Poetry

When the Church Became a Building

When the church became a building

She forgot her founder’s call

She chose instead brick and mortar

to build herself a wall

 

The doors she built

Locked some out, others in

Proclaimed who was holy

And who was still in sin

 

She lit the candles

Said it was time to pray

Blew out the lights

Now time to go away

 

She is made of salt and light

Her stones, they are alive

You cannot keep her in a box

If she is to going to thrive

 

Her glory is far greater

Than four walls can hold

She is to be a city

Shining bright as gold

 

She is to be a healer

For weary, lost, and sore

A comfort to the broken

And oh so much more

 

When the church became a building

She made a room for strife

When outsiders didn’t fit her mold

She crushed their heart and life

 

Church you are not a building

You’re Christ’s body and His bride

You’re His hands, feet, and heartbeat

The love He cannot hide

 

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: Faith, God, Life, Love, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

For All My Girls

Cause a raucous

Cause a stir

Stand up and let your voice be heard

No more low maintenance girls here!

 

Cause some drama

Shake us up

You have every right to be heard

No more low maintenance girls here!

 

Your thoughts are important

Your feelings count

Stand up tall and straight

Your gifts are needed

The world cannot wait

You too bear the image of God

Not just your brother or your mate

 

Brothers hear this cry:

“When you squish me

You are less

Than you are meant to be!”

 

© 2013 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Faith, God, Life, Parenting, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Jesus Said

Abraham

Pleaded for mercy

For a city full of brokenness

I hear voices today

Calling for judgment

Jesus said:

Don’t pull up the weeds

Wait

Wait for the end

When everything is ready

Otherwise

You will pull up the wheat

With the weeds

Who is wheat?

Who is weed?

We don’t know

Time will tell

Things change

People change

There is always hope

Lets stop judging

Or we will be judged

Maybe

When we judge

We are pulling up wheat

After his resurrection

Jesus said:

You follow me

Don’t worry about anyone else

Perhaps

If we concerned ourselves

With ourselves

In this way

There would be

Less strife and judgment

More love

And peace on earth

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: Faith, God, Love, Peace and Reconciliation, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lenten Post # 7

I find myself

Hacking my way through a jungle

I cannot see clearly

But my heart compass is set north

Deep calling to deep

All of a sudden

Breaking free

Onto a well-worn

Path

Sprinkled with Saint and Angel dust

I am not alone after all

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: Faith, Lent, Paths, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ask

They’ve been waiting

Anticipating

This moment

Ready to move

High alert

Waiting

Anticipating

 

The feeble prayer

Forms in the heart

Barely makes it

To the lips

If at all

A mere

Seed of faith

 

Commotion

In the cosmos

“She asked!

We are moving in!”

The cogs begin to turn

Heaven moves earth

Surely help is on the way

 

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: Faith, God, Lent, Poetry, Prayer | Tags: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Lenten Post #6

Have I loved well today?

The unexpected guest who shows up

When my house is a mess?

The beloved spouse or irritating boss

Who gives me a list of extra things to do

When I am already overwhelmed?

The child who just does not

Seem to understand the meaning

Of the word “No”?

What about the media inflated or created

Unseen enemies?

Have I loved them well?

Prayed for God’s mercy and love to shower them?

Have I loved well today?

Those who don’t get me

Misunderstand me

Judge me

Think I am wasting my time?

What about those who snub me

Forget me

Don’t find me important enough

For their time of day?

It’s really all that He has asked me to do.

His one last dying request

Some days are better than others.

I have to confess

I have not loved well today

Lord have mercy

He does

He always does.

 

© 2013 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Faith, God, Lent, Life, Love, Poetry, Prayer | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lenten Post #5

Pruned

Pruned

Cut back

Reduced

Standing here

In the ground

Immovable

Barren and ugly

With sap running down

No choice in the matter

The Gardner came by

Lopping off wild branches

And dead wood

Exposed and cold

And not happy about it

Now just waiting

Have to go about my business

Please pass the peas

Sorry about that sap

Wait for hope to return

With the first sign of spring

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: Faith, Lent, Life, Poetry, Trees | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lenten Post #4

Remain in Me

 

Keep in step

Keep in touch

Take my hand

Don’t lag behind or rush ahead

No lolly-gagging or reckless driving

Stick with Me

Close to Me

Stay connected

Abide in me

Walk with me

Every  day

Every hour

Every minute

Breathe me in

Like your breath

Breathe me out

To another

Don’t slough me off

Disregard me

Close your ears

When you get tempted

Or enticed

Don’t veer off to the left

Or the right

Take a detour

Or a short cut

Don’t get caught in an eddy

Don’t get stuck or left behind

Double your efforts

To rest in me

Fill your thoughts

With thoughts of me

Love me

I love you

Let my love flow in you

And out of you

Come back for more

There’s always more

You in me and I in you

And this is what it means

To live a life

Of prayer

 

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: Faith, God, Lent, Life, Love, Paths, Poetry, Prayer | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Crows

Today was about crows

First a whole flock a-squawking

With one bull frog keeping the beat

Then a lone fellow on a barren tree

Silhouetted by the snow-capped

Olympic Mountains across the Puget Sound

Beauty spoke

And Beauty called my name

I stopped and watched

Then later the message came

Alone and barren of soul at times

With impossible seas and mountains to cross

Yet, I have wings

I can fly

I am not unprepared for this journey

Still, no rushing these things

Study the contours of the wind and waves

Measure the height of the mountains

Search for the probable passes

Wonder at the depths of the sea

Take off when I am ready

Or not

Stay awhile longer

In the cozy, comfortable clan

Of squawking kin.

 

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: beauty, Faith, Life, mountains, Poetry, Trees | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Eye of the Needle

How can I get through this,

Seemingly impossible situation?

The eye of the needle

Becomes the way of the cross

Stripped down

Bare essentials:

Me

Following the light

At the end of the tunnel.

© 2013 Julie Clark

Categories: Faith, God, Lent, Life, Paths, Poetry | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

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