Thinking about God
speaking words of love
anointing the Christ
with His Holy Spirit
Sending Him out
to heal the world
sharing God’s grace
His love for all of us
Mindful of that moment
there is the river
maybe John was a bit harsh
but he was speaking out of love
We need to share
to join as a people
to open the hearts
humble toward our neighbors
Thinking of the way
the manner of the Christ
offering love
not the bile of hate
He could have judged us
far more harshly
He could have sent us
all into the fire
He chose the path
the path of servanthood
loving us all so much
even choosing the cross
His words of love
even for our enemies
radical now as then
would we heed His call now
Redeeming our nation
by humbly serving
offering hope in our listening
and avoiding harsh words
January 10, 2011 and January 11, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
and hearing some NPR coverage
as I picked up our 9 year old from school
&
Matthew 3:1-17
&
Matthew 3:16-17
and
Upper Room Disciplines for 2011
http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=831781
for January 3 and 9, 2011
“Channels of Peace”
by Pat Luna
for January 5, 2011
read January 5, 2011
&
Matthew 3:13-15
and
Upper Room Disciplines for 2011
http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=831781
for January 3 and 9, 2011
“Channels of Peace”
by Pat Luna
for January 4, 2011
read January 4, 2011
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
Showing posts with label Tucson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tucson. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Opening Our Hearts
Something corrosive
when we are walled-off
from our neighbors
when the sameness defines
our sense of community
All of us together
stronger as a nation
feeding the fuel of democracy
in the marketplace of ideas
Yet something has gone wrong
the scales grossly unbalanced
the harpies alone
seem to be on the stage
shouting bile,
estrangement from one another
feeding on our fears
that which alone divides
We need to open our hearts
to stand in the shoes of our neighbors
all of us need to listen
before we speak a word
to hear their perspective
respectfully silent
maybe in being truly open
can the rhetoric be toned down
Now may be the moment
in the midst of collective anguish
a nation crying
for those lost in a square
the public forum
open to all comers
was a place of a massacre
of a poor deranged mind
We need to gather together
as we did today in silence
to commit to the commonality
the central thread of our creed
all of our blessings
the freedoms we cherish
each of them stronger
if we see ourselves as one nation
with just different voices
each one worthy
to be heard out of respect
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
and hearing some NPR coverage
as I picked up our 9 year old from school
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
when we are walled-off
from our neighbors
when the sameness defines
our sense of community
All of us together
stronger as a nation
feeding the fuel of democracy
in the marketplace of ideas
Yet something has gone wrong
the scales grossly unbalanced
the harpies alone
seem to be on the stage
shouting bile,
estrangement from one another
feeding on our fears
that which alone divides
We need to open our hearts
to stand in the shoes of our neighbors
all of us need to listen
before we speak a word
to hear their perspective
respectfully silent
maybe in being truly open
can the rhetoric be toned down
Now may be the moment
in the midst of collective anguish
a nation crying
for those lost in a square
the public forum
open to all comers
was a place of a massacre
of a poor deranged mind
We need to gather together
as we did today in silence
to commit to the commonality
the central thread of our creed
all of our blessings
the freedoms we cherish
each of them stronger
if we see ourselves as one nation
with just different voices
each one worthy
to be heard out of respect
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
and hearing some NPR coverage
as I picked up our 9 year old from school
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
With Greater Civility
Offering up a wish
a prayer for our nation
no matter his motive
that we would grow stronger
leaning on our neighbors
all of us family
even in arguing
a changing in the collective tone
speaking together
in public and private
in face to face settings
an in anonymous postings
all of us together
committing as a nation
together as one people
sharing our freedoms
the right to gather and speak
with greater civility
respecting one another
maybe even as we were speaking
with our Savior, our Creator
our Lord and our God
seeing the face of the divine
in our neighbor
whatever we have to
to step back from this brink
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
and hearing some NPR coverage
as I picked up our 9 year old from school
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
a prayer for our nation
no matter his motive
that we would grow stronger
leaning on our neighbors
all of us family
even in arguing
a changing in the collective tone
speaking together
in public and private
in face to face settings
an in anonymous postings
all of us together
committing as a nation
together as one people
sharing our freedoms
the right to gather and speak
with greater civility
respecting one another
maybe even as we were speaking
with our Savior, our Creator
our Lord and our God
seeing the face of the divine
in our neighbor
whatever we have to
to step back from this brink
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
and hearing some NPR coverage
as I picked up our 9 year old from school
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
That Our Words would Heal
Something odd
from a family law attorney
an advocate for one side
not always able to compromise
Yet the words we choose
in every setting
something we can ponder
before they are loosed
A prayer in this moment
in this season of sorrow
for our people, our nation
that we would come together
That our words would heal
far more than the other
that comity would flow
from our trembling lips
Peace in our discourse
even in disagreement
that healing would come
flowing from each heart
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
from a family law attorney
an advocate for one side
not always able to compromise
Yet the words we choose
in every setting
something we can ponder
before they are loosed
A prayer in this moment
in this season of sorrow
for our people, our nation
that we would come together
That our words would heal
far more than the other
that comity would flow
from our trembling lips
Peace in our discourse
even in disagreement
that healing would come
flowing from each heart
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
That We would Lift Up
In all that we do
in all of our words
choosing to lift up
never to tear down
That we would seek peace
comity in our language
that our land would know
the peace that you provide
Search us Lord
help us to blot out
the stain of aggression
ill-will within our hearts
Open us Lord
for the comfort of Your presence
to heal our brokenness
to balm the wounds of our souls
Teach us Lord
the way of our Savior
the humble Messiah,
that chose the cross not the sword
Redeem us Lord
in our disquiet
from the ways of the world
to the way of servanthood
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
in all of our words
choosing to lift up
never to tear down
That we would seek peace
comity in our language
that our land would know
the peace that you provide
Search us Lord
help us to blot out
the stain of aggression
ill-will within our hearts
Open us Lord
for the comfort of Your presence
to heal our brokenness
to balm the wounds of our souls
Teach us Lord
the way of our Savior
the humble Messiah,
that chose the cross not the sword
Redeem us Lord
in our disquiet
from the ways of the world
to the way of servanthood
January 10, 2011
after the national moment of silence
January 10, 2011 at 11:00am EST
for the Tucson shooting victims
Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
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