Different moods of water float
with ease through broken ice. Let
our moods too. As water is drawn
through rocky shores toward sandy
beaches, may we be drawn to?
What is love that it should shine
through the dark nights of our souls?
What is darkness that it should reveal
the light of our love?
Broken things, these sharp edges,
have caused us to
shut down,
shut out,
shut up.
When our sharp edges are exposed,
they can cut so deep, so we try
to avoid them,
to hide them,
but sharp is sharp.
They cut, they slice, they wound,
they won’t leave us alone.
We want the edges smoothed, don’t we?
Our own sharp edges that have wounded,
cut into the lives of others and have
roughed up our own, we want them smoothed,
don’t we?
The carbon atoms found in coal are squeezed,
heated and pushed toward earth’s surface
where they can cool. Through pressure they are
squeezed, heated, pushed. Once cooled,
the dark clumps of coal…
Become the sparkling lights of diamonds.
Through fogs of loneliness, You
came. Your slow steady rocking rhythm
smoothed waters and the rough edges
of our broken pieces, our broken
down faith, lives and promises.
Through lost hope, You came, continued
on–loving–until we stopped sailing
our ships into breakwaters that were there
to protect us,
not break us.
And You turned our sharp edges of
Loneliness into loveliness.
Yes, for Charlie. Thanks for letting us listen in.
Richard, thank you! Pull up a chair anytime. (Wear your boots. There’s no telling where we’re headed.) 😉
Deb
My sharp edges are that my two adult children are so different from each other they never want to get their families together. I don’t see my kids and grandkids as much as I want to and that’s a painful sharp edge to me. I could identify easily with what you are saying.
Jane, I felt uncomfortable pressing the like button. I don’t “like” the situation but I like that we are connected now. Family divisions are so difficult. I’ve had my share and continue to. I need to pray more for patience in that area. I’m praying those edges soften between your adult children in the coming year. God says to be specific. A year from now, let’s look back together on God’s grace and blessing over our families.
‘Til then, Happy New Year!
Deb
…until we stopped sailing our ships into breakwaters that were there to protect us, not break us. What a great picture! I’ve been thinking a lot about Chesterton’s illustration of fences being in place for a long ago purpose; not to be removed until we understand their original purpose, and maybe not then. Respect for the natural “limitations” God has set in place may ultimately save our lives! Thank you for your words!
Exactly!
Chesterton says it so beautifully.
Thank you, Barbara. You remind me of a poem I wrote once that some people didn’t understand. That left me feeling unsettled at the time. I think I’ll go back and take a look at it…
Thank you for reading and sharing your beautiful words. They have encouraged me.
Happy New Year!
Deb