Welcome

Waiting long enough to hear.

Every day

We decide

Who and what

We will welcome

Into our hearts,

What and who we will allow

In.

Sometimes it takes

Longer than a day.

Sometimes

It takes one particular word

We could never

Have predicted,

A word we won’t know

Until it is said

Out loud,

And we stay in one place

Long enough

To hear it.

Every day we decide

And then

We decide again.

Wise men

The daughter put the wise men in the family room.  They finally arrived at the mangers in the living room two days late.  I understand they were really late anyway.  We are just going with the story here.  I figure they will need more time to contemplate the mystery with us.

The wise men have arrived

At our three nativities.

They will stay for now.

Stay here

Sometimes I become wed to the notion of moving along because it seems I should be moving.  I can't figure out what good staying here will do.  It seems lately, when I don't listen, I am brought to my knees, put in my place.  OK.  Here I am.  For as long as it takes.

Just when I think

It’s ok to move along now

I hear

No

Stay here.

When I try

To move along anyway

I am brought to my knees,

Learn the next step

Is one step back

Now hold.

Now

Hold some more.

No

Stay here

For now.

Now will last as long

As it needs to.

Just as long

As it needs to.