Northland Christmas holiday

Green bush pushing
vivid blue
sky and sea
mirroring and expanding
a continuous color palette
thick and mysterious
in the depths
against rocks
where purple and white jellyfish
float aimlessly in communities
with stragglers
left stranded
on the high tide mark
soft and slippery underfoot.

A pair of orange beaked and eyed,
black plumed birds
defend their nest
with bold attack
towards intruders.
Sticks deter them
but their shrieking complaint
is not silenced
until we leave their territory.

The incoming tide
over hot pale sand
creates warm shallows.
Out further the ocean currents
are cold and unforgiving.

The tiny boat bounces over
the wind tipped waves
back to the sweep of beach.

Place of blessed earth
and rest
and re-creation.

Pause

Let's take a moment
to reflect on what has passed
and is yet to come.

The year with all
its troubles and triumphs
in somewhat unequal measures.

The grace bestowed
that we are still alive
not by luck, or chance, or good fortune
but by the sustaining hand
of our Creator.

Let's take a moment
to reflect
on what went wrong
what went right
and our ability to distinguish the two.

Let's take a moment
to be thankful
to be grateful for every unnoticed
unannounced blessing that overtook us
and we took for granted.

Let's take a moment
to remember what we're here for.
To celebrate a birth.
God flesh wrapped
coming to us
through a Virgin,
all powerful
totally dependent on His creation.

Let's take a moment
to pause
to remember
to say thank you
for our Savior's birth.

Forgive me

Forgive me.
I don't know why I said that.
It was
thoughtless
senseless
stupid.

Not meditated
yet
premeditated.

You hurt me
so I hurt you back.

It should make me
feel better
but it doesn't.
There's a hollow ringing of pain.

We agreed we would
be civil
at this time of goodwill.
Peace to all mankind
except those closest
with too much
history.

Forgive me.
I don't know why I did that.
It was
callous
uncaring
mean.

I thought I was over it.
I thought I had forgiven you
but the memory
has festered
and wept.

Forgive me.
I choose
to forgive you.

Busy

Come aside with Me
for a while
and
rest.
You are too busy.

You cannot see the beauty around you
only the things that need to be done
urgently.
You cannot hear the birds
as they take time to sing.
Your mind only registers the sirens
amidst the traffic noise.

You are too busy.
I created you
to find rest in Me
and you have forgotten
how to rest.
It is a faintly remembered memory
of something wonderful
yet absent.
A treasure loved and longed for
without a place to stay.

You need to rest.
It is how you were created
Spirit, soul, body.

Sometimes you feel like a crumpled shirt
needing to be ironed smooth again.

Come aside with Me
and
rest
for a while.