Another Ode

Ode to a Birdfeeder
We purchased you to be entertainment for the 4 footed felines.
Instead you give us a show.
Chickadees, red finches, gold finches, cardinals, Blue jays, Titmice, tufted titmice, sparrows, black birds,Carolina wrens, downies, red headed wood peckers, hawks, falcons all come for some sort of feeding.
Things that sing, things that chirp, things that hammer on the wood railing.
All kind of noises you draw in.
There are birds we can not identify, squirrels hanging on, raccoons getting into the birdfood.
Possums out for a quick snack.
Cats waiting on dinner from one of the visitors to you.

How entertaining you are, to me.
The cats lost interest years ago.

Ode to Alex

For Alex.

You greet me at the top of the stairs.
Your eyes are bright and ears are erect, perky.
You come to be and I enfold you in my arms.
You come close to me and the purrs begin.
I crawl into bed and you lay next to me,
Head under my chin, your body so close to mine.
Is this what you want?
The warmth and attention?
I can give this to you as long as you want.
Your unconditional love and affection is important.
Your desire to be with me warms my heart.
How much longer?
Will you be with me?
Will you be perky?
Will you tell me when it is time?

A bike ride for a Thursday

I decided to go for a bike ride after writing a sermon. I needed time to think about what I wrote. Rain was threatening but I said that I needed to get outside.

I suited up and questioned whether I needed tights or not and chose not too.
I got everything ready and then put on my helmet. I could not figure out why it was so hard to get it right and why it felt so bad. Then I asked myself “where are my glasses?” Under my helmet.
I headed out and seemed to hit really light traffic. As I passed Wilson Boulevard, I passed another bicyclist. Further on, closer to Falls Church, I slowed down because of the curves and the other rider caught up with me. As we waited at a light to cross the rode, I looked up and saw a bald eagle being chased by two crows. Something I’ve never seen in Falls Church. We talked for a whole as we rode I lost him when I charged a green light I knew had a short cycle. The other rider didn’t make it and had to wait. I kept on going and after I crossed through Vienna, I encountered 5 deer and seemed to chase them down the trail for about 100 yards. I slowed down so they could make a break for it.
Once I entered Reston the rain started. I questioned whether to turn around and make it a 33 miler or press on toward Herndon, my planned route. I pressed on and there were very few people out. I had rain dripping off my glasses and kept second guessing myself. I did make it to Herndon and then took my street route turn around and headed back, as fast as I dared to ride.

Once I was past Reston, the rain stopped. I had no problems as I stopped in Vienna at a store looking for a specialty item that I need to make scones. They did not carry it… I was bummed. I remember the thoughts I had about daffodils and dandelions. I think God likes dandelions more than daffodils. Why? There are so many of them and they last longer. I would make a change if God gave me the option.
I remembered that I forgot my epipen as I saw all the flowers and trees in bloom. Dumb move….

I made it back and called da wif. She asked me how my knee was. I then straightened my leg and made funny sounds as I realized I was in pain. She noticed I was then breathing hard. I went and took more painkillers and cleaned up.
A little rain and a good bike ride. 40 miles in about 2 hours. I still don’t like my knee.

I didn’t think about my sermon the whole time.

%&!%&)!% Socks

I was talking about my sock dilemma the other day and they said this is the way Seinfield got his start. Talking about his sock on late shows. Since I really have never watched late shows since I had to be at work most of the time before the sun rose, I had no idea what was on. I then went to think I missed Friends, Seinfeld, Survivor and any other show on Thursday nights forever but at least I can sing....

Back to the socks....
I was wondering what had happened to the missing socks and was looking in the trashcan located in the laundry room. I looked at all the lint and wondering if they were my lost socks. I looked behind the drier and there was one sock there. I was so excited. I can't figure out how it got there and why it was dirty either so it got washed.

When I finished all the laundry, I found I was missing a single sock from another pair that I really like. I started wondering if the sock fairy was playing games with me.... I managed to find it in other clothes....

Twitches

How do I explain that night twitches that da wif has as she dozes off at night?

Twitches


It starts with a finger
or maybe an elbow.
I lay there wondering
what is next?
Will it be gentle?
Quick?
A whole arm?
A foot?
A leg?

Will I be hit?
Does my knee have
to suffer?

Do I twitch too?

Poem for Goose

Written for our deaf cat Goose

Your world
Silent.
You sense
Movement.
A touch from me
Brings purrs.

You sing
But do you hear?

We sneak up on you,
You change your tune.

What do you want?
You respond to the
Female big one.

You dance.
You circle.
You give head butts.

You return.
To your safe haven.
The pillow.
The place you spend
Most of your day.

We move your haven
You go with it.
Are you safe?

Are you happy and content
As a deaf cat?

Ode to a clock

What else can I say to it?

You seem to be stuck.
0:54
You were reset and ran
for a while.
Did your oscillator
quit?
Did one of your dividers
add?
What caused you to
stop?
Your owner is not willing
to give up on you yet.
Your life giving power
will soon be removed.
Your brightness
will be no more.
Your disposal
seems certain.
All because of
being stuck.

Thoughts from a few days ago

Thoughts for Wednesday
Starting the day off reading Psalm 31 inspired me. Jesus cried out his last words having complete trust in God, his father. I remembered hearing this before but now that I am reflecting on it, why wasn’t it more important to me to note that Jesus prayed up until the end. His last words were in prayer. His last words are in utmost trust, even in the darkest, most painful time in his life. He trusted.

I felt the need to spend more time in prayer today and I went upstairs to my room but I did not shut the door because the cats were asleep on the bed. I lit the candle and sat down and began my process of emptying myself so I can quiet inside. After a period I heard a cat jump off the bed. I went back to being quiet when I heard a cat scratching himself off to my left. I looked left and there was Goose staring at me in the doorway. I ignored him. He then walked in and brushed the side of the wall, brushed the front of my legs, jumped up on the bed, walked around and took a position looking out the window. I continued to ignore him. After some period, he jumped down off the bed and walked under my legs ensuring he brushed my legs with his tail. I ignored him. I guess I should keep the door shut no matter what.

I did feel well enough to go out for a ride. My nose had been bothering me for a few days and it kept me from sleeping well. I went out and on my return, I was in Reston when I was getting ready to cross a road where I knew I had the right of way when I noticed a SUV approaching. It appears mom was too preoccupied talking on her cellphone, adjusting something down to her right with a child in a car seat in the rear. She never looked up and saw me. I would have been a bump as she drove over me. In Vienna, I approached an intersection that I did not have any right of way on and stopped to wait for traffic to clear. A mini-van stopped and flashed it’s lights to let me cross. Tale of two stories. One of thankfulness and one of thankfulness. Thanks to God for telling me to watch that person and thanks to that person for being kind to me.
I sit in an empty house that I have seen hundreds of persons at. Dorothy’s spirit is here. You can feel it. The love she had for hospitality is still here.

More middle of the night writing

I awake feeling refreshed.
I lay there waiting for the alarm
that never comes.
I turn on the TV
Weather for the day?
Why are these people
on TV?
Where is my weather?
The clock
stuck.
Time stands still.
I never liked that clock anyway.

3:52.
I can sleep
some more.
I hope.

Happy Easter

I think my socks are doing the Jesus thing, rising from the dead. I lost another two. I now have another 2 unmatching pairs of socks. So how can I call them pairs? The wash machine is now leaking. I really wonder if the two are related.

Easter services. I gave the quick Sunrise service sermon. It was just too chilly out there this morning. Participated in the other two even playing trumpet at the 11am.
Went home for Chinese takeout and a serious nap. I snored myself awake around 2:20.
I have even finished the paper today!
Life is good.

Easter Vigil Prayer

I ran into a new author. Joyce Rupp. She writes:Thus say God to these bones:"I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live."Ezekiel 37:5
May I have this dance?

there I am
in Ezekiel's valley,
one heap among many,
just another stack of old,
dry bones.

some Mondays
feel this way,
and Tuesdays, too,
to say nothing of
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

Lost dreams
and forgotten pleasures,
sold like a soul
to a gluttonous world
feeding on my frenzy
and anxious activity.

but just when
the old heap of bones
seems most dry
and deserted,
a strong Breath of Life
stirs among my dead.

Someone named God
comes to my fragments
and asks,
with twinkling eye:
"May I have this dance?"

the Voice stretches into me,
a stirring leaps in my heart,
lifting up the bones of death.

then I offer my waiting self
to the One who's never stopped
believing in me,
and the dance begins.

I just spent an hour in prayer and reading scripture as part of the Easter vigil. What a quick hour. I found myself tense during my centering prayer, having to become aware enough to ask myself to relax.I felt at ease reading Psalms aloud. I read Psalm 31, 51 and 23.No-one there except me for an hour.

3 AM

If I awake with thoughts in my head, I found it more fun to run with them than to run from them. I call this middle of the night poetry.
3 AM and I awake to the sound of shear silence.
My body is warm, the sweat on my temples runs down into my eyes.
I thirst.
I sense the light in the house.
Why?
I rise and find lights on, realizing I am the guilty.
The project I wanted to finish was interrupted by sleep.
I find cool water to make the warmth subside.
I look outside and see snow on the cherry blossoms.
I suddenly do not feel so warm.
My mind wanders to snow on Roses and the tender, gentle petals.
I return to bed and Alex joins me.
He comes under the covers, curls up next to me, head under my chin.
He purrs himself to sleep. He uses me for warmth.
I listen to the breathing of all the living creatures around me.
Constant. Resting.

The sound of the silence is all around me.

Epiphany by the washer...

This Maundy Thursday has started rather interestingly for me. I had an overdue massage, then went to the church to set up the sanctuary for the service. It is in Taize so we had lots of time for silence. I was so relaxed that I was able to slip right into a meditative state. When the preacher said amen, I about jumped out of my chair.I then went to a Laundromat to wash a down comforter. I sat there reading "Leaving Church" sharing some cookies with a child. (me in a purple tie, him in kid clothes).When BBT quoted Walter Brueggemann, I knew this was so right today."the world for which you have been prepared is taken away from you, by the grace of God".
Our journey through school is ending and on this day, Jesus' journey, for which he is prepared is ending. The world awaits us. By the grace of God.
Grace and Peace. May God bless you this day and everyday.