tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16562382662616646222024-03-05T23:27:59.101-08:00Tuesday's MuseWe are surrounded by grace as much as air. Breathe them both deeply, in and out. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger784125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-7196404096848152212016-08-03T13:06:00.001-07:002016-08-03T13:06:42.486-07:00We're Moving<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">In case you didn't get the notice, we're moving. Blogspot has been an adequate host for Tuesday's Muse for the past 6 years, but there are limitations that can't be overcome. I invite you to click the link below and visit the new Tuesday's Muse site host at:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://tuesdaysmuse.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">TuesdaysMuse.wordpress.com/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Please follow and/or sign-up for e-mail delivery of post notifications.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Thank you,</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEA3-F3zaXWy5U-7ofhFqVwh1wLhzj2gAOn9ofsmhyphenhyphenNaMeR1xGRVLg35-yenhyb4SACp62Y3ozZ2JmjxQ28EPQRMfp1JZd1LN6yzZHuxYH5cFcuB0EHlnds0Jb8B0GPEg3Uegz1nT6H20/s1600/sig-todd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEA3-F3zaXWy5U-7ofhFqVwh1wLhzj2gAOn9ofsmhyphenhyphenNaMeR1xGRVLg35-yenhyb4SACp62Y3ozZ2JmjxQ28EPQRMfp1JZd1LN6yzZHuxYH5cFcuB0EHlnds0Jb8B0GPEg3Uegz1nT6H20/s200/sig-todd.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-38237245844693101542016-07-18T12:45:00.000-07:002016-07-18T12:45:19.954-07:00Preachin' One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHUID_Rq2SGoJ2x7LOnsl4vPy0CzIgfDVsKlH-DXGs7yVbUWXI5TtkD9Nj6SguN_0VmjZ3Ani4EYu9a14nSgWqMsFqIhliNK7ezVX-FtfvxoOrMI8yQ34WXcUP2ZEwpnFsiruoXe4YT4/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252893%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHUID_Rq2SGoJ2x7LOnsl4vPy0CzIgfDVsKlH-DXGs7yVbUWXI5TtkD9Nj6SguN_0VmjZ3Ani4EYu9a14nSgWqMsFqIhliNK7ezVX-FtfvxoOrMI8yQ34WXcUP2ZEwpnFsiruoXe4YT4/s640/FullSizeRender+%252893%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">It's three
quarters-past 10 on a Sunday</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The regular crowd
shuffles in<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The usuals all have
their special seats<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sit there once;
just don't do it again!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the ushers have
handed out bulletins<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">And told you to
silence your phone</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">We're here sharing
a prayer we call brokenness</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">‘Cause it's better
than prayin' alone<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">La la la, di da da</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;">la la, di da da da
dum<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Tell us a tale,
you're the preachin' one</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Tell us a tale
today</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Well, we're all in
the mood for a parable</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And you've got us
leanin' that way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">It's a pretty good
crowd for a holiday</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">And the treasurer
gives me a nod</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But he knows it's
NOT me <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">they've been comin'
to see</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Cause they wanna
get closer to God<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">And the folks in
the pews are a happy lot</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Like family,
they're quick to share cheer<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And they all sit up
straight <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and throw cash in
the plate, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And say, "Rev,
what are you doin' here?"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">La la la, di da da</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;">la la, di da da da
dum<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Saint Paul was a
traveling evangelist<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who never had time
for a wife<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He wrote
congregations <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">from all sorts of
nations<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Teaching grace as a
new way of life<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">We are gathered to
kindle a memory</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Though it seems
we've forgotten the plot </span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So it hurts and it
heals <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">When it gets in our
feels</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But this story is
all that we've got.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Tell us a tale
you're the preachin' one</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Tell us a tale
today</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Well, we're all in
the mood for a parable</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And you've got us
leanin' that way<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Now Joan, in the
choir, is a friend of mine</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">She sings from her
heart so free</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She listens a while<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">And she's quick
with a smile</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though there are
parts she just won't let us see<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She passes me a
note as the service ends<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Your sermons
offer sacred space, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the life that I
lead is so far from that <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please pray I can
live and breathe grace."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Oh, la la la, di da
da</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;">la la, di da da da
dum<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Tell us a tale
you're the preachin' one</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Tell us a tale
today</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">Well, we're all in
the mood for a parable</span><span style="color: #222222;">
</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And you've got us
leanin' that way<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-90492234409644259812016-07-14T10:27:00.002-07:002016-07-14T10:27:18.954-07:00Insecurious<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv9ZfA_x2ebBhdI8eq7QGk42mHp-HKXj-HbvE0rUOEJ5XbIfRGquO4oW8oUGb-ElVQQ-MxQlioQPp7MZNOBO5fEz-5Y_UKT2Wci0sNy8bJiAc7Pe0ggFdUgfPDNuIuEZprTYK456RnnE/s1600/IMG_9486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv9ZfA_x2ebBhdI8eq7QGk42mHp-HKXj-HbvE0rUOEJ5XbIfRGquO4oW8oUGb-ElVQQ-MxQlioQPp7MZNOBO5fEz-5Y_UKT2Wci0sNy8bJiAc7Pe0ggFdUgfPDNuIuEZprTYK456RnnE/s640/IMG_9486.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's that limited curiosity <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> overwhelmed with fear, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> keeping us from <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> opening ourselves wide <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to the universe's wild
imaginings;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> so hunkered down<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in our own little world,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> trying to hang onto<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and control everything possible,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> that grace dances<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> right under our noses<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> completely unnoticed,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> love sings harmony <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> we cannot hear,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> life wafts beyond us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> © 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-58038730292793194812016-07-12T04:44:00.001-07:002016-07-12T04:44:46.462-07:00Sloth<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0WD11PxRETF8KO6IoFlXA8Rt8Ek8RoFEd48Mnc3S_7T5aKIgt0PU_2AW8W7UZ0MMH9tvAk2fb3eUUDmhcRGd1WKwoIAZ-dP1cppWIzFpY42FEaUi2drpC328iJqZdsi20nqFsNi0cZo/s1600/zCarbon+Dust+K+Cox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0WD11PxRETF8KO6IoFlXA8Rt8Ek8RoFEd48Mnc3S_7T5aKIgt0PU_2AW8W7UZ0MMH9tvAk2fb3eUUDmhcRGd1WKwoIAZ-dP1cppWIzFpY42FEaUi2drpC328iJqZdsi20nqFsNi0cZo/s400/zCarbon+Dust+K+Cox.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Kendall Cox</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What if the
1950s</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">weren't the
church's heyday <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but instead,
were its days of sloth, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when there
was no competition <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and all we
had to do <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">was open our
doors and everyone <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">would come,
because there was <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">nowhere else
to go and nothing else<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to do on Sunday morning? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What if we
need to develop <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a completely
different model <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for being
church in a world <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">long past the
simplicity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of unquestioned
exclusivity? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What if the
torn fabric <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of our
culture has much less <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to do with
its failure <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to rigidly
adhere to our <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">own
particular list <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of
biblically extracted behaviors, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and is much
more about <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">our own lack
of enthusiasm <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for
practicing grace together <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in
communities where all have both <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a seat and
voice at the table?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What if the
church's purpose<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">is to equip
members<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to reflect
hope, share love, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and nourish
a hungry and thirsty world <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with heaping
servings <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of dignity,
humility, and respect? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What if we
actually put <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">our time,
energy, hearts, and money <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">into doing
just that, instead <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of trying to
figure out how <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to get back
to the "good old days"? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd
Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-76288118333456394572016-07-08T06:55:00.000-07:002016-07-08T09:48:09.084-07:00As If<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05TOhIoE9qUhKSyKPEmEBcjLgjUqY2Zt9yu4a0p2jRMQ6FeVjMMTprVf_iKLfl6bziSLZJcxMu6MC8d8r1R5Nx9V08aviezAyy786LNjAuboYZ-jQQJ8ALMUMiZ4Lsn85hDrdb1DjnSg/s1600/hfpc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05TOhIoE9qUhKSyKPEmEBcjLgjUqY2Zt9yu4a0p2jRMQ6FeVjMMTprVf_iKLfl6bziSLZJcxMu6MC8d8r1R5Nx9V08aviezAyy786LNjAuboYZ-jQQJ8ALMUMiZ4Lsn85hDrdb1DjnSg/s400/hfpc.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpture by Sterling Goller-Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two logs
were set afire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Some closed
their eyes, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> minding
their own business, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> as if wood
wasn't really burning, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> while others
critiqued, judged, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and blamed
the logs themselves, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">as if it
were spontaneous combustion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then five
more logs were <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> tossed into
the fire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As the
incendiary heat rises, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> it's
difficult for any trees <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to deny the
inferno. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We can keep
thumping matches <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> across the
strike-pad, or <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> we can dig
trenches around <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">our own
little grove, or <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">we can speak
and act with conviction, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> so that no
more fuel is added, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> no more logs
are lost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What's it
going to be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd
Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-30775305759038580872016-07-07T08:55:00.001-07:002016-07-07T08:55:11.172-07:00Too High<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvA7Y7onLtpcIci_dSRuNDb1o2_xiLTGr6VPbns2UXuIqnNiMm26RESMNOTdAwWzNeMf-gpUWjbNhNeUeKzWFnmgEn1noC8ohDEA30xNHu7mgm3FYtuh0KINp5HQC8Gg6CXg2nPfMoIz4/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252875%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvA7Y7onLtpcIci_dSRuNDb1o2_xiLTGr6VPbns2UXuIqnNiMm26RESMNOTdAwWzNeMf-gpUWjbNhNeUeKzWFnmgEn1noC8ohDEA30xNHu7mgm3FYtuh0KINp5HQC8Gg6CXg2nPfMoIz4/s400/FullSizeRender+%252875%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The cost is outrageous <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for all these <b>priceless lives</b>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">secretly calculated in hearts too small <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to hold <b>Love's grand truth</b>; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">too scared to see <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">all of us have the same value; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">too busy counting and comparing <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to feel the ground beneath us quaking, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the skies above us leaking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We shrink because we sense difference, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">recoil with superiority's confidence, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">while the <b>universe expands</b> and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>diversifies</b>, and the <b>holy one weeps</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd
Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-40985682787372999742016-07-05T12:07:00.000-07:002016-07-05T12:07:03.539-07:00Heartspeak<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP52Sb9bsLb9_kHHByUF7hpxeINtPWNVeF9YyX7NPSPbOSTGohANXZyXL6RRNfrEgA9rgvVdIQZzNGwD5qNDD_OTBKSqsOILPUQO7A5H7vJ1kc5jEKY9kAuBtv_bff8b1SLvdPTmw4ECU/s1600/FullSizeRender+79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP52Sb9bsLb9_kHHByUF7hpxeINtPWNVeF9YyX7NPSPbOSTGohANXZyXL6RRNfrEgA9rgvVdIQZzNGwD5qNDD_OTBKSqsOILPUQO7A5H7vJ1kc5jEKY9kAuBtv_bff8b1SLvdPTmw4ECU/s640/FullSizeRender+79.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ichawaynochaway Creek, Newton, GA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When,
"Our thoughts and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">prayers are
with you." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">becomes the
end and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">not the
means, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we have lost
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">our
spiritual momentum. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Too often,
we see prayer <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> as a request
for God <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to move, so
we don't have to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The core of
prayer is <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a shifting
of hearts; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> primarily
our own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We speak our
angst, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> cry our
frustration, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> groan the
unspeakable; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and in the
stillness between <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> syllables,
tears, and breaths, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a different
note vibrates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Maybe it's a
new note, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> perhaps a
dissonant one; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> but, always,
it calls us <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> toward the
circle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whatever
else we imagine <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">it to be,
prayer is a request <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for
inclusion in the sacred journey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you're
willing to move, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but don't
know where or how, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">let your
heart speak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The rest is
not up to you, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but you will
likely <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">find
yourself up to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd
Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-42900324790966434482016-06-28T07:16:00.002-07:002016-06-28T07:16:57.626-07:00Looking Glass<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SiCoFYOEjSiPJyQ6_19Q5K5pbk_JCo40PAtHQWmK2NLyCDqppuf4Pyfu5Vk8yCSGMgIBCJr1lEChpqrwINrj67KOT8fuVRuYgg2creDqlAEvA4uUSgTmihCpX1hO3gj-wbfNAAYqpqw/s1600/IMG_8924-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SiCoFYOEjSiPJyQ6_19Q5K5pbk_JCo40PAtHQWmK2NLyCDqppuf4Pyfu5Vk8yCSGMgIBCJr1lEChpqrwINrj67KOT8fuVRuYgg2creDqlAEvA4uUSgTmihCpX1hO3gj-wbfNAAYqpqw/s400/IMG_8924-EFFECTS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Lee Lindsey McKinney</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once we identify the image </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in the mirror </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">as the single common denominator </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in all our problems, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">all our relationships, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and all our stories, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">as well as the only person, place, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">or thing over which we have </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">even an illusion of control, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we have found the beginning point </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for healthy relationships. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next step requires putting down </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the looking glass and giving ourselves </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to make a difference </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in someone else's life; </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">neither offering to fix, advise, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">or change them, nor pretending </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to be or do anything more or less </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">than who we really are and that </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of which we're truly capable. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't wait for perfection or </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">understanding to begin, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and do not demand either of these </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in yourself or others along the way. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lead with your heart, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and let grace map </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">each step of the way. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today is always a new day </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in each journey. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: center;">
©<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> 2016 Todd Jenkins</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-20437540264847667012016-06-22T10:13:00.001-07:002016-06-22T10:14:07.130-07:00Short<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the churches I drive past regularly on my way to and from work recently had this message on its sign: </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Time is short,</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>hell is hot. </b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Jesus is coming,</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>ready or not. </b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sign's sentiments seem to indicate:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(1) an attempt to scare heaven into passersby; and</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(2) our religious-cultural generation's focus on securing an individual spot in a divinely favored afterlife. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In my experience, you can scare the hell out of people, at least briefly, but heaven - or more significantly, love - cannot be instilled by fear, even for a little while. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When fear of afterlife outcomes becomes the starting point and the focus, at the expense of living the grace of Jesus Christ in the here and now, congregations and institutional religion will continue to decline. The church that nurtures faith in the long run will be the one that offers hope and grace to a world of people who have been declared unacceptable by a culture of judgment and competition. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My sign would offer this alternative:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Life is short, </b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>live what you've got. </b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Grace abounds,</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> noticed or not. </b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd
Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXS0_0_xPfGNgs2RGwVKpRjixVrb0383eZefjC8ikWoxOX-nhZT3HLp8qd5UXKT7ED2uGy5vuPNLeqg3wFjK75CmlItY8TcFnya0W9ovs2T1dLybXetaPPDzlUjLIOdmR6M8ogPuORCI/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252870%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXS0_0_xPfGNgs2RGwVKpRjixVrb0383eZefjC8ikWoxOX-nhZT3HLp8qd5UXKT7ED2uGy5vuPNLeqg3wFjK75CmlItY8TcFnya0W9ovs2T1dLybXetaPPDzlUjLIOdmR6M8ogPuORCI/s400/FullSizeRender+%252870%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Stone Fort Archaeological Park<br />
Manchester, TN</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-91162523763364583352016-06-20T12:12:00.002-07:002016-06-20T12:12:44.885-07:00River<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqPtpfPiL8fbYzUhJ1g0VxKopOX6JRfXKlmFSKr-uFxVSSHwrAqo0OF6mfFKToSWk4US0WGWxLTCADk-RaDWzTXMSUSEaKb47ruKLmzoLkkAw-myMlYO5qwy_faW1peQ8_6p_aTa3VIs/s1600/IMG_8861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqPtpfPiL8fbYzUhJ1g0VxKopOX6JRfXKlmFSKr-uFxVSSHwrAqo0OF6mfFKToSWk4US0WGWxLTCADk-RaDWzTXMSUSEaKb47ruKLmzoLkkAw-myMlYO5qwy_faW1peQ8_6p_aTa3VIs/s400/IMG_8861.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shall we cry you a river<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> with the tears of our angst<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> over our continued refusal<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to put Mother Earth<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and her life-blood<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> on equal footing<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> with exploitative <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">economic enterprises?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The collective lament<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of those who recognize<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> our systemic rape<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and plunder of creation<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> cannot restore,and may not<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ameliorate this abuse,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BAcGx8QyuMWgJeXWtTgPHszacnVrScCuaQAjMWr2JB9_SUglLLj4Em1OogYPTbpeYK-t3A4ghEjV02R5OUNJTMT1DjhPYiMC_uN8mPksh4kmm0v5dZC6MiLdt8S_et9szah-htWxCNM/s1600/IMG_8863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BAcGx8QyuMWgJeXWtTgPHszacnVrScCuaQAjMWr2JB9_SUglLLj4Em1OogYPTbpeYK-t3A4ghEjV02R5OUNJTMT1DjhPYiMC_uN8mPksh4kmm0v5dZC6MiLdt8S_et9szah-htWxCNM/s400/IMG_8863.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but cheek’s glistening trail<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> can remind us all<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of the universe's plaintive call<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to tread gently, leaving<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ego, fear, and greed behind,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">thinking long-range,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> recognizing and living <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> our interdependence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Will it be enough?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will we listen?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-79832318116461054342016-06-13T12:25:00.000-07:002016-06-13T12:25:37.216-07:00For you<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqLUY41vDjJBSZalvcSrlKIF759DTZ96g-2LYPE1E9meR-2WRTNrdtQoowuZEek6FetRl8dIbA2OZpPvYtEhw3DZCHHtE72OhUqvtGS9Kx8lw9CaB08wiqjopucOcJ7kHC9K-bL8tjxY/s1600/Becky+Johnson+02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqLUY41vDjJBSZalvcSrlKIF759DTZ96g-2LYPE1E9meR-2WRTNrdtQoowuZEek6FetRl8dIbA2OZpPvYtEhw3DZCHHtE72OhUqvtGS9Kx8lw9CaB08wiqjopucOcJ7kHC9K-bL8tjxY/s400/Becky+Johnson+02.JPG" width="337" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Becky Johnson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here we
gather, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">nothing like
a museum <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for the
righteous, but <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">rather, a
healing place <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for those in
search of grace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Here we
rise, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> joining our
voices <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> with a long
line of dreamers, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> cairn-stacking
narratives <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of
resurrection against <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a sea of
indifference, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> hoping
against hope <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> that love
will win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here we go, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">sent out
into <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">valleys of
despair, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">reflecting
the forgiveness <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we have
received, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">wrapping the
whole world <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in the
gentleness with which <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we've been
covered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Here we are,
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd
Jenkins<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-12538081432299242632016-06-07T08:46:00.002-07:002016-06-07T08:46:37.769-07:00eNEMY<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKbAF8t0PSvYZbN8sQPhD3_xkDfMWCJ1pzYko8umq2y32qxIIYc2mSQ5ghMMr7Ax8i0lxbtHHbkq3GvUZR2GdOgsskuu4W4aLZXzhj9_-DAruyQ2SK73iYB0J2WnwkiVLpJ5uEPkOpLw/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252843%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKbAF8t0PSvYZbN8sQPhD3_xkDfMWCJ1pzYko8umq2y32qxIIYc2mSQ5ghMMr7Ax8i0lxbtHHbkq3GvUZR2GdOgsskuu4W4aLZXzhj9_-DAruyQ2SK73iYB0J2WnwkiVLpJ5uEPkOpLw/s400/FullSizeRender+%252843%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In our interpersonal lives <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">we are constantly creating
conflict <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">as well as being drawn <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">into conflict created by others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Exacerbation occurs when
blindness, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> ego, denial, and indifference <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> cause each of us to blame the
other, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> refusing both responsibility and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> engagement in remediation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When this sort of behavior <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is practiced on a societal <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> or international level, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> we are directly participating <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in the creation and escalation <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of our own enemies, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> whether our differences are <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> political, economic, or other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As long as weaponization<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and violence are both our initial
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and primary tools for
interaction, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> there will be no peace <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and no amelioration. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYwxVM1WR-cD4n6C0LMnbpW2wUaL-ulD6snXqb5b26nxyQlJvWujoM3KFFL7NWO0OcTVh6LXW-bSZaODaTBBXD4DW_J0lMmdI6LqVLrBPx2tz0bwjHxmyaqmD2jUt0Ckr7soaapyD3BQ/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252871%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYwxVM1WR-cD4n6C0LMnbpW2wUaL-ulD6snXqb5b26nxyQlJvWujoM3KFFL7NWO0OcTVh6LXW-bSZaODaTBBXD4DW_J0lMmdI6LqVLrBPx2tz0bwjHxmyaqmD2jUt0Ckr7soaapyD3BQ/s400/FullSizeRender+%252871%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We'll either have to detonate <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">all the weapons and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">outlive all the warmongers, or <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">genuinely commit ourselves <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to something more magnanimous <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">before there'll be hope <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">for a different outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-28160742247156002002016-05-31T16:24:00.002-07:002016-05-31T16:24:13.695-07:00Within<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_riwailqHB67WJMzeWsHI8ggZVcgaUmfr536yUeBixmV0t4h99KeS1GSmPUeFkDyhC3W6TXBFwVFQtGyipbaAuW5MHqiuZfJmVM3P0ji7f1JWQgqmnTpMrzx4iVWKowph-XVlLO9qR5M/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252842%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_riwailqHB67WJMzeWsHI8ggZVcgaUmfr536yUeBixmV0t4h99KeS1GSmPUeFkDyhC3W6TXBFwVFQtGyipbaAuW5MHqiuZfJmVM3P0ji7f1JWQgqmnTpMrzx4iVWKowph-XVlLO9qR5M/s640/FullSizeRender+%252842%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The gift and miracle</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of Emmaus is not disappearance, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but presence; not road presence <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">or table presence, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">which were temporary, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but presence internal and
eternal. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The physical Christ of
conversation – <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the material messiah of
flesh-and-blood – <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is no longer with us, because he
is in us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Eucharist is our regular
reminder <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of this gift; our invitation <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to re-member – to reconfirm <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> our membership – <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> into the body of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> © 2016 Todd Jenkins<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-86504011332377464272016-05-28T08:23:00.001-07:002016-05-28T08:23:18.923-07:00Bedrock<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6ZfkJmFszfC7EttjYapGUf1Jilg2dW0Mi8QW42ADWzy3M9M5AZxtO2XisrIbcHIXGxpg_FEYSY0sHP_d6_hCWL07430PCrXDRMQPU2ppkb71cLQl1fKZGmhItE2RhfwG2KvvCgoAy-Y/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252870%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6ZfkJmFszfC7EttjYapGUf1Jilg2dW0Mi8QW42ADWzy3M9M5AZxtO2XisrIbcHIXGxpg_FEYSY0sHP_d6_hCWL07430PCrXDRMQPU2ppkb71cLQl1fKZGmhItE2RhfwG2KvvCgoAy-Y/s400/FullSizeRender+%252870%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Stone Fort Archaeological Park<br />Manchester, TN</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We need to uncreate the world <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> that desires more for less, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> no matter the cost <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to planet and other people; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the world that has profit <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> as its bottom line, and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> views the rest of creation <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> as a means to the ends <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of accumulation and consumption. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My hunch and experience are <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> that most of us can <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> only see this necessity <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> clearly in the context <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of our profound brokenness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Grace, love, and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> our deepest interconnection <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> are most visible when all <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of our faux identities crumble. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If the rest of the world is going <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to recognize and hunger for this, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> we, as a community of believers, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> must become sentinels of hope <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> instead of wagging fingers of judgment,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> fountains of grace, rather</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">than fires of condemnation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We must confess our own <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> shambled lives and live <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> from a foundation of grace <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> before God's mercy will ever <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ring true for the world.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-33340926647566552402016-05-24T09:00:00.000-07:002016-05-24T09:00:10.122-07:00Small<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5hkXaqbEFteE17k-lBj1_rqBxX3I2PwsrzIos7mIOpt2rxDS8IopKJpgr7yA_clHe_zLzuFqWJpUpjkEDvJzFArULRIbKuWiXKgRAa9-Bu8DcUYG8tEk1BCbM66VKVqGNIliNqhqE-c/s1600/IMG_2827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5hkXaqbEFteE17k-lBj1_rqBxX3I2PwsrzIos7mIOpt2rxDS8IopKJpgr7yA_clHe_zLzuFqWJpUpjkEDvJzFArULRIbKuWiXKgRAa9-Bu8DcUYG8tEk1BCbM66VKVqGNIliNqhqE-c/s400/IMG_2827.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Linzi Anderson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fear is afraid of everyone and <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">everything, including itself, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ever shrinking into a smaller
box, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but pretending to loom large, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with ferocious bark <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and inflated posturing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The small minded and hearted <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> seek to divide the world <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> into "us" and
"them", <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> never quite convinced <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> that you or I or anyone else <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> fully belong to "us";<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> ever ready to banish us all <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to permanent Themville. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But somewhere beneath <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the fearful veneer lies<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a lonely, hungry soul, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">never willing to admit it, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but desperately longing <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to be invited into sacred
"we" <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and even holy "one". <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-3718917784620435322016-05-17T11:13:00.003-07:002016-05-17T11:13:57.101-07:00Perspective<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The chasm between human and
divine</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">is largely dug by perspective. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Beyond the realization <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of the limits of our own, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">God approaches with our<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">recognition of someone else's. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The holy is infused when<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> our reality is secure
enough <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to avoid the dizziness <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of multiple focal points. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anchored in the self of God, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">we can see, hear, smell, touch, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and even taste the universe's
complexity <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">without needing to validate <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">one perspective over others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQs5jO_1xYPJGzNGeegP8rhctSYXLISUlq1z6L_Hj0QZ7HbYYWsaIKT-48YFVLTVAymf5pgtkRkEY4QTRphWz8-_46Oe1hGe0P4iYU2anT_XgExJLGIv7awzFUxc01QQAPK6wCPhwxLU/s1600/DSCF0625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQs5jO_1xYPJGzNGeegP8rhctSYXLISUlq1z6L_Hj0QZ7HbYYWsaIKT-48YFVLTVAymf5pgtkRkEY4QTRphWz8-_46Oe1hGe0P4iYU2anT_XgExJLGIv7awzFUxc01QQAPK6wCPhwxLU/s400/DSCF0625.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-60380335121460262302016-05-10T12:35:00.003-07:002016-05-10T16:31:05.738-07:00Private<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Privatization is the power charging</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the flashlight of capitalism. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When its acid leeches into the
switch <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of connection, there’s an
inability <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to distinguish between good and
evil, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a failure to distinguish on from
off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When it corrodes the chamber <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> of community, cooperation is voided
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in favor of competition and
victory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When it interferes with the bulb
of hope, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> more heat than light is
generated, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> more hoarding than loving.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Despite the individuation <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of our own economies, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the universe holds all in God’s
trust.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy1adUY4xr9tCOT4U87V_hrXmvs_HIaqS-HLp14C-SKmVtgKvUCNpIbYY_VZib3w28Do6Ux5KFzHXuoZLvRAyul8wUOm9I6yXr3FG6dSkq_cr04mrM1f8rOSQdAv516XZQKqafQ2qyvw/s1600/stone+mountain+3+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy1adUY4xr9tCOT4U87V_hrXmvs_HIaqS-HLp14C-SKmVtgKvUCNpIbYY_VZib3w28Do6Ux5KFzHXuoZLvRAyul8wUOm9I6yXr3FG6dSkq_cr04mrM1f8rOSQdAv516XZQKqafQ2qyvw/s400/stone+mountain+3+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-22508200883881665042016-05-03T19:18:00.000-07:002016-05-03T19:35:56.259-07:00Ode to Phenomenal Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMCrq4rubtQWdQBTVV27TKRnrah3bDRy3y4H7TVDp1j6OC7sMHHAIiGcWr7fz3Egzkk3NbfAv90JRVcKOybRPJ8JcF0eFYp23lR3ZibDZOfEkj643dQ-DowraMTnIdLj_N1rusiRMQvQ/s1600/IMG_7253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMCrq4rubtQWdQBTVV27TKRnrah3bDRy3y4H7TVDp1j6OC7sMHHAIiGcWr7fz3Egzkk3NbfAv90JRVcKOybRPJ8JcF0eFYp23lR3ZibDZOfEkj643dQ-DowraMTnIdLj_N1rusiRMQvQ/s400/IMG_7253.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">“A good woman is hard to find,</span></i></span><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span></i><span class="indent-1-breaks"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">and worth far more than diamonds.</span></i></span><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<span class="text"><span style="background: white;">Her husband trusts her without
reserve,</span></span><br />
</span></i><span class="indent-1-breaks"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">and never has reason to regret it.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt;">(Proverbs 31:10-11 MSG)</span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You
do not need an ode from which <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to draw your power, for the light <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> in your eyes emanates from a fire <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> centered deep in your being; <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> a burning placed there <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by the Spirit of the great I Am. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your
worth was determined <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> before your birth, calculated <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> on spiritual DNA; a value made richer <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by your unabashed living into it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Biological
motherhood, as many of you <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> have learned, is neither a right <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> nor something completely <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> within your control. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some
with offspring never quite <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> make it to “mom”, and many <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> have mothered without benefit <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> of labor and delivery, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> walking the tightrope between <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> quiet strength and gentle
nurturing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
a culture and economy that largely ignore <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the strength of matriarchal bonds, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> you blend a powerful mixture <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> of rebar and rose petals, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> holding families and communities
together <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> with the power of resurrection <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> planted in your soul <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> from the foundation of the
universe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Praise
be to Yahweh <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> for the gift of life you bring!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">©
2016 Todd Jenkins</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-68141569205524879782016-04-26T09:05:00.000-07:002016-04-26T09:05:12.155-07:00Visceral<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqNCyRs5YvKnfM5qnmlxLFgZPlEhSmGkDASxq3gy_ozG1l-eNrvgVfcj1xbl7dNOGayAYcmgvSsonmxROnKz7CEwU2bAeY4fAcZPOAeETw3OlJcST0BXMGSp5wo5wOZOOXYYjQzDlzFc/s1600/max+patch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqNCyRs5YvKnfM5qnmlxLFgZPlEhSmGkDASxq3gy_ozG1l-eNrvgVfcj1xbl7dNOGayAYcmgvSsonmxROnKz7CEwU2bAeY4fAcZPOAeETw3OlJcST0BXMGSp5wo5wOZOOXYYjQzDlzFc/s400/max+patch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Painters and drawers and
sculptors and countless other visual artists are able to combine and manipulate
various physical substances into objects that pique our imagination and show us
a peek at the universe and ourselves that we have yet to comprehend. Once we
have seen these creative vistas and ourselves reflected through them, we cannot
forget or go back to the way things used to be without tremendous expenditure
of costly personal energy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Writers are visual artists of a
different sort. Authors paint word pictures that hang in the passageway running
between head and heart. Narrative/prose is a medium in the realm of realism,
often hanging closer to the brain's end of the hall. Once a good story seeps
into your marrow, the door at the coronary end of the hallway usually swings
open a bit wider as a particular vocabulary and its precise ordering provide a
view of what's been right in front of your face for years and yet may still
have eluded your perception. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Poetry tends toward
impressionism, just outside the heart's door. It often makes you want to race
back and forth between the cerebral and the emotive, between fading distant
memories and the possibility of what lies around the next bend, anchoring the
here-and-now in a sense of hope, if not peace. Story's and poetry's art
galleries are for the curious; those who're willing to peruse stacks of beauty
with only a handful of syllables scratched on the surface, daring aficionados
to crack a spine. Welcome to a visceral gallery of words, brushed on life’s ever-flowing
canvas. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-59738163321613997202016-04-25T10:27:00.001-07:002016-04-25T10:27:36.162-07:00Creature<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZc646cFnOQTRV_8DXYJsGLgEqc-u8OvDaKPhKcm46VFjpnQyQQ0NIlUAZn75ngPNzwIdCDc6hyphenhyphenDZLm0tsBuwqShf4XA9yldUkX01UeMVBEIdQ7bCu1PJOA5ZPiMf7EiaMrtLTYR-wPCk/s1600/JJ7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZc646cFnOQTRV_8DXYJsGLgEqc-u8OvDaKPhKcm46VFjpnQyQQ0NIlUAZn75ngPNzwIdCDc6hyphenhyphenDZLm0tsBuwqShf4XA9yldUkX01UeMVBEIdQ7bCu1PJOA5ZPiMf7EiaMrtLTYR-wPCk/s400/JJ7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Jennie R. Jenkins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Keep a dragon's egg </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in your pocket long enough, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">pulling it out to marvel, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">turning it over </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in your sweaty little palms, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> shaking it at the folks </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> who stir you from </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the laziness of your </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> inherited perch of status quo, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and sooner or later </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> you'll be the unwitting </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> (Or is it dim-witted?) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> owner of an uncontrollable, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> fire-breathing maniac. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It's getting hot up in here!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-33693046101722515052016-04-20T05:41:00.001-07:002016-04-20T05:41:11.734-07:00Deeps<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P4YmRyJLKUnYKRxdloS15bGffkr7MAOp61DkHm0y_s79dz9TTZJraeWcByr-qO2ZXiXYfszomj4Ij7ghF8vITDPRILdPR3Kc6uMP2I2-0sIlttMPfs2WR5Kbeonk-AfINL36wNjeh4Q/s1600/IMG_1831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P4YmRyJLKUnYKRxdloS15bGffkr7MAOp61DkHm0y_s79dz9TTZJraeWcByr-qO2ZXiXYfszomj4Ij7ghF8vITDPRILdPR3Kc6uMP2I2-0sIlttMPfs2WR5Kbeonk-AfINL36wNjeh4Q/s400/IMG_1831.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Holly Jenkins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is
easier when your enemies <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">are all
external, identifiable, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and you
get to completely define them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes,
easier, smoother, shallower. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Give me
the deeps anyway, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">where
ruts and ridges <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">surprise
and challenge my assumptions; <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">where
mirrors reject <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">my
narrow, retouched imaginings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-16450064954848216092016-04-16T10:23:00.000-07:002016-04-16T10:23:07.632-07:00Planted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo8k1_HRVtUAi0Mkw1znoNIRrxfhD9_rGbc_esr6HcoaP-i-ZE0TcIRwihQcbrtWhV0iKZjILnU9OwARhkci_BaMnyJjzRi3jJ5NP4M-pBZtcAsaKa0R6UP9MRact-qfSuCvN4IvI9Hw/s1600/IMG_9846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo8k1_HRVtUAi0Mkw1znoNIRrxfhD9_rGbc_esr6HcoaP-i-ZE0TcIRwihQcbrtWhV0iKZjILnU9OwARhkci_BaMnyJjzRi3jJ5NP4M-pBZtcAsaKa0R6UP9MRact-qfSuCvN4IvI9Hw/s400/IMG_9846.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When the deathiversary <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">rolls around each year, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">we can hardly believe <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">it’s here again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wasn’t it the day before yesterday <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">when our hearts were still beating <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and normal was something <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">we thought could last? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It seems like yesterday<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the casket was lowered <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">into the earth or the ashes <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">were scattered by the wind; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We knew a huge chunk <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of who we were </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">was dead now, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The dirt was like a weight <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">on our chests, pressing, squeezing. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We could never imagine that <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> our burying was also a planting; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> that the love being sunk and scattered</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> could somehow ever break through <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the sod with a shoot, a bloom, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and perhaps flower or fruit; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> but sometimes it does, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in ways and places we<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> never could have imagined. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You have surrounded us<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">with the love of those <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">who can and do sing <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the songs of faith for us,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">reciting the creeds,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">believing on our behalf, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">for a while, </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">until </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we can breathe again.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd
Jenkins</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-22967096177187884842016-04-12T11:44:00.000-07:002016-04-14T13:16:10.748-07:00In Memoriam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu5o_3_I8yo-8iJWd8eL6dsceJihsBqEE5XvLXHdq1h0-JwxdfXVQSXnzqEq3yV8pqJUN3rk8PIl5KqT_6H4Wm3UOYjSKAmtTN0j8EXC20BbamNotB2woQeLEw9JmOTWouNjPotQakgc/s1600/IMG_9943-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcu5o_3_I8yo-8iJWd8eL6dsceJihsBqEE5XvLXHdq1h0-JwxdfXVQSXnzqEq3yV8pqJUN3rk8PIl5KqT_6H4Wm3UOYjSKAmtTN0j8EXC20BbamNotB2woQeLEw9JmOTWouNjPotQakgc/s320/IMG_9943-EFFECTS.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">
<br /></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>As we once again enter the room called remember, the edge of earth and sky as clearly defined as ever, we pray you'll grant us faith, O Lord, strong and flexible, to mortar the vast expanse between our tiny bricks of understanding. </i></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">
<br /></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For all the saints </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who from this life now rest, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we give you thanks, O God, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for by them we are blessed. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When hate has been unleashed, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">indifference unfurled, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">into holy humus </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">their toes securely curled. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Inspired by burning bush </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and heaven-descended dove, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">they walked the path of grace </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and lived sermons of love. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We speak their names aloud, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and breathe their memories, too; </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">open palms release them, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">eternally to you. </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For all the saints </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who through our lives have trod, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we lift our hearts in praise, </span></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and give you thanks, O God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">2016 Todd Jenkins</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-389056919006533240" itemprop="description articleBody" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 586px;">
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</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-3890569190065332402016-04-11T13:26:00.002-07:002016-04-11T13:26:40.581-07:00Poetic Subtraction<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSl9PLLoihYcBzKNA5E6YKWoDEdNSgcxi1sPvIQik6Z-5KCGtD7wA5J88-h1QpJD64dPwWf-PAx-4CYVXNBNr-m3Yl8TbWUK5P2IubVfzpbdhX88Gl_zWMJMMZ1d3Lhn_wATY4mkW_Bc/s1600/A+Goad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSl9PLLoihYcBzKNA5E6YKWoDEdNSgcxi1sPvIQik6Z-5KCGtD7wA5J88-h1QpJD64dPwWf-PAx-4CYVXNBNr-m3Yl8TbWUK5P2IubVfzpbdhX88Gl_zWMJMMZ1d3Lhn_wATY4mkW_Bc/s640/A+Goad.JPG" width="528" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Ashley Goad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She
objected, "I don't know how <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to sit
down and create poetry."<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I
replied, “Neither do I. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I'm not
even sure that's possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Poetry is
all around us, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> all the
time. It's the proverbial <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> sculpture
hidden within the stone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Finding
our inner poet <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is about
learning to chip-away <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> at the things
in our lives obscuring her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First, there's
what I call noise; <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the other
voices that tell you <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">you're
already too far behind <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in all
the things you need <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to
accomplish and do <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to even
consider investing time, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">space,
and energy into something <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">as
unpredictable, unreliable, and <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">maybe
even unproductive as poetry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But maybe
you also need <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to hear
the whisper that asks you <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to
consider whether <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"> you might
be even </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">further behind <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in what you were created to BE.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins</span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656238266261664622.post-18863295998197057092016-04-09T11:54:00.000-07:002016-04-09T11:54:01.276-07:007<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihar7Acv_l47HVXQ8EywCcEcItLFL5K4vEjg-Tia0RQGvFq9xnaLeaCqN3p6rVfNafkPvLNyyUHqiXubv2T4eu-0Z1uUaU19TzHtO9XmZCnxGCyGONBynSPUh4D_L63IYro6BLcY3TW_8/s1600/B+Padgett+Fiery+Gizzard+Park+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihar7Acv_l47HVXQ8EywCcEcItLFL5K4vEjg-Tia0RQGvFq9xnaLeaCqN3p6rVfNafkPvLNyyUHqiXubv2T4eu-0Z1uUaU19TzHtO9XmZCnxGCyGONBynSPUh4D_L63IYro6BLcY3TW_8/s400/B+Padgett+Fiery+Gizzard+Park+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Ben Padgett</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sooner
or later, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">you'll
figure out </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">that
my vocabulary </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">is
very limited. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The
list of words I know </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> to
be true – Or is it that </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I
NEED them to be true? – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is
quite brief. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Let's
see... there's:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Grace
</b>– the truest of all truths, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">never
settling for the limitations </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of
how we experience it </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">or
want it to be. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Love
</b>– the deepest of all truths, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">holding
us more tenderly </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">than
we ever imagined </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">when
it’s whole; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">hurting
us almost more deeply </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">than
we can stand </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">when
it’s broken. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Forgiveness
</b>– the richest of all truths, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">covering
even the grandest failure, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">not
with denial, but reprieve. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mercy
</b>– the softest of all truths, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tempering
justice into </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">an
ending bearable, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">no
matter how bleakly </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">our
story begins.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hope
</b>– the largest of all truths, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">opening
doors and windows, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">raising
suns after all possibility </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">has
been exhausted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Faith
</b>– the most mysterious of all truths, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the mortar spanning</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the vast expanse between</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tiny bricks of understanding. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Trust
</b>– the hardest of all truths, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">holding
betrayal in a glove </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of
unimaginable possibility. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> These
seven may be it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Everything
else is </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> merely
experiential riff </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in
their presence or absence; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> just
verbal sketches </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> from the storm of sitting </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> too near the tracks </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> when
they pass through. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When
I find myself in stories </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">where
all seven of these are AWOL, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I
just sing into the morning, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">or
whistle throughout the night, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">or
cry, or pray until at least</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">one
of them shows up, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">believing
that the one(s) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to
arrive are the necessary one(s) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">for
the transformation </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of today’s pain and suffering. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">© 2016 Todd Jenkins </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0