It’s funny how kids enjoy jokes,
simple jokes,
ones that are old,
often told,
and require little thought.
It’s funny how adults
tolerate
the telling of them -
hold back
from giving the punch line
It’s funny how we love to laugh
at others misfortunes.
It’s not limited just to cartoons.
We laugh at a person
slipping on the ice
without thought to his injury
because of how he flailed his arms
and had a surprised look on
his face upon landing.
It’s funny how we love to make
People cry.
There’s a bully in all of us.
He looks for opportunities
to frustrate,
to irritate,
to strike a blow,
to steal what is precious:
our dignity.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Morning Quiet
A woman, drinking her coffee,
offers herself, her day, her plans to God, embracing
the morning quiet before the onslaught.
Beepbeepbeepbeep, beepbeepbeepbeep.
Heavy footfalls sound on the ceiling as
a woman, drinking her coffee,
reads, listening to her Father’s voice, praying
and thinking through her to-do list, as she
offers herself, her day, her plans to God, embracing
the changes to the schedule God may bring.
The woman savors the last sip of coffee and
the morning quiet before the onslaught.
(a cascade poem)
offers herself, her day, her plans to God, embracing
the morning quiet before the onslaught.
Beepbeepbeepbeep, beepbeepbeepbeep.
Heavy footfalls sound on the ceiling as
a woman, drinking her coffee,
reads, listening to her Father’s voice, praying
and thinking through her to-do list, as she
offers herself, her day, her plans to God, embracing
the changes to the schedule God may bring.
The woman savors the last sip of coffee and
the morning quiet before the onslaught.
(a cascade poem)
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Stop Striving….Start Sitting
When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?
Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
When he has leveled the surface,
does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?
Does he not plant wheat in its place,
barley in its plot,
and spelt in its field?
His God instructs him
and teaches him the right way. ~ Isaiah 28:24-26
(Read all of Isaiah 28 for a full picture.)
God gave me the phrase “Stop striving….Start sitting” at the end of July 2010. Knowing I’m more Martha than Mary, my first question was, “Seriously, Lord, how do I stop striving?”
As it is, one does not “start” sitting. Sitting, though considered an action verb, is a completion of action – moreover a ceasing of action. While many might sit to rest, others might sit to be entertained, to be educated, or to eat. I fall into the latter category. When I sit, more often than not, I am still in constant motion or thought. I grade papers, crochet, write, have a snack, play piano, plan meals, make a grocery list, and on and on and on. I may do any of these things while watching TV, helping one of my kids with homework, waiting for my daughter at skate lessons, or eating breakfast. In other words, I am a multi-tasker. (Even now, as I revise this post, I am answering my son’s questions about his homework!)
In the seven months since receiving this phrase from the Lord, I have endeavored to sit more. But, even saying “I have endeavored” implies “striving”. It is difficult for me to sit and be still. How can a person sit and “start” at the same time? At a NASCAR race the announcer says, “Start your engines!” What happens? The engines are started. The engines are revved, but no cars move forward. They sit. Waiting….Then the green flag is waved, and the cars GO!
Most mornings I begin the day sitting, yielding myself and my plans to God. Some days I still rev my engine and pull out in front of God when I should follow, benefitting from drafting. When the weather is warmer, I can catch a walk alone, taking Scripture to meditate on and memorize instead of my to-do list. When it gets colder, I find it difficult to find alone-time; thus the multi-tasker takes over and I find myself striving. In the cold months, I have to work at sitting; I have to take care and plan those precious quiet moments. Sometimes it means a day off from work, sending my kids and husband to the grandparents for an afternoon, taking a drive by myself, or enjoying lunch with my Bible at a table for “two”.
What do you do to sit at the Savior’s feet?
Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
When he has leveled the surface,
does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?
Does he not plant wheat in its place,
barley in its plot,
and spelt in its field?
His God instructs him
and teaches him the right way. ~ Isaiah 28:24-26
(Read all of Isaiah 28 for a full picture.)
God gave me the phrase “Stop striving….Start sitting” at the end of July 2010. Knowing I’m more Martha than Mary, my first question was, “Seriously, Lord, how do I stop striving?”
As it is, one does not “start” sitting. Sitting, though considered an action verb, is a completion of action – moreover a ceasing of action. While many might sit to rest, others might sit to be entertained, to be educated, or to eat. I fall into the latter category. When I sit, more often than not, I am still in constant motion or thought. I grade papers, crochet, write, have a snack, play piano, plan meals, make a grocery list, and on and on and on. I may do any of these things while watching TV, helping one of my kids with homework, waiting for my daughter at skate lessons, or eating breakfast. In other words, I am a multi-tasker. (Even now, as I revise this post, I am answering my son’s questions about his homework!)
In the seven months since receiving this phrase from the Lord, I have endeavored to sit more. But, even saying “I have endeavored” implies “striving”. It is difficult for me to sit and be still. How can a person sit and “start” at the same time? At a NASCAR race the announcer says, “Start your engines!” What happens? The engines are started. The engines are revved, but no cars move forward. They sit. Waiting….Then the green flag is waved, and the cars GO!
Most mornings I begin the day sitting, yielding myself and my plans to God. Some days I still rev my engine and pull out in front of God when I should follow, benefitting from drafting. When the weather is warmer, I can catch a walk alone, taking Scripture to meditate on and memorize instead of my to-do list. When it gets colder, I find it difficult to find alone-time; thus the multi-tasker takes over and I find myself striving. In the cold months, I have to work at sitting; I have to take care and plan those precious quiet moments. Sometimes it means a day off from work, sending my kids and husband to the grandparents for an afternoon, taking a drive by myself, or enjoying lunch with my Bible at a table for “two”.
What do you do to sit at the Savior’s feet?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Stopping at the Crossroads
This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." ~ Jeremiah 6:16
In order to stand, we must stop. Stopping gives us time. Time to consider our options. Time to consider the paths. This reminds me of Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" (see Lit. link below www.poets.org). The speaker examines the two paths, and knowing he cannot go down both, he makes a choice. While he calls it "the one less traveled by", it was similar to the other path.
How are we to know which road to take? Upon coming to a crossroads, a decision is required; but which path should we take? Jeremiah 6:16 says we should "stand...and look" when we get to a crossroads. We should consider how our present options will affect our future while reflecting on "the ancient paths", the ways Godly people walked obediently in the past. The ways of obedience may be a little harder, a little steeper, or even less travelled; but they are the good ways. They are the right ways. We can "ask for the ancient paths" through prayer, reading the bible, and trusted counsel.
Once we've assessed which way is the good way, we may choose to walk in it. Walking in the good way leads to rest - not necessarily physical rest, but rest for our souls. We draw closer to the Lord and find peace.
In order to stand, we must stop. Stopping gives us time. Time to consider our options. Time to consider the paths. This reminds me of Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" (see Lit. link below www.poets.org). The speaker examines the two paths, and knowing he cannot go down both, he makes a choice. While he calls it "the one less traveled by", it was similar to the other path.
How are we to know which road to take? Upon coming to a crossroads, a decision is required; but which path should we take? Jeremiah 6:16 says we should "stand...and look" when we get to a crossroads. We should consider how our present options will affect our future while reflecting on "the ancient paths", the ways Godly people walked obediently in the past. The ways of obedience may be a little harder, a little steeper, or even less travelled; but they are the good ways. They are the right ways. We can "ask for the ancient paths" through prayer, reading the bible, and trusted counsel.
Once we've assessed which way is the good way, we may choose to walk in it. Walking in the good way leads to rest - not necessarily physical rest, but rest for our souls. We draw closer to the Lord and find peace.
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