Just Changing House of Faith

Over the past two weeks
I have changed house of faith
but still remained
in the same faith neighborhood
among fellow christians,
followers of the Son of Man,
The Word made flesh,
The resurrection and the life,
Jesus Our Lord and Savior.
When I wrote about this online
someone asked, "Why do you leave
the church of our forefathers?"
My reply to that is,
I did not leave the church
nor the faith of our forefathers,
I just changed my house of faith
but I still live
in the same neighborhood of faith.
During my last interview,
before my reception
to the Episcopal Church,
I was asked how do I feel
and how do I reflect on this
change of major significance
in my present life.
I said, for me, it is not
a feeling that I have left behind
something or I feel sad about it.
It is a feeling of seeing
a new widening horizon
in my personal journey of faith
as a christian believer.
I feel the joy of sharing
the gift of my life and faith
to this new family I belong now
and of gaining more insight
and more vision into what it means
to live according to the footsteps
of Jesus Christ in our time today.
The call to christian discipleship
is an ongoing lifetime call.
Life any life's journey or adventure
there are lots of changes and surprises,
some very simple but others remain a mystery
in all their complicated twists and turns
of events and decisions,
of possibilities and ventures of faith.
I rest at peace with this thought,
God our Father, in Jesus Christ His Son
and in the power of the Holy Spirit
is not yet through with the work
He has begun in my life
and I humbly bow my head
and say, "Thy will, not mine,
be done, O Lord, today and always!"

The Art of Listening

In the art of listening
Love is the best ear
of the heart.
In the midst and distraction
of the noise around us
and the noise within us
how can we both listen
with the ears of love
in our hearts?
Listening is an art
of hearing
not just the words
in the voice
but the silent voice
in the words!
We can only understand
when we take time to listen
without self induced
prejudice, pride or
preoccupation of other things.
Listening is an art
of being singlehearted,
mindly focused
and soully attuned
to the cry for care
and loving attention
from the one we listen to.
Marriage is the best field
and friendship too
for the practice
of the art of listening.
Here is a hypothetical question
written in a poster
authored by God,
"If you cannot understand
my silence,
how can you understand
my words?"
In talking to each other
we need spaces between our words
to allow the other to listen
the meaning behind each uttered word
and in the silence that follows still
the hearer can understand
the roots and causes
why such word is said.
A spoken word
is a multifaceted symbol
of a satellite of realities
in one's soul within
and one's life outside.
I can only master
the art of listening
when in my own life
I create spaces of silence
to listen and pray
and hear God's voice
"You are my beloved...
Don't be afraid...
I am with you always...
Today, you will be with me
in paradise!"

Choices

This very moment
I can make
the art of a good choice
I choose to be
what God destined me to be
I choose to deny self
take up my cross
and follow the footsteps
of Him
who went around
doing good
resisting evil
by the power of God's Word
having no place to call a home
He found a dwelling place
in the hearts of those
who believe He is the Son of God.
His word is gentle
and His heart is singled, focused
only in doing the Father's will.
He learned loveand respect of women
from Mary who gave birth to Him
in a manger and reared Him up
in purity and meekness as her son.
When His moment has come
to offer Himself as atonement for our sins
He willingly drank the cup
of suffering.
He was counted as a criminal
mocked and spitted on the face
nailed to the cross and died
so that the sins of many will be taken away
including yours and mine.
Oh my soul
what are you waiting for?
Can you bear the sight of Him
who is God - Love Eternal
in the greatest agony
and self giving and still be cold
to make your own self offering
for others?
My hands are numbed
my heart is still
and my soul at peace now.
I have made my choice
to love only Jesus Forsaken
and be the love he gave
especially for my wife and family
and for those He will call me to love and serve.

Sources of Joy and Strength

Do you know where to find
real sources of joy
and strength in life?
Have a drink
of a good cup of coffee
or tea
or talk a little walk
with your dog
why not take a bike ride
or simply sit on a meadow
life is not really for runners
but it is for those
who care to slow down
and read something worthwhile
to redirect the mind
to what is true, noble
and beautiful
prayer is a balm
for a tired and wounded spirit
eases everything
the art of breathing
normally, just being alive
and aware with poignant
unnotices life's moments
why not celebrate
the love in your heart
and be worthy of it
in its truest sense
love is the mystery
that keeps being unraveled
by simply loving
and being loved.

Rest awhile

"Let's go off by ourselves
to a quiet place and rest awhile" (Mark 6:31)

When the body does not want
anymore what to do next
due to too much fatigue
... rest awhile

When the emotions are so intense
and almost come to breaking
into paralyzing despair
... rest awhile

When the soul is perplexed
and ridden with fears
of unknown future things
... rest awhile

When the world is shocked
and shakened by wars
and humanity is bereft of peace
... rest awhile

When one's heart is weary
and gets the pangs of sorrow
for being so far from the beloved
... rest awhile

When one's faith is tested
almost to the limits
of human endurance to uphold truth
... rest awhile

When one's hand is tempted
to take another work load
in the busy world of doing
... rest awhile

When the journey of life
becomes too hot as in summer
and the goal is still beyond reach
... rest awhile

Adventure of a lifetime

This is my adventure

of a lifetime

to love and be loved

in the reality

of the bond of marriage

as I accept my wife

and love her joyfully

for the complete person

that she is

and together with her

to bear everything

in love

supported

by the grace of God.

I come to this union

with much prayer

and discernment

and deep in my heart

I really believed

this path is our destiny

our great adventure

of a lifetime.

How beautiful

my beloved

among all women

she is my delight

and my source

of inspiration

and strength

in this life!

It is but natural

as in every birth

the passing pain

of the new beginning

being far away for some time

which serves as a promise

of lasting happiness

in our being together

one in heart and soul

for life!

Looking Beyond the River of Life

Thursday August 9, 2007 - 02:04pm (MDT) Edit | Delete | Permanent Link | 1 Comment

Looking Beyond
Looking Beyond

On the bridge

As I hear the singing

waters of Pecos river

I look beyond the mountain

and beyond the white cloud

so strangely formed

like a dome up the sky

And I wonder

what's beyond the clouds

what's beyond the abyss

Oh, if only I can climb

that hill of a cloud

and stand and look some more

I come home slowly

my lips speechless

my heart gently throbbing

in the sure and certain

acceptance of the limits

of my human soul

to pierce its seeking

beyond the nowhere ending

Ah, but I am consoled

I need not see what's beyond

to keep the hope alive

and burning deep within...