the freshness of renewal

Spring is great. Really great. I dig it bigtime. It’s visually stunning. The aroma is wonderful. She’s the beautiful woman of all the seasons. The pretty girl among the different times of the year. Perhaps that’s why there’s “Spring Fever” and not “Winter Zeal”.

Life is full of seasons. My cohort and partner in crime that I pastor with has excellently applied it to our church life, as we partner with the Holy Spirit of God to grow our baby church hour-by-hour, day-by-day, soul-by-soul. Sometimes you feel the warmth of the sunshine on your face; sometimes the sleet pelts that same face with what feels like a thousand freezing bee stings.

Spring reminds me that God is reminding me that I get “do-overs”. “Watch, precious child of mine, and don’t fret. Yes, you’ve messed up things once again. But, that which is dark and cold in your life can become bright, warm, and sweet smelling again. My dear Steve, that’s why I walked out of that tomb on that spring day 2,000 years ago.”

I don't deserve even a single "do-over" or a fifth or sixth chance in anything. Remarkable, that phenomenon we call God's grace. I don’t think it’s any accident that Jesus busted forth from the cold shackles of death on not a winter, but a spring day. The most important spring day or any other day in all of history.

a stab @ on the spot poetry

I belong to a Life Group in our church that discusses and seeks to learn and relate to art, our innate desire to create, and it's connection to our worship of God. Last week, we were asked to create something on the spot, having to do with that night's subject matter. Without anything in hand, I asked to borrow a pen and piece of paper. Although easier than asking to borrow paints, pallet, canvas, and easel, I am no more poet than I am painter. The following is what I wrote:

a prayer for this particular monday night

sometimes it's just so easy
to get drawn into the details
but in a sterile way
a rather dry fashion

and in the path of knowing you
and projecting you for others
become a mere technician

please don't let this happen, my King
let me love you
as you me
commune with you
as you me

not as a brash tactician
but instead
with ever so much soul