The Wedding of a Fairy Princess

The wind blew,
the rain fell,
nature’s rawness
was felt,
the wildness
of creation.

For a moment
the sky opened,
the sun shone
as the fairy princess
emerged
from her forest.

Her beauty
stunned us,
as her presence
warmed us.

Her love
affected all,
raw as nature,
wild as creation.

She drew him
out of his element,
she drew us
into her heart.

They said
yes
to each other,
yes
in the storm.

Wild and alive,
like fairies
we played,
like divinity
we danced.

20 August 2017

A Fairy Marsh Wedding

The fairies danced
blessing the ground,
inviting celebration,
encouraging feast.

Assurance was given,
a daughter’s
wedding vows
would be exchanged
in this place,
on this ground,
in any weather,
through any storm.

Made sacred
with family,
made holy
by Love’s
play.

20 August 2017

A Whale of a Tale: Kayaking in Witless Bay

Big water
full
of mystery.

Turbulent and unsteady
at the surface,
darkness and uncertainty
in the depths.

Launching
into uncertainty,
journeying
into the depths,

to face
fear,
to encounter
the unknown,

the humpback,
the commander
of the sea.

Magnificent
from a distance,
terrifying
up close.

The magnitude,
the power,
twice surfacing
from the depths.

Too close
for comfort,
diminishing
my vessel,
racing
my heart,
numbing
my senses

as a third
emerges
from nowhere,
unaware
of my place,

Pats
my bow
with his tail,

sits
my boat
on his back.

A whale of a tale.
He is wild.
I am free.

5 August 2017

What a beautiful summer it was for weather wearied islanders. Many of those who live on the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador are blessed with what I call “short term bad weather memory loss.” Apparently we had a miserable spring (which I can no longer remember), but our summer days were sunny, warm and beautiful (which I can still remember). Regardless of the weather, it is important for the health of the soul to be outside in nature, experiencing the elements and delighting in God’s creation. Being an outdoor enthusiast, kayaking is one of the activities I enjoy to do. So, in the midst of this years busy whale season, with a relative who is an experienced kayaker, we launched our kayaks from Long Beach in Witless Bay and headed to the bird sanctuary at Gull Island. Having read something about Jonah the week before, I remember saying to my partner as we paddled toward Gull Island, with humpback whales surfacing at a safe distance, “into the belly of the beast we go.” Nearing Gull Island, we were literally paddling through Puffins with their bellies so fat with capelin, they could hardly take off from the surface of the ocean. Paddling south on the lee side of the island, which was absolutely full of bird life, all of my senses were awake to the smells, sights and sounds of the wildness, power and unpredictability of God’s creation around us. Passing the south end of the island, we encountered larger swells. The kayaks handled very well, and I got a little over confident. On our return leg near Beaches Path, as we headed back to Long Beach, I suggested to my partner that we get a little closer to the humpbacks for one last look. Before we knew it, we were overwhelmed with humpback whales. With my partner on my right, two humpbacks passed on my left so close that I could have touched one with my hand. With them so close to my kayak, what I didn’t see was a third coming directly toward me. My partner saw a collision about to happen, and instinctively said “tap your boat, it doesn’t know you are there.” With that, I began tapping my paddle against the kayak and braced for a collision. At the last second, the whale’s tail turned just enough to avoid colliding with the bow of my boat, but went directly under the kayak. The force of the whale and the water under the kayak pushed it upwards. After the collision was narrowly avoided, my partner next thought I was going to be capsized. Getting wet up past the elbows as the kayak rocked back and forth, I somehow managed to stay upright. Paddling to save our lives to get out of there, I asked what just happened. The answer: “you just sat on the back of a whale!” Not quite the belly of Jonah’s whale, but the back of a humpback is more than close enough!

Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd,
we do not even
know
that we are
trapped
in the
limitations
of the mind



until

we begin
to hear
your voice.

There is a
larger
freer
pasture to live out of.

Your voice
full of Love
invites us
into this
More.

For those who ache
with longing,
you become
the Gate,
the Way
out of
our minds
and into
your heart.

Your Love
is the Gate.
Your Love
is the Way.

6 May 2017

The Divine Dance

Valerie and I recently attended a Father Richard Rohr conference on the Trinity in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Father Richard is a Roman Catholic, modern day mystic and popular spiritual teacher whose influence reaches across denominations and faith traditions. Over the years that I have been reading his books, he has helped articulate spiritual experiences for me that I have intuitively known to be true, but haven’t yet put words to. His latest book “The Divine Dance: The Trinity and your Transformation,” is very readable and is what the conference we attended was built around. Another speaker at the conference, who is also a mystic and modern teacher of the Christian Wisdom tradition, was the The Rev’d Cynthia Bourgeault. Cynthia is an Episcopal priest, spiritual teacher and author. Two of her latest books that have been resonating with me are: “The Heart of Centering Prayer: Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice; and “The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three: Discovering the Radical Truth at the Heart of Christianity.” What Richard can put in more popular language, Cynthia can put in current theological and scientific research language. Cynthia is simply a brilliant theologian and teacher of Christian meditation.

Being a fan of both Rohr and Bourgeault, my being drawn to the conference was to meet both of these inspirational teachers of the Christian contemplative tradition. There was a third conference speaker of which I had no real interest in. Paul Young is the author of the popular novel “The Shack.” The book was used in our parish reading group at one point, but I never did read it. Because he was going to be one of the speakers at the conference, and the movie “The Shack” was released, I thought I should at least see the movie, as it might tell me more about him and why he was invited to speak at this conference on the Trinity. 

Acknowledging yet another ego wound in having pre-judged Paul Young as a conference speaker, I am so thankful that I did watch the movie and that he was a presenter. Young calls himself a “recovering evangelical.” He comes from a Christian mission background that was fundamentalistic. He grew up with an abusive missionary father, and a god that was judging and punitive. The Shack is a story that reflects the healing of his past, and his coming to know the healing flow of the life of the Trinity.

Rohr spoke about popular and understandable Trinitarian theology. Bourgeault spoke more to the intellect in current theological and scientific research and conversations about the Trinity. Young spoke to the emotions and the healing truth of entering more deeply into the flow of the life of the Trinity. Each of the speakers brought different and diverse perspectives to the same Trinitarian truth that is in the DNA of the cosmos, and is also our deepest identity, made in the loving, relational image of God. Jesus calls us to follow him into this eternal truth. 

Easter Mary

You are
here
and you are
not here.

You are
with me
and you are
not with me.

Your loving face
has opened to me
your loving face
in every face.

I can no longer
remember
your form
yet I
remember
your presence.

Love's companioning Presence
not with me,

as me
as you.

19 April 2017

A Newfoundland Spring Bird

Welcomed singer,

music

to snow tired souls.

Ushering out

winter,

inviting in

spring,

your song

brings with it

a new day

full of promise

for a new creation.

Unseen forces

have carried you

across the dark

and uncertain ocean,

landing you

on this oft forsaken

island,

like Noah's dove,

Spirit's gift

of hope.

12 April 2017