Monday, July 26, 2010

happy fools.

It's the tragedy i relate to better.
It's the sad story line of the dying mother or the tragically taken father. it's the orphan, alone and against the world that i identify with.

i long for beauty. i hope for peace. i want the happy ending. but it's the tragedy i recognize. its the denial i most understand. it's the longing.

why? we don't see, yet.
we are among the fallen. now.
it's not what it's supposed to be.
we have eternity within us, joined in our very marrow, inseparable from our very breath.
but the reality is we are here.
now.

spread hope.
communicate truth.
give joy.

even when you feeling the dying,
even when you witness the injustice,
even when you see the evil.

we will be seen as fools.
but we are happy fools.
sober, yet innocent. brave, yet mocked. and always miss understood.

we are happy fools.
it's the hole, deep and vast.
it's the yearning, a pull for something better.
it's the haunting, never a moment's thought away.
it's the inability to fix it myself.
it's the acknowledgement that it's beyond me.
it's surrender.
it's release.
it's purifying.
it's refining.
it's sacrifice.
it's desire to walk the path, identify with the one, do as He did, go as He went.
it's to be set apart.
it's willingly stepping into the place of suffering.
it's the dedication, the drive, the focus, and the hope.

O God, meet me in this place.

the path of one thought

communication; the complex exchange between an individual with another, the dynamic between an individual and media, the dialogue between an individual and their maker. Communication occurs when the process of a thought becomes words and is given breath, life, and is spoken forth.

interpretation of a thought. that's where the complexity lies. when a thought is spoken, meaning is added-by intonation, expression, and perception. From the giver, the bringer of the word to the receiver, the interpretation of the word can go from the meaning that was intended to perception and intention that violates the bringers' thought.

And that's the passage of one thought. Imagine that one thought multiplied by thousands of thoughts-some spoken and some unspoken. Imagine the complexity, the joy and wonder and the hurt and destruction that can occur when thoughts on a path don't make the target.

We were given life, we were given reasoning skills, we were given the ability to communicate. When we don't communicate; we suffer. Those around us suffer. When we shut down and close up, we distance ourselves from the community of others.

The passage of one thought needs to be spoken as powerfully as lungs need air and the heart needs blood.

Communicating with God-constant and dynamic. Communicating with others-certain and sure. Despite miss interpretation. Amongst ignorance and humility. Surrounded by vulnerability and risk of rejection. Speak. Give. Struggle. Share.

Friday, July 23, 2010

weeds to darkness, plants to light

approaching the overrun flower bed was intimidating,
the weeds had conquered.
reaching in to begin;
separating weed from flower
was so tedious
trailing each root to it's base, it was hard to see where the plant began and the weed ended
mixed together, one by one.
it takes patience, persistence, dedication, deliberation
it takes one step at a time, one weed pulled, one plant redeemed
at the base the weeds were so intense, light couldn't get in, the growth was stunted, impacted, the life of the plant shortened, the healthiness taken away
the darkness was taking over and the only way to bring light in was one weed at a time.
One weed at a time. One step at a time. It takes time to change. From dark to light. From weeds to plants. It takes ONE.

ONE who is faithful to the process.
ONE who is undaunted by the enormity of the situation.
ONE who knows, who navigates, who is patient and wise, ONE who loves, ONE who wants to help. ONE who redeems. ONE who saves.