Happy Birthday, Dad
“She did not stand alone, but what stood behind her, the most potent moral force in her life, was the love of her father.” — Harper Lee, Go Set a Watchman
Happy Birthday, Dad. I know I am early but in heaven, time has only eternity. I hope heaven is having a month-long birthday party for you. 😊 And a parade for that matter. I can still hear your embarrassing belted out song, “I LOVE A PARADE!”
I miss you, Dad. Every day, I look at your little leather jewellery box that holds its treasures. The smell of the leather is still here, as are the memories of playing with it as a little girl…gently picking up each cuff link…the shiny gold ones, the office black ones you wore with your crisp white shirt, and the fun terra cotta sparkly ones that I loved to hold up to reflect the sun's light.
The leather now holds your rosary, Dad - the one you said for me for so many years. It also holds the picture of me that I found in it, and recently, the ring I won for mom on Mother’s Day. I can’t wear it right now – the pain is still too fresh. Your leather box contains all the treasured memories I need. It even has the soft piece of suede that I would hold gently against my cheek.
I confess Dad I am not doing the greatest lately. I have tried so hard over the years, but I mess up. I need your prayers up there, Dad. I'm sure God gave you a sparkly new rosary on that holy day you met him face to face. Or maybe his mom, Mary did when you met her after all your Hail Marys to her over the years. Please use your beads for me today.
I miss seeing your rough, callused hands as you held your beads. Your hands are forever inked on my heart. I wish I could pray like you did, Dad. – My prayers are sporadic at best, and probably contain more tears and swear words but in my own way I try. I am afraid I did not turn out to be a very good catholic, though.
I miss the Pinery, Dad – putting up our big old green tent and collecting sea glass with you along the shores of Lake Huron. Oh how you loved the lake, you were always so at peace there. I miss our walks – trying to keep step with you as you quietly teased me to mess up my steps. I miss those Sunday nights where few words were spoken but you always filled me with your quiet peace as we skipped together, home.
Our crab is hanging-in – still delicately taped together after all these years. That day at the kitchen table, when you patiently cut it off the cereal box and taped it together, Christmas Day when I gave it to you in a Kleenex box – and you teared - and then the Christmas so many years later when you gave it back to me and I teared - are memories I hope will see me through my forgetful years, when all I will want to do is sing Christmas carols in July.
I miss your holy strength, Dad. You gave me quiet life lessons that needed no words but they strengthened me. And you gave me your rosary beads that contained the promised prayers, that gave me life.
Thank you Dad, and Happy Birthday. I miss you but I am happy you are home.
"Silent Night, Holy Night", Love Jo
“All is calm, all is bright…”
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Resolved Forward
“How long O LORD?” – Psalm of Lament
A Dark Night's Moment
gritty
tears
heart
broken
Lament
a painful prayer
that veers down
the road of sorrow
but is the pathway
back to joy
if willing to pilgrim
through it
resolved
forward
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” – Psalm 16:11
The Dark Night of the Soul (La noche oscura del alma) is a poem and journey described by the 16th-century poet and mystic St. John of the Cross. Today, the phrase “dark night of the soul” is used to describe a crisis of faith or a difficult, painful period in one’s life.
re·solved: to come to a definite or earnest decision, firmly determined to do something, intent, insistent, hell bent on
for·ward: toward or at a place, point, or time in advance, onward, move ahead, being in condition of advancement
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The Sage & The Seer
The Word of the Lord came to me asking, What do you see? – Jeremiah 1:13
Take heed what you hear, And to you who hear, more will be given. – Mark 4:24-25
Listen! What Do You See?
New vision is coming to those who see
Sagacity for those who hear
The Sage & the Seer train in the secret place
In His protective shadow they prepare on their knees
In the light they hear, in the dark they see
they ready for tomorrow's war
Double agents who see and hear
Double anointed, they are the veiled ones
The new messengers,
who both see and hear God's whisper
The boardroom will be the war room
Advisors will call on the Sage & the Seer
who know the Master Architect's blueprint
for kingdom strategy
The next battle is near
A new evil underfoot
that require the wisdom of the Sage & the Seer
who follow the orders of their Commander-in-Chief
“Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.” – Proverbs 20:12-1
“But as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” – Joshua 5
#BeholdListen
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The Rainbow & the Olive Branch
“The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever.”
“And behold, in her beak was a freshly plucked olive branch.” – Genesis 8 & 9
I stand in awe and whisper my gratitude for the painted gift above
The rainbow, his beautiful promise that darkness will never overcome
But with head held high, lost in the beauty of the sky, I missed the fullness of his promise rooted deep in the ground on which I pilgrim
The olive tree lowly planted firm in the Gethsemane dirt, carries the promised truth amidst his branches to behold
In the beak of the three, the white dove plucks a delicate twig and quietly journeys it home
High in the painted sky, Holy dances and eddies in the wind, hovering, waiting for me to ready for the gift he cradles
Heaven's fulfilled covenant is grounded in the living olive branch that yearns to be given but must be received to complete his promise of reconciliation
The rooted olive tree holds up my weary hands to cup the pressed fruit's oil that freely pours down his cheek
Exhaling his final breath, Holy releases the baptism of the oil of gladness into the wind and showers the earth with His Peace
Behold! Tetelestai. It is finished.
And the rooted tree of righteousness displays his splendour & the holy wind bows in praise.
The olive branch is first mentioned in Scripture when the dove returned to Noah’s ark carrying an olive branch in its beak (Gen. 8:11). Since that time, the olive branch is known as a symbol of “peace” to the world. The dove, a symbol of His Spirit.
Gethsemane: Positioned at the base of the Mount of Olives, the garden faces the Old City of Jerusalem. The word Gethsemane means ”oil press” and the garden is home to a collection of twenty-three olive trees.
The Greek word “τετέλεσται” (tetelestai) is used in the Gospel of John as Jesus’ last words (“it is finished”) before He gave up His spirit on the cross. “Tetelestai” comes from the Greek root word of “telew” meaning to bring to an end, finish, or complete.
Isaiah 61:3 “to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called trees of righteousness, a planting of the Lord. for the display of his splendor.”
HearJaneMuse 