Sunday, March 22, 2015

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in 
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere 
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done 
by only me is your doing,my darling) 
                                                      i fear 
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want 
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) 
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant 
and whatever a sun will always sing is you 

here is the deepest secret nobody knows 
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud 
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows 
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) 
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart 

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

E.E. Cummings

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

one day i'm sure of it

you are
the side of the scale that always tips in my favor
one
by one
balancing the chaos of my words run wild
you
promised not to rest
until you'd hunted each of them
down
their blood drips from your kill shot
drop
by drop
like brush strokes
without criteria
till all of a sudden
there was space for what i lacked inside the picture you were painting

so,
i'll speak freely
if you promise to keep a sharpened spear
i'll tell stories
if you promise to hold my wine glass

and one day,
i'm sure of it
my songs will make rivers flow from your finger tips
just give me time
enough time to learn how to make rivers flow from finger tips -
most folks seem to get their words right the first time
i always wondered what that would be like - 
so please be patient
my words are mazes
but they do not
all lead to dead ends
there is a finish line
one day
i'm sure of it

until then and ever after
my hopes are yours only for the taking
make them your mast
and my promises your keel
set sail my dear
we are out there somewhere
and i am confident the well inside your desert holds my reflection,
so said the little prince,
"what makes the desert beautiful
is that somewhere it hides a well."

Saturday, March 7, 2015

to the church of the unsung heroes

to the front pew sitters 
the back pew sitters 
those scattered about but yet you always know exactly where they’ll be, sitters 
thank you 

to the early arrivers
those right on time 
and all the rest of us 
thank you 

to the hand raisers 
the amen sayers
and the ones unafraid to sing off pitch 
thank you 

to the parking lot traffic directors 
the front door greeters 
and those i count on for a friendly smile 
thank you 

to Orestes 
Carmen, Herbert, Julio
and anyone else who helps to prepare coffee before the service
(a huge) thank you

to the power point makers 
the bulletin printers 
the hander outers 
thank you

to the sound board runners 
the music planners
the singers, the drummer, and the instrument players
thank you

to the announcement makers 
the psalm readers 
and the reflection and prayer leaders 
thank you

to the offering takers 
the faithful and cheerful givers 
the counters, the budgeters, and decision makers 
thank you  

to the preacher 
those are huge shoes to stand in 
on top of everything else that life calls you to
so thank you

to the baby holders 
the sunday school children molders 
those working the spaces farthest away from the spotlight, 
thank you

to whomever makes that magical list of refreshment providers 
the crock pot bean dip bringers 
the sliced watermelon suppliers, the PriceMart donut and sweet bread buyers
thank you

to the tree house builders 
the rope swing pushers
and the church librarian 
thank you

to those departing sometime soon 
those not going anywhere 
those still giving up their own lives to make those of others so much better 
thank you

to the small group leaders 
the youth group overseer
the home openers, the meal sharers, and the ride givers  
thank you

to the elders
and all those willing to lend an ear 
my darkest secrets have never felt so safe, 
and forgiven 
so thank you 

to you whom i call friends 
to you whom i have still yet to meet
these are the moments where we realize how wonderful eternity will be
so thank you  

what i have learned over the last three and some years, 
is that church is not just a building
and that love is not simply measured in our outward expressions, 
rather a church is a family of unsung heroes 
about whom god says i will cause them to love in ways that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet 
and love, is like space that we make inside ourselves for others to fit inside
along with all their imperfections 
thank you for making so much space inside yourselves for me here at Union Church 
you are the flame to my wicks 
and I am 10,000 fireworks 
aglow like the Salvadoran new year 
i have so much reason to look forward to heaven, 
god willing i’ll surely see you before
but if not, we’ll meet there 
you can find me an the heavenly refreshment table