What hawks teach:
Watching as communion…

Today again, i watched a hawk
from my backyard,
knowing Jesus
sees every hawk, and me
watching this one in awe today.
Each of us, caught up, squawking together in this seeing daily!
All of us being watched over
as we are watching well…that is,
in communion. Hawks know this already-how to watch for things,
while waiting.
We are still learning to watch well.
To see God in everything,
as we too are seen.

Thoughts from an urban monk today:

We are never alone.

The more i go into alone
the less lonely i become
The more i dance in pain, the stiller i am in Joy.
Some fear being alone
but they have not yet
gotten to the bottom of this dark well
where the blooming begins-where color comes from.
When there, in dim water
we stand up and look towards Sky
our faces come clear
His Face lights on us, and
We are with all that is living in Him;
and we are never alone. For low
He is with us always
even til the end.

For, We are never alone.

How to meet God in nature, art, books, other people, and those who have walked well before us-living and dead. Those were Henri Nouwen’s ways of meeting Him. Good to consider. Merton, his mentor, also added meeting God through current events. More challenging these days, but still possible!

Covered most of the bases, and made me think of my friend St Patrick’s words. A recent practice for me has been to try to only meet Christ in whatever I’m doing-to find where He’s already talking and join in.

It’s a fun and challenging practice. Christ in taking out trash, Christ in listening well to others, Christ in walking dog, Christ in cities, Christ in travel and sitting still, Christ in dream, and waking life…etc forever. Been trying to practice that lately. Not easy, but fun trying…keeps the conversation alive! Really trying to stay where God is in each situation, something like Patrick’s way!

I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through
God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me

What I want this year for my birthday:

What I want this year
is to not be hurried through life,
scurried along…in the rat race of becoming;
to savor each encounter more,
until i Know Love better. Just to sit with it
Until i move in, and from that slower, older
Tone of knowing.

This year, Im writing birthday poems again! Watch out….here’s one i wrote today:
Birthday poem:
And we all are also secretly grieving-
the seasons themselves require us to.
just being here is also sad
We somehow know that
all of us are widows
and royalty
And yet, with time
we learn to turn
always in thanks
as sunflowers tilt towards The Sun
and can’t forget to trace somehow magnetically, it’s inner warmth;
despite having birthed such yellows
from the dark places of earth
We too, little golems in the womb
waiting to burst out in yellow screams
from the Unseen. The baby gasps
at the first sight of light; that shocked thankful scream goes on throughout life
and is recalled each year;
we too, joy cry even when making love.
the angels all cry and rejoice at once. the Love dove descends to ascend
this is always going on around us, and within.
we grieve to know
until we are more fully seen
that’s just our birth ache
even on our birthdays
we cry to celebrate
life’s unbroken banquet
which we secretly know
has already begun!
And as that sunflower,
we bow and follow
til the end.
We learn to grieve well
in already yellowed thanks.

Thinking about telling the difference between true spirituality and mere religion today!

Three signs of a living spirituality versus a dead religion: creativity, humility and humor!
These three fruits indicate a living relationship, and spirituality of encounter, transformation and aliveness. Even in people’s art, you can tell if they genuinely met God! There is always humility humor and creativity!
Where the Spirit is, there is freedom, creativity and humor! At least those three characteristics are good indicators in discerning the difference between a true spirituality and just a system of religion.
Even in studying religious art, you want to look for or overhear moments where the artist actually encountered God; paintings where God was recently there! That will indicate a living spirituality, an I-Thou moment! Love considering how to discern the difference between real spirituality and just religion. Most people won’t take the time to do so, even in their own cultural traditions. It’s really worth it. You want to judge by those who have actually lived out the faith—and they always are creative, humble and often funny!
Look for the ones actually living the true spirituality of that faith, before judging the entire religion! As my mentor always said! Those three fruits should always be present! Fun meditation today, towards an article on religious art, and how to tell the differences between spirituality and religion! Fun study!

Soil, sight and skin are still the three I’m working on, and today again. How we relate to the earth, how we relate to imagination and how we relate to our physical bodies. Been working on those for at lest thirty years. Let you know what I’ve found, if you’re interested. These three areas are still “hot” conversations i think! And needed. We need a clear view of each, to move in wisdom, i think!

Living in an enormous Art House! Prayer is art, art is life!
My home is where art and spirituality meet; where creativity and Kingdom intersect; where our imaginations are baptized into His. Where our image becomes more His Image!
If, as st Paul taught, we are being brought into alignment with His Image, and His Image is the exact copy or symbol or representation of His Father’s (Colossians). Conformed to His Image of Himself! Then life is about being “formed into the model and shape of His Image”. The “sanctification process is from image to Image! The whole of life is that creative process of spiritual formation. He is the exact symbol of God, and we are being wrought into that image according to Paul.
Creativity and being human are synonyms in other words. It’s one enormous art house!
This intersection between creativity and true spirituality is always where I’ve felt at home, anyway. We are God’s art projects, and His method is to carve and sculpt us towards and into The IMAGE of His Son who is the precise symbol of Himself. Life is art, in other words! Creativity implies a living spirituality! Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is art!
So in school, i studied the relationship between art and religion—it was the closest i could get to where i felt I “met” God. Dreams, art and visions have always been our “tabernacle of meeting” since i was young.
In His Imagination, and His expression through religion. I am, therefore I create….true of God, true of us! Just a thought about art and faith your way today friends—working towards an article on the topic again!
Creativity implies freedom, because where the Spirit is, there is freedom. I like living in freedom, so decided the best way was to live a creative life! So far, it’s worked!
Creativity is also a weapon against legalism and religion without God. Creativity implies actually spiritually awake living. I’ll stick with it, as a way.
Interestingly, creativity is also where prayer occurs! Prayer is creative collaboration–we make art with The Spirit, as we pray, we groan and see alongside! When we pray, we see and hear and sense, new options in the situation. Prayer is a creative act! And we are told to pray without ceasing! Prayer is to art non-stop!

Things i learn from my dog: (meditation on the end of Romans 8 and our relationship with Nature!)

My dog was howling today at the coming of early Spring today!
It reminded me that all of creation is howling, and we with it, as those helping to midwife its redemption and healing! The earth moans, we come along side and groan in His Spirit for her eventually release. That is part of our role, to pray for and with all of creation! Good teaching my dog reminded me of today! There is this holy ache to be whole in us all. Once we have gotten the first fruits of healing, we turn and start interceding for the whole and wholeness of all creation! We are midwives with His Spirit for His Creation! (Romans 8)!
I’m glad dogs make this inner howling or sighing overt! They are good at that!!!
The earth was subject to decay or frustration. We howl with her, until she too is redeemed. That’s part of what it means to pray and be first fruits. May the Sons and daughters be revealed and turn and intercede for the creation! Amen. My dog sermon today! Love being a midwife for the creatures! Groaning along with; howling us towards Oneness!
Since my L’abri days, many moons ago, I’ve always sought a real theology of Nature and our relationship to it. Romans 8 and Genesis and my dog’s howling are all good starting points! Prayer is part of stewardship of His Creation!
Prayer for not worship of, but more like midwifing with, is where I’ve come with my understanding at least of how to relate to the Creation. We enter that birthing pain! We know that HOWL—for all the earth is howling!!!

Last night, i fell into a great conversation with a local friend about meaning….
Talking to a friend about finding meaning in life…first step, realize you need meaning and step towards it. Going on pilgrimage. Head towards The Pearl. So many stories start with a hunger, thirst, a “setting out”…

We spoke about world mythology and patterns, and then i took it back to the parables of Christ, for centering. I love speaking from all culture’s stories, but do have my favorites! A treasure in a field, a pearl of great cost etc…am I walking towards that Pearl? Have I sold everything else!! Spiritual growth in Christ is my Pearl. He gives me meaning. Great talk about what causes people to set out towards meaning!

But, i realized midway through our conversation, that we were just two brothers trying to name what helps us wake up each day. The location of Hope in our lives, trying to see “The Path prepared beforehand to be our way!”.

Meaning becomes more important as you age. Success and making our marks fade as motivations, but meaning and purpose seem to remain! The ones who could endure great suffering, saw their suffering as meaningful, as part of a longer story—as Victor Frankl noted!