as I watched the sunrise this morning and watched the sliver of moon disappear, I pondered and listened as I prayed:  this is where I landed.

Embarking on another new year

Wondrous moments

mark the path when

open    eyes

glimpse

the fragility of life and

hearts hear

the rhythm of Hope

gracefully beating

to movement of Peace

Dancing feet

know the sureness of joy

when the ground slips out from under

visiting angels help

navigate the

inscape

and surrounding landscape

they re-member

the very human tale

where love is

found as God’s Kingdom

is ushered in

so

tread lightly

and let gratitude illumine the way.

 

The Advent journey

 

our ride on the path may not be on a donkey

our map may not be charted by stars

But we share the closeness of uncertainty and fears that the darkness

can strangle our hope with knotted twine of anxiety and depression.

Our inner compass fails, when the worries this juncture of time consume

setting out

lifting our hearts to the Wind, we listen for the Spirit.

stuffing our backpacks with words of wisdom

lessons from the elders

cups filled with kindness

blankets of Love

and more Mercy then we can carry alone

step on the path of faith

Already created

 

AK

I do not recognize the rhythm of my heart these days.

She beats to a song that is new

She carried a similar beat before

but none like this

I know I will learn the steps

I know I will become familiar with her cadence

But for now

It’s new

and I am trying to keep time,

I see I am standing at the border

of grief and change

uncertain how or when to cross

I remember

Interesting things happen at borders

So I steady my breath

noticing the changing patterns in the song

as The Spirit washes over

drawing my attention to

the deeper rhythm of

the heart of God beating to the song within

and I know

I journey not alone for

God is holding my hand

LOOKING UP

 

Looking up, away from the persistent distractions.

The bright constellation directed her to follow

the path leading inside.

 

Seeing the womb of her heart open,

housing capacity for pain and joy, loss and hope.

Feeling the rhythm of humanity’s heartbeat,

the voices heard need no translation

for understanding.

 

The Journey’s Way is lit with the star,

and speaks in Love’s language

that leads always

To the Kingdom of God

and

away from the persistent distractions.

 

AK

Jan, 2019

22 lines

 

Convenience binds us

time is coveted

fear of being wasted

We linger not

But are

free to waste

longing

for peace

attaining

emptiness

so push more

drive further, faster, achieve…..

But the kingdom of God says

Knead the bread

wait for rising

Be present

awaken to the intoxicating story of

Christ ushering in the kingdom

Eavesdrop

on creation

as the trees and the wind and the stars with the cycles of light sing out

humanity’s song

Listen

Stop the busyness of convenience

and be

still

after journeying and sitting in Philippians I landed :

PHILIPPIANS : The Church in Philippi

 

Sophia entered

not knowing what she would experience

 

her own life complicated by decisions of men but a

longing grew out of a spark ignited by a glimpse into Love unknown

 

Community established followers of Jesus

they were bound in love, acceptance and gratitude

 

speaking a truth never yet heard by her ears,

seeing deep spirited friends putting

 

themselves second

always with genuine affection with thanksgiving.

 

She could taste the Hope she ached for

 

the fragrance of Peace flooded her heart

 

and Joy tickled her flesh

awakening desire

 

to accept Grace offered

 

Landing on her knees

she surrendered

 

AK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greeting

1 Paul and Timothy, servants¹ of Christ Jesus,

To all the ^asaints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the ^boverseers² and ^cdeacons:³

^2 dGrace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

^3 eI thank my God ^fin all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, ^5 gbecause of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ And I am sure of this, that he who began ^ha good work in you ⁱwill bring it to completion at ^jthe day of Jesus Christ. ⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you ^kin my heart, for you are all ^lpartakers with me of grace,⁴ both ^min my imprisonment and in ⁿthe defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For ^oGod is my witness, ^phow I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And it is my prayer that ^qyour love may abound more and more, ^rwith knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, ^sand so be pure and blameless ^tfor the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled ^uwith the fruit of righteousness that comes ^vthrough Jesus Christ, ^wto the glory and praise of God.

The Advance of the Gospel

¹² I want you to know, brothers,⁵ that what has happened to me has really ^xserved to advance the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard⁶ and ^yto all the rest that ^zmy imprisonment is for Christ. ¹⁴ And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold ^ato speak the word⁷ without fear.

^15 bSome indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. ¹⁶ The latter do it out of love, ^cknowing that I am put here for ^dthe defense of the gospel. ¹⁷ The former proclaim Christ ^eout of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that ^fthrough your prayers and ^gthe help of ^hthe Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, ²⁰ as it is my eager expectation and hope ⁱthat I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full ^jcourage now as always Christ ^kwill be honored in my body, ^lwhether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me ^mto live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ^23 nI am hard pressed between the two. My desire is ^oto depart and ^pbe with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴ But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ^25 qConvinced of this, ^rI know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your ^sprogress and ^tjoy in the faith, ²⁶ so that in me ^uyou may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

²⁷ Only ^vlet your manner of life be ^wworthy⁸ of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you ^xthat you are standing firm in one spirit, with ^yone mind ^zstriving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is ^aa clear sign to them of their destruction, but ^bof your salvation, and that from God. ²⁹ For ^cit has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also ^bsuffer for his sake, ³⁰ engaged in the same ^dconflict that ^eyou saw I had and now hear that I still have.

PHILIPPIANS 1

 

Yes Because

 

 

Yes, because I love you,

I am bound

 

Yes, because I love you,

I suffer

 

Yes, because I love you,

I pray always

 

Be one

Of one

In one

The One

 

Yes Because,

Love is

The One

Then Joy

Then Peace

Will abound

in Grace

 

in The One,                  Jesus

yes, because Love is,

Jesus.

I carried a bushel of anxiety

The weight of which

burdened my spirit

burying Hope

and Peace

each time I tried to empty

the bushel

the basket would fall,

covering the flowering peace and hope flowers

stifling their blooming and

masking their sweet fragrance

Trust seemed distant

Did I have faith?

Carried by others’

prayer lifted the bushel basket

Light shone

And

Peace bloomed in my heart

Hope flowered in my Spirit

and I remembered

how sweet

Grace fills me with Love

you summer

in the field above my home

enjoying the meadow’s flowers and

buckwheat nectar

my early morning stroll

disturbs your slumber

you flutter out of the trees onto the field as I walk by

dancing by my head in groups of 20 or more

just out of reach

rising on the breath of the hot wind

glancing back

you fill the moment by the hundreds

golden against the blue

this magical moment

brings simple joy as

your wings flitter

in the summer heat

till you hear the call on the breeze

that carries you on the horizon of time

to far away winter lands

only to return next summer

to dance in my meadow once more

 

O how I love to hate

no,

not everyone

and seasons changed my thoughts

Hippies once

my mother often

my ass hole brother,

more often.

But lately

it seems

the Homophobe occupies

a lot of mental space

I conjure up

conversations

full of brilliant wit

and academic excellence.

I dream of proving them wrong

exposing their fear

their bigotry

and their hypocrisy

Why do I waste my time?

My mental energy?

Do I simply

just like to hate them?

Nope.

The homophobe’s words, actions and deeds

inflict pain

Pain on those I hold so dear

I fear my strategy of avoidance

is not sustainable

So

I will paint my face with brilliant rainbows

Proudly make my position clear

raise my hand

daring conversation

For As For Me and My God

We will love the Queer