Take off the New Clothes

I take off those old, brand new clothes,

Which will be paid off next year, perhaps,

and remove them completely, replacing them,

with clothes from the thrift store.

So I can live humbly in His presence and Peace.

“put on the new self”

Colossians

The Buzz of Peace

Waking up and heading down the dark stairway,

I turn no lights on, and rely on the quiet light,

of your heart to guide mine through this day.

With a single, long, beautiful and silent embrace of wonder.

I leave the day at Your feet and joyfully savor my “buzz” of peace; retained today.

“See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to the tradition of men, according to the elemental powers of the world”

Letter to Colossians

Be Still

Noise, questions, tasks, to-dos, calendars, phone, requests …

All bleat in perfect disharmony this morning again,

wanting to carry me off to some other place,

away from you. Far away.

For each thought extinguished, twenty more appear,

When I don’t think them, someone comes up with another,

an interruption machine works perfectly,

making distraction, and separation my state.

Oh, Lord, snuff them out. One by one.

Let my mind rest in you, and you alone.

“Jesus, I love you” is my only refrain,

Till the noise subsides and silence clears this worldly mist.

So we may sit alone in Peace. Together. “I shall not be disturbed.” Psalm 62

Black or White

Black or white, right or wrong, us or them.

A colorless world, devoid of beauty,

gray is a color erased, deliberately.

I am judgment itself, in every decision.

From where did I learn such thinking?

“the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans.”

Book of Wisdom

We are all Aspens

We are all Aspens,

With our above ground life limited

but below we go deep.

Family deep, friend deep, life deep.

Can I live for 80,000 years?

“God himself is my help”

Psalm 54

The Vestibule

Brighter than bright, the light of creation, streams from the doorway,

Beckoning union, feet bare and unworthy draw me,

a stranger guides me on the now darkened path.

Without choice, I emerge from the darkness, all behind me,

Like it never happened, but it did, beautifully and perfectly.

The Ending, this time not a glimpse of the house, but an invitation,

His hand reaches out from the vestibule, robes and sandal visible,

takes me inside and I leave my companion behind.

I enter His presence.

Finality. All vocabulary worthless now.

As the man turns back into the darkness searching for souls.

“Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.”

Psalm 100

On The Shore

On the shore, she felt a call or moved towards a direction,

Unsure why, or how, she remained motionless on sandy ground,

fixated on both boat and water,

contemplating action or none.

Listening to see if it was her time.

“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch”

Gospel of Luke

Days of Chaos

Amongst the chaos of a day,

Everyone buzzes, shouts, demands, says

Look at me; I am working hard, harder than you are!

Do I stay humble and work quietly, diligently,

Or call this chaos what it is. Distraction. Noise. Hell on earth.

“I will thank you always for what you have done”

Psalm 52

Be Ready Like a Child

Be ready like a child,

For learning is simple when we accept

belief with a child’s mind

is like simple addition.

The result is pure and right.

“you are children of the light and children of the day.”

Thessalonians

Hearing

Hearing a message requires thought,

Not a simple instruction to be followed,

like a shepherd’s whistle, or a warning bark,

but discernment.

Whatever that means.

“they were all filled with fury.”