You Who Never Arrived, by Rainer Maria Rilke You who never arrived in my arms, Beloved, who were lost from the start, I don't even know what songs would please you. I have given up trying to recognize you in the surging wave of the next moment. All the immense images in me -- the … Continue reading March 6 | Beloved
Category: lent
March 5 | Focus
The ability to focus on one thing for a long period of time is glorified in our society. A Lenten promise to focus on for six weeks. A plan for a half marathon that lasts 12 weeks. A new eating plan that is supposed to last... forever? If you stick with it, you're a hero, … Continue reading March 5 | Focus
March 4 | Restored
I have no better explanation of "restored" than the result of work that Jesus did on the cross: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (II Cor. 5:21 NASB). There is nothing on Earth that compares to this single … Continue reading March 4 | Restored
March 3 | Seeds
In my Bible I used to have several mustard seeds folded into a little piece of wax paper, as a reminder of the verse where Jesus talks about how our faith can be as tiny as a mustard seed. It was a good reminder after awhile when I opened my Bible, but I ended up being … Continue reading March 3 | Seeds
March 2 | Emptiness
Today marks two years since my husband came home from deployment with the Army. He spent nearly 10 months overseas. That was the longest we ever went without seeing each other. There is a specific type of void in life when one's spouse or significant other is gone, even for a short period of time. … Continue reading March 2 | Emptiness
March 1 | Healing
My schedule today is different than usual, so I'm doing this devotion at Panera while I wait to teach my evening class. My thoughts are definitely more coherent in the morning, when I usually do this. I designated this Lenten season to surround healing, restoration, and rejuvenation for me. I think so far, it has … Continue reading March 1 | Healing
February 29 | Brokenness
This Lenten practice of writing a little every day about a prompt is difficult. Not because I can't think of what to say - I love writing in almost any form - but because it's forcing me to 'come clean' about things. Not to 'confess' my sins or anything, but to actually start saying out … Continue reading February 29 | Brokenness
February 28 | Home
Beannacht ("Blessing") On the day when the weight deadens on your shoulders and you stumble, may the clay dance to balance you. And when your eyes freeze behind the grey window and the ghost of loss gets in to you, may a flock of colours, indigo, red, green, and azure blue come to awaken in … Continue reading February 28 | Home
February 27 | Burden
These few lines came to mind when I read the word for today: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (Emma Lazarus, 1883) And also these … Continue reading February 27 | Burden
February 26 | Mystery
Mystery in life is one thing that brings me peace. There are just some things we, even as humans, cannot understand or explain. This used to drive me crazy. If we have science, why can't we explain everything? We should be able to by this point in mankind's existence. Now that I'm older and wiser (?), … Continue reading February 26 | Mystery
MPM 2.0: mercy unmasked 