If Jesus hadn’t come
as a naked babe,
I wouldn’t know God’s humility,
tenderness and vulnerability.

If Mary hadn’t said yes,
I wouldn’t have known my savior.
If Joseph hadn’t listened to his dreams,
I wouldn’t take mine seriously.

If the shepherds hadn’t paid homage,
I wouldn’t know how to bow down.
If the wise men hadn’t followed the star,
I wouldn’t know God’s universality.

If Jesus hadn’t slept peacefully,
I wouldn’t know true trust.
If he hadn’t nursed at Mary’s breast,
I wouldn’t know the milk of human kindness.

If Jesus hadn’t been born,
I wouldn’t know my true worth.
If he hadn’t lived,
I wouldn’t know how Love leads a life.

If Jesus hadn’t died,
I wouldn’t understand surrender.
And if he hadn’t risen from the grave,
I wouldn’t be re-born.

by
Maura Kennedy

Each New Day

Even though there is much to fear in this world, no one will rob me of each new day. My dog doesn't need a clock to know when each new day arrives. He stands at the side of my bed and when I feel his presence and his breathing, I slowly open my eyes. "It's a new day," he says through excited eyes and a wagging tail. Come on, let's see what it holds. I have to get out in that back yard and check out things that might have happened during the night. Perhaps you'll play ball with me. You never can tell what is going to happen, but it's got to be good!" He thinks only fun will come today. He has no doubts or fears about the hours ahead. When I look at his eager expression, I begin to think so too.
The two cats soon follow. They softly creep about my bed, traveling slowly to my shoulders and stare into my eyes. "So, how about it?" they seem to say. "Come on, get up! We're hungry."
Cats carry a silent wisdom. They will cope with whatever the day brings. They immediately sit on the window ledge to observe the arriving dawn. After breakfast, they nap. Their easiness always brings a smile to my face. In the kitchen, even my parakeet says hello! "I'm singing to brighten the morning," she seems to say. It can't be a bad day if you have a song, I think. So, I hum as I feed the animals.
When I look outside, I see a stray cat sitting on the porch couch looking up at me, waiting. "Good morning," he nods, his expression telling me, "I've been out here all night guarding the house, waiting for the new day. So you have nothing to worry about with me out here. I can't wait to see what adventures are before me. Do you have anything good to eat?" I do not disappoint the expectation in his eyes and deliver him a hearty breakfast. Watching the cat devour it, gives me an appetite for my own first meal of the new day.

As I stand there, the sun opens up and splashes across the street. "Nothing can stop me unless I let it, " it speaks to me through its light. "Let my light chase away your darkness and fear." I rush inside to get dressed determined that no one or nothing will rob me of this day! (paraphrase - Harriet Savitz)

Trick or Treat

Halloween

Little ghost and goblins

knocking at my door

Think they're fooling me

but I've seen them before

Little people wearing masks

to cover up their faces

If I don't give them goodies,

they'll take me through their paces

I don't think they'd harm me

as they say they would

They're only little people

who are really good

Wouldn't it be funny

if they arrived at my door

Wearing little signs that said,

"Please love us some more."

Are they like the rest of us

pretending to be different

Afraid of uncovering

what is really there?
We all go through the paces,

covering up our faces

Wearing masks and never really saying

that we are only playing

We are all like the little people

coming to my door

Pretending to be scary

When all they really want

is for us to love them more!

(MK)

Wholeness

I joyfully recognize and realize my wholeness.

Through creative thought,

I become what I think and I perceive what I believe.

I am radiantly whole, healthy, loving, wise,

prosperous and full of joy.

(".....be made new by the renewal of your mind

and put on the new self." Ephesians 4: 23 & 24)

How My Art Evolves

My art comes from my inner landscape, as described in Peter London's book, "No More Secondhand Art (Awakening the Artist Within)". Sometimes I have a concept in my mind and heart, like "steadfastness", "fun", or "autumn". I let my hands lead and the markers follow. The theory behind this is:"the hands know before the head what you want to express." I do a complete outline of the shapes first, then color them in, usually choosing them at random, unless I want to express a theme like Irish, a holiday, or such. I never know what I will draw; it is spontaneous. This is why it takes some observing to "see" the pictures. I also draw cartoons and simple travel pictures that I keep in a journal.

A Ritual to Read to Each Other

If you don't know the kind of person I am,

and I don't know the kind of person you are,

a pattern that others made may prevail in the world.

And following the wrong god home,

we may miss our star.

For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,

a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break,

sending with shouts the horrible errors

of childhood storming out to play

through the broken dyke.

I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty -

to know what occurs and not recognize the fact.

An so I appeal to a voice - to something shadowy,

a remote region in all who talk: though we could

fool each other, we should consider -

least the parade of our mutual life

gets lost in the dark.

For it is important that awake people be awake or

a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;

the signals we give - yes, no, or maybe -

should be clear; the darkness around us is deep.

(William Stafford)

Say It With Flowers

(Sea Girt, NJ boardwalk -2010)

Lord, I do fear

Thou'st made the world far too beautiful this year.

My soul is all but out of me.

I will be the gladdest thing under the sun for

I will touch a hundred flowers

and not pick one.

(Edna St. Vincent Millay)