Enough about me. This is for [y]ou.
More on Me Here
e-mail me
What should i Link to?
Archives
EasterTide Impending Horizon of Joy
I fear you no more
Ominous clouds of Freedom
I welcome your Rain
Forgive my wretched despair over dread,
the illusion of nothing that will ever really happen
And make me captive to Faith seeking Love,
the passionate vision of all worth risking everything for
Fill up my longing with
Your anticipation
until there is no
fear of
failure's
impossibility.
I wrote this one last August while on a retreat day at the Abbey of Gethsemane. It came in the sixth hour (sext). It articulates my own conversion from battling despair for joy to finding that Joy was battling despair for me. Instead of being afraid of Joy (my former condition) I am learning to renounce despair. In my experience, this makes way for the Joy of the Lord to actually smash the inescapable yoke-like-hold of despair. And in its place the Holy Spirit gives the mantle of Gladness. It's like oil being poured out in a stream-- an uncontainable, uncontrollable Stream. The only way to access it is to abide in the friendship of Jesus, who is Risen from the dead. get it?
Interestingly, I wrote this poem on the inside front cover of a book I have treasured in since about 1990, "Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ," written by Madam Jeanne Guyon in the late 17th century. More interesting is the title she gave the book: "SHORT AND VERY EASY METHOD OF PRAYER; which all can practice with the greatest facility, and arrive in a short time, by its means, at a high degree of perfection."
ok-- I dedicate it to Kelli Pickler who was shunned by America last night-- a discarded idol cast on the ash heap of fame. may this reality of Joy be yours in increasing measure.
Labels: poetry
posted by John David Walt | at 4/27/2006 08:35:00 AM | 3 comments
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
American Idol-atry update
just when we thought it was lights out for elliott--- he sticks the landing. my friend, Jesse Reeves, points out the strange resemblance between Elliott and Mr. Tumnus. can you see it? ;-)
and what's with the slam on Kathryn McPhee???? idol-atry is stranger than fiction these days.
could also be lights out for pickler--- though she has a huge fan base out there. posted by John David Walt | at 4/25/2006 11:15:00 PM | 6 comments
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Resurrection Day OR Heaven's Sabbath Unleashed The Moment
After sleep
before Waking
Creation Refreshed
Waiting on Words
Silent's Stillness
Translucent Peace
Spirit Ignition
This one of our Lily (2) says Easter to me-- empty, translucent egg with chocolate stains on mouth in pajamas and all before 7am.
Labels: poetry
posted by John David Walt | at 4/16/2006 10:02:00 AM | 1 comments
Saturday, April 15, 2006
The Sabbath of Sabbaths SABBATH
rest in Rest
Holy Leisure
Airtight Time
Sabbath,
Creation slowing
open eyes
Ears hearing
Sabbath,
Sacred Rhythms
guiltless feasting
Heaven hugging
Sabbath,
Nothing doing
nowhere going
work unknowing
Sabbath,
This is one I wrote about this time two years ago-- don't think I've shared it here. The Photo was taken at nearby Cliffview Catholic Retreat Center. An ironic, apt caption: "An on the Seventh Day He Rested."
i dedicate this post to my friend, a student of sabbath, paul baddour.
Labels: poetry
posted by John David Walt | at 4/15/2006 09:14:00 AM | 1 comments
Friday, April 14, 2006
One more for Good Friday-- Chrysostom Reading From the Catecheses by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop
The power of Christ's blood
If we wish to understand the power of Christ’s blood, we should go back to the ancient account of its prefiguration in Egypt. “Sacrifice a lamb without blemish”, commanded Moses, “and sprinkle its blood on your doors”. If we were to ask him what he meant, and how the blood of an irrational beast could possibly save men endowed with reason, his answer would be that the saving power lies not in the blood itself, but in the fact that it is a sign of the Lord’s blood. In those days, when the destroying angel saw the blood on the doors he did not dare to enter, so how much less will the devil approach now when he sees, not that figurative blood on the doors, but the true blood on the lips of believers, the doors of the temple of Christ.
If you desire further proof of the power of this blood, remember where it came from, how it ran down from the cross, flowing from the Master’s side. The gospel records that when Christ was dead, but still hung on the cross, a soldier came and pierced his side with a lance and immediately there poured out water and blood. Now the water was a symbol of baptism and the blood, of the holy eucharist. The soldier pierced the Lord’s side, he breached the wall of the sacred temple, and I have found the treasure and made it my own. So also with the lamb: the Jews sacrificed the victim and I have been saved by it.
“There flowed from his side water and blood”. Beloved, do not pass over this mystery without thought; it has yet another hidden meaning, which I will explain to you. I said that water and blood symbolised baptism and the holy eucharist. From these two sacraments the Church is born: from baptism, “the cleansing water that gives rebirth and renewal through the Holy Spirit”, and from the holy eucharist. Since the symbols of baptism and the Eucharist flowed from his side, it was from his side that Christ fashioned the Church, as he had fashioned Eve from the side of Adam Moses gives a hint of this when he tells the story of the first man and makes him exclaim: “Bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh!” As God then took a rib from Adam’s side to fashion a woman, so Christ has given us blood and water from his side to fashion the Church. God took the rib when Adam was in a deep sleep, and in the same way Christ gave us the blood and the water after his own death.
Do you understand, then, how Christ has united his bride to himself and what food he gives us all to eat? By one and the same food we are both brought into being and nourished. As a woman nourishes her child with her own blood and milk, so does Christ unceasingly nourish with his own blood those to whom he himself has given life. posted by John David Walt | at 4/14/2006 11:06:00 PM | 0 comments
Good Friday = THE Hours
"And All Heaven Cried" an original artwork by Jerry Dunnam, was painted live in our Maundy Thursday Chapel service yesterday. Paint still wet. . . . . the poem is some of my work-- still rough draft.
Third hour horror
pardon in breath
exhaling mercy
inhaling death
sixth hour rises
justice so bright
veiled in shrouded
curtain like night
ninth hour now
light reappears
as breath slips away
from eternity's years
Finished He cries
Creation healed
sowing seed of redemption
like Treasure in the field
Into your Spirit
commend outstretched hands
revealing unsearchable
enigmatic plan
See Sun falling
despondent defeat
Vesper friends wrenching
the nails from his feet
Lauds of the morning
Compline entombed
child of the Virgin
enthroned and rewombed.
Labels: poetry
posted by John David Walt | at 4/14/2006 09:47:00 AM | 0 comments
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Passion 06-- poetic justice
A definition of true worship I have been crafting for Passion Week:
True Worship happens where Divine suffering meets human embrace and where human suffering meet divine embrace.
Now for a short poem in rough draft that comes at the issue from another angle.
PASSION 06
Divine impassibility
Is God into God
or
does God see me?
Can suffering dance with Sovereignty
musn't Love be free?
Divine Impenetrability
Does God feel pain
or
immunity
the thorns, the nails, the spear, the plea
My God have you forsaken Me or Thee?
Divine improbability
A God who dies
insanity
to follow Him means same for me
See?????
Read about the art piece above here.
Labels: poetry
posted by John David Walt | at 4/12/2006 10:03:00 PM | 1 comments
brokenness & beauty I excerpted this short paragraph below from an email from one of our students, MeMe. It's a fascinating phrase that captures a lot of the mystery of Holy Week for me. Read it through several times.
"brokeness is the ultimate restoration of our fallen existence and beauty is the ultimate restoration of this existence only in so much as it is broken. true art is a builder's joy for picking up the pieces of a kicked over lego set for the purpose of delighting in the unique building capacities and capabilities of every individual piece.
Samuel Wells, Dean of the Chapel over at Duke (infamous lacrosse team) talks about the two essential movements of the Gospel being overacceptance and reincorporation. As in, "the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."
reminds me of one of the great charles wesley (i think) hymn lyrics.
"those wounds yet visible above in beauty glorified."
reactions? posted by John David Walt | at 4/12/2006 12:12:00 AM | 0 comments
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Prayer for Humble Reliance ala A'kempis This one seems like a fitting prayer for Monday of Passion Week.
Lord, if you withdraw your hand, there is no grace. If you cease to guide us, we have no wisdom. If you no longer defend us, we have no courage. If you do not strengthen us, our chastity is vulnerable. If you do not keep a holy watch over us, our watchfulness cannot protect us. By ourselves we sink, we perish; when you are with us, we are uplifted, we live. We are shaky, you make us firm. We are lukewarm, you inflame us.
Thomas a Kempis
I'm indebted to Josh Agerton, who shared this one with me.
More where it came from here
Please Pray for me tomorrow as I preach at the seminary-- 11am EST. posted by John David Walt | at 4/08/2006 03:56:00 PM | 2 comments
The Sabbath of Palms
I met a new friend last week while in Houston. Samantha Wedelich, an artist and poet, has developed a really creative, communicative style which I like very much. I met her through seeing one of her drawings displayed at the The Woodlands United Methodist Church where she now works as a graphic designer for Bob Swan and Co. On the right hand side of the drawing were these words. It's a spoken word piece-- the caps are mine and happened inadvertantly as I hurried to type out the poem on my laptop. (ironic) They seem to add their own effect. Anyhow-- you can see Sam's work here.
I think the poem works well in preparation for Palm Sunday (tomorrow)-- the final Sabbath before the FINAL SABBATH. I encourage you to read it aloud with empha-sis.
Rest for my soul—REST! Admidst fears,
Doubts, insecurities—REST! For my anxious
Heart REST! You made the flower of the field and clothed it—REST! FOR MY WORK-A-HOLIC
BUSY WAY OF AVOIDING YOU—rest! FOR TIRED
FEET AND TIRED HANDS.
YOU ARE THE ONE UNRAVELING ME—SLOWING ME
DOWN SO I CAN FEEL AGAIN—SO I CAN FIND Hope
IN SOMETHING MORE reliable than my own success—
YOU ARE SETTING ME free
Healing m y wounds
Purifying my desires
Pushing back the effects of the fall
And you are coming soon
I can feel it every time I see the flowers.
Samantha Wedelich posted by John David Walt | at 4/08/2006 01:24:00 PM | 4 comments
Friday, April 07, 2006
"A Distinct Message" Two unwitting friends
Worship and Fame
Kaleidoscopic glories
playing the same game
as they lift up the name
they claim and claim is not the same
But the real shame. . .
it's that the picture gets passed off as the frame
and the lights get confused for the Flame
And so goes the Story
of One who Became
and traded the trophies of worldly acclaim
claiming inheritance in the poor and the lame
COMMENT:
This is a sort of "spoken word" poem I wrote as I participated in the Gospel Music Association awards show earlier this week (a.k.a. the Dove awards). The Christian Music World is a fascinating industry filled with many wonderful people and yet characterized by inherently deep conflicts of interest. Throughout the evening, I had a tremendous conversation with two friends, record label execs whom I admire and appreciate for their courage to ford such treacherous waters. As we talked, the verse above came forth. Most fascinating was that following my lyric about the picture and frame, a massive picture frame descended from above framing the band that was playing on the stage at the time. Most interesting is the way worship music (ala Chris Tomlin and others) now triumphs over the Christian Music industry. It's a real victory, given the wilderness that worship has wandered through in the Contemporary Christian Music world. I suspect, though, that the real temptation is about to begin.
"A Distinct Message" was the title of the Artwork depicted on the cover of the official program of the event.
The picture in the post. . . . . . just seemed like some amazing art i needed to throw in for punctuation. That's Samuel-- our youngest (5 mos.) framed by David (5) and Mary Kathryn (3).
Labels: poetry
posted by John David Walt | at 4/07/2006 10:21:00 PM | 3 comments
Mandiseeya
Any theories out there on what happened to Mandisa? For the non-idolators who read this blog, Mandisa was clearly one of the best vocalists of American Idol Season 5. She was voted off the island on this week's show. Some say it was the "country curse." Others claim it was clear persecution of her Christian witness. Still yet others attribute it to our massive cultural bias against obesity. Finally, there are claims of racism given that both of the African American women were in the bottom three in this week's voting despite their clear vocal superiority to many of the other contestants. Your thoughts??? posted by John David Walt | at 4/07/2006 10:05:00 PM | 3 comments
Thursday, April 06, 2006
And the Dove Award goes to. . . . .
big night for ct-- 5 in all. watch for more here soon. posted by John David Walt | at 4/06/2006 08:48:00 PM | 4 comments
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Learning to Pray: Jabez vs. Jesus How about a little conversation about this contrasting confrontation:
"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." 1 Chronicles 4:10
"Abba, nothing is impossible with you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will but what you will. Mark 14:36.
I led a prayer conference this past Sunday in Houston for a few friends pastoring a church in the north part of the city. In my preparation this contrast came to frame a lot of what I had to say.
Any thoughts? posted by John David Walt | at 4/04/2006 10:51:00 PM | 6 comments
Picking Pickler
Ok Idolators. What did you think? Taylor was disappointing-- "Country Roads????" Lots of lackluster performances tonight. Bucky has to go. It was clearly Kellie Pickler's night.
My big question: Why didn't anybody do my personal favorite of all time--- The Gambler. ?? live tv is stranger than fiction. posted by John David Walt | at 4/04/2006 10:30:00 PM | 5 comments
Today...