Mercy!

“God gave in. ‘It won’t happen,’ he said.” Amos 7:3

Well, those are words I always like to hear. God tells me I’ve got it coming, then relents and says, “Nope, you’re not going to have to pay this time.” “Whew”, we think, “that was a close one!” And perhaps we bow gratefully before our merciful God. Or maybe we just skip away not realizing the ramifications of what God has just done.

Unaccomplished Dreams

“He (God) told me, moreover: ‘Your son Solomon, he will build My house and my courts—for I have chosen that one to be My son, and I will be his Father.’” 1 Chronicles 28:6

It is amazing the grace and elegance with which King David turns over the dream of building the Lord’s Temple to his son. David had desired to build it after realizing he lived in a palace and God’s “dwelling place” was still the Tabernacle, a tent.

Greet Deeply

"Greet Deeply"

(Assemble the people; arrange a holy convocation. Bring together the elders; gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom come forth from his quarters, and the bride from her bridal closet. Joel 2:16)

Fill the room with arms raised,
legs bowed, eyes lowered with hope to
lift them towards life and the sky.

God resides within our gatherings, and hears
before we cry. Still, the loop must begin with
love for Him; every parent, every bride-to-be,
every infant

At a dedication to more than my
money making or money spending;

At a salute meaning more than the symbol,
greater than the greeting,
livelier than habits of convenience.

Awake! For tomorrow is another day
just like today, and another after, like
the day before

And we waste our sorrows,
pander to our joys,
as if there is nothing greater
than my moment, my spotlight
or my shadow in the corner of weeping.

Hold hands firmly, embrace the neighbor
who simply showed up to request one day’s strength.

Live larger than the homes on the hills
in the moment we have all gathered to
greet deeply and to sigh truly and
say there is no way
without

You.

Not a Bad Road Trip"

"Not a Bad Road Trip"

(“You’ve come to Mount Zion, the city where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels.” Hebrews 12:22 [The Message])

It wasn’t a bad road trip; indeed, it sounds silly to describe it in the negative as if
“not a bad” implies it was less than spectacular. But it wasn’t spectacular either. It wasn’t
“non-descript”
as if nothing happened of any significance during the trip at all. There were plenty of memories
made,
places pointed out,
a few hikes,
one chance encounter with someone who looked like someone we knew who we didn’t know at all,
so I suppose
it wasn’t a chance encounter at all.
But the thought that it was a chance encounter, and that we thought we recognized him made for an amusing story
and we tell it to this day.
We played 22 games of 20 questions, found license plates from 37 states, including Hawaii (always have wondered why Hawaiians don’t just rent a car when they get here),
and only had to stop unscheduled twice for relief.

The air conditioner worked,
we agreed on most of the radio channels along the way, lotting out the choices hour by hour
to our little 3 passenger crew.
The miracle of the trip was never being pulled over for speeding, bad brake lights or forgetful
tags.
The paper map and the blackberry gps both agreed at every turn and
we waited only once, about 20 minutes, for construction, handing the
guy with the sign a plum as he waved us slowly through.

It really wasn’t a bad road trip at all.

But coming home was the best, with God greeting us like grandpa who waits up the entire night for the family to arrive from across the country. Grandma always fell asleep along toward midnight, with Grandpa somehow watching till we pulled up about 4 in the morning.

Coming home was the best, the angels dressed unstressed and dancing as if we had never left.

Coming home is always the best and the return trip seemed to take half the time. Now that we’re home I think I’ll rest after a dance or two with the angels and a long-needed talk with Grandpa

About it all.

My Lord and my God

Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God.” John 20:28

Though it is Christmas Eve as I write, it shouldn’t be too unusual to think about the risen Christ. After all, the facts of Christmas and the joy we celebrate are brought into full bloom once Jesus, cruelly crucified, rises triumphantly from the darkness of the tomb in which He was buried.

A Home Country

"A Home Country"

(“Now, people who make such remarks make it plain that they are looking for a home country. Hebrews 11:14)

We have had no snow this winter, no brilliant blanket sparkling
the night.
We have has as much rain as any winter we have rain, and we have
rain two days out of three during the winters when we have rain.

These are not the reasons I miss my home, I would live a lifetime
in a desert, rain-forest or frigid north. I would pluck out friends from
neighbors across the street or found in the corner café asking the same
questions I’ve asked since it entered my mind to ask any at all.

I miss my home (a place I’ve never visited) for its backyard that
can hold all the family I invite for a last minute bbq…bring whatever
you have.

I miss my home (a place I’ve not yet seen) for its fireplace that
functions as a pillow within moments after Uncle Ray has finished
his Thanksgiving meal.

I miss my home (a place I’ve not invented) for its music that
hi-fied from the blonde stereo with the Kingston Trio and
Peter, Paul and Mary before I discovered Iron Butterfly and
the Doors.

I miss my home (a place I fixate with a mixture of memories
and promises) for its music that
was taught on a piano bench later played like duets and a guitar
singing Beatles and Dylan and Blue Moon.

I miss my home mostly for the joy I miss here,
and the sadness I’ve tried so hard to overcome which will become
a place I’ve never visited. Now, truer than any address at all,
and melancholy only a memory now that I’ve arrived
at my Promised Home.

Memory

(“Remember all the wonders he performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth.” 1 Chronicle 16:12 [The Message])

I admit it, I’m a melancholy. I am also a melancholy who wishes he wasn’t. I tend to have lower and sadder emotions than most people I know. I have puzzled my entire life about the nature of the blues I seem so prone to know.