A reflection on Hemingway's short story titled “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

I see words without works.  I see routines.  I see people in a rush.
I see myself when I was young.  I relate as older now.
I wish for quietness and calm to slow down.   To witness to
the Love of God in our world.  It is everywhere! 
I see clean on the outside but not so clean on the inside.
I see myself.   I see others.   I see hope.   I see melancholy feelings.
I see nothing new.   I wish for balance, to understand, to not
be hurt.   I wish for Love without risk, to fear nothing, to know
I belong.  At once,  I realize  I am gone,  not there,  I see now
more,  how beautiful.  Where am I? +

No Answers

Oh So many words come to mind when I reflect on my recent retreat.
The inaugural contemplative retreat for “Gravity – A center for contemplative
Activism”.   Words and phrases, such as, “Solitude”, “Commitment to relationship”, “Who are you?”, “Connect with God”, “Pain and Joy”, and “Embracing Humanity”.  

 “Solitude”, what does that mean?  To be alone?  Or to rest in God? 

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in the voice of our soul.

 “Commitment to relationship”, what does that mean?  To Others?  Or

To God?  No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is in the love “for”
and “of” God and the desire to consent to God’s will. 

 “Who are you?” , what does that mean?  Defined by you? Or Defined by God?

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in scripture’s command
“Love thy neighbor as thy self”. 

 “Connecting with God”, what does that mean? Our God?, Your God? Or My God?

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in the “in dwelling” of the
Holy Spirit and the “Ears” of our soul.  

 “Pain and Joy”,  what does that mean? Jesus’ Pain? Or  Our pain?

No, I will not and cannot answer.  The answer is found in God’s love for us.

 “Embracing Humanity”, what does that mean?  Changing Humanity? Or Changing

Ourselves?  No, I will not and cannot answer.  Like “Commitment to relationship”,
the answer is in the love “for” and “of” God and the desire to consent to God’s will. 

 As you see,  I have no answers only questions.   Questions such as:

Where would we be without the Love of God?  No, I will not and cannot
Answer.  The answer is found in your prayer, my prayer And our prayer. +

Thanksgiving

Thankful for the morning light,
A shoe to wear,
A coat for warmth,
Thankful for the brisk day air,
To breathe it in,
To breathe it out,
Thankful for the morning meal,
Enough for us to share,
To care, 
Thankful for the new day given,
For work to do,
A place to go,
Thankful for both you and I,
Given here,
From God Above.+      

Faith

So be it,
to us,
as Jesus spoke,
your faith to heal you,
for us to know,  
as we are saved,
our Faith to be,
a gift for now,
to pass along,
our savior Jesus,
keep us strong,
no better gift,
for our heart's song.+

God's Love and Grace

See God’s Love in the Stars of the sky.

See God’s Grace in the Love of the stars.

Hear God’s Love in the Laugher of a Child.

Hear God’s Grace in the love of laughter.

Taste God’s Love in the beauty of Nature.

Taste God’s Grace in the love of beauty.

 

Touch God’s Love in the voice of your soul.

Touch God’s Grace in the love of your Lord.

Smell God’s Love in the Leaves of Autumn.

Smell God’s Grace in the breath of Autumn Air.

 

Love God’s Love for you and for I.

Love God’s Grace for you and for I.

I Think Not

…knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.

If anyone supposes he knows something, he does

not yet know as he ought to know.  But if one loves God,

one is known by him. (1 Cor 8:1b-2) I Stop and quiet

myself.  I set aside my thoughts except to know that         

I am loved by God.  This love imparts a knowing

As if to say: “all is well, my peace is my gift to you”.

I ask, is there a higher way of knowing?   I think not.+

Beautiful Christ

Such is today,
Beauty like no other,
It is close,
Beauty, like no other,
Beauty is as close to
me,  as I am to Beauty,
Beauty, like no other,
Christ is as close to me,
as I am to Christ,
Beauty, like no other,  
Beautiful Christ.+

Who is God?

God is my maker.  I am made in his image.  From the
Clay of the earth he fashioned me.   To God I shall

Eventually return.  God too, is inseparable from

His son and his Spirit.   Without God I would not

Be. I am inseparable from God.  God is my teacher.

God is my protector and defender.

God is always present.  God is all knowing.  God is

All seeing.  God is Loving.  God is merciful.

God is Just.   God is outside me and God is inside

Me.  From the depths of my being God’s spirit wells

Up to speak to me in ways I do not understand.  God’s

Spirit seeps into the depths of my being like seed

In the earth.  God cultivates my soul.  God waters my

Soul.  God washes my Soul in the wind. God is my father
and my mother. God is my Friend.   God is all in all. 
To God I will return. + 

 

 

Father

Father in Heaven
I hear your thunder
tonight as your tears
from Heaven wash the land.
“My daddy is home” as a
“River of memories” bring tears
To wash my soul.+

Walk his Way

Help one another, walk his way.
Hear one another, walk his way.
Encourage one another, walk his way.
See one another, walk his way.
Be with one another, walk his way.
Pray with one another, walk his way.
Live with one another, walk his way.
Rise with one another, walk his way. +

Jesus My Friend

Jesus My Friend,

Each new day to begin.

Good morning to Jesus.

As this day begins.

As this day continues.

So, where is this Jesus?

Oh yes, this is Jesus.

Your peace I do know.

Your love, free to all.

Each new day to begin. + 

Between Heaven and Here

That step between Heaven and Here.

All the love songs look for someone to

Be in love with.  Love is essential.  Who

Do you love and who are you  loved by?  Can you  be in

Love with JESUS?   Let your heart be touched

By the love that no one but JESUS can give.

In this way you can know JOY.  In this way you

Can know PEACE.  In the way you can know HOPE.

In this way you can be all that GOD meant you to

Be.  +

Night

Night is drawing near.
Through the night we journey.
To see, we hope, another day.
Another day to say thank you Lord.
Another day to finish yesterday’s work.
Wake me Lord to preserve me this day as your 
Child. Hope, Faith and Charity to increase
At your call. Some fruit to bear for your dear
Kingdom. Amen +

Earthen Vessels

So, it is, we Earthen Vessels.

Earthen Vessels for our Soul. 
And then we add the

Holy Spirit.   That we share in

Life Divine.  To us a guide we

do always find.  And so we walk beside 
our shepherd. Jesus, there for you and I.

Therein, his promise for us to find.
Eternal Life for now and always. + 

Wisdom

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
on your own intelligence do not rely”.
Proverbs  3:5.   Are my decisions coming
from the heart level or the intellect level?
Trusting the Lord,  even when we do not
Understand, brings Joy and Wisdom.
After all, the Lord’s Perspective  is not
Our Perspective. + 

There's not enough

When all you have is not enough.

When you step out of boat to walk

Towards JESUS and begin to sink.

Just call to JESUS for help and he

Will be there. When God is for you

Who can be against you. Inch by inch

Life’s a cinch. +

Perspective

“For we walk by Faith not by sight”

(2 Corinthian’s 5:7).

I think of the birds of the air when

I pray on this Scripture.  God gave

Them a certain perspective and they

 act according to that perspective.

They all seem to know what they are about.

Faith seems to be like that.  It is by taking

 the next “Faith Step” that we confirm we

are on solid ground and that we come to

know what we are about.

“Jesus I trust you”.  +

Follow

Jesus whispers,  Come follow me.

I will make you fishers of men.

And so they did.  Into the World

God sent his son so that we might

Have Life and Life abundant.

That our sins may be forgiven.

Abundant gifts;  Faith, Hope, Love,

Joy, Peace and Jesus.

Still he calls us to follow.

Oh how wonderful when we do,

 “Jesus I Trust You”. +