Furnace guy

Thankful for the furnace guy. Showing up is what counts.

The furnace is out.

The cats chase each other

To stay warm.

I sit in the sun.

Now the furnace guy

Is here.

He speaks

In monosyllables.

We don’t care.

He shows up.

We don’t call him

For his personality.

While we were gone

More to be thankful for. Thank you, Jan Birchler!

While we were gone

A neighbor shoveled our walk,

Took wonderful care

Of cat and kitten and turtle;

In fact

Loved them

As we do,

Maybe better,

Way more than we could ask

Or expect.

When we walked through the door

At 10 PM

They were happy to see us

But not

Neglected happy.

No:

Well-fed

Well-played-with

Un-neglected

Happy.

There is no more

We could ask for,

There is so much

To be thankful for.

Amen.

Scratch

There are so many things that tempt my creative nature.  I have started things, even churches, and watched them grow and die, only to become ground for something else.  Sometimes I can't see that "something else"  but still I know it's there.  Churches, and even life, are not meant to be grasped and held.  My daughter attended a great new church in Denver.  What a wonderful thing it would be to plant a church... she thinks.  Me too.  Still... me too.  I am reminded again... me too.

I have reached the stage

In my life

I realize

I will never start a church

From scratch.

Scratch never made

A good beginning anyway.

Nothing

After all

Begins from scratch,

Much less

Much more

Gatherings of people

Who care about one another;

People

Who figure out new ways;

People

Who adopt old ways

To care.

No one

Will ever start a church

From scratch,

Not even me.

What a guy!

Feeling loved and cared for by my beloved.  What a guy!

What a guy!

He drove me to therapy,

Sat and graded papers

In the car.

What a guy!

He took me to work out,

Slept in the car

Facing the pond.

What a guy!

Half asleep

He saw my father,

Now dead,

Looking at him,

Silent as he always was,

Promised him he would continue

To take care of me.

What a guy!

Even asleep

He has my back.