Look over your shoulder
And you will see
Threads intricately woven
Into a tapestry
Of color, light, and shadow
A trail behind you
That brought you
To this day
Look ahead
With faith and hope
That this woven fabric
Will continue throughout
The rest of your life
See the faint glimmer
Of golden threads
Dream and plan
Then bravely make
That next step
Along the path
You are already on
Follow the thread of love
It will lead you home
When darkness, evil, fog or fear
Obscure your vision
Wait until you see it again
Don’t move until you do
It will break through
It always does
Move towards it now
And learn to let it
Pass through you
Change and transform you
It takes time
But if you do
It will spread out behind you
Like a trail or a path
Or rays of light
And others will find
Their way home too
© 2021 Julie Clark
For all those
Waving a Jesus flag
Big shoes to fill
Big steps to follow
Better get started
Developing love
Self-sacrificing love
Takes a lifetime
Posers will be revealed
Examine our hearts
Whose path am I on?
No idols here
No judgements either
Fruit will reveal
Better than a flag
Who I serve
Who I truly love
© 2021 Julie Clark
Let us
Search for the light
Like wise persons
Follow it
Come out of the blinding
Darkness
Shake it off
Shake ourselves awake
And free
Let love
Come down
Melt the hardness
In our hearts
Let the tears
Flow
Do their work
Break us open
Just as the rain
Finds a way
Through the earth’s
Hardened crust
Look up
Rise up
Follow the light
Our paths
Need examining
Need pondering
Where am I headed?
Who am I?
Who am I becoming?
Is this who I want to be?
Is this path leading to life?
Leading to light?
Leading to love?
If not
Step off
We can change our course
We can grow
We can choose
We still have breath
We are still alive
© 2021 Julie Clark
Robins
Everywhere
On the wet grass
On the roof tops
In the air
Plenty of worms
For all
In this rich soil
On this fertile hill
No scarcity mentality
Just take what you need
For you and your family
Leave the rest
For the other birds
Residents and guest
Passing through
No need for hoarding
Or commodifying
These tasty treats
Oh that we would
Study the birds
And the fields
And the trees
Like our ancestors
Like Jesus
Learn a new way
An ancient way
Leading to
The path of life
The eagles on Sunday
Circling the waters
Taking turns
Diving for the fish
Over and over
Repeating the pattern
Again and again
The message is clear
Perseverance
Don’t give up.
© 2020 Julie Clark
When I was a young person coming back to faith in Jesus in the mid 70’s I was taught I had the answers to the questions of life. My experience as I traversed different parts of the world and met different kinds of people that this was not all together true. Yes, my young life had changed as I made following and learning about Jesus a priority, but I had a lot to learn from the people I met. Yes, I could offer prayers and encouragement from my perspective and I did see people encouraged, and even recovered from sickness. Yet, I learned to be quick to listen, slow to speak. Well, I had to be, because I was learning a new language! One of the many gifts of learning a new language. I also was learning and seeing beautiful things in the culture and people around me that I had not learned in my own culture. I learned to look for what good things God was already doing in a person’s life and in their culture. I learned to affirm those good things. Of course every culture has it’s light side and dark side, including my own. Now as I look back on those early years I think it was arrogant and naive to believe I had all the answers. Is it possible that Christians are hoarding Jesus? Saying and teaching that the way I interpret his life and teaching is the only way seems a bit narrow and exclusive. As if I know all the mysteries of Christ who died for the sin of the world, the very same who is reconciling all things, all people, all creation to himself. I do believe those points. I just don’t pretend to know what they mean exactly or how it will happen.
Here in the form of a poem are some reflections from Mark 9:38 – 41 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me…”
Here, the path is wide
The door flung open
Us and them dismantled
Here, we celebrate
Our commonality – our humanity
See the goodness in each other
Here, the hoarding of Jesus
Is not allowed
Trust the outcome
To the one true judge
Of all motives, all character
Here we love and respect
We build up and affirm
The God given love
In one another
© Julie Clark 2020
Blooms and thorns
Outside my window
Growing on the same branch
Wheat and weeds
Outside my door
Seeds blowing on the same wind
Which will I choose to focus my attention
Who do I want to be
Do I want to be kind and loving
Or indifferent and uncaring
All this growing together
In our hearts
In our world
Intertwined
The world turns
Seasons change
What will we see
In the next season
After this pandemic
It seems we get a restart
Will we be a better world
Will we be better people
Or doom ourselves
Once again
I have read
Love triumphs evil
Light pushes out the darkness
Good wins over injustice
Shall we join
This hard work
Turn the soil and plant
The good seeds
Turn our weapons
Into plows
Our despair
Into faith and good deeds
Julie Clark
The dawn seeping light into the day
Slowly, slowly, beginning it all again
Fresh hints of
New life
New hope
New start
Everyday
It’s never too late
To begin again
The old way is blocked
Go around
Light shines on a new path
A new idea
Change
Comes with the dawn.
© 2020 Julie Clark
When you need a new rhythm
Old one not working
Wearing you out
Step off, step out and away
Find a quiet place
A lonely place
To think
To listen
Make the changes
To save yourself
© 2020 Julie Clark
What is this division you bring?
What about peace on earth, goodwill towards all?
Is it about our choice?
To love and serve
Or horde and kill?
Do you come to us at our borders in T-shirts and flip flops
Or camped out in our city parks?
One more opportunity to choose
As you ask, “Who will you serve?
Me or mammon?”
Ok, I choose you.
Now I have enemies.
What did you say about enemies?
I have to love them too?
Now that is hard to do.
Oh, you did that.
I see. Is that how this works?
Love changes everything.
Love is the force that brings peace
Far and near and finally
Everywhere.
How long?
“Until all is changed and all submit
To love
Singing praises!”
Your ways are better
Your ways are higher
Than ours.
What is impossible for humans
Is possible for you.
Now we must
Get up on the highway
Of your ways
Watch and see
What you can do with love-
The strongest force there is
Moving mountains and
Raising valleys.
May we make the choice
To love
Rather than continue
This madness.
© 2019 Julie Clark
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