Breath

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

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

Photo Faith Stories

This Lent, I am going to try my hand at combining a couple practices - photography and storytelling.

The United Methodist Church has in initiative called "Rethink Church" ('We think church is more than a place to go. We think church can happen anywhere.') During Lent, they provide a word each day on which to focus and reflect. Then those who participate in this practice take a photograph of an image that, for them,  reflects the meaning of the word.

Storytelling. I am presently engaged in helping people tell their faith stories, focusing on a particular theme such as "grace" or "forgiveness." I am convinced that the more we share our stories, the more we will see our connections with one another and to God.

What if I combine the two, using the word for the day to find a photograph and then tell a faith story (either witnesses or experienced) based on that word? I am up for the challenge.

Zipper us

The zipper:
Such a simple tool,
Yet, if it becomes inoperable
A garment cannot be worn,
A suitcase fails and its contents strewn everywhere,
Tent flaps cannot close and make it possible for creatures to enter.
Quite simply,
What was once useful
Becomes useless.

You, are the Zipper Slider
Connecting us,
Binding us,
Interlocking us
For a greater purpose, for a common goal.
Alone, we cannot function;
When you bring us together,
We are strong.

You, the Zipper Slider -
In bread and wine
In water and word
Bring us together,
one holy fabric.

[Other "z" words - there aren't many! Zap us! Zoom...?!]

Connecting Us

I want to try to understand why you gossiped behind his back without bothering to talk with him first to see if the story you were telling was true or not.

I want to ask you why you posted and "liked" the story of the young girl who shot and killed "illegal alien home invaders" which the author called, "good news."

I want to know why you use my name to preach hate and start wars.

I want to figure out why you focus on your own self-interests instead of being concerned for the needs of those around you.

I want to know why you - church - behave as an exclusive club, that doesn't want to connect in new ways with others in order to do ministry that really matters to the broken people in your community.

I want to grasp why you think your nation is superior to all others, your school is superior to other schools, your religion is the only way to believe, your work is more important than the labor of someone else.


Our brokenness is this:

We want to demonize others.
We want to judge others.
We want to be superior to others.
We want what's best only for ourselves.

We are disconnected from you and each other.

Connect us like branches to a Tree.
Make us whole.

[Other words for laps, starting with the letter "c" include Come to us, Create in us, Care for us, Calling us, Comfort us.  What are you "C" word prayers?]