What I Believe

New Years Resolutions

2012-01-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

Photo by eschipul

"Finally, brethren, what ever things are true,

Whatever things are honest,

Whatever things are just,

Whatever things are pure,

Whatever things are lovely,

Whatever things are of good report:

If there be virtue, and if there be any praise,

Think on these things."

Paul speaks through the ages

With his guide to New Year's resolutions.

In 2012,

I will search for truth,

Focus on being honest not only to others

But to myself.
I will support justice
For the least of these brothers of mine.
I will strive to not be harsh or rough
With those around me
And affirm their hopes and dreams.
I will
Focus on the beauty within,
Fill my mind with hope,
Shun that which diminishes others,
Strive to see the good in all.
This election year
I want to see
God's image in everyone.

Christmas 2012

2011-12-25T15:50:00.000-08:00

Photo by mtungate

A
Star
Glistens
At the top of
A tree trimmed
With objects held dear.
A symbol of life everlasting
Erected in remembrance of God.
Festooned not with glitter and glitz
But with hope and the promise

Love

Christmas Eve 2012

2011-12-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

Photo by nz willowherb

Christmas Eve has arrived
With blustery winds
And driving rain.

Cold that pierces the body

And scenes of avarice that pierce the soul.
Winter,

Not the season of
Our savior's birth
But of our celebration.
Shepherds were in the hills
With their flocks;
The night breezes were warm
When Jesus was born.
Spring,
His time of birth,
His time of death.
Better to celebrate with joy
And anticipation in winter's chill
Than obscure the Easter message.
Shepherds.
Flocks.
Lambs.
Bethlehem.
The Lamb of God is born.

A Christmas Babe- The Word at Advent

2011-12-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

Photo by bahoootah qtr

"In the beginning was the Word,

And the is Word was with God,

And the Word was God."

"And the Word was made flesh

And dwelt among us..."

The Gospel of John

Speaks the message of Advent.

Christ is God in action,

The instrument of creation,

The instrument of salvation.

God shed his majesty to experience

The world

As one of those made in his image.
As human,
He could experience death.

Resurrected,
He could demonstrate everlasting life.

The Christmas Babe:
Fully God and Fully Human.
He comes with promise of
Life Eternal
Embraced in His Love.

Advent 2011

2011-11-27T15:34:00.000-08:00

This is the first Sunday of Advent.

Just three days from Thanksgiving,

Just two days from Black Friday.

Photo by Per Ola Wiberg ~ Powi

The day to turn our thoughts from goods to gifts,

Gifts of love not commerce.

Jesus was God's gift to us.

We celebrate with anticipation

The day of his birth.

What will we give this Advent season?

Time to those who are lonely,

Love to our neighbors,

Those that surround us every day.

Acceptance to those who do not share our beliefs.

Polytheist.

Monotheist

Atheist.

To ourselves, The gift of understanding,

Understanding That our relationship with God

Is all that matters.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

Photo by khrawlings

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

As we sat down for our Thanksgiving dinner,

Did we remember another meal
Where many were gathered?

Jesus and his disciples ate their Passover meal
In an upper room on a Thursday.
There Jesus instituted the Communion
We practice today.
When believers gather for this rite
So, too, does the Spirit.
Bread and wine,
Flesh and blood.
Remember the sacrifice.
Remember the man.
Remember the Word made flesh.
Remember God

And

Give thanks.

The Great American Desert

2011-08-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

I live on the edge of the Great American Desert.

The Spanish called it the Llano Estacado.

We have plundered its soil

To raise our food.

We have sucked its aquifers dry.

Now an old scourge returns.

Drought.

No rain for months.

Heat.

Days above a one hundred

Fill the calendar.

The soil holds no moisture.

Plants die.

Trees die.

Insects disappear.

The desert returns.

We think we control our world.

We are fools.

Nature rules.

We will be reminded.

The Heat is Rising

2011-07-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

Summer came early
Stealing spring.
The heat grows.
Every day is extreme.
Is this heat our doing?
Have we taken the first step to extinction?
We do not know,
But science points to our missteps.
Rain does not fall.
The land is parched.
The birds do not sing.
Insects die.
Life itself oozes away.
This Earth was God's great gift,
Ours to protect.
Have we squandered it
In pursuit of riches?
God,
Give us the strength and wisdom
To nurture the waters,
To cherish the earth.
Make us meek
That we may inherit this creation.

PhotobyUncaMikey

Pentecost 2011

2011-06-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

Photo by Lawrence CP

On this day,
Peter speaks
To those who have seen
The Holy Spirit descend.
He quotes Joel:
"God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people."
"Even on my servants,
Both men and women,
I will pour out My Spirit..."
The day is Pentecost.
Fifty days from Easter.
Ten days from Jesus' ascent into Heaven.
God as Comforter comes
As Christ promised.
This was the Feast of the First Fruits.
Was this the first harvest for Christ?
Too many churches
Turn from Pentecost
In dread of the Holy Spirit.
What they fear
Does not exist.
The Holy Spirit
Completes the Trinity.
The Holy Spirit
Is the Love
That binds Creator and Word.
The Holy Spirit
Is God's love
Washing over "all people."
Share that love.

Easter 2011

2011-04-23T20:16:00.000-07:00

Photo by Seamus Murray

Resurrection

He is risen!
He is risen indeed!
These words echo
Through the centuries.
The words of resurrection.
The words of Easter.
The heartbeat of Christianity.

We cannot speak in platitudes
Of spiritual resurrection.
All four gospels leave no doubt.
This was the resurrection of the body,
Not some nebulous spirit,
Not some wished belief.
The disciples, lost and grieving,
Change in one day.
Now they will spread the news
Throughout the world
For they know the truth:
Death has been conquered,
Christ is alive.
We celebrate his resurrection
And his promise
That we too shall have eternal life.
We confront the living God:
Creator, Word and Love.

The Missing Day: Saturday Before Easter

2011-04-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

Photo by hoyasmeg

Jesus is dead
His disciples believe.
On this day,
The apostles are absent

From the gospels
This missing day.
Their world is ashes.
Their grief is immense.
They fear for their lives.
They hide in the upper room.
Only the women dare to go out.
Jerusalem is strangely quiescent.

Pilate places a guard by the tomb.

This day Christ's body lies undisturbed.
Tomorrow the disciples' world

Will come alive
But not today.
We must remember

That missing day
When sorrow fills us,
When we tremble in fear,
When we hide from the world.
Those that knew our Savior best
Did not escape their human frailty,
Neither can we.
We know that with the morrow
Came relief and jubilation.
We have the risen Christ
Not the missing day.

Good Friday 2011

2011-04-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

By lepianda

Why is it called Good Friday?

I have heard many answers.

None satisfy.

Jesus, the Word made flesh, God incarnate,

The Son of Man,

Died on the Friday after the Passover Meal

Almost two thousand years ago.

Fully human.

So human that he died quickly

After a beating that

Sent his body into collapse.

We recoil in horror

At his death

And think it took so long.

Six hours.

Most crucified took days to die.

Fully God

Who had never known death.

All his creation past had drunk

Of that bitter cup,

But he had not.

God died that day,

As much of God

As could exist in human form.

Laid in a tomb

As his mother wept.

All creation waited.

For?

Maundy Thursday

2011-04-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Communion by the U.S.Army

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Photo by Peter Mackniell

Maundy Thursday.

The Thursday before Easter.

The day before the crucifixion.

The day that Jesus washed his disciples feet.

The day Jesus and his disciples ate their Passover meal
In an upper room.
There Jesus instituted Communion,

The Lord's Supper,
Christians practice today.

There Judas shared bread with Jesus

Before he left to betray him.

Some Christians will gather for a Passover meal

This day.

In remembrance of the day

The Angel of Death spared the Hebrews.

The tradition Christ honored,

Even though he knew

His death was at hand.

On Easter Sunday many will partake of
That Lord's Supper.

Where believers gather for this sacrament
The Holy Spirit joins them.
Bread and wine,
Flesh and blood.

Remember the man.

Remember the Word made flesh.
Remember him kneeling before each disciple.

Remember the sacrifice

That was his choice.

Spy Wednesday

2011-04-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Judas and Peter

Spy Wednesday,

Holy Wednesday,

The Wednesday before the Crucifixion.

The day that Judas Iscariot

Went to the High Priests.

For thirty pieces of silver

Judas would hand Christ over to them.

Remember the time that follows.
Judas betrays Jesus.

Peter denies Jesus thrice.
Judas dies by his own hand.
Peter dies Christ's servant.
What is the difference?
Judas never knew forgiveness.
Peter received God's blessing.
Why?
Because Judas acted
While Peter waited?
Is that the answer?
When the world around is clothed

In darkness,
Must we wait for divine guidance
And not act on impulse?

In this Easter season,
Give us the strength

To wait for God's whisper.

A Special Easter Basket

2011-04-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

Photo by drewfer

Easter baskets hold brightly colored eggs,
Childhood treasures discovered in the grass.
Adults need Easter baskets
To hold the treasures we have found:
Friends of all ages and faith,

Children we grew up with,

Friends of school and college,

Neighbors and co-workers,

Friends of friends that became ours,

Even some found in an electronic world,
True wealth to be nurtured

And loved;
Family slipped into our basket by God,
Similar blueprints, but still so different,
Not who we would choose as friends,

Perhaps,

But still the same bloodline from the past:

Heroes and villains,

Brave or not,

These our common ancestors,

Cherish the line

And how it changes.
Cherish the love;
One final golden egg for our basket,
Greatest of all,
Christ,

The Son of Man,

His love
Bestowed unwarranted,
Treasure above all treasure.

Our basket is not full,
Each year we can add more,

But cherish its contents today.

God,

Family,

Friends,

Love.

The Gladness of the Moment Palm Sunday 2011

2011-04-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

Photo by Etwood

"This is the day the Lord hath made.

Let us be glad and rejoice in it."

I quote these words as I rise each morning.

But can I follow this biblical command?

Sometimes I find it difficult to be glad,

Sometimes I find it impossible to rejoice.

Was it difficult for Jesus

When He stood on the hill over Jerusalem

And contemplated the tragedies to come?

He longed to gather those who dwelt in Jerusalem

Into his arms.

Did God weep that day for Jerusalem

Or for all humanity?

Where was gladness?

Saved for the day Jesus entered that great city,

And palm fronds fell at His feet,

And Hosannas echoed

From dried brick walls.

Just as the Psalm commanded:

"With boughs in hand, join the festal procession."

Jesus shared joy that day

As he would share suffering later

When he hung on the cross.

On Palm Sunday,

I will feel the gladness of the moment.

Even if I know as He did

The sorrow of tomorrow.

Springtime Prayer

2011-04-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Pink Dogwood Blossoms by Lee Coursey

Joy of Springtime
Who reigns above all,

Blessed are the ways we know you.

May your grace abound,

May the blossoms of creation

Fill the air with the sweet perfume of life.

Let love reign over all in this world

As it does where you dwell.

Feed us from the bounty of this earth.

Where weeds have been sown,

Let there be flowers.

Help us sow fruits

That others may harvest.

Protect us from the hail of evil

That comes with the storms of life.

Walk with us down the garden path

To the bounty of your love.

For you in all seasons

Provide endless lovingkindness.

Renewal

2011-02-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

Photo from norwichnuts

You who experienced death and resurrection,

Who dwells in heaven's love,

Praise to the you, the three in one,

Creator, Word and Love.

Let the flowers of heaven

Fill our hearts with lovingkindness

As the flowers of spring

Remind us that the season of renewal

Has begun.

In the soft breeze of spring

Let us discern your love.

In the thunderstorms

Let us sense you power.

In the still nights of renewal

Let us know your will.

With this Earth and Sun

You nurture us.

Forgive our failure to sow your lovingkindness

As we forgive those who sow despair.

Keep us out of the mud of selfishness.

Deliver us from the quagmires of the soul.

For yours is the springtime,

And the glory of life everlasting.

Let the Grayness Be Gone

2011-02-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

Photo by Juho Holmi

Creator of Light and Life,

Praise you above all.

You are love in action.

Let your miracles embrace us

According to your thoughts.

May you illumine this world

As well as heaven.

Let your healing glow

Revive our souls.

Forgive us
For letting in the darkness of uncaring

As we forgive those who block
Our path to the light.

Winter's grayness reaches out
To wrap us in the cold

And obscure the sunlight.

Just as evil within
Clutches at our souls
And blocks your love.

Part the winter clouds
With the sunlight that emanates
From the furnace that is our sun.

Drive away the evil within
With the radiance of your lovingkindness.

For there is no greater light

Than the light of your Love.

Christmas Day

2010-12-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day dawns with anticipation.

What waits under the tree?

There will be turkey and ham,

Sweet potatoes, corn on the cob,

Green beans and steaming rolls,

And desserts galore.

Family and friends gather

To enjoy the food,

And the company.

Amid the festivities

We shall light the Advent wreath.

And the Christ Candle

To commemorate the true meaning of Christmas.

Over two thousand years ago,

God chose to put as much of himself as he could

Into human form.

To experience his creation from within.

To experience all that it means to be human.

To experience death.

Death.

Only that God could not know,

As Christ he could.

He understands the bitter grief

Of separation caused by death.

The Comforter holds our hand

Through life and death

With the knowledge gained by Jesus.

Thank you,

God,

For stooping so low.

Thank you for the promise

That after death

There is so much more.

Photo By Average Jane

The Christmas Lamb

2010-12-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve has arrived
With blustery winds
And cold that bores to the bone.
Not the season of
Our savior's birth
But the time of our celebration.
Shepherds were in the hills
With their flocks;
The night breezes were warm
When Jesus was born.
Spring,

The time for new life.

The time for lambs

To gambol in the grass.

Christ's time of birth,
Christ's time of death.
Better to celebrate with joy
And anticipation

In winter's chill,
Than obscure the Easter message.
Shepherds.
Flocks.
Lambs.
The Lamb of God is come.

Photo by nz willowherb

The Word at Advent

2010-12-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

"In the beginning was the Word,

And the is Word was with God,

And the Word was God."

"And the Word was made flesh

And dwelt among us..."

These quotes from the Gospel of John

Speak the message of Advent.

Christ is God in action,

The instrument of creation,

The instrument of salvation.

God shed his majesty to experience

The world

As one of those made in his image.
As human,
He could experience death.

Resurrected,
He could demonstrate everlasting life.

The Christmas Babe:
Fully God and Fully Human.
He comes with promise of
Life Eternal
Embraced in His Love.

Photo by bahoootah qtr

Gifts of the Magi

2010-12-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea
In the days of Herod, the king,
Behold there came wise men from the east..."

The Bible does not count the wise men,

But we do.

Why?

Are we so determine to quantify the world

That we ignore quality?

We look to a person's wealth
To define their standing in the community.
God looks to how a person treats
The least among us.

The wise men brought three gifts:

Gold for virtue and kingship.
Frankincense for prayer and priestship.
Myrrh for suffering and death.

As Christmas comes,

What can we offer God
The author of Creation?
What he most wants:
Love,

Faith,

Obedience.
My prayer at Advent must be:

Lord, make me a servant in your image,

today, tomorrow and forever.

A Prayer for Advent

2010-12-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas Babe who comes to a manger,

How great is your gift to us:

Everlasting Life.

Glory to you!

Your kingdom endures forever.

Let us seek to become more like you

As we follow your example on Earth

And in Heaven.

As we light the Advent candles

Let us be filled with your Love.

Strengthen our faith

So that we may be an example to others

And lead no one astray.

The world beckons with selfishness and avarice.

Help us respond with compassion and generosity.

Nothing is ours.

All is yours.

A Babe born
Long ago
And
Far Away

Became a man

Who taught us all
How to live

Forever.

Photo by NASA Goddard Photo and Video

Advent 2010

2010-12-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

"And the angel said unto them,

Fear not; for behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy,

Which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day

In the city of David

A Savior,

Who is Christ the Lord"

Luke's gospel echoes through the ages.

In this season,
Do we hear the physician's words?

I fear not.

Carols fill the halls and malls of commerce

Until we no longer comprehend their meaning.

Today,

I will listen with my heart to Luke,

And know Christ excludes no one from his love

For he came "to all people."
No exclusivity,
No unique faith,
Just the manifestation of God
In a baby.

Great Joy!

The message of Advent.

Photo by aharden