Tag: peace

Posted in Different Moments

Because I was forced to spend time in quiet…

Posted on by Wick

There is quiet.FullSizeRender

It’s not far, but it’s often a world away.
Today, I’ll say there’s no way it could be near. It couldn’t be here.
Because here is noise, busy, and hurry. Here’s worry. The scene is blurry,
And clarity? The lens hasn’t been cleaned for a while. You smile,
Holding tight the commitment you’ve made for tonight.
“I’m doing alright.”

And so are we all, but as Fall turns to Winter you realize,
There might be lies in the Truth. The Truth lies bare when given a moment to spare.
And there, in slow breathing and heart beating, you find it.

There is quiet.

Leaves have turned, and are falling. The silence is calling
For those willing to press pause on the pace, and face a world less moving.
Less proving, and more being. More seeing. Freeing you from shackles unfelt.
Moments melt into Sabbath. You catch your breath. There is life. There is death.

There is quiet.

Breathing deep, drenched in nothing.
Absence that feels like more substance than you’ve had in a while.
You smile, remembering what it’s like to wander.
In body and thought, you’re caught up in wonder, staring at the clouds
As if they contain a story you’re anxious to hear.
You stumble, lost in your surroundings,
A leaf-covered path, the aftermath of Autumn.
Emerging to a lake, you take it all in with a grin
And begin to lose yourself in the wealth found in the surface
Of water undisturbed.

There is quiet.

Heavens reflected in smooth glass
Trees stretching deep down into the sky
Fooling the eye, you sigh.
This is why

There is quiet.

You can’t stay in this place
But you scoop up the pace, and put some in your pocket.
Commit to remember, as you head into November

That there. Is. Quiet.

Posted in Uncategorized

S-wordplay. (a written, spoken word)

Posted on by Wick

He came not to bring peace, but a sword.
Not a knife to spread the butter, not uttering words that pacify the masses
No rose-colored glasses here.
But Truth, Capital “T”, completely free of bend or filter
The off-kilter ways of sin, and what a mess we were in.sword
Valuing money over time, entertained by crime, the signs were all there
Jesus looked it square in the eye, and dared evil to deny –
It was fooling you and I. Sure enough, evil sighed.
More like roared, seeing the sword as wolves surrounded the sheep
Daring Christ to keep each one safe, taunting with flashing teeth
And clenched jaw. But what evil saw next was powerful.
All-powerful God became lamb. Jamming signals of the expected.
Rejected by men, by those He came to save,
Brave wasn’t the aim, the lame walking and the mute talking had one word on their message:
Love.
Not love with construction paper hearts, sweet tarts, and doilies glued on for measure

Not treasure tempting us to come near, appearing like the obviously better choice

But a soft voice, speaking divisive words, beginning with “Follow Me”
Not because it’s easy, because you’ll probably die. And as he cried, he knew
His fate, the plate would not pass from him, nor does it leave our tables,
He enables us to follow, to swallow the red pill, releasing our will to His
And the life that He gives echoes our first breath.
But to the world, looks like death.
And so, a sword.
Man against his father, daughter against her mother, not apologizing
Or making excuses, just revealing what the Truth is,
and the Truth. Is. Love.
The Truth is, it’s enough.
The World wants a conquering savior, flashing sword not meant to divide but to slash and kill.
To spill blood like wolves on dusty ground, but instead? the sound of sheep.
Not threatening, they bleat, and keep following their master in ways of love.
In a “one-up” contest, they’re one-ing down. Setting down crowns of gold,
Crowned with thorns, receiving the scorn of an empire built on sand, no demands
Freed from the burden to sway the uncertain.
Not called to win in His name, but to realize He’s changed the game.
When the swords cease to sound, and fall to the ground, they’ll finally realize
Love abounds.
And they’ll stop fighting for it.

Posted in Uncategorized

daddy worries.

Posted on by Wick

It was earlier this week, as we sat around the breakfast table, gathered around “Fruit Spins”, milk, and the advent wreath.  Last week we’d talked about “Hope”, and it was easy to talk to the girls about what we each were hoping for.  The poignant moment coming when it came to our 4 year old daughter, and she was hoping for “God”.  I asked her to clarify….”What do you hope God will do?”

She smiled and said proudly, “Whatever God wants to do!”  Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the faith of a child. 🙂

So I was waiting this week, for what new nugget of wisdom my own kids were going to throw back at me as we moved into a week focusing on “Peace”.  But “peace” is a bit more complicated than “hope”.  So daddy decided to talk a little about why we need peace.  I asked the girls what they’re afraid of, and what makes them worry.  I received many of the expected responses:     monsters (no, not really, daddy), being sick, scary dreams, and “sometimes when I walk down the stairs and it’s dark in the middle of the night, I think maybe there are some animals coming down behind me who want to eat me.”

sophieDefinitely scary, and worth worrying about.  So we talked about peace, and then daddy decided to get down on their level, and talk about what makes daddy anxious/worried.  That’s when it hit me like a sack of bricks.  I covered it well, but I felt emotion in those moments that I don’t usually give word/time for.  The honest truth is this:

I worry about my family.  My wife.  My kids.  Every time I’m away from them, there’s that back of the mind “thing”.  I can’t wait to hold them again.  To be near them.  To know that they’re alright.  But even in the most peace-filled moments, I’m reminded by the world I’ve lived in so far – there’s no guarantee.  Even when Super-Dad is with them, my children, my wife, and my home are never 100% protected to the point where I have no reason to worry.  There’s always the chance of something unexpected happening.

I remember hearing the phrase growing up, “peace that passes understanding” (Philippians 4:7).  I would smile the silly smile of a young teen who’s confident this verse means no matter what happens in life we’re supposed to smile…to prove we’ve got some sort of “inner peace” that doesn’t make sense to the world.  But twice that age now, and having experienced quite a few situations where a smile is not the appropriate response – I’m thankful for the context to verse 7.

“Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people.  The Lord is near.  Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.  Then the peace OF GOD that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe IN CHRIST JESUS.” Philippians 4:5-7 (emphasis added)

It’s not about me coming up with the ability to have peace in the midst of life circumstances.  It’s not about me never having a concern.  It’s centered on approaching every concern I have in the context of God, who can handle the big picture.  In the context of Christ being more than capable of keeping our hearts and minds safe.  I’m not to have peace because I have peace.  I’m to have peace because God has peace.

Not in a way that denies horrible things happen.  Because they certainly have, and do, and will.  Nor do we deny these horrible things will shake us to our core sometimes.  We will experience pain, and offense, and brokenness.  But the promise of peace still comes to us, in the presence of Jesus Christ.  The child born in a manger, in whom God proclaims to all of creation, us included, “I am with you.”

And in that….we receive God’s peace which transcends our understanding/abilities.