A poem for St Hildegard Day A grey, overcast morning Does not cease the Praise and prayer of Creation The wren has found her mate And the music they create is glorious Gratitude to their Creator And each other Yellow leaves drift from the locust Down toward the ground In a kind of dance Of … Continue reading A Poem For St Hildegard Day
Seasons of Creation 2019 I have been reading a novel lately, one recommended by Dr. Larry Rasmussen in our Environmental Ethics class on Care of the Earth. The opening chapter of the novel, The Overstory, by Richard Powers tells a story about a family and a chestnut tree. The novel is beautifully written novel … Continue reading Favorite Trees
This morning I was surrounded By a conclave of cardinals Young ones Whose feathers have not yet blossomed into The bright reds And luscious deep browns of adulthood The ones who flit Back and forth and dart In and out of my aviary Also known as my deck Where morning coffee And quiet contemplation Are … Continue reading Listening to Cardinals
Reflection on Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer I just moved to a new location in my life—brand new. I grew up moving around the Piedmont section of North Carolina where my German, Scottish, and English ancestors settled generations ago. During my twenties I lived in Washington … Continue reading On Bays, Bees, and the Life of Creation
I am here You are there Then I am there and You are here in some way For some reason known only to God This is deep prayer Sometimes I wonder why it is so deep Because day after day There are moments that I feel Hopeless And I … Continue reading Hope Blooms
Who am I at this moment Is this me Imagining The cool water on my feet And tiny little fish Nibbling on my toes In the ancient waters of my ancestral home Or am I some other little girl From long ago Whose feet are dangling Whose toes a wiggling away The tiny little … Continue reading Who Am I
I seek light In the darkness Wherever I can Whenever I can It cannot be helped—this seeking By my own doing Or my determination Or my strength It happens without me knowing Suddenly There it is a light Shining in the darkness As if it is the light Doing the seeking Dancing candlelight … Continue reading I Seek Light
The morning is still Hot, humid, bright With not a breath of air stirring Occasionally, though, the stillness is punctuated By a myriad of Birds Going about their Sunday morning lives Easy sounds that crescendo With songs and chirps Warbles and squawks Jumps and flutters I listen and I hear the mourning doves Calling … Continue reading Deep Calls to Deep: It is a Gift
In February, I preached a sermon series based on John Wesley’s Three Simple Rules: do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God. It was a four part series that ended with the last sermon preached on the Sunday during the special General Conference session of The United Methodist Church. My heart was … Continue reading Stay in Love With God: Fourth in a Series on John Wesley’s Three Simple Rules
Recently, I went to Atlanta. I am a part of the leadership for our WV Annual Conference Residency program, a three-year program that, those who are on the track to be ordained, are required to complete between seminary and ordination. Each year, we take an immersion trip. This year, we went to Atlanta to visit … Continue reading Breakfast and Lunch and Onward
