The other morning
woods bathed golden with
sunlight shining through autumn leaves
making butterscotch in LED format from on high,
amazed.
The depth of the woods has been
secreted all summer in leaves and shadows.
I awoke next morn to gray sky
shaking pillowcases full of snowflakes
upon fallen leaves and naked trunks.
No surface was chilled enough to hold
the flakes for more than a few moments
murmurs of winter to come.
Today the woods are bare
the sunlight shows brown trunks and black
punctuated by an occasional leaf
all this
within one autumn week.
I search for You, Lord, but my heart really is deceitful.
I am amazed that this morning my flesh is sleepy, again!
My spirit is eager to go, but in order to mesmerize my brain into sleep
I recoil from interaction with You to mere deadly mental assent.
Flesh, I speak to you in Jesus’ name.
Line up with God’s word. I shall not want for sleep.
He keeps me in His love.
Brain, I speak to you in Jesus’ name.
Wake to the words of life that will nurture you.
Father, I thank and praise You for Your love and discipline.
Even for the alarm clock across the room.
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”
There is an old nursery rhyme that with one hand on your hip and the other one extended, you recite, “I’m a little teapot, short and stout; here is my handle, here is my spout. When I get all steamed up then I shout, Tip me over and pour me out.”
Then there is the “adult” version with both hands on your hips, you say, “I’m a little teapot, short and stout; here is my handle, here is my…Oh damn, I’m a sugar bowl!” Bob Dutina’s absolute favorite, recited at least twice a month!!
No tea set is complete without a cup. Ray Bradbury had this sentiment.
We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.
1.
Lily pads at the pond
Grow on stalky stems
Leaves unfold an opened palm
Cupped at center point
Summer shower starts to drop
Mercurial glistening spheres
Gathering in the center spot
‘til bulbous weight smears silver drops
Into glistening globs
And tips the leaves so full
To pour their contents overboard
And rising from the spill
Stately shielded lily-hands
Begin the cycle once more
Keep my stem flexible, Lord
My hands open and cupped
Eager to receive Your all
Questioning not Your skill
Only trusting the power of Your love
To melt my rigid will
Drench me Lord
In Your shower of love
Let me gather and drink my fill
Then spill over on those around
And rise to await Your will
Send water of Your Spirit
To tip me over, pour me out
Then wash over me once again
Fresh cleansing by Holy Words
2.
Shine Your light through
This enshrouding mist
Color me with covenant this:
Abiding presence and constant love,
Indwelling grace that conquers sin
Transfigured rigid I
Yielded and bent
In Your service
Spilling forth rivers of living water
And giving rest to croaky voiced frogs
Who, when Spirit-kissed,
Become priests and kings
Singing their praises to You.
Perhaps You ask me just to be Your lily leaf,
Stand and tip
Remember “Twas the Night Before Christmas?” I know in school we were required to memorize it. Walking the dog in bright moonlight one evening, like Christmas night, I was thinking, “The moon on the crest of the new fallen snow cast shadows like midday from objects below.” I knew it was not the exact verse of the poem which goes “The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.” But OH the shadows from that brilliant moon.
This year one neighbor put up Christmas lights galore which were synchronized with music. It took him a few days to find the volume knob on the music. Every time I would step out with the dog in the evening I was blasted by the joyous chorus of Jingle Bells and other songs 3 houses away. When he finally turned the volume down, it became just pleasant caroling. The winds got the better of him and before Christmas Day most of his display was damaged or taken down.
AND BEST OF ALL!! Walking Lucky at about 2:00 one afternoon I heard them in the distance. Just one at first, but as they got closer multiple voices and YES! flying right over head was a flock of CRANES! I have seen them in New Mexico and we visited the large migration in Nebraska, but OHIO?!?! Turns out they are endangered here but have been making a revival. I did not have a camera or even a phone with me to catch a picture, but below is a photo taken in Nebraska when we went to see the great migration for ourselves.
photo by r m dutina
As you can see, there is no mistaking them for geese or herons as they fly with their necks extended, legs extended and have a huge wingspan. They also are really loud with their calls.
Keep looking for treasures in plain sight! Even when you least expect them. This beagle makes me go outside, even when I am reluctant to leave the warm house!
So what is the hype with the weatherman these days? (Guess I should say weather person.) They say that Jupiter and Saturn are going to be in close proximity on December 21st. {Oh! That is Monday she thinks as she writes this on Sunday afternoon.}
Being in the Northern Hemisphere, I am told to look to the southwest. I looked up all this information online for a better understanding about the details. “The December 21, 2020 conjunction will be the closest great conjunction since July 16, 1623. At the great conjunction of 1623, Jupiter and Saturn were slightly less than 0.1 degrees apart. The last time that the two planets were easily observable when separated by less than 0.1 degrees was almost 800 years ago, during the great conjunction of 1226.” Okay, now I am understanding how unusual this is! 1623 or 1226. I am no longer thinking pandemic here, yeah! Got my mind in outer space! Referring to conjuction means how these planets will appear to our eyes. They will not truly be only that far apart.
“In fact, some scholars have theorized that the original Christmas star, known as the Star of Bethlehem, might also have been a great conjunction.” Now we are venturing into speculation. I am not much for speculation. That site also referred to the Star the Wise men followed as Christian lore. Sort of made me grind my teeth.
As Bob and I drove around looking at Christmas Lights and decorations and discussing this my thoughts went as follows.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Corinthians 4:3-5 NIV
The bad news is they say this conjunction will be visible in our location at 12:20 PM. Wait, that is lunch time! We will not be able to see the planets at all then. However, if the night sky is clear you can bet I will be going outside (probably with Lucky Dog) to see what I can of Jupiter and Saturn making history. I will start trying an hour after sunset. If I read the time charts correctly, my friends near Kathmandu will have a much better chance.
Lord, open the eyes, hearts and minds of all those veiled to Your truth. Help them to give themselves to You. Then they will have the merriest Christmas ever.
My Dad, Paul Rush, was in the United States Navy for two Christmases.
My Dad is the third one over with his pants rolled the shortest!
Both 1943 and 1944 he was gone to war as Signalman 3rd class. He died when I was very young, just eleven years old. Found among his belongings was a re-telling of The Night Before Christmas. You will notice a few rhyming challenges, but hey! This was wartime. It took me many years to realize he must have copied it from a soldier friend because it speaks about the camp and a tent. My Dad was on a ship as far as I know!
My father-in-law was enlisted in the United States Army and missed three Christmases of 1943-1945. So I post this in honor of both of them. They spent those Christmas seasons away from loved ones, as do many military personnel today. May we remember them in our prayers.
Here is a scanned copy of one side. Then I will type it out for you.
“The Night Before Christmas”
It was night before Christmas, and through the camp yard
Not a creature was stirring – except the poor guards.
My stocking was tucked in my shoes to save space
And, besides, my tent doesn’t have a fireplace.
My friend in his shorts, and I in my shoes
Had just settled down for a nice tropic snooze.
When out in the area there arose a great clatter
That I sprang from my cot to see what was the matter.
I became so entangled in my mosquito net
That, if my friend hadn’t helped me, I’d be struggling yet.
And then, very cautiously I pulled back the flaps
Half expecting to see a battalion of Japs.
Just imagine my amazement when I saw instead,
The famous St. Nicholas, in his suit of bright red.
He sat in his sled, which was pulled by six Jeeps
And they bounced along gaily in short bounds and leaps.
They came to a halt, and away Santa went –
And then very suddenly he was there in my tent.
He was chuckling so merrily that his little fat belly
Just like in the other poem, was shaking like jelly.
And then I thought sure that this was a gag
When I noticed his toy sack was a blue barracks bag!
But he reached in the bag, and without hesitation
Turned to my tent mate with a pack of “K” ration;
And then for me – lucky guy that I am –
He dug in again – and came up with Spam
He followed this quickly with de-hydrated potatoes,
And then he produced a can of tomatoes.
And then with the remark he had work to do,
He raised a plump finger and up he flew.
I dashed to the tent flap and was able to see
Him get in his sled as he waved back to me.
“Away Willys,” “On Ford,” was his cry in the night –
And in no time at all he was clear out of sight
So it was with reluctance I got back in bed
And thought of the things St. Nicholas had said.
I’ll still have a laugh when I’m ancient and old
At the thought of St. Nick sliding down the tent fold.
That’s all there is to it. The story is through,
But before I sign off, here’s my wish for you!
May Your Christmas Be Merry,
And filled with Good Cheer;
May You Be Well and Happy
Through Out the New Year.
Oh that would be great, to be at the sea! My friend, Dan, recently posted that seeing a plane fly overhead made him sad. This pandemic is getting to those of us who are trying to stay well by staying close to home.
Pondering better days, I found this poem from 1997. I was absolutely and totally exhausted after our daughter’s wedding. She was our first child and this was our first family wedding. Bob promised to take me to the beach and here is the result of my time on the beach with my Lord. I hope it helps transport you to a place of no pandemic!
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 
