Bits o' things composed on JRMama's fridge one evening:
ferocious desire
could this be ... caramel coffee?
squirming child
salt of the earth
remember this night of stars
voices pierce the night
poetry devours
your secret smile melts me here & there
a woman who wakes her man with lingering looks {ahem...Bridget?}
soft blue-green summer dreams
moon bleeds transluscent eternity {OK, feel free to retch}
perhaps she always blushes next to him
when will eyes embrace
vast velvet universe {no, not Elvis}
delicious dirt {ever have a dirt cup for dessert?}
candy cloud castle
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
A soft place to fall
when David was in the cave
when Daniel was in the lions' den
when Jeremiah was in the mucky cistern
when Elijah lost heart
when Anna lost her husband
when Nabal was an idiot
when Bathsheba lost her child
when Hannah was barren for years
when Jonah was in the big fish
when Moses and Aaron were blamed
when Joshua and Caleb were the believing minority
when Sarah was desired by Abimelech
when Leah went unloved
when Rachel was barren
when Gideon was skeptical
when Saul was troubled
when Adam and Eve lost Abel
when Jacob brought on his brother's hatred
when Joseph was in jail
when Paul was afflicted
when Peter denied You
when Mary Magdalene couldn't find You
when Rahab waited for the walls to fall
when Naomi lost her men
when Ruth gleaned in the fields
when Mary was with child
when Joseph was contemplating a quiet divorce
when Zechariah burned the incense
when Peter was in jail
when Paul and Silas were in jail
when John was alone on the island
when Noah was mocked
when Abraham set out for the promised land
You were there.
You were their soft place to fall,
when everything around them
was too quiet,
too loud,
too dry,
too mucky,
too chaotic,
too lonely,
too uncertain,
too painful,
too unfaithful,
too real.
when the rent is due
when the baby has a rare disease
when the brother has died
when the mother doesn't know anyone anymore
when the father loses his job
when the cousin turns to drugs
when the aunt has a heart attack
when the tsunami, the hurricane, the earthquake destroys
when the storm wakes us in the night
when the doctors are baffled
when the cure is still in the distant future
when the money is tight
when the spouse doesn't understand
when the date went sour
when the job gets boring
when the sock goes missing
when someone forgot to use fabric softener
when the toilet overflows
when the fridge goes kaput
when the car won't start
when traffic is horrendous
when the milk is curdled
when the toast burns
when no one wants to sign the cast
when the kids are taunting
when the inspiration is lacking
when the energy peters out
when the decision is difficult
when there are too many options
when someone was unfair
when a reputation is tarnished
when lies reign in the world
when evil seems to be running rampant
You say...
"Do not be afraid."
"Peace, be still."
"Receive."
"Keep on going."
"Don't worry. These things will be provided."
"I will come."
"I will return."
"I have been there."
"I know how that feels."
"I am with you."
"I know you."
"I love you."
"I AM THAT I AM."
And that is all we need to know.
when Daniel was in the lions' den
when Jeremiah was in the mucky cistern
when Elijah lost heart
when Anna lost her husband
when Nabal was an idiot
when Bathsheba lost her child
when Hannah was barren for years
when Jonah was in the big fish
when Moses and Aaron were blamed
when Joshua and Caleb were the believing minority
when Sarah was desired by Abimelech
when Leah went unloved
when Rachel was barren
when Gideon was skeptical
when Saul was troubled
when Adam and Eve lost Abel
when Jacob brought on his brother's hatred
when Joseph was in jail
when Paul was afflicted
when Peter denied You
when Mary Magdalene couldn't find You
when Rahab waited for the walls to fall
when Naomi lost her men
when Ruth gleaned in the fields
when Mary was with child
when Joseph was contemplating a quiet divorce
when Zechariah burned the incense
when Peter was in jail
when Paul and Silas were in jail
when John was alone on the island
when Noah was mocked
when Abraham set out for the promised land
You were there.
You were their soft place to fall,
when everything around them
was too quiet,
too loud,
too dry,
too mucky,
too chaotic,
too lonely,
too uncertain,
too painful,
too unfaithful,
too real.
when the rent is due
when the baby has a rare disease
when the brother has died
when the mother doesn't know anyone anymore
when the father loses his job
when the cousin turns to drugs
when the aunt has a heart attack
when the tsunami, the hurricane, the earthquake destroys
when the storm wakes us in the night
when the doctors are baffled
when the cure is still in the distant future
when the money is tight
when the spouse doesn't understand
when the date went sour
when the job gets boring
when the sock goes missing
when someone forgot to use fabric softener
when the toilet overflows
when the fridge goes kaput
when the car won't start
when traffic is horrendous
when the milk is curdled
when the toast burns
when no one wants to sign the cast
when the kids are taunting
when the inspiration is lacking
when the energy peters out
when the decision is difficult
when there are too many options
when someone was unfair
when a reputation is tarnished
when lies reign in the world
when evil seems to be running rampant
You say...
"Do not be afraid."
"Peace, be still."
"Receive."
"Keep on going."
"Don't worry. These things will be provided."
"I will come."
"I will return."
"I have been there."
"I know how that feels."
"I am with you."
"I know you."
"I love you."
"I AM THAT I AM."
And that is all we need to know.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
An old hymn
I found an old hymn in The Baptist Hymnal (1991) whose text resonated with me. Since it's in the public domain, I think it's OK for me to post the lyrics here.
Hymn 270: No, Not Despairingly
No, not despairingly
Come I to Thee,
No, not distrustingly
Bend I the knee:
Sin hath gone over me
Yet this is still my plea:
Jesus hath died.
Ah! mine iniquity
Crimson hath been,
Infinite, infinite
Sin upon sin:
Sin of not loving Thee
Sin of not trusting Thee,
Infinite sin.
Lord, I confess to Thee
Sadly my sin;
All I am tell I Thee,
All I have been:
Purge Thou my sin away,
Wash Thou my soul this day:
Lord, make me clean.
Faithful and just art Thou,
Forgiving all;
Loving and kind art Thou
When poor ones call:
Lord, let the cleansing blood,
Blood of the Lamb of God,
Pass o'er my soul.
Then all is peace and light
This soul within;
Thus shall I walk with Thee,
The loved Unseen;
Leaning on Thee, my God,
Guided along the road,
Nothing between.
Words: Horatius Bonar
"Not distrustingly bend I the knee"---wow, that we might bend the knee yet be distrusting. Let that not be! Oh, break my heart...not shattered into pieces...but break the stiff-necked pride...that I bend the knee...and may I know that You are not hateful to me but are disciplining me in love, as the perfect father would.
"let the cleansing blood...pass o'er my soul"---spiritual Tide with color-safe bleach! When I read "cleansing," I often think of a scrub brush rubbing painfully into my skin. But it isn't that. No! Remember the painting on the lintels of the Hebrews' doors the lamb's blood? The pain was carried by the lamb. It might have pained the person slaughtering the lamb to kill a dear animal, but we don't know. We do know that our Savior suffered agony, and those watching Him suffer pain and death must have suffered much emotional pain...perhaps to the point of some physical pain. But look! The cleansing blood does not scrub into our skin, and the hurt of change occurs when we do not cooperate with God. (Yes, life events can be painful, but that's not the same as spiritual cleansing.) Hmm...something to ponder further.
My favorite part: "Leaning on Thee, guided along the road, nothing between." I have this image of having my arm in the crook of His arm, like lovers do, and leaning on His shoulder and on His chest. No tension between us. No distrust. No coldness. No distance. Unblocked communication. It's a beautiful thing.
Hymn 270: No, Not Despairingly
No, not despairingly
Come I to Thee,
No, not distrustingly
Bend I the knee:
Sin hath gone over me
Yet this is still my plea:
Jesus hath died.
Ah! mine iniquity
Crimson hath been,
Infinite, infinite
Sin upon sin:
Sin of not loving Thee
Sin of not trusting Thee,
Infinite sin.
Lord, I confess to Thee
Sadly my sin;
All I am tell I Thee,
All I have been:
Purge Thou my sin away,
Wash Thou my soul this day:
Lord, make me clean.
Faithful and just art Thou,
Forgiving all;
Loving and kind art Thou
When poor ones call:
Lord, let the cleansing blood,
Blood of the Lamb of God,
Pass o'er my soul.
Then all is peace and light
This soul within;
Thus shall I walk with Thee,
The loved Unseen;
Leaning on Thee, my God,
Guided along the road,
Nothing between.
Words: Horatius Bonar
"Not distrustingly bend I the knee"---wow, that we might bend the knee yet be distrusting. Let that not be! Oh, break my heart...not shattered into pieces...but break the stiff-necked pride...that I bend the knee...and may I know that You are not hateful to me but are disciplining me in love, as the perfect father would.
"let the cleansing blood...pass o'er my soul"---spiritual Tide with color-safe bleach! When I read "cleansing," I often think of a scrub brush rubbing painfully into my skin. But it isn't that. No! Remember the painting on the lintels of the Hebrews' doors the lamb's blood? The pain was carried by the lamb. It might have pained the person slaughtering the lamb to kill a dear animal, but we don't know. We do know that our Savior suffered agony, and those watching Him suffer pain and death must have suffered much emotional pain...perhaps to the point of some physical pain. But look! The cleansing blood does not scrub into our skin, and the hurt of change occurs when we do not cooperate with God. (Yes, life events can be painful, but that's not the same as spiritual cleansing.) Hmm...something to ponder further.
My favorite part: "Leaning on Thee, guided along the road, nothing between." I have this image of having my arm in the crook of His arm, like lovers do, and leaning on His shoulder and on His chest. No tension between us. No distrust. No coldness. No distance. Unblocked communication. It's a beautiful thing.
Mystery of Presence
How You affect us, Father!
How You change us with just one glance
filled with pleasure in Your children!
You fill Your people with joy
and they are glad.
You are bright with holy light.
Those who have learned to acclaim You,
who walk in the light of Your presence, O LORD,
are blessed
because their hearts are at rest,
loving with actions and in truth,
creating more joy among the family of God
and increasing the gladness when in Your presence.
Teach us this truth, Father.
May we taste and see that You are good.
(adapted from Psalm 16:11; 18:12; 21:6; 89:15; 1 John 3:19; and 1 Thessalonians 3:9)
How You change us with just one glance
filled with pleasure in Your children!
You fill Your people with joy
and they are glad.
You are bright with holy light.
Those who have learned to acclaim You,
who walk in the light of Your presence, O LORD,
are blessed
because their hearts are at rest,
loving with actions and in truth,
creating more joy among the family of God
and increasing the gladness when in Your presence.
Teach us this truth, Father.
May we taste and see that You are good.
(adapted from Psalm 16:11; 18:12; 21:6; 89:15; 1 John 3:19; and 1 Thessalonians 3:9)
Unfailing Love
"What a [person] desires is unfailing love."
"Many a [person] claims to have unfailing love,
but a faithful [person] who can find?"
---Proverbs
*
How can You satisfy
when I have been Gomer,
running to other lovers
whose cries seemed louder
than Yours?
*
Chesed:
O this word
that sums up
love that smiles on us,
comforts us,
causes us to rejoice
because it lights our way,
redeems us not partially
but fully—
love that is
priceless beyond measure,
never absent,
that governs God's mercy,
surrounds us like a city's walls,
keeps us from being shaken.
When we trust in Him,
in His unfailing love,
we have His full attention,
and He delights in us.
Because of Him,
who is unfailing, covenant love,
we are soothed, cherished,
loved deeply by the perfect Father
who holds us tightly
yet tenderly.
ej 2003; revised 2005
"Many a [person] claims to have unfailing love,
but a faithful [person] who can find?"
---Proverbs
*
How can You satisfy
when I have been Gomer,
running to other lovers
whose cries seemed louder
than Yours?
*
Chesed:
O this word
that sums up
love that smiles on us,
comforts us,
causes us to rejoice
because it lights our way,
redeems us not partially
but fully—
love that is
priceless beyond measure,
never absent,
that governs God's mercy,
surrounds us like a city's walls,
keeps us from being shaken.
When we trust in Him,
in His unfailing love,
we have His full attention,
and He delights in us.
Because of Him,
who is unfailing, covenant love,
we are soothed, cherished,
loved deeply by the perfect Father
who holds us tightly
yet tenderly.
ej 2003; revised 2005
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