Life Meanders along just fine and Unravels in a moment (a second is all it takes to make a total mess) Right? Then begins the Untangling Unraveling the Slow Tedious Painstaking Courageous Work To become Whole (ish) Again
Tangled
Choosing
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good
Romans 12:21
New International Version
Today In the plain everyday nothing remarkable ordinary day of Returning something at the store Checking on an overdue order Confusion over the date of a program Driving I choose Will I Be Overcome by evil (and heave and sigh and roll my eyes and demand my way and demonstrate my selfish self interested disgust in a thousand tiny ways) Or Will I Overcome evil With Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control Every day (in a thousand tiny ways) We choose (for better or for worse) We choose For me We choose For you
Let
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 New International Version Open the door Just a crack And let it in (You can do it) Jesus Your peace will permeate If I Let it If I Accept it If I Receive it If I Ask If I Rest If I Stop Your (the real deal no cheap facsimiles because no dollar store junk will cut it ) Peace Peace within me Peace around me Peace above me Peace below me Peace beside me Peace to guide me It’s there for the asking Let His peace Rain/Reign Over Me Thank You (let: verb: not prevent or forbid; allow)
Transitions
All of my adults are driving today Transitions Feel still to me like fragile spaces (where anything can happen) I run Getting the phone call A knock at my door Scenarios And wonder if I’ll survive Another One I clamp down fear And Turn to You And Try/Cry for peace I call for angels to keep watch And Everyone In their lanes And Deer in the ditches And Drivers awake Till you all Come Home Get Home Are Home With Me
Dial In
Dial in Attune Your ears Your heart Your mind Your soul Your spirit To Me Follow Me In the big In the little My voice Is the only voice That matters Really
1 Chronicles
In all the begatting That Went on/goes on/is going on/will go on Mothers are there Carrying Birthing Suffering Celebrating Cooking Cleaning Feeding Clothing Nurturing Correcting Cheering Weeping Worrying Praying Hoping Fearing Teaching Training Holding Releasing Doing Work (that is generally) Unseen Unsung Unrecorded Unpaid Yet Vital (no one lived/lives/will live without it) Worthy Work Unsung (generally) Except by The One Who Sees all Knows all The One Who Made you Prepared you Equipped you Called you Sees you And Rejoices Over the Relentless Sacrificing Faithfulness Of you He does
How
How did Koinonia Come to mean Women in fur coats And I/we Don’t belong Really (and never will) How did I preach the Word of God Come to mean Misogyny and and and Help me Poppa In all the undoing You are doing In me/us To keep You The reality Of You Heal Your church Poppa Heal me/us Help me/us to find Your good way The Way How
Your Peace
Your peace Nascent in me Elusive That’s not on You Poppa You stand ready Always To give it It’s me (actually) Who needs To stand still Long enough To receive it Your peace
Your Voice
What do You have in mind today Poppa (for me) What’s on Your heart That’s the most important thing (isn’t it) Your plans (not mine) The calendar is Yours to fill So In Jesus name I now silence every voice But Yours Yours is the only Voice I want To hear What do You have in mind today Poppa I’m listening To You
Fog
Fog Shrouds Masks Light Freedom Hope Father We long for (need) Your Light Freedom Hope In these days of Lent I wear that fog shroud Re-calling The steadfast sojourn To that place Where You brought back Light Freedom Hope The best souvenirs of that Terrible trip For us
Colleen R. Jantzen 