Slow Tumbling

I learned this craft first as a young man, when learning still felt like accumulation. More skill. More confidence. More certainty. My grandfather stood nearby, patient and observant, correcting me just enough to keep me from ruining things completely. I absorbed what he showed me quickly—not because I understood it deeply, but because my hands were unafraid. I trusted strength more than wisdom…

walking alongwhistlingthinking what a beautifulwinter's day it ispassing the grocery storeon the cornerheading towards the baseball gamewhoops!you slip on a patch of icecrunch! you land on your rearoh no!you're sliding down the hilland here comes a Mack truckwhoosh!it misses you by inchesyou're still sliding!ouch!you slide right off the roadand through a muddy ditchugh!a tree looms aheadcrash!…

returning to the car i seea silver strand intent on capturing me i was gone but a moment yet the spider did spinfrom the mirror across the window to lure me in it seems this small one dreams of bigger preyso too I if to my path I staythis bit of web is a flimsy thingbut if I cast it noti snare nothing July 2, 2016

everything is so softit seems as if you are floatinglike a featherlying on the airthe darkness rises slowlyyou see a room before youthinly lit with moonlighta form materializes out of the darknessit is palepale as a ghosta ghost! you freezesweat dripping down your faceyou close your eyessomething soft touches your shoulderyou jumpyou are fallingfallingfalling bump!you hit something hardyour…

Shadow Carress, Rolling Ridge Several years ago, I watched Shadowlands and was deeply touched. The movie tells the true story of the author C.S. Lewis (Jack), who though an award-winning author, leads a relatively passionless life until he meets an American divorcee, Joy Gresham. It is the beginning of a deep love, a love that changes both of them in a powerful way, and deepens their faith in…

Continuing with James’ challenge regarding the tongue (see yesterday’s sermon post), the following is an excerpt of a recently created song based on lyrics from several biblical translations. The Message, in particular, has a pretty blunt rendition of Proverbs 18:21: “Words kill, words give life;they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” Christ have mercy on our tongue-lashing tongues.

In landscapes unfamiliar,when the destination shines in the distance,the path does not always reveal itself. There may be no signpost,no worn road beneath the feet,only hills rolling into shadow,fields bending under strange winds,and the far glimmer of something hoped forcalling from beyond the unknown. But if one keeps walking,if one remains on the journey,step after uncertain step,with dust…

A Sermon on James and the Taming of the Tongue Scripture Texts: James 1:19-20; James 3:1-12 IntroductionGrowing up as a sensitive, creative, smart kid with glasses, I was mocked incessantly by my peers—so much so that, while I have experienced much inner healing, I still carry the emotional scars of that verbal abuse to this day. I was reminded of this years ago while standing outside my office…

woe are webirthed into adversityblind to the realm of eternal possibility the prophet spakethe servant did a double takesuddenly saw the surrounding angelic host awake these battles are not your ownfor you strive not against flesh and bonesit back and watch as your deliverance is sown July 2, 2015

My family visited the land of my heritage. Here are some scenes: Abandoned ski lift, Whiteface Mountain, NY Ski high jump, 1980 Olympics, Lake Placid, NY Train engine, Croghan, NY Beaver Lake, Beaver Camp, NY July 14, 2016 You can find more visual images and art under the link in the home page menu.

I rescued the chair from outside someone’s apartment with the hope of fixing it and having it become a welcome member of our family. But, as often happens, it sat around in various places waiting for me to find the time to repair it. Finally, I decided it was one more project I did not have time for, and so yesterday I put it out on the sidewalk in the hopes that someone would take it home. It…

There is power in these spinning blades,green ninja of the grass. The grasshoppers and praying mantes flee andfly before the whirring wind. The hilly homesof Appalachian moundbuilding ants are cut downto jagged holes which spew forth red and blackbodies in an angry burning sea. They do not realize that the hurricanewhich slings them and their childrenthrough the air today is predicted againfor…

down here on the path beside the railroad tracks with the freight train slowly going by the urge to hop on one of the gravel laden cars and let it take me far away from here is almost overpoweringas usual i do not make the leap and later i find myself walking past the old man with a broom sweeping the street to where the path turns back upon itself out past the little girl on her mama's back who…

A Simple Conversation, A Life Forever Changed For Nelson I awoke this morning thinking how strange it is that you have been gone for so many years. It seems like it was yesterday when we sat together over bowls of split pea soup in the Potter’s House and had a conversation that would change my life. For you, it was probably one of many conversations. You had a way of making things happen, of…