On Sundays it is the hardest thing to do…go to church. The building that is…I am/we are the church, I know that. Our hands show others God’s love. Our feet demonstrate God’s peace (or at least they should). Our lips were designed to bless others with encouragement and yet, the call to go out and minister the gospel is a real struggle when faced with life’s -isms (and schisms):

• consumerism
• racism
• sexism
• legalism

When crafting my vision board for 2018, I made a plan to study God’s word and work to speak it daily to those seeking my “advice”–not that I am an expert in anything but flaws…

Here is my morning prayer, my scripture shower for the day: Thank you for quieting our anger and helping us to surrender control over things we cannot change that are happening in our lives. We know and are coming to understand that not by power or by might but by your spirit can we level the mountains in our lives and make them plains (Zechariah 4: 6-7); Only you are able to keep us from falling and present us as faultless before your presence with exceeding joy (Jude 1:24) keeping us in perfect peace as we keep our hearts and minds stayed on you (Philippians 4:6). We seek forgiveness for our trespasses Oh God (Matthew 6:12) against those who have done us wrong and to whom we have returned wrong. We are weak and accept your strength through the blood of Jesus that has cleansed us from our sins (1 John 1:7) and drawn us closer to you (Ephesians 4:12). We thank you for giving us friends and family that help us to know your love when we feel lonely, bringing us out of bondage and solitary, isolated moments and into the prosperity of your love (Psalm 68:6). Thank you for healing that comes from time away from the tension of disappointment. Restore us to the place of emotional stability and feelings of gratitude for your light. We bless you for our children and thank you for allowing us to be their shepherd as you have been ours (Psalm 23). We declare, that surely goodness and mercy will follow them when we cannot be there to see them through. We trust you dear God and thank you for this experience. Bless our worship time. Open our hearts and minds to receive your Word today. Bless the leaders in our lives, on every level. Help us to follow those who follow you. Give us a discerning spirit today and forever. So let it be.

Morning prayer: Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts like David in Psalm 139 (23); help me to know that you are my shepherd and I shall not want for anything (Psalm 23). Help me to keep my mind stayed on you that I might not focus on my disappointments or the tests that were promised to come in this life (John 16:23). Help me to have YOUR peace which is perfect simply because I trust you (Isaiah 26:3). Your word has posed the question ‘what do we gain from all our worry’ (Ecclesiastes 2:22)? Nothing; I know. I will strive not to be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present my requests to you (Phillipians 4:6). So let it be.

As a parent, separation is hard to experience and observe. Like two pieces of Velcro being ripped apart, separation of mother from child, father from daughter, only son from family is loud and disruptive–if only in theory. Like Velcro whose design it was to hold things securely together, its power lies in its ability to come back together once taken apart. Even though the fine fibers between strips have been changed in the disruption, they are durable and intended to change a little bit every time.

The comfort (and perhaps the safety) in knowing that at one time I could control the interactions between us is now gone. He is miles away with only a plane ticket and time standing between us…no…there is more. New friends. New choices. Some I don’t want to know about. I have to trust that the years of “seasoning” lovingly used to dress his daily experiences have been enough to tenderize his life.

Family is the bridge that both separates and connects us…it is strong and will endure, anchored in love and weathered by change. I have learned to surrender control.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; 
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. 
Amen. (Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

Why is it that most things that make us grow, cause us pain? From a pimple under the skin to bunions on the bottom of tired feet, somehow growth provides seemingly needless taunting to the human experience. Bringing contempt along with it, evolution hurts.

Memories of previous aches–

Heart

Stomach

Head

Back

breaking pain that leads to loose

Bowels

Tongues

Lives

crafted for forgiveness, repentance, re-member-ance…

The need to put

back together the things that with pain and deafening noises of

deception and broken promises

have been torn apart…

On the other side of the growth is brand new opportunity to heal…

He showed up at my house, wreaking of alcohol and mouthwash, chewing gum and expensive bath products. Almost ten years into a friendship of convenience, here we were again: when does the narrative change?

Yesterday’s “tweet” from WS reminds me of the importance of a circle…

I want to see him #win. I have been a cheerleader for him since day one–its in my nature but now I am feeling the consequence of my concern. I must break the cycle before it breaks me.

Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. (Proverbs 17: 6)

In honor of the 10-year anniversary of your passing from this life into the next…

Popoo and his girls! 1979

These pictures tell a story, incomplete in form but pregnant in function. This is my grandfather with his first two granddaughters on the left (circa 1980) and his first daughter (circa 1955) on the right. When I see these pictures I feel his loving gaze; I miss him.

#3wordstory

#3sentencecomposition

(line 1) Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), a lawyer and civic leader, is often quoted as having (line 2) said “poverty is the worst form of violence” . James Baldwin (1924-1987), a     (line 3) writer, says this about poverty: “anyone who has ever struggled with poverty (line 4) knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor”.  Aristotle (384-322 BCE), a (line 5) philosopher, wrote in his volume Politics: A Treatise on Government, “poverty  (line 6) is the cause of sedition and evil”.

Baldwin 1979

Develop an argument about how all three quotes are related. Consider all evidence provided in the text including the timeline/lifespan for each speaker/author.

Common Core Text Types & Purposes (Grades 6-12) Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence; Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence

I have heard it said that family represents obligation and friend represents commitment…the major difference is the expected return on the investment. With family, there is no expectation and with friends it is great…is it wrong to expect great from both? It is why so many of my friends I actually call family. Scripture says “God places the lonely in families”. I also believe he gives us friends so we understand his intent. Live on purpose because quality relationships are no accident…