God's Hands

I don't know if this would surprise Jesus. It might surprise me, but it reminds me of the story of Jesus' baptism. On that day the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my son, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

Many times in our lives, we live in a veil of clouds, uncertain if the sun will shine again. Through faith we will live to see the clouds lifted, and the shroud of darkness torn back.

The following poem was written today in the writer's workshop called Zoetrope. Those of us who dabble in poetry and wish to play gather around the keyboards at about 1pm eastern time, and respond to a prompt. Today's prompt was to consider what we understand as faith.

Crossing

Crossing the James River Bridge
catching at the periphery
points of light--
beacons lining the shoreline
into tomorrow
destination unknown.

Shivering--
the remnants of fear
clung like a peat-moss
cloak;
praying the waters
would close over
Pharaoh's chariots.

Scanning the landscape
in search of a landmark:
a sign, a fleece
a herald of welcome-
a cold draught of water
for the itinerant.

Amid the neon banners
competing for attention
the warm glow
the humble yellow
peeks through the swath
of red, blue and green--

a refuge of familiarity--
as the tinny juke-box plays
in the Waffle House
and we receive bread
we know without a doubt
we've been led home.

© Grace M. Murray, 2007

Revelation Tag

Carver Adams challenged me to a game of revelation tag .

Here are the rules:
1. The rules must be posted by each participant at the beginning of the post.
2. Each player posts 8 facts about himself/herself.
3. Tagged parties post their own 8 items in a blog, and post these rules.
4. At the end of the blog, each player or 'tagee' must post the names of eight people s/he is tagging in turn.
5. And inform said tagees by e-mail, telegraph wire or telepathy if blessed with such ability, but in any case inform them or they'll have trouble participating.

Fascinating Facts about Gracie
1. After a long, circuitous journey, I was ordained in the United Church of Christ on July 15, 2007. Of course, the journey is not over. Destinations are simply landmarks on the way.

2. I am a published writer. My published works include:
Flash Fiction- Naked at The Writer's Ezine , June 2006
Poetry - Fossilized & Civilized Communication - both at Static Movement, September 2006 Lioness in Miniature at Antithesis Common
and now, in Print! "Spay or Neuter Your Humanoid" in the Drabbler, February 2007.
To date I have earned the vast sum of $16.00 for my work.

3. I discovered a new culture in the North Carolina Orthopaedic Hospital in Gastonia, NC. As a girl I was hospitalized there three times. We were grouped and we related to one another according to our orthopaedic problem. There was crossover, to be sure, but there is that sense of forming clans according to some common denominator.

4. Before I became familiar with the miracle at Pentecost, when the disciples spoke in tongues that all people could understand, I use to wonder if we really all speak different languages, but hear others words in our own.

5. I have learned to pick my battles. But I am acutely aware that some will never know the battles I chose to avoid.

6. Preaching is my passion. My second is writing. Words are powerful. I pray I use them wisely.

7. I have done things I never thought I would be able to do. Lived as a single parent and earned a Master of Divinity during that time. Began an Interfaith Disaster Response that continues though I have moved on. Went whitewater rafting and lived to tell about it.

8. I get up every morning and knowing some of the trials I have been through, I look in the mirror and smile and say to myself and the world: I'm still here!

People I am tagging to play Revelation Tag:
Joe Emerson, Brenda Tagge, Christopher Hicks, Rob Licht, Elizabeth Dill, Sue Thurman, Jake MacKillan, Margot Miller