Captivated by Grace

A grace note embellishes music
like the necklace he slipped on
my neck that morning in church

Surprise! After a good cry
then a prayer and hug from a friend
you, turtle, greeted me in the garage

Can you lasso the clouds?
or tether the dragonfly?
Can I lace the moonbeams
through my fingers?
Or finger wear the firefly light?

You sprinkle diamonds over dewy grass 
and hide pearls in shells at sea

You call the stars by their names
You created us,... me

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

    the days that were formed for me,

    when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God.

How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

Psalm 139:15-18a

But my sin,
How I can put my fingers in my ears
Scream back at Him
Turn my back, slam a door,
Running reckless
Selfish
Hurting those around me
Not caring

But God,
 being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

So I stand,

beneath this waterfall of grace

My cup fills, re-fills, splashes over

You own it all, You share it all...

Your love knows no limits

It found out me.

Beauty

"Believe just this moment that everything is being transfigured for His glory. Every step towards something beautiful already accomplishes something beautiful. Beauty and joy are found in every overcoming along the way.

Only those who believe in the beautiful — can collaborate in the miraculous."

-Ann Voskamp

"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us..."  Psalm 90:17

"He has made everything beautiful in its time..."  Ecclesiastes 3:11

"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory."  Matthew 12:20

The crunch, crunch of chains

The rub, rub, whir of tire

A hiccup, pothole

World rushes past

Eyes rest on flower, flight of bird

Showers of liquid sun pebble through tree shadows

Onto my hair and neck

Warm moist air is drenched in scent - 

Magnolia, jasmine, roses...

Grey furry Goslings paddle clown-footed

behind their mothers, I pause,

letting this flock waddle by

I would have whizzed past

"not seeing the forest for the tree"

a tree of delicate beauty surrounded by

tall, sturdy pines

Am I this tree?

Or the cultivated tree?

High-maintance tree everyone wants

But God...

He may place us 

in an obscure, unknown place - 

Yet He watches over us.

"Keep me as the apple of the eye,

 hide me under the shadow of your wings."

Psalm 17:8

The oyster its pearl

Treasure chest its key

Perfume its cork

Rose its thorn

Eye its lid

Fruit its skin

But if shell is broken

Treasure unlocked

Perfume poured

Rose crushed

Eye opened

Fruit eaten

THEN we experience beauty

in all its fullness

Oh to write lyrics 

to the birds songs!

See, all the pine branches

like fingers pointing

to heaven!

Yet my finger, uncouth

will darken the white magnolia bloom

Even in this, we are as the

Mona Lisa painting: the "best known, the most visited,

 the most written about, the most sung about, 

the most parodied work of art in the world."^[1]

Kept protected behind bullet-proof glass.

He protects those He loves

In Love, Jesus, our Christmas rose

a tender shoot from the stump of Jesse

Wore a crown of thorns

He bled, wept

He was broken, unlocked

poured out, viewed - 

on the Cross

All for LOVE

"Taste and see that the LORD is good.

 Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!"

Psalm 34:8

He was broken

We eat the broken bread

His blood poured out for us

We drink the cup He pours

We remember He is beauty

Beauty is not beautiful

till uttered, extended and shared

Make our lives beautiful, Lord

"Then the King will desire your beauty.

Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him."

Psalm 45:11

"Give to the LORD, the glory due to his name; 

worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."

Psalm 29:2

As I skid over gravel

park this bicycle

Sigh, gaze into the sky

Creator, Beautiful One!

Thank you!

Bluebird of Happiness

You flashed before my eyes
I was like Chicken Little, "the sky is falling!"
All wonder

I am enchanted by your coat of azure
and red vest

Many birds told me of your coming.

Robins sporting identical vests.

The gentle cooing of a mother dove

Huddled groups of Canadian geese...
smoking cigars in their tweed jackets and black bow ties

Jealous blue jays fretting about

The knock, knock of woodpeckers constructing homes for your nests

Mocking birds auditioning on the tops of trees,
it's the season for singing - songs fit for the King!

I wonder what the owl, ravens, vultures in their long trench coats are saying

Seagulls, hawks and the golden eagles swoop long and wide

"Chirp, chirp," the sparrows and Mr. and Mrs. Robin
are glad for your company

They will tell you a feast is to be had at my house

For I've placed a red ball full of black seeds
right outside my kitchen window

Won't you please come and visit me, little bluebird?

You are a piece of sky fallen to earth

Here, let me sing a little song to you...

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Easter Poem

"!Feliz Pascua de Resurrreccion!"
"Happy Easter!"
I smile to Juan, from Colombia,
who bags my groceries

"Happy Easter!"
I smile to the Pharmacist
Gladness exuberates
in flowers

We play mini golf
small boy with long
flowing locks
darts past

The dad and a friend
capped, bearded
fringed tallit trickles
down the waist

Blue thread reminds
to keep God's commands
(Numbers 15:38-41)

I ask about his little boy
"We cut hair at 3 years,
it's our tradition."
"In India there is a similar practice,"
I say

"It's our Passover week,"
he says
I know this means strict
dietary laws, Seder feast,
and no lamb.

"We are celebrating Easter,"
I say.     They nod.
"The Passover Lamb."
Did you hear me?
I wonder

"God bless you!" We say
to each other and
depart

"Pascua"

I love this word in Spanish
"Easter" and "Passover"
inextricably linked

Lamb's blood
saves us
Smeared on the doorposts
of our hearts

The Innocent One
Sacrificial Lamb
His life for ours
His blood for ours

When Christ agonized in the garden
Did it seem Good Friday to Him?

When His disciples betrayed,
abandoned and denied Him
Was it a Good Friday?

When He was mocked,
scourged and nailed to the Cross -
Was it a Good Friday?

When the whole world and
even His own Father
turned His back on Him -
Was it a Good Friday?

Or when the sky darkened
the rocks split
the temple curtain rent twain

And all of Satan's folly
was crushed under
Christ's heel

When, after that 1st awful Day
The 2nd day of waiting and wondering
Then, the 3rd day - at Sunrise.....

The rock pushed away
Angels attending

We came with our
anxieties and questions

And He calls us
by name

Now it is "Happy Easter"

He has risen victorious
He will reign victorious
till all His enemies
become a footstool
under His feet

His Spirit is sent
Lives within us

Together we will cry
with the host of heaven,

"Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain...."!

Holidays and gardening

I knock on her door
every holiday

I want to tell her
about Jesus

I bring her our
traditional baked goods

St. Patrick's day 
is no different



Irish soda bread and
a cut out green shamrock

St. Patrick was neither
a saint, nor Catholic, I say

He was captured and enslaved
Escaping after 6 years

When he was 40,
God spoke in a dream

Ireland. Take my Gospel
to Ireland, the land of your
slavery

The first convert?
His former master.

God's Spirit enlightened
the whole nation.

Hundreds of small churches
sprung up like the shamrock
that grew there.

Believers pinned shamrocks
to their coats, showing their
allegiance to this Triune God:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit



How will I show my friend
these holidays are what
the ancients called "holy days"?

I want to pull her outside now
as I sit by my mailbox
with dirt in my hands

I've been yanking fist fulls
of dirt and weeds out
so this bed will be
beautiful again

Mindlessly, I yank,
one patch left and I
look at it. Stop.
Glance at my fist again

No. It's three-leafed clover?
Little shamrocks sprinkled everywhere?
Spreading endlessly through the grass

Father, Son and Holy Spirit here?
In my hand? Under my feet?
About to be tossed out as weeds?

Mind racing -

Willaim Blake
"To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower,
 hold infinity in the palm of your hands, and eternity in an hour."

King David
"The heavens declare the glory of God...
day to day pours out speech,...
their voice goes through all the earth"... Psalm 19:1-4

even Jesus said that if we are silent in our praises,
"the very stones will cry out." Luke 19:40

All of creation cries out in His praises to God,
"the mountains and the hills...shall break forth
into singing and the trees of the field will clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12

Gerard Manley Hopkins
God's Grandeur
The world is charged with the grandeur of God
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil...
And for all this [man's smearing of creation],
Nature is never spent;
Their lives the dearest freshness of
deep down things...

My friend is neither American nor "Christian",
I can't expect her to understand
our holidays and traditions

But I want her to know the why -
the background -
the history -

Peeling off layer and layer
of man-made traditions -

Is the pure seed

Luke tells us,
"The seed is the Word of God."
Luke 8:11

John,
"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God"
John 1:1

Come here
Dwell among us Lord
I see your presence, O Triune God,
in the sky and in the grass.
We greet You
We praise You  

Butterflies

Bottle brush trees
bloom first

Bright red scrubbing
sky clean

Lone yellow swallowtail*
flits between the brush trees

Can't decide

Gifts come
flitting by

A drawing
Curling antennas

red rose
with thorns

yellow swallowtail*
story told and captured

By my son
Then, a dear friend

package mailed
and opened

I catch the edge
it unfurls like wings

A rabble of butterflies
against blue gossamer sky

Is this how you love me,
O Saviour of mine?

Two gifts
like brush trees

I flit between them

Can't decide



*type of butterfly

March morning

The grass hasn't

built up resilience

Frozen and wind bitten

it dies

The barren landscape

tells all

How then the trees

budding pale green?

Roots deeper

True resilience

Pain

What is pain?
Anguish of soul
or body

They're inextricably mixed

I cry out
"Why God?"
"What did I do wrong?"

He answers me in
the sweet silence of
Pain.

Pain is
knowing where you are
and not running from it

Pain accepts
because you cannot escape

Pain crushes
       wounds
       humbles us

Pride, the unwelcome guest
packs up and leaves

Pain releases the
tight fist and
opens us up

to Life

Compassionate eyes
for all suffering

Grace comes

My 6 year old, Raja,
slips his thin arm in mine
"I'll help you, mommy!"

My dear hubby
signals me to see
the golden haze
outside

Rain washed slab stones
shine

Surprise!!

"Come quick, everyone!"
They rush to see

We beckon our neighbors
with an insistent knock

"Look, look" -
It's a double rainbow!

Glorious, bright and full
it fills our sky

"I'm so glad you showed us,"
they say,
"We would've missed it!"

In five minutes it's gone -
Clouds burn with envy

Later, suds flying
Grimy plates washed clean

and, Surprise!

Globe of liquid rainbows
rests on the soap bottle

A wink and a promise

God is in control
And all is well.

Construction Zone

a poem

I gleefully breathe

gaze upon jet streams

like silly string in the sky

Herds of clouds

migrating south

My reverie is jarred

by the CLANK, CLANK

of heavy machinery

I'm walking towards

the Construction Zone.

Last time, son in hand,

"Mommy, mommy, Bob the Builder!"

We wave at the men in waders...

In Waders?!

I'm determined to ask

them today - 

Wind is whipping

sand stings my face

leaf plummets my shoulder

This is (was) the busiest street

in our neighborhood,

Garrison Drive

The construction zone

has blocked all passage

for weeks now

Three men in hard hats

huddle together

it's my chance - 

Polite

"Yes, maam?"

Shoulders sag

looks of defeat

in their eyes

"Maam, 

to replace a manhole

takes 4 days. 

This has taken us

5 weeks."

"That's astonishing!"

I say

"It's all downhill

from here,"

they say

"What is the delay?"

"Maam, there's a natural

spring under this road.

That's the reason 

for the sinkholes."

So now, truck load after

truck load of sand and

dirt coming to stop up

this spring?

In ancient times

springs near cities

were stopped up

before laying siege

But this one is

a matter of convenience

The earth pregnant

with new life

Pushed down

pushed back

for convenience

Nearby St. Augustine

Ponce de Leon

is said to have discovered

the Fountain of Youth

They've built a shrine

around it 

and charge admission

Springs are not

uncommon in Florida

But they're practically

endangered now

protected

regulated

Blame our builders

for not knowing when

constructing our 

neighborhood

But three sink holes

in the past eight years?

Meanwhile, I walk

by a stagnant pond

fish less 

mosquito-ridden

Why not build a bridge

over it (for cars)

bring empty zephyrhills bottles

let kids play & splash?

Or shall we stroll together

laughing as community

in our newly refurbished

amenities center

Southampton Springs

bottles in hand? 

poem

The Golden Hour

"And God walked with them

[Adam & Eve] in the cool of the day."

The Golden Hour - 

That hour between

afternoon & evening

Tonight not Golden

but Grey

I walk on grey asphalt

Murky grey clouds

give poor reflection

The last sounds

of the day

Punctuate the air

The air laughs

with children's play

Dinner aromas waft

from house to house

Cars come home

to roost

Scattered lawn chairs

as remains of the day

Rivulets of water

create long ribbons

of molten yellow pollen

I walk to the end 

of the cul-de-sac

and Stop. dead. alert.

A deer. it's white ears

and tail flick. One back

leg moves.

Our gaze is interrupted

People come

the buck runs

He says he plants corn

for them in the woods

Turning sudden

street & house lamps

flick on

"The light has come

and darkness has not

understood it."

A lone dove

A cricket chirps

Joy swells my heart

Smile causes a

ripple effect

 

The beach at sunset and sunrise

Ocean Sunset

St. Pete Beach, FL

WE RUN BREATHLESS
GIGGLING

GOD’S GRANDE FINALE
THE ORCHESTRA TUNING

THE CYMBAL CRASHES
THE ORBED FLAMING SUN
DESCENDS

IT’S GLORIOUS
A WATERCOLOR PAINTING
OVER THE OCEAN

THE SUN FLAMES ORANGE
COLOR THAT BLENDS
RED WITH YELLOW

THE SKY BLUSHES PINK
COLOR THAT BLENDS
RED WITH WHITE

GOD DIPS HIS BRUSH IN
THE SEA: TURQUOISE -
BLUE WITH GREEN

HE’S PAINTING
       PAINTING

WE WATCH
UNTIL THE VERY END

HE REACHES FOR AN INKWELL
DIPS A FOUNTAIN PEN IN
AND DRAWS LONG STRAIGHT LINES
ON THE WAVES

THE LINES COME TOWARD US
ONE AFTER THE OTHER
LIKE THE UNSPOKEN LYRICS
OF HIS SONG

I WANT TO LEARN IT
MEMORIZE IT
SING -

HE’S INVITING US
AS LINE AFTER LINE
PUDDLE AT OUR FEET

SEA BIRDS AND CLOUDS
ARE NOW SHADOWS
FLYING AWAY

WE LINGER
WATCHING THE CREDITS
HEARING THE SONG AGAIN
JUST FOR US

SAND IS STICKING TO MY FEET
I DON’T WANT TO SHAKE OFF
THIS MOMENT
THIS TRANSIENT MOMENT OF GRANDEUR.

Ocean Sunrise

The sun’s descent last night
Ignited our desire to see
it’s ascent this morning

We started our day with vigor
Laced up tennis shoes
and running, running,
running

We can see a sunrise
on our Atlantic coast
but this is the Gulf Coast

We run
the sun creeps up behind us
behind the tall swaying palms

Sun's rays warm our backs
Lengthen our shadows

I let Derick run ahead
He’s faster, determined

I linger slower
Captivated by the
charm of the sea

It’s a rippling shell
Glistening in bright
iridescent hues

The water's edge
scallops

Foam disperses into
intricate woven lace
at my feet

Then I notice the
sea gulls in day light

They are unlike
their East coast cousins

East coast birds
emit a cacophony of noise
Fighting over limited
offerings from bystanders

Gulf coast birds
are quiet and docile

Each bird is self-possessed
and a king in his own rite

They huddle in groups
discussing the merits
of clam souffle and
clam cheesecake

I laugh, turn,
lean into the sun
glance again at the
new face on the sea

The sea has moods
expressions
faces

It is only a reflection
rippling and splashing back
at the sky

Derick waits for me
we run together
each sand dune a hurdle

Diwali - Festival of Lights

Shoes off

Enter holy

Glamour and sparkle of dress
Bangles
Anklets

Laughter
Jokes in Telugu
I smile

Gents one room
Ladies another
Children in the middle
We keep it that way

I honor Amma
Spoken language doesn't translate
I kiss her cheek
She understands

Food
Glorious food!
Intricate combinations of spices
Indian cooking

Tangy tamarind rice
Spicy finger cucumbers with coconut
Crunchy onion bhajis
Sour curds

Sambar
This one is special
My tongue probes the mystery
Is is dry mango?

Befuddled
I seek she who created
She laughs
It’s simple really

She unravels the mystery
My tongue still questions
Amazing

Indian sweets
The ordinary dressed up in
Ghee, cream, sugar, rose water,
Cardamom and bits of nuts

Carrots
Dal
Sooji
Bread

An Indian bride
Silk, henna and jewels...
Confectionery of pure beauty

Pride of Indian cooking
We discuss recipes
Swap ideas

We want to recreate culinary memories
That dish from that restaurant
Mama’s specialty
Scenes from childhood

Stew of ideas and memories
Stir into each dish
And me, the “foreigner”,
Became “one of us”
because “nothing is too spicy”

Kids emerge
Promise made of spewed lights
We rush into the cold night

A light spectacle
Tantalize young and old.
Gingerly I hold a sparkler
Always afraid of fire

Big Loud explosions!
Bright showers of color.
Spinning furious chameleon tops.
Flaming fireballs shoot.

The Grand Finale spirals
Rocket and Boom!
An umbrella of colored stars
Explode leaves me breathless

Smoke clears
We enter the house
Bushes are covered in jeweled lights
Our saris brush by all sparkle

We carry the light too
Lights in constellations
Bursting momentary lights
Electric lights
Candle light - serenest of all

We are lights
We reflect that Greater Light
The Creator of all lights
He whispers to us:

“Let your light shine
before others....” Matt. 5:16

He says, “I am the Light
of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12

I stop
Wonder
Now it is dark
He is The Light

“So we thank Thee that
darkness reminds us of light.
O Light Invisible, we give Thee Thanks
for Thy great glory.”
T. S. Eliot The Choruses from the Rock