I gave this slightly tongue-in-cheek yet totally earnest devotional at a faculty meeting in April 2000. It’s about the way I want to work. I wrote it because I was struggling with boundaries. Read the rest of this entry »
rounding the bend
tiny gold leaves lie scattered
on dark damp asphalt
* * *
It’s Monday, Labor Day, two years ago. I’m out for an early morning walk. It rained overnight and it’s still dripping and overcast. But I’m restless for a walk. Like the weather, my mood is unsettled. Read the rest of this entry »
Alas! The second half of George MacDonald’s sonnet is as tough as the first. When I first read it years ago, it sounded like 100% Bad News. Especially for me. Read the rest of this entry »
Years ago I fell in love. Not with a man, but with his writings. George MacDonald and I share at least this: He too was deeply connected to the church and struggled with depression. In addition, he was a Scottish pastor, sometimes at odds with his church. He died believing himself to be a failure. Read the rest of this entry »
Dear Readers,
‘Youth’ includes everything before the present moment.
The older we get, the more ‘youth’ we accumulate.
Don’t even try to get out of this one! Read the rest of this entry »
you pressed me today—
barely balanced defenses
crumble at my feet
* * * * *
Dear God,
I don’t like this one little bit. Read the rest of this entry »
silhouetted high
atop a bare tree the dove
coos a mourning song
* * *
non-judgmental, calm, soothing
predictable, unhurried, hypnotic
soft, clear, ubiquitous
unobtrusive, gentle, alert
present, unyielding, quiet
reassuring presence of God
in, with, above, beneath, around and for
each aching, bewildered, terrified corner of our
hope-hungry world
with its everyday heartaches, pain, despair,
starvation, contempt, betrayals,
confusion and brokenness
God,
Grant us courage
to accept and to be present, quiet hope today
as one of your creatures
in just one corner of this tired old world
you still love so much.
Amen
* * * * * * *
Haiku written 24 June 2014
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 25 June 2014
“O sinners let’s go down, Down in the river to pray. ” The lyrics of this haunting song echo in my head when I think about my life on the river.* An eerie juxtaposition of natural beauty and heavy-laden humanity. Read the rest of this entry »
Telling the Truth 