June 25, 2022, The Morning after Roe V Wade
Oh, my God,
I have yet to turn on the telly, but it seems we woke up this morning to find the world did not end yesterday, despite the hysterics who would have us think so.
You knew it would not.
You have given us yet another morning to stretch and face the future, come what may. You have left us with the renewed challenge of determining our fates, and the opportunity to build on the strengths of our collective hopes, dreams, and expectations to make this world a place we would be happy to leave our children’s children. That free-will You gave us? It is still here.
Thank you, Lord.
Now, if we may trouble You for Your assistance,
Remind us to let cooler heads prevail. Inspire us to lower our voices, slow our cadence, so that we may sense the correct direction to take us to the highest and best good for our neighbors, our towns, our country, for humanity as a whole. Help us to respect each other, and each other’s needs. Save us from those who would lead us into temptation for their personal political gain. Silence them, so they will listen to those who elected them, and develop plans to benefit us all. And while you are at it, give us the wisdom to understand that we are each other’s enemies only if we choose to be.
Please remind us to respect each other, regardless of our age, heritage, religion, social stature. Remind us that the children of our communities need our guidance, our respect, our direction, and our protection. And remind us that talk is cheap. Correct action is necessary and required.
So, just do it, okay, Lord? Save us from ourselves. We need You now…even those of us who do not believe in You, for it is true that bidden or not bidden, You are present, and believe it or not You ultimately direct our hand.
Amen, and thanks for today’s rain!
Rox
RILKE AM MORGEN
“Poems from the Book of Hours” exposes Rilke’s soul; his mind, his heart,
all while he declares that should You, God, remove all his parts,
his eyes, his ears, his feet, his arms, his heart, his mind,
still his blood shall embrace Thee; shall carry Thee to the world.
How is it he has such surety when he later asks,
“Was wirst du tun, Gott, wenn ich sterbe?
…nach mir has du kein Haus, darin dich Worte, nah und warm, begruessen…”
What WILL You do? Where will you live, God, when I die?
***
His questions, and his prayers lead NOT to despair,
but only to the confidence that reasons escape us due to our limited abilities,
which can be stretched, strengthened, expanded until finally all will be clear.
***
Lord, God, this Holy Season, fill our hearts and minds and souls with joy and knowledge,
that though there be powers beyond our understanding, You are there to guide us to All Good.
~Selah~
`
J & B & M&R
Today we will gather
to bid B adieu
though he will remain
on our minds, hearts
in every day things;
quick silly family stories,
tears as we drive,
dinners he would like,
holidays he will miss,
graduations, weddings, birthdays, breakfast,
big moments, small things,
private moments at home.
****
God bless my family,
my daughter, my grands.
Help them always remember
the best of him,
their husband, their dad.
May they live fully
without long held sorrow,
May joy, laughter, smiles
shine through their days,
and may they remember
how he loved them,
and they loved him.
Amen
4/30/17
HAIL THE WEEK!
SUSTENANCE
Did you feel it, handsome, young runner calling good morning as you floated over the path through the open space in this glorious morning sun?
Did you notice, laughing couple nodding hello as you shuffled along the gravel walk?
And you, focused, sweating, racing woman, never losing a beat, yet still finding breath for a fast “morning!” How about you? Were you aware?
I plugged in as you passed.
I swallowed your smiles,
inhaled the air you exhaled,
stepped into the power vibrating in your footprints,
merged with your joie de vivre,
and thanked God for the power in community.
BLOOMING
THE POPPIES ARE BLOOMING!
PURPLE IRIS
WHITE IRIS
YELLOW IRIS
BLUE VINCA, SPECIES GERANIUM, CLEMATIS
THE LAST OF THE RED TULIPS
PINK CARNATIONS
BURGUNDY PANSIES WITH BRIGHT FACES
HANSA AND HEIRLOOM ROSES ON THE HILL
CASCADING LOBELIA
LILACS, VIOLETS
THE OCCASIONAL, BLASTED DANDELION
LORD! YOU HAVE OUTDONE YOURSELF THIS SPRING!
AMEN!
ps I tried this in lower case, but only caps catch the excitement!
NaPoWriMo Day Six (2016)
MY SWEET ASH!
I know, I know, I know, I know
The borers hit their mark,
split and shriveled up your lovely trunk,
cracked your lovely bark.
~oh, woe~
I cannot, cannot, cannot do it,
cut you down, I mean,
you could, you might, you may leaf out
to shade the hot back scene.
~oh, yeah~
La la la la la la la
my eyes and ears I cover…
if I refuse to see, to hear
perhaps you will recover.
~selah~
rJo Herman 4/6/16
NaPoWriMo STARTS TODAY
APRIL 1st
PRAYER BEFORE BED
Thank you for this day, Lord. For the cool air, the last of the squashes on the vine, the fried chicken from King Soopers. Bless my darlin’ daughter and her kidlets, and all my family and friends. Remind them they are important people. Heal the sadness in the hearts of friends who have lost loved ones these past couple weeks, and take the worry from the hearts of those facing decisions about how to deal with recent diagnoses. Take the angst from the hearts and minds of those living with dementia. Save this nation from stupidity, arrogance, stubborness. Thank you for a good night’s sleep, and letting me awaken to good things in the coming week.
Amen
rJoHerman 
SEND IN THE QUIET
Today they started the confirmation hearings for the next president’s cabinet… how the talking heads will smirk and opine, how the haters will smugly hold to their views, the fearful will shiver, the disgusted will huff…and some of us will continue to pray to all the powers of good in this universe, God Almighty Himself, to guide the hands and hearts, minds and mouths of these people duly elected to manage our country… It is time for cooler heads to prevail, for the noise to cease, and the listening to begin, lest we miss what we really need to hear…