If The “god”…

If the ‘god’ you
place your trust in
asks you to ‘divide,’
to choose, to pick…

Maybe you need to
re-think or
even better STOP thinking.

Your mind has a way
of playing tricks on you
especially when it
seeks ONLY what
serves YOU.

Perhaps the ‘god’ you
serve is you—
as you turn on the
T.V. and select
the politics that
represent ‘your’ side,
your views—
try turning it off.

Just a thought…
the church you enter
is it open to all?
Does the ‘god’ inside
welcome every person?
If not—stop going.

Are you struggling
while reading these words?
Is the ‘god’ in you
shouting, “Stop reading.’

Listen—
Listen now…
maybe the One who
‘lives’ inside you
finally has your
attention.

You will not be able
to go back.

If you choose to
embrace the ‘Source’
dwelling in all of Life—
dualities no longer exist.

You will desire to love
more deeply
and the sweetness of bliss will
melt the scales
from your eyes.

A Man Healed

A story is told
of a man
filled with ‘unclean-spirits’…
demons, if you will,
or Legion meaning “many.”

Perhaps this man
was possessed by
nothing but grief.
Maybe the ‘systems’ (political and religious)
under which he lived,
continued to tax
everything so severely
and knowingly
that this man lost
‘everything.’

His wife taken because
of her beauty.
His children removed—
utilized as slaves
of pleasure.
His land stripped
from him.

Each day
this torment
haunted him~~~
hurling him
against rocks.
He—left only in
despair while
villagers—
his neighbors passed
him by
turning their faces
so as NOT to see.

Then, someone passed
by—stopping
NOT staring.
He took his brother
by his hand.

In a single touch…
a display of
kindness, compassion—
each ‘cemented’ thought
in the man’s mind
began to crumble.

A herd of swine
devoured the crumbled pieces
thinking it food.
Both men looked on.  The swine
had taken in all the ‘spoil’—
and NOW they rushed to the cliff’s edge
and plunged into the water.

How sad.  Indeed,
these swine
devouring such sadness.

The men paused…
looking into the eyes of each
other inquiring without
words, “Did you see that?”

Not a word spoken.

The villagers came out
to see what all
the raucous was about.
The ground rumbled
and they thought it thunder.

They gazed in amazement—
their ‘broken’ neighbor
upright, healed.

He leaped from the
ground rushing to
embrace his community—
BUT, they looked past him.

“Wait” he said,
“Look it’s really me…
I’m well.”

Instead, they rushed
the Other man.
“Leave at once—
Get out of here—
Remove yourself
before we do.”

No one stopped to
‘celebrate’ the joy in
their neighbor’s pain—
released…
Their ONLY concern…
those swine were their
‘source’ of income—
now what should
they do?

The man healed wished to
follow this stranger—
the One told him to
go and tell others
the story—
and, so he did.

The One man
slipped way.
Maybe you heard his story?
He tried and tried—
still some refused to ‘see.’

This story…
real today…
so many going about
trying and trying—

A single touch.
A transformed moment.
There are those who
‘see’ and those
who only count
their loss.

They fill their own
pockets
while the orphans
and widows
‘BELIEVE’ and pray.

(Adapted by this writer from Luke 8:26-39)

A Sabbath Day

Eighteen years
bent over
and here it was
the Sabbath.

Her back broken
like a tree
no longer able
to sway in
the wind.

All those years—
She was so beautiful
and they had to
have her.

They devoured her—
relieving themselves
time and time again.

They broke her,
but she still
‘stood.’

No one would have
her—her
dis-ability left
her unwanted,
rejected, a disgrace.

Why, she,
like so many others
‘removed’ of their name…
“HER” identity.

She spoke—
without words.

She ‘stood‘ bent
over in the Synagogue
on the Sabbath.

A hand placed upon
her—not for want.
A touch ‘setting’ her
free of the infirmities
inflicted upon her.

Every day, ‘SHE’
found moments
to ‘rest’
in the wind
dangling
the branches
of her being.

A Woman Healed of Her Infirmity
(Adapted by this writer from Luke 13:10-17)

The Temple

Have you been to
the Temple lately?

You know
that ‘perfect’ place—
that dwelling place—
where incense burns
prayers heard
chants sung
silence echoes
‘everyone‘ welcomed?

Have you found that
Temple?
Are you going about
searching?
Are you ‘shopping’ for
the Place?

Stop…
If you have ever
trusted anything you
have read
or heard—

The ‘Temple’ is
inside YOU…
You are a HOLY
dwelling place—
You choose what resides
in your be-ing.

Ahhh, but you say~~~
“I’m so far
from perfect.”

Yes…it is in your
imperfection that
you discover the LIVING SOURCE
already residing in you.

You are a Temple
of love—
‘Keep’ your Heart’s door
open for all—

Yes, even for the ones who
close you out…

“BE” only a place of welcome.

Do You See In Color?

How do you See?
Do you allow colors
to blend, mix
and change
creating hues as breathless
as the morning’s sunrise?

Have you separated
the magic in each unique
design
holding the ‘grace’ hidden
within the uniqueness of
its spring?

Please tell me we’ve moved
beyond which tantalizing color
is better than all the others—
the one most favored.

The Holy Book led
‘persons’ in the past
to believe themselves of more value.

Why—to even think anything
other than white was not
a person.

Wait—anything white and
male was the only thing to be valued.

White, male—
educated, free to speak, free to
impregnate…free—
imprisoning the rest of humankind
to be subdued to the ‘colors’ he
deemed acceptable.

Are we ‘seeing’ differently NOW?

Has anything really changed?

I respond with a euphoric, “Yes”
as I catch the setting of the sun

then

I sink to my knees
and my heart screams—NO!

Our system—
of which I AM a part
divides, conquers, competes.

It ‘sees’ ONLY the right colors—
it goes off fighting ‘just’ wars
it keeps brothers and sisters
in the closet—
when they come out they’ll pacify
them…oh, BUT they will not change the RULES.

Women will hear how grand they
are— bridges being built!
Oh, but still stay on your side
of the bridge ‘beautiful lady’—
the altar side is
NOT open for discussion.

What colors are you seeing now?
Search deeply…stop pretending
it is ALL RIGHT!

Let’s paint the sky.
Let’s bring the color back
to its Original Blessing.