Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Forsythia yellow

Today was clergy Quiet Day at Morton Arboretum.  It was a gift and a blessing, from people present, to worship, to time spent in quiet, looking out at trees in the rain.  It was lovely to be in a place where little needed to be said.  Indeed, there were many hugs exchanged, and fewer words.  A good way to spend the Tuesday in Holy Week.  
For whatever reason, I am now realizing forsythia yellow, noticing it everywhere.  It seems once a deficit has been noticed, God plants it everywhere.  It is a good reminder, this yellow on a gray rainy day.  It is a reminder of joy.  It rains in my heart.

Being driven to Quiet Day
It was all forsythia:
Roadsides
Yards
Patches
Whole bright yellow
Swatches,
Yellow like I*d never seen.

Years ago I had bad memories
Of aqua.
Aqua was redeemed,
Returned to me in a dream of picking
Aqua flowers.
I held them in open hands
Let the petals sift through my fingers.
After that I saw aqua everywhere.
It had never occurred to me
Certain colors could be redeemed.

The spoken word this morning offered:
Joy reigns in my heart.
It became:
Joy rains in my heart.
Today forsythia yellow has been given back.
Joy rains.
I have received it
Hold it in open hands
Watch it permeate the landscape.
Yellow is everywhere
Bright in the rain
Yellow forsythia joy
Rains in my heart,
Redeemed.

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