Spaloosh, step, spaloosh,

wiggle toes in sand, spaloosh - 

            wading Superior.

 

Waves were gentle, water was pretty warm, could have gone in but didn't have suit on. 

 Ok - this is almost too easy.  I had expected to wrestle (like Jacob) with some scripture text, but then there is Jesus feeding the 5000 and Isaiah -

Creator and Provider -

Why do we spend our money on

___________________________

        (fill in the blank) 

which is not bread

  for our bodies, or

  for our souls, or

  for our neighbors, or

  for our children and their children, or

   for the Creation around us.

You made us and know us intimately -

help us figure this out. 

 

+About yesterday's water lily and minor sun - we have water lilies at camp that open up white with bright yellow centers - reminds me of a fried egg! 

 

+And finally a bonus for today - channel your favorite old Irish priest (Father Flannery?) and read this paraphrase of Is 55! -

Now me lads and me lasses
Sure and b'gorah but isn't it a lovely day.
And isn't it nice to see you all here -
sure and it's a sight that would warm the heart of the blessed Patrick himself.

But perhaps you're after being thirsty?
won't you come and drink water.
Perhaps you're after being hungry?
won't you come and eat the finest bread.
And what - would you be getting out your pocketbook?
No, no, no - there'll be no charge.
Come lads and lasses, drink wine and milk,
for sure there'll be no charge.
Why now would you be wasting your money on things that are not food?
Why then would you be working hard all day
for things that don't satisfy your heart?
Now me lads and lasses
let you listen carefully to my words,
even as your ancestors listened to the blessed Patrick when he walked among us,
and then won't you be enjoying the best of foods.

Now pay close attention to my words.
Come to me and live.
Won't I be promising you that same eternal love and loyalty
that I promised to David, and yes, even to the blessed Patrick.
Didn't I make him the leader of nations,
wasn't he my witness to them.
And won't you be after calling out to nations you have not known,
and nations who have never known you,
Won't you be calling out, and they'll come running,
because I am the Lord,
the holy God of Israel,
and I have honored you

Then turn to the lord.
For he can still be found.
Call out to God, He is near.
Won't you give up your crooked ways,
sneaking round,
thinking evil thoughts.
Won't you return to the Lord our God.
and won't he be merciful and be forgiving your sins.

Now me lads and lasses, the Lord says this -

"For my thoughts and my ways,

would they be like yours?

No, they would not.

Just as the heavens are high above the earth,

just as the blessed Patrick, when he was climbing the mountain,

he was higher than you or me,

even so, says the Lord,

my thoughts and my ways,

wouldn't they be higher than yours. Sure and b'gorah.

But now, when the rain and the snow fall from the sky-
would they be returning to me without watering the blessed earth,
the green hills of Ireland?
No surely they would not.
They would be after making seeds to plant
and grain to eat,
oh the hot bowls of oatmeal,
oh the sons of Erin bread.
And aren't we grateful to the blessed Patrick that there are no snakes in the
grass to bite at our heels when we go to harvest the grain.
And now the words that come from my mouth -
would they be after coming back to me
without first they do all those things I sent them to do. No they would not.

Now when you are set free, won't you be celebrating
and won't you be going home in peace.
Aye, it will be such a parade -
The mountains and the hills you pass by, won't they be singing?
and the trees - won't they be clapping their hands?
Cypress trees and myrtle trees
won't they grow up in the fields where now there are only thorns.

Sure and b'gorah.

And won't those trees be an everlasting witness to the glory of the Lord?

 

Loviest of "flowers" (1),
the water lily opens -
      a minor sunrise.(2)

(1) OK- channeling A E Housman, "Loviest of trees the cherry now
is hung with bloom along the bough...". You have to squish "flowers" into one syllable - "fluwrs". If you are not good with that you could do "Love-lest flower, the water lily......". I like the first but I'm good with either.
(2) Chanelling Loren Eisley's admonition - "In the coming darkness, look for a minor sun." (My paraphrase, I don't have the book here with me.) He was watching a spider spin a web in a streetlight one early winter night.

And a nice start for a new month! 

Big brown eye searches,

long ears twitch, pink nose quivers -

         bunny on the prowl! 

Into the window,

onto the restless sleeper -

          full moon on the prowl! 

Cheeseburger and chips,

beans, coleslaw, watermelon -

        community meal.

 

at St Paul's Church. 

Green leaves fluttering

against a calm clear blue sky -

         a colorful world.

 

Not to mention varicolored birds, flowers, butterflies....and people!