Personal – Page 3 – Wondering Pilgrim

Poetry Play

Occasionally, I dabble in verse.Rising to the challenge to write about my hair using a Scottish Burns stanza, I came up with this: A number one cut hides historyMy follicles are mysteryDark colour faded so swiftlyNow blinding whiteAnd standing on end all bristlyO what a sight! Okay, right number of lines, syllable count is fine,Continue reading “Poetry Play”

Table Manners

One of the things that amazed Jenny and I when we were living in Canberra was the attention paid to status. Many of the people we served worked for the government. One’s status was reflected by the designation and level within the department one served, and the suburb you were expected to live in commensurateContinue reading “Table Manners”

The AFL’s Moral Quandary

I am often struck by how often the lectionary speaks into current events. This week Luke 13 gives a slant to the AFL (Australian Football League) Snoop Dogg Dilemma. In Luke 13:10–17, Jesus heals a woman who has been bent over for eighteen years. He does this on the Sabbath, provoking outrage from the synagogueContinue reading “The AFL’s Moral Quandary”

Gardeners in the Dark

The folk gathering for worship this morning were surprised when the power went out. They were left without lyrics and music or a public address system. Further, the church kitchen was out of order for the much anticipated post service pot luck. Our experienced worship leader (96 years young) handled the situation with ease. SheContinue reading “Gardeners in the Dark”

Getting Around – an Ode

I grimaced as he said, “I’ve got news – both good and bad.”My Cerato could be fixed, but the bill would make me sad.Still, hope returned; I give the car one final trusting thought,And reminisce on all the rides I had once proudly bought. (All images on this page are representative and licensed under CreativeContinue reading “Getting Around – an Ode”

Faeries in the Garden

A faerie has appeared in the garden at Resthaven, where my mother passed away earlier this year. It takes its place among other memorials, a perpetual reminder of my late mother’s imagination and her faithful journey towards the Tree of Life. As the eldest of three, I scoffed when my mother alluded to “faeries atContinue reading “Faeries in the Garden”

Thoughts and Prayers – do they work?

Luke 11:1-13 As I read through Luke’s gospel, I try to see in myself how one thought leads to another. I don’t know that this was Luke’s process, for he begins his work by stating his intention to set out an orderly account “of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as theyContinue reading “Thoughts and Prayers – do they work?”

The Rage of Age

Fire, uncontained, destroys. Fire, contained and focused, creates, transforms, and welcomes. As I approach the upper levels of my anticipated lifespan, I notice the extent to which rage has lurked in my negotiations of life’s challenges and opportunities. Perhaps it began in the gritty arena of the primary school playground, where, at the tender ageContinue reading “The Rage of Age”