"Red Votives"

(Composed after a trip to the San Juan
Capistrano Mission, October 2011)

A ruby red glow guides me
Down the dark corridor,
As I approach the altar,
The chapel of St Peregrine.

Prayers have been offered,
Tears shed for the sick,
The weary, the suffering.

I bow the knee and make my petition,
An intercession for those I know,
For those for whom these
Many votives have been lit,

For the relatives and friends,
Struggling to cope, to understand,
Seeking answers, seeking hope.

My soul yearns for their relief,
For peace and joy to uplift their spirits.
A fire in my breast urges me onward,
But I rise after a time, for the tourists

Are speaking in raised voices,
A healthy, young couple on holiday
Arguing about their camera settings.

"Nestled"

(Resting in the love of our Father
On October 13, 2010).

Tenderly nurturing the tiny babe
Enveloped in warm embrace
Gentle comfort as he sings
Delight streaming from his face

Cocooned in his mighty hands
Protected from all harm
None can dismiss his love
Nor snatch me from his arm

In him I am secure
Nestled in his grace
Mercy wrapped all around
His peace my resting place

"Woe"

(Composed in contemplation of
Isaiah 39 in late July 2010).

"It is good news!" declared he.
Many years would safely be
Comfortable in his wanton haze,
'Peace and security in my days.'

Woe to the foolish, selfish king;
Wealth to the winds he did fling!

Rich heritage he threw away;
His own sons he did betray:
Plundered land, dispossessed;
Exiled and harshly oppressed!

Woe to me who would lazily lounge
Forcing others to desperately scrounge!

Seeking comfort, preferring ease,
My fleshly pleasures to appease,
Merely the status quo to maintain,
Ever overlooking others' pain?

Woe to us all if so become we;
I pray, O Lord, may it never be!

"See"

(Inspired by the words of Isaiah
The prophet on July 7, 2010).

Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear
Open your eyes, O Lord, and see

Stumbling through the curtain,
Clothes torn and covered in ash,
Words echoing in my head:
Who are you?
Why would God care?
You are nothing.
You are alone.
No one sees.

Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear
Open your eyes, O Lord, and see

Tears streaming the paper tumbles
Out of my hand and to the floor.
Head bowed low, I bend my knee:
I am a child of the King.
God does care for me.
I am precious in His sight.
I will never be alone.
God sees all.

Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear
Open your eyes, O Lord, and see

Shouting my prayer to the heavens,
Exhausted, now barely whispering,
Slowly the weight begins to lift,
Gentle peace descends as a dove.
The oppressive haze starts to fade,
Evaporating in the presence of
Light eternal and Love divine.

"I turn to You"

(A prayer and a resolution
Written in late March 2010).

In times of trouble where do I turn,
When rivers flood and fires burn?
When cars collide and loved ones 've died,
I'm still trying to learn

To turn to You,
Lord, give me strength
To make it through,
Following Your lead
You'll supply my need,
As I learn to trust in You.

The sun beating on my face,
Struggling to maintain the pace,
Muscles aching, resolution quaking,
Limping just to continue the race,

As I turn to You,
Lord, give me strength
To make it through,
Where You direct
Love to perfect,
As I learn to trust in You.

Whether sunshine or sorrow
Calm or cold winds blow,
No end in sight in the dead of night,
You're always here, I know,

So I'll turn to You,
Lord, give me strength
To make it through,
Following You guide
None will be denied.
Lord, give me strength,
Give me Your strength
To make it through,
As I learn to trust in You.

"Faithful"

(Meditating on the Exodus,
Composed February 18, 2010).

Egyptian masters at their heels,
Nearing the edge of possibility,
The Israelites are critically cornered,
Cowering before the sea,
'Til the Lord parts the waters,
Sets His people free.

True to His promises
His word will endure

Entrenched, enslaved to sin was I,
Chasm 'tween us was so wide,
Nothing I could do to escape,
Chained to my rebellious pride,
'Til the Lord comes to earth,
Rescues and purifies His bride.

The Lord is faithful
His love is sure

In the desert Israel did cry,
No sustenance to be found,
Grumbling against the great I AM,
Raising a rebellious sound,
'Til the Lord opens heaven,
Bestows manna on the ground.

True to His promises
His word will endure

Even now in my great need
Before Your feet I humbly kneel,
Overwhelmed and terrified,
Such pain and fear I feel,
'Til You gently comfort me,
My weary soul You tenderly heal.

The Lord is faithful
His love is sure

Oh true to Your promises
Your word will endure
Lord, You are faithful
Your love is sure

"The God who speaks"

(Composed in the light of Isaiah 6 and Psalm 115,
On the morning of January 26, 2010).

Crudely carved block of wood,
Lump of blackened stone,
Sun-baked ceramic figurine,
Fragment of broken bone,

Behind museum glass they sit
Beneath fluorescent light;
Permanent exhibit they form,
Here each day and night.

Artifacts of ancient lands,
Revered as gods were they,
Now people pass, children laugh
In line for the café.

Their little ears hear no sound,
Eyes unable to see;
Their lips cannot form a word,
Nor answer an urgent plea.

Praise the Lord who hears our prayers;
He listens to our cries!
Rejoice! Jehovah sees our needs
And graciously provides!

Sing for joy all ye earth
For ours is the God who speaks,
Transforming hearts, changing lives
Of anyone who seeks!

"Immobile"

(Written on the evening of January 14, 2010,
Remembering where I was last Thursday night).

The battery light flashes on my dashboard.
I cringe as the radio turns off seconds later.
Gliding to a stop at the light, I restart the car,
Praying I will just make it to the repair shop.
The engine shakes, but starts, so I rev the gas,
Shifting into drive as the light turns green.

Rolling forward I push the pedal to the floor.
"Come on, baby! You can do it!" I coax.
The lights go out. The engine stops.

Panic.

Desperately I try to restart the car.
The key turns without a sound.
In fact, nothing happens. What now?

Timidly stepping out, my eyes searching;
Cars swerve around me left and right,
Filled with staring, disgruntled eyes,
Their turning signals flashing as they pass,
Avoiding the bothersome hindrance,
The irritating inconvenience--ME!

Mind racing amidst the honks, stranded,
Lost in the endless waves of car after car,
A stranger approaches and offers a hand.
Another comes, stopping the ceaseless flow,
Then pushing my immobile automobile
Off the crowded, bustling road.


My car is fine now; it all worked out,
Yet I cannot help but wonder if I,
Seeing another stuck, would stop,
Get out of the car, and break a sweat,
All to help someone I'd never met,
Someone I would never see again.

I think of the thousands in Haiti,
Perhaps even millions by now,
Shaken, desperate, in need.
I have never met one of them
(I probably never will)
Yet I cannot help, but seek to help.

I may not lift the rubble with this hand,
Yet I will give to those who can;
For even a weak and weary hand,
When united with his brother's,
Can meet an urgent need,
Can move the immobile.

"Hearts' delight"

(A choir member's fervent prayer,
December 10, 2009).

The torn screen door swings open
Exposing a heap of cans on the floor,
Drained dry, sapped six-packs,
Dreams, distant hopes of youth spilt,
Now dingy stains on the carpet.

The stench of beer and sweat
Drenches every inch of air,
As a cloud of thick smoke swells.
Cigarette butts litter the floor,
Tossed aside, burnt out, scorched idealism.

Shining childhood naivety,
The innocent glow of youth,
Tainted, tattered, tarnished,
Smothered, suffocated, strangled,
Mangled, maimed, and marred.

There was a party here last night,
Or did he drink alone?
It hardly matters now.
Alone he slouches on the couch,
Dead eyes, anesthetized to life.

Is there hope for him this Christmas?
Might he find joy this time of year
Amidst the plastic twinkling lights?
Might the brilliant Advent candles bright
Illumine this soul and enliven his eye?

May we not glide by this Christmas
Snuggled in our jingling sleds,
Cocoa in hand and cookies sweet,
Joyful carols ever echoing
In our scarf-wrapped little heads.

May the truth of that blessed night,
Floating, soaring through our song,
As the star which shone so bright,
Lead the lost to our dear Savior,
Guided by our hearts’ delight.

"The Little Lamb's Tale"

(Composed November 19, 2009).

The sun is in full bloom today,
A few wispy clouds overhead.
Birds are chirping in the meadow,
The promise of adventure in the air.
Prancing about the open field
Through green pastures and wild flowers,
A butterfly catches my eye,
So I skip after it to get a better look,
Its golden wings shimmering.
Among the trees I wander
Over roots and fallen leaves
Following the distant glittering.
My hooves now sore, throat dry,
Grown raspy with want of water,
Still I trample onward.
Entering shadows, hidden from the sun,
I stumble after the elusive sparkle.
Finally drawing nearer I hobble,
All my energy, just a few steps more...
My eyes riveted on the growing gold...
Suddenly the earth gives way beneath me,
As I fall downward, air rushing my face,
Landing hard, and SNAP!
"AHHH!" I cry out in pain,
My leg throbbing, pressure floods my ankle.
"HELP!" I moan, but no one responds.
Alone in the darkness I sob,
"Is there no one to help me?"
There is only silence.
Feet flailing I try to crawl forward,
But I am too weak.
Pushing harder I try to stand,
But I fall once more.
Utterly exhausted I curl tightly,
Clinging to a lone scraggly bush.
I wrinkle my nose as a bit of dirt
Falls from the cliff above.
Bleating once more, now with hope,
I lift my eyes heavenward.
Gentle hands surround me,
Embracing my thorn-filled fleece,
As he lifts me from the ledge.
The sharp pang in my leg
Seems to ease under his touch,
Wrapped in his strong, secure arms,
Held tightly to the shepherd's heart.

"Above our own"

(Composed after our latest gathering of
The Dinner Club, November 19, 2009).

A lively group of young adults,
Munching and chattering after work
About music, family, school or sports.
It's quite a party tonight!
A few tea lights cast their glow,
As pumpkin pie is passed around
And laughter flitters in the air,
When the door swings open and
The room grows suddenly still.

"A friend is in need. Please pray."

Instantly the separate clusters unite,
One after another petitioning for peace,
Uplifting a sister before our Father.
Of one mind and a single purpose,
Earnestly pleading on her behalf.
Interests, occupations, age, and size,
What naturally divides, now cast aside,
Huddled together before His throne,
His will to seek above our own.

"Those little gold stars"

(Composed after House of Prayer,
October 27, 2009).

Head bowed, tears gleaming in my eyes
Shed for the pain of another, I was reminded:
Life is not measured in dollars and cents,
In titles, degrees, and lengthy acronyms,
Or little gold stars on the board;
Yet some days I struggle and strive,
Polishing those little gold stars,
Trying to make them shine brighter,
Reapplying the peeling adhesive,
Keeping them in a straight line.

I don't feel so bad with their glint in my eye,
Still over the years these mere stickers
Seem to simply fade and fall away,
Like the pale ribbon in the back of my closet:
A first place blue ribbon in archery,
Shiny and new the summer after fourth grade.
Actually, come to think of it,
I might have thrown that ribbon away.
Oh well. Nobody really cares about it now.
Old trophies aren't worth much in the end.

Praise the Lord He looks at the heart,
Not our paycheck, job title, or resume,
Not our model of car or IQ,
Nor our number of facebook friends!
Praise the Lord for He is good,
And His mercies are new every morning!
Praise the Lord for His lavish love,
And His gracious provision for our needs!
Praise the Lord for His faithfulness,
And His tender mercies unto me!

"What is in your hand?"

(Composed in reflection after a
retreat on October 12, 2009).

What is in your hand?
A pen.

A passion.
A love for my God.
A pain.
A heartache.
A longing.
I give it to Your service.

An eagerness.
A frustration.
A beloved friend.
A ruthless enemy.
I entrust these to You, O Lord.

A warmth.
A zeal.
A chill.
A fear.
A strength.
A wound.
A distress.
A delight.
In it all I will praise You

that they may believe that the Lord
has appeared to you

"Why often worry we?"

(Composed after Grace Group
on December 21, 2008).

Chirping birds hop around
Gulping worms they have found,
Twittering and flittering about,
No cares, without a doubt,
Satisfying sustenance does abound.

Lovely lilies blossoming
Dazzling in brilliant clothing,
Warmed by the sun's rays,
All men they do amaze
Without a tailor's sewing.

Never does a bird fall,
But Father God sees them all.
Abundant blessings He bestows.
His dear children He truly knows,
And answers those who call.

Why often worry we
When trusting would we be
Could we but understand
The Father's mighty, loving hand,
From anxiety we would be free?

"A text message!"

(Scrawled after reading it
on December 18, 2008).

Humming a Christmas carol, I drive,
Rush hour traffic, yet I don't mind--
It's Christmastime after all!

Lights twinkle across rooftops,
As the sun peacefully sets--
A lovely winter afternoon!


Da, da, da, da, da, dum.
An envelop appears on the screen
Swooping across Christmas tree wallpaper.

A text message!
Instant delight!

Anticipating a "Hi!" or "Waz up?" I read,
"My mom is in urgent care..."
Eyes darting across the text,
Glancing at the tail lights ahead of me.
"She fell again and can't feel her leg."

"What? No!"
I blink my eyes unconsciously,
Shock...
The muscles in my face instantly tense,
Brows furrowed, grimacing,
'How could this happen?
Oh, not again!
Last time was frightening, but again?
Will she recover?
But her graduation is tomorrow!
The pain she must feel!'

Her concern and worry pierce my soul.
Water fills my eyes.
Sadness, pain, and sorrow well over,
Overflowing my heart,
Flooding my cheek.

Nothing to say,
No words can express.
Just tears to shed
For my dear friend.

"Tragic Devastation"

(Scribbled amidst the smoke of the Orange
County Fires the evening of November 15
and the dawn of November 16, 2008).

Blood red fire
Sulfur yellow flames
I see them on tv
Burning structures,
Apartments, houses,
Homes consumed
By raging flame.

Heat, smoke, ash
Overwhelming
Damage,
Destruction,
Tragic devastation.

Smoke is in the air,
Driving home to pack,
Scared, anxious, alone
Collecting my treasures
Records, pictures, memories.

It's only a precaution,
Yet just to think,
I lose it all?
Up in smoke?
Gone for good?

Of course, one day all of it will burn
When with my Savior, I am united,
But until that day, O God,
Have mercy; protect us.
Watch over those I love.
Wrap them in Your strong embrace.

...

The destruction of the night
Is woefully brought to light,
As flakes of ash,
Flecks of homes,
Rain from the sky
Like a dingy blanket of snow.

The sun is burning with a fiery glow.
Smoke permeates the air all around,
Oppressive grey haze surrounds.

Have mercy, O my God.
Give grace to the hurting,
Peace to the suffering,
Love to the mourning.
Be near them, O God.
Hold them close.

"Rest"

(Composed November 2008).

Kick off your shoes
And take a seat.
Recline yourself.
Prop up your feet.

Light a candle.
Smell its scent
Fill the room.
Relax content.

Sip your Zinfandel,
Refreshing vine,
Sweet cordial fruit,
Ambrosial wine.

Read Bronte's Jane Eyre
Enchanted by romance.
Play Strauss' Blue Danube
Charmed by the flowing dance.

Close your eyes.
Let the music unwind
Tightly clenched hands
And worried mind.

Rather, whisper a prayer.
Seek quiet repose,
The Peace in our hearts,
And Rest for our souls.