Celebrate

Ding dong! Christ is born!

Ring out, sing out the Good News!
Jesus walks with us.

(photo: D. Matthias)

Believe

gathered here, Jesus

it is you whom we believe

our joy is in you

Child

help me be child-like
full of wonder and awe
holding onto you

(photo taken almost 27 years ago!)

Greeting

you, arms wide open,

drawing us into your heart

greeting all with love

(photo: Seward Johnson's "Day Dream" sculpture based on Matisse's "Dance" taken at Grounds for Sculpture)

Renew

despair overwhelms

our breath is siphoned away

renew us Jesus

(photo taken nearing the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, September 2011)

Embrace

keep me close to you

like a mother who comforts

embrace me, oh lord

(photo of my grandmother holding my father, 1934)

Open

break open my heart

and make yourself a home there

fill it with your love

Dazzle

that God came to earth
in human form (God with us)
takes my breath away

(photo of the eclipse taken earlier this year)

Light

shadows surround me

swallowed up by fearfulness

your light shows the way

(photo of my first attempt at painting with acrylics)

Among

you are among us

in the stranger and neighbor

help us see you there

(Photo of a water color painting I just completed this past week.)

Trust

in the day and night

i will put my trust in you

my hope, saving grace

(photo: Longwood Gardens this past week)

Wilderness

in the wilderness

of these disconcerting days

we cry out to you.

Voice

i hear mary's voice

in a song of reversals.

your kingdom come, lord.

 (Photo of one of my water color paintings)

Messenger

MESSENGER

mary speaks to me

her song, proclaiming justice

her song, for our time

(Bonus: Read this take on Mary's song from Rachel Held Evans - https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/unsentimental-advent)

Watch

i watch for you

expectantly, longingly

save us dear Jesus

(Photo: Conowingo Dam)

Prepare

i prepare to bake.

i need what ingredients

to prepare for you?

Focus

insane distractions
point me in all directions -
help me look to you

Mend

MEND

mend my broken heart

i am mired in despair

o come quickly come

(A psalm of lament for these days)

Hope

HOPE

hope, a fragile gift -

we hang in for the long haul

with you by our side

(photo taken at Kirkridge, Bangor, PA)

Simplicity

Simplify

where are you Jesus?

make space in my heart for you

remove the clutter

(photo taken at Longwood Gardens)

Gather

Gather

stir us up, oh God,

to rise up, living justice:

gathered we are strong

(photo taken this summer at Hyde Park, NY)

Journey

Journey

this is our journey:

always facing the unknown

but you walk with us

Awaken

Awaken

Open my eyes God.

Awake to injustices,

Call me to action. 

(Photo: Chihuly exhibit in Seattle, August 2016)

Wonder

To have been Mary:

How will life be different

With an empty tomb?

What would it look like

If all believed her story?

How will we be changed?

(Photo: Tyler Arboretum on July 2, 2016)

Hope

Greening in the spring,

Trusting that the Bread will rise,

Building bridges. Hope.

(Photo: Taken on 4/8/17 when first communion class made bread for Passion Sunday. Yes, I realize this bread doesn't rise, but I love the photo, so just imagine that this dough is full of yeast. May we all be yeast for this broken world.)

Awake

Dying on the cross:
A way to tell us stay woke?
Your cross. Everywhere.

(Photo: My cross of nails superimposed over Internet photos from recent events)

Spirit

You, the Inspirer
Breathing life into all things
To dance, to rise up, sing.

(Photo: Maundy Thursday 2017)

.

Deny

"I do not know him."

Denial obscures the truth.

Peter's not alone.

We do not know him:

Christ living in refugees.

We still deny him.

(Photo: A car wash in Allentown on June 10, 2015)

Above

I.

The full moon above

Reflects the light of the sun,

Shines in the night sky.

II.
You are above all.
You are the sun, I the moon,
Reflecting your love.

(Photo: Taken through the dining room window of our cruise ship after leaving port in Ketchikan, AK on August 17, 2016)

Follow

He said, "Follow me,"

And that way led to the cross,

But didn't stop there....

(Photo: Taken from the bus en route from Oban to Glencoe on May 25, 2016)

Celebrate 6

Embraced by a love

That will never let us go:

What wonder! What joy!

(Photo: April 2011 at St. John Lutheran Church, Emmaus; haiku inspired by introduction to the Gospel reading given today by @prwayne55)

Blessed

Love poured out for us

In this way we are all blessed.

A gift. Let it flow.

(Photo taken today of the first communion class blessing the bread they've made for tomorrow's Eucharist)

Voice

I will lift my voice

Harmonizing with others

In the ageless Song.

(Photo: Closing of St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Germantown
September 11, 2016)

Believe

Take the leap of faith:

Believing is not seeing, 

Embrace mystery.

(Photo: Near Point Imperial, Grand Canyon, 9/25/11)

Hear

The seed is planted.

Take time to deeply listen,

Let the Word take root.

(Photo take at St. Ignatius Chapel, Seattle University on August 12, 2016)

Breath

Inhale. And exhale.
In each breath, a connection.
We're teathered to God.

(Photo: Holyhead Marina in Wales, May 28 1016)

Light

Illuminator,

Shining on what was hidden

Revealing the truth.

(Photo: Taken at sunrise on September 18, 2011 at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area)

Celebrate 5

New life bursting forth

Like Lazarus from his tomb,

Goodbye to death's stink.

(Photo: Taken today on our back porch. 

Haiku inspired by the sermon given today by Pastor Alina Gayeuski)

Darkness

Pay close attention:

Other senses come alive,

And show you the way.

 (Photo: Amazon lily pad at Longwood Gardens Nightscape, October 7, 2016)

Will

What does God desire?

Do justice and love kindness,

Walk humbly with God.

- Haiku paraphrase of Micah 6:8 -

(Photo taken on January 21 at the Women's March on Washington, Philadelphia location)

With

Hear words of comfort,

"Lo, I am with you always."

Never deserted.

(Photo: Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle University; August 12, 2016)

Open

I

A tightly closed bud

Bursts forth in an explosion.

Radiant colors!

II

Hushed notes crescendo, 

Rising, exquisite climax,

Sensual, sublime.

III. 

In opening - joy,

Vulnerable, yet beautiful -

Reveals God's glory.

(Photo: Tyler Arboretum on Earth Day 2016)

Grace

Love freely given

Without hidden agendas

Or expectations

Undeserved blessing

The gift that keeps on giving

Like a waterfall

(Photo: Nugget Falls at Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska on August 19, 2017)

Sign

Children are watching -

Not what is on our placard,

Rather, how we live.

What sign shall I be?

One of fear or one of love?

I know which I choose.

(Photo: En route to the Women's March on Washington,
Philadelphia satellite march, 

January 21, 2017)

Celebrate 4

The blind man can see!

In the Light we now see, too.

This is the Good News.

(Photo: St. Pete Beach, FL, February 2013)