i wonder

i wonder what she’s praying for
she’s pleading for
she’s kneeling for
i wonder what this child of God
is asking of her Lord

perhaps for peace inside her soul
and in this world
and in this world
perhaps for peace inside your soul
won’t you plead with her now

perhaps for love inside her soul
and in your heart
and in your heart
perhaps for love inside her soul
won’t you plead with her now

i wonder what she’s praying for
she’s pleading for
she’s kneeling for
i wonder what this child of God
is asking of her Lord

perhaps for rest from all her pain
from all her pain
from all her pain
perhaps for rest for you and me
from all the pain we feel

perhaps for pardon from her sins
from her sins
from her sins
perhaps for pardon for your sins
won’t you implore with her now

i wonder what she’s praying for
she’s pleading for
she’s kneeling for
i wonder what this child of God
is asking of her Lord

i wonder if we all could kneel
we all could kneel
we all could kneel
i wonder if we all could kneel
and join her right now
cry out with her now
be humble with her now
be a child of God
right now

you

when was the last time
you walked across
the noise in your life
and journeyed
into the depth of you

when was the last time
you just were still
and present to your soul
your longing
your sorrow
your joy
your hope
your anxiety
your darkness

when was the last time
you closed your eyes
and settled into your spirit
named the pain
let the tears carry away the sorrow

when was the last time
you heard your voice
when it tore down another soul
did it leave you broken
did it stab your heart

when was the last time
you surrendered
you admitted your limits
faced your shadows
let pride fall away in humility

when was the last time
you said
thank you
i love you
i was wrong
please forgive me
i need help

when was the last time
you leaned into your ordinariness
you opened your heart
to your strengths and weaknesses
you listened to feedback
you didn’t defend yourself

when was the last time
you were you
not as you think you are
but listened to others
and how they experience
you

you are an ocean
a vast sea of dreams
of loss
laughter
weeping
of love
fear
perseverance
sin
of cowardice
strength
power
kindness
of impotence
clarity
valor
uncertainty
and so much more

you
are
human
created by God
loved by God
seek Him
rest in Him
receive His love
live in His grace
receive His forgiveness
be alive
in Him
He knows full well
you
are
human

prayer for mercy

am i descending
or ascending
is this praying
or just doing my own thing
cradling my heavy head
in my tear stained palms
i think
this time it will be different
my life will change
my heart will finally
be rearranged
only to realize
that even if my knees
were nailed to the earth
i stubbornly refuse to bend my will
instead i choose to stand in shame
is this my heart rising
to our Father who art in heaven
or am i running
stumbling
down into myself
help me be free
let my eyes see
and may my ears
listen to the sheer silence
of your kindness
open this heart
mend my mind
in love
mercy
and forgiveness
i want to rise
so help me
bow down
be still
let go
and
listen to the sheer silence
of your kindness

table thoughts

This blog has been quiet lately because we sold our home and moved to a new home! The new house is about 8 miles from our old house. We have been talking about downsizing for a few years now and… here we are! Packing up 20 years of living is crazy! We are grateful. Recently someone asked if I miss our old house. My reply, “Not at all.” However, I didn’t expect it to be so hard to say goodbye to our dining table. I helped the family who purchased our table and hutch by dismantling as much of the table as I could. When they took the table top out, the tears suddenly came.

a sturdy table
how many times
did we say grace
a setting
a space
for us just to be… us

conversations
confessions
interactions
admissions
revelations
contrition
a table is set
and becomes the place
where all the weight
of grave and gold
stories are told
and the broken bread
leaves a trail
leading to baby cries
spaghetti on the floor
broken family ties
a spilled drink
someone’s at the door
embraces of grace
birthday candles
graduation cake
love is a messy thing
it’s a long dangerous journey
of faith
hope
and love

homework and coffee
thanksgiving turkey
deep, endless laughter
tears
and the dread of uncertainty
are served alongside
a heap of understanding
conflict and honesty

i was surprised
when the tears
appeared as the table
was hauled away
i wondered
would they take away
the echoes of our conversations
the forgiveness that we found
the acceptance that we gave
the hurt that was served
the pain that was assuaged

it’s called downsizing
but my tears
are singing
a different tune
my soul is filled
my hearts breaks
somewhere along
the fault line
of gratitude and lament
time to reset
the table of my heart
a place of welcome
peace
family
love

this tattered old town

in and around
this tattered old town
nestled in the state
of my mind
taking a stroll
on the pathways
through my soul
standing on the corner
i see memories
of younger days
melodies of different ways
on a street named regret
at the corner of joy
looking for an answer or two
reaching for something true
since i was a boy
acceptance
forgiveness
and gratitude
my heart yearns
for something more
than the sum total
of my days
so i set my gaze
on things above
the unseen real
unfailing love
and i wait
and choose to be still
as the sun
settles down
on this old tattered town
i welcome
the end of this day
knowing it is the only way
to a new dawn
another pathway
hidden in the Light
safe in Him
i rise
i am safe in Him
i’ll rise

jewels in my soul

and there were threads in the garden
and there were stars in the leaves
and there jewels on the flowers
and there were diamonds in the webs
and there were threads in my mind
tethered to sorrow
beauty
lament
wonder
love
and there were stars in my heart
sparkling memories
regrets
dreams
loss
hope
and there were jewels in my soul
brilliantly reflecting
the promises
of my heavenly Papa
the redemption
of the Lamb
the deliverance
from the shadows
of my brokenness
and there were diamonds
all around
family
friends
love
companionship
a smile
an encouraging word
gratitude
melodies
light
beauty
song

and rise

new life
still all this strife
new opportunity
same entropy
new start
still in bed
new attitude
still no gratitude
new insights
still trying to fight
new word
still not listening
new day
same old ways
new light
still seeking shadows
new colors
same monochromatic soul
new gifts
same folded arms
for you
on this day
right now
new grace
boundless love
endless mercy
a Cross to bear
with an everlasting Companion
unmerited forgiveness
an endless sunrise
can be yours
receive
be centered
through surrender
be free
through confession
be at rest
through acceptance
come home
it is finished
lay down your shame
take up your hope
lift up your head
receive your identity
and rise

across our times

every now and then
a little boy
walks into the room
he was already here
he has never left
i just acknowledge
his presence

he sits
and listens
i share
memories
questions
doubts
fears
longings
words of comfort
and remorse
i sit
and listen
as he shares
stories
wishes
sorrows
giggles
secrets
tears
attempts to speak
all that was real

our meeting
is as a key to a lock
slowly arranging tumblers
a click or two closer
to opening a box
filled with light
opening a chamber of forgiveness
opening a door
that has been tightly shut
for too long
diminishing the shadows
and obscurity
of what it means
to be
sometimes
we just gaze
into each other
and see our soul
our converging wanderings
and there is calm
peace
between us
inside us
not because
all the mysteries
were explained
more because
across our times
we met
found solace
and remembered
who we are
who we are not
what to grasp
and what to set free

the last ornament

a frosty cold dawn
a gray featureless sky
feels just like me today
there’s a frozen mist
sprinkled on the ground
it’s a monochrome morning
a colorless song
that sounds like me today
so i guess
i’ll take the Christmas tree down

Christmas carols
echo in my living room
the grandkids laughing
wrapping paper tearing
meals we were just sharing
are now memories
and there’s something sad in me
at the end of 2023
so i guess
i’ll take the Christmas tree down
a quiet end of the season
a gentle closing of the year
and for no particular reason
a tear appears
and it’s okay
the past three sixty-five
well…
let’s just say
it can be hard to be alive
there have been days of good cheer
sorrow and struggle too
said a final good-bye to mom
and then there are the fractures
in the family
feeling all the anxiety
and those whispers of failure
just rise
amidst an endless
ostinato of whys
so i guess
i’ll take the Christmas tree down
a plastic stained glass window
with a little boy in prayer
amber crystal beads
a shiny red ball from Macy’s
a tiny wooden christmas tree
a three story ceramic house
a quiet Christmas mouse
glimmering shimmering
sparkling dazzling
all are put to rest
almost done
there’s just one
the last ornament
it’s a smiling angel
holding a star
with colored gems for wings
so there i stand
with this angel
in my hand
i can almost hear it sing
a song of grace
a melody of peace
a smiling angel in my hand
helps me know
i’m in His hand
so i hum a tune
i can’t remember which one
but i remember
the fractures and failures
are held in His hand too
all our fractures
all our failures
so grateful He holds them
grateful He knows them
thanks for listening
i’m done
taking the Christmas tree
down

finding the story of me

a little older
but none the wiser
at least it feels that way
saying goodbye to this day
i see the light slip away
like the fading memories 
that fill my mind
so many
would have
could have
should have moments
that i can’t reach
but they reach me
they teach me
to walk
with heaven in view
it’s okay to be
somewhat new
tired of all the blame
at the end of the shame game
open my eyes to see
the new
you’ve place
in me
so i can rise
above the gravity
and rest
in stillness
the silence
of deliverance
the calming
resonance
of your presence
eternity in me
there is Truth
that doesn’t fade away
a Light
that glows bright
through the day
and through the night

healing
mending
making all things right
like they were meant to be
weightless melodies
singing endless songs
free to sing along
redeemed from all that's wrong
you see i’m finding life
is letting go
of all the why
and it’s okay
to cry
to mourn
to feel
every lament
so i can fly
towards the light
not just a leap of faith
it’s accepting grace
and shining bright
swimming in
eternal light
finding the story
of me
in the Way
the Truth
the Life