Modus Operandi

~~

To Live

So that we Leave

A shadow of a doubt,

A wondering,

If we were,

Indeed,

Their angel

Sent From God

~~

"As He Is, so are we in this world."

-1 John 4:17

Finished?

"It is Finished."

-John 19:30

+

Finished.

Done For.

Down for the Count.

So was Jesus.

Hanging

Helpless

Bloodied and Beaten

The words, "It is Finished" on His lips.

And yet

And Yet,

That agonizing utterance precipitated

The Greatest Beginning

in History.

When we, too, are hanging,

When even that all-important Last Thread has snapped,

When the dreadful feeling fills our hearts,

the one in our terrified bewilderment that we barely dare to utter,

"My God! My God?!  Why have You forsaken me??!"

We may also be,

Paradoxically and Providentially,

At The Beginning.

...and this very paradox, agonizing as it is,

would dictate that when we, too, are Finished

what has been Authored can finally come to pass

In this Divine Economy,

Death sets the stage,

becomes the Doorway,

and is servant to,

Always

and Ever,

The Resurrection.

"Life comes back.  Life Always comes back."

+

"Death is swallowed up, utterly vanquished forever, in victory.  Oh death, where is your victory?  Oh grave, where is your sting?  Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory and makes us Conquerors with and through the Lord Jesus Christ."

-1 Corinthians: 15:55-57

Soak

(Chincoteague Island, Virginia)

~~~

Soaking with You,

in You,

You in me...

Every cell, every synapse

engorged

in this ethereal effusion,

Heart, Mind,

Body, Spirit

Enjoined,

Beautifully,

One

Thus saturated,

Thus enmeshed,

I emerge,

Brimming withYour Being,

Your very Essence...

...Through me

Slake the thirst of thousands,

Let tears be traded

for the Torrent

of Your Presence

Into this desert, wring out the Deluge of You,

once again, drench dust with the Divine,

Quench the deepest place in every parched heart,

Rain out of me,

and Flood

Your Beloved.

~~~

"Passing through the Valley of Weeping, 

they make it a Place of Springs;

The Rain also covers it and fills the pools with blessings."

-Psalm 84:6

Flying Dreams...

~~

The Offering

"The people will come to your light,

and Kings to the brightness of your Rising"

-Isaiah 60:3

~~

Burned

Utterly Consumed

Ashes

Alter empty of All-that-was

The body that held

Life,

Love,

Breath

Fed, Mercifully,

to Flame

Now Spirit, Caught Fire,

Can Burn,

No longer suffocated,

starved of Air,

~~ It Rises ~~

Engulfed in this Gorgeous Fiery Light,

Flesh burns away in a few painful hours,

But Spirit is Fuel for Eternity,

Spent like the Sun,

For The Son

A Lamp

For All who are lost,

Lovely Luminary Shining

For Worlds upon Worlds,

Showing

Weary Warriors,

Languishing Lovers,

and Every Precious Prodigal,

The Way to go Home

~~

"Those who would be Light

Must endure Burning."

-Dr. Viktor Frankl

Out of the Woods.....

"Who is this, coming out of the wilderness,

leaning on her Beloved?"

-Song of Solomon 8:5

~~

Come Out of the Woods now, Beloved..

Just this Way...

You see the Light

begin to Flood your Path

from the Clearing up ahead.....

.....Just Up Ahead......

And you know

And you Realize

Afterall

After All,

That I AM,

Indeed,

The Good Shepherd

~~

...a little slice......

Blue Ridge Sunset from the top of Wintergreen...

...i.e. "Heaven"

Freedom

(Blue Ridge Mountains seen from the top of Wintergreen)

~~

"God gives Wings to those who are not content to ride an ass."

~Rumi