Oh the offers

Offers come continually. What will we say this time?

Oh the offers come:

The conference will cost less

If only I will do more:

Wake up earlier

Than I ever do,

Organize the materials,

Introduce the speaker,

Be eternally present.

Oh the offers come:

Will I consider

Interim ministry again?

Oh the offers:

There is a tiny kitten

A girl,

Calico.

I understand all calicoes

Are girls.

There is a tiny kitten

Waiting in Ohio,

A tiny catbox,

Kitten-size food dishes

Already in the car.

The old cat,

Sound asleep

In one of his many cat beds,

Has no idea.

No idea whatsoever.

Beef brisket

It's like this... two boats... traveling on different rivers... except they both end up in the Sea... eventually. Meanwhile...on occasion... there's brisket with horseradish... and many, many, mixed metaphors.

Yesterday I spent time

With a friend

Who encouraged me

To make leaps and bounds

In my fifties.

We shared beef brisket

With horseradish.

It seemed I should offer him

Something

Except I wasn’t sure exactly what.

I said

If there’s any way

You think

I can be helpful

Please

Please

Let me know.

He said

I will,

With that twinkle he has,

I will.

List: Take two

Even as I was making list number one in my head, list number two came to mind.  Perhaps this is because I am positively inclined.  This reflection is about the list of what I have to offer right now.  Of course it may change as things arise.  Things seem to have a way of arising.  

I make another list.

This is the list of things

I can offer

Given who I am

At this time

In my life.

I write the bishop

With two offers.

I offer pastoral care

For anyone

In the world.

I offer alcohol and drug assessment

For those who fall through the cracks

Of the system

Such as it is.

I offer to sit with anyone

To listen for

What God

May be saying.

This is list number two.

List three

has yet

to be determined.

Stay tuned.