as with authority

If, after having made a list
of things to change your life
for the better,

you were to ask
Jesus to come in
to have a look,
what would be changed?

Considering the comfortable boundaries
of life; the knots of our own making,
the familiar limits we traverse

and imagine the openness
that Christ brings
we begin again, like children,

to learn from the things
that might be changed

because they are in God's heart,
and are disclosed
to us
with stunning authority;

but only when we listen.



They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, .... and at once the report of his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Mark 1:28

to follow

The choice is totally up to you,
but you need to know this before you make a decision;
in following Him - and in your life with others,
he will never leave you;
you will never be alone.


Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:14-20

A Baptized Moment

Blessed to live
in the moment
with the font
as a starting point
day by day.

Once and for all,
still alive and active-
Baptism is not drops of water long dried up
but Spirit lubricating every moment.

Realizing that you are
in the right place
at the right time,
for the right reason
(whether or not you chose to be there),

this is
how baptism
breaks
into life.



In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11

the gift you have to give

what is the greatest gift you have been given

to help make God’s love real in the life you see around you?

what is the gift you have to give?
what gold of the kindness of humanity-
or frankincense of simple love,
what myrrh of forgiving redemption
do you have as a gift to the Lord.

it’s a long way up to God…
it’s a long way down to the manger…

yet, right now
is time to give my best to God’s holy child who lives among us now….


‘In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? …. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.’ Matthew 2:1,9

A Blessing for the New Year

A Blessing for the New Year


May you be ever aware of the light that shines in the darkness;
that the darkness can never put out.

May your eyes be opened to the wonder of the daily miracle
of life around you, and may your sense of mystery be deepened.

May you be willing enough to let go of the past,
to lay down failures, guilt and shame,
to lift up your eyes and look to the future
for only in letting go can you be freed
to grasp new opportunities.

May you be blessed with companions on the journey
who listen to you and encourage you with their presence.

May you learn to live with what is unsolved in your heart,
daring to face the questions and holding them
until, one day, they find their answers.

May love flow in and through you to those who need your care.

May the grace of God’s presence strengthen your resolve,
clarify your will and equip you
to live with courage, faith and hope made real
until the year’s end- and far, far beyond.


For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

the Birth of Christ

Do not wait for God to come to you and for
“I exist” to tell you.


A God who needs to manifest His strength
is too strong for anyone’s good.


You must know, that the Word, (even God) is blowing inside you,
from the very beginning,


and even if your heart is not set on fire and nothing happens,
within you He is still creating.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. John 1:1-4

Mary Envy?

She doesn’t say, “I’m not worthy,”

but rather, “Let it be done.”

She lets God do all the giving;

her job is in the receiving.


Why does she win the lottery;

how does she so easily open her heart to God?


Is she, like Tim Tebow, too good to be true,
too earnest, too humble, too selfless to be believed?
.


God does not love her, or you, because you are good;

God loves you because God is good,


We are all are more than worthy in God’s sight;
we can all let God’s will be done, through us.








The angel Gabriel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:35, 38