Monday, June 5, 2023

3/10/23

 



That look on your face

Breathless and panicked

With a half-decade behind

Just to start all over

Just to keep life going as it was

Just to focus on new responsibilities

Just to put out new flames

Just to exhaust new strategies

Just to wake up to new joys

Just to bask in new snuggles

Just to love this new little-christ

Tomorrow we break the news

With the other three

With mochi and smartphones









Trusting Grace

 



 

At first you dragged us

Against our will and into your life

Irresistibly impelling the I 

We were humbled

 

Then you showered gifts 

Washing us with precious promises 

Of life, of good, of blessings to come, even protection from prey

We were inspired

 

So, we did as you commanded

Day after day, studying to preach and pray 

Students on mission, on fire without a cage

We persevered


Life happened

Decades passed

We became as gods

 

Knowing good and evil

Knowing the difference 

Between planting corn and strawberries

Curiosity piqued

 

In our quest of you

Analyzed and perused

Unexamined details sprouted like never before

It was as though, for once, we both reached an impasse

 

Then we each watched each other's tide

Encroach upon our iconic moat and sand castle

While each of us did nothing

 

What happened to the One who saved us?

Where did all the power and sovereignty go?

Will you not do for us what we cannot do for ourselves?

Why the silent treatment now?

 

Nothing but silence, casting doubt

In despair, questioning if you’d ever been there

In loneliness, orphaned and stranded

Why should we care?


A generation of wandering

Around this citadel of sand

And you would not coddle or swaddle us once more

 

Why not drag us, or woo us, or inspire us again?

Why jettison every word of promise?

Convince us to care, if you dare

Then the seed finally died

 

Children abandoned their fathers

Servants betrayed their masters

Fruitless branches pruned from the vine

Because juvenility reigned

 

Only a few learned to increase in likeness and sovereignty

Even fewer took control of this monergistic gift for all

To honor father and mother when they’re no longer needed

And trust this first synergistic word with promise



















 

 

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Sacramental Potatoes

 


These potatoes represent so much to me

They represent what I imagined us to be

From little spuds to flaky skins

To bring together the best there is

The WHOLE of us together in bliss

Then Satan entered and deceived the kids

May the Lord grant such a time again 

When we can munch on tots as friends

And laugh about how wrong they were

To question the prophet and cause a stir









Celebrating American Jesus

 



Must we?

Dress up like candy canes

Consume lots of sweets, meats, and alchoholic treats

 

Must we?

Open presents one by one in front of all

Even though I brought nothing but myself

And they pretend to know me

 

Must we?

Pretend to be tightly knit

And write checks for simple services

Insisted for free









Impacted


Another year

Another festive funeral service survived

Christ is born—Glorify him, they don’t say

The three stooges just offer their gifts

While eighteen bystanders pretend to enjoy the show

It’s like they participate to please Herod or Caesar

So I did what I do best

Pray boldly and ask forgiveness later

And pray louder than the fools in the tomb

Even an infected ear can hear the difference














Good boy

 

 

I prayed last night

It feels right to draw a line in the sand

I’m not sure if it’s wrong to never cross that line again

Even for artificial peace

 

In the moment it feels more wrong than right

Why should I care about him?

Because that’s what Jesus would supposedly do?

What if he’s a pharisee?

 

Should I pray for Saul to become Paul?

For forgiveness, because he doesn’t know what he’s doing?

Saul repented when confronted

He accepted change

 

And as far as forgiveness goes

It turns out that our Father did not forgive them all

Forty years were offered to repent 

And become children again

 

He doesn’t have that many years left though

He knows he should do something

I prayed he would

Or, at least I think I did

 

Maybe I fell asleep

Before I got to that part

If he does do what is right

Does anyone even know what that would look like?









For yourself


 















None of us were surprised

He came and brought her

And made excuses afterward

 

It was a good time apart nonetheless

Kids puking will become his excuse

To normalize dysfunction

 

He convinced many for a time, times, and half a time

That he really does love us

Just not enough to take us seriously

 

This is because he sees the missing

He knows how nations are discipled

His whole life is one adopted failure after another

 

Old man, you have built very little

Defended quite a lot of your own panache

And sustained absolutely nothing but a reputation


For yourself