the horizon

and see nothing,

my heart craves love,

my mind craves truth,

but nothing,

there is nothing, nothing of myself...

BUT there is you,

and when  I dare to lean on you,

dare to trust you,

dare to draw upon you

I become more,

I am freed,

I am me

hidden in Christ with God,

 a new creation,

transformed,

loved, 

known,

one,

filled,

confident,

me...

with God...

loneliness

I will never leave you

or forsake you, you say,

so why does my heart bleed and weep,

why do I fee alone,

why does this loneliness seep

into my bones

turning my soul

towards despair,

why do I struggle to

feel you?

+

You cannot flee from

my presence, you say,

so where are you,

where are the signs

of your blessing and grace,

where is your healing touch,

why can't I hear your voice,

why don't I know you near?

+

Come to me, you say,

where shall I come to?

Be still, you say,

be still and know,

be willing to let go, 

I will meet you,

I am with you, in the silence,

and the pain, 

even in the loneliness,

I AM

here...

+

Lord let me know you here

mindful...

I want to savour life,

to taste the moment,

to be awake to its

blessings and pains,

to know myself,

to be aware of my reactions,

to be willing to hold them

as treasures or a dross,

to grow, to be

transformed, inwardly

transformed,

able to love and to give,

to heal and to hear,

to celebrate and even

to mourn...

+

so I pray for grace,

for an inner well of

stillness,

a centering source

of truth,

a connection to the holy,

where the chatter and distractions

of my days

can be sifted and sorted

in loves kinder light...

+

Image Centered 

S. Coleman

Evensong; a prayer for the ending at the beginning of a day ( responding to Stephen Cherry's poem)

  
As this day ends

may I see

echoes of your grace

woven through its

words and actions,

may I know that I have not

walked it alone,

may I have trusted you,

waited on you,

listened for you,

please lift me when 

I stumble,

please hold me when I quake

with fear,

rejoice with me

weep with me,

and help me to be open,

when this day ends

grant me

your grace,

your healing,

your forgiveness

and your love

when this day ends

may I find my peace

in you...

Awe and wonder .  Photo mine

holidays/ holy-days..

What I long for is

time set aside

for nothing much,

no plans,

no deadlines,

no hurry or worry,

no what shall we do,

or where shall we go,

but time ...

+

so why do I feel guilty,

why do I feel the need to 

plan days out,

to look for activities 

to fill every moment,

to search out stories

to tell, to wow others with;

"you would have loved it,

we had a great time..."

+

I have made a decision,

I am going to reclaim my

holiday as a holy

and I am going to do nothing,

I want to breathe deeply,

notice the moment,

seek wonder from a deeper place

I am going to give myself time...

+

Speaking out...

When I speak

may my words be laced with grace,

seasoned with wisdom,

infused by love,

may my words be healing words,

challenging, lifegiving, wholesome,

may they surprise even me,

because their source is rooted

deep in you, 

may they flow

as living water,

easing the soul,

calling forth active

(w)holiness...

+

save me from my own

rash and harsh words,

my foolish ill thought out

promises, promises I cannot keep...

and help me to forgive the

words of my past,

words I long to take back but cannot,

words that have made me never want to

speak again....

+

so give me boldness

to speak,

stir me and create in my heart a passion

that refuses to hold back,

speak in me,

speak to me,

speak through me...

wisdom, grace, peace, love...

and challenge

at the right time.

Picture: Silver lining. mine

 

 

words... ( responding to Stephen Cherry's "Listening Day")

In this world of words,

soundbites,

and lengthy tomes,

speeches, 

snap decisions, yes, or no,

in this world of noise,

ringing phones,

traffic, the buzz and hum

of the T.V. filling every space

with advertising and political

propoganda, dross, drama, and 

what we call "light entertainment"...

in this world of confusion,

where misunderstandings are

often misunderstood, and

life feels like a strange game 

of Chinese whispers...

help me to

STOP.

+

to stop, to

be present,

to hear...

+

wrap me in silence for a while

'til my heart and mind

are stilled to hear

your voice, your presence

in the joy or pain

of the other,

and thrill me to the heart beat of

creation, life in all its fullness,

take me deeper

down through the noise

so I encounter you...

then let me soar in Spirit freedom...

+

may my words reflect your life, your love,

your grace...

+

may my silence

hold your peace...

Blackpool Sea Front, at sunset, a moment of stillness in a day full of sound...

Picture mine.

coffee breaks, and other graces...

steaming cup in hand

I ponder this days graces,

from waking in a warm bed

to the cats insistent tapping on my nose,

calling me to feed him.

Time for prayer and reading, hot tea

that preceeded this hot coffee,

preparation of soup for lunch,

knowing there is bread to accompany it,

signs of spring in the garden,

daffodils and hyacinths in bloom,

tulips in bud, leaves unfurling,

and still there is more,

a chat with my son,

a message from a friend,

the deep knowledge that you

are here with me

even in the fog of depression

there is light...

the other cat is on my lap now,

her deep rumbling purr

fills the room...

I take a sip from my 

steaming cup

and I know

all will be well...

Image, Snowdrops; mine