Monday, May 10, 2010

ROBERT : I am stealing your words . . . .

I am stealing your words, fine ones that they are —
There is enough tension between the confidence of life and the chaos of dying and the misery of returning to dust and the mystery of rising again to keep us clinging to our prayer . . . .

Confidence, chaos, misery, mystery — clinging.
These may not be all the words that I am willing use to describe my journey of faith, but I will take them as a start, and a fine one at that. ( In fact, the race is on, dear friend; if you do not manage to publish these words that I am stealing from you before I do, then the fault is yours. They are well-written ones, and certainly worthy of theft. )

The only words I would add to your list of confidence, chaos, misery, mystery — clinging — might be these : returning, rest, salvation, sabbath — letting go. And I should not have noticed my own poor ones without your fine ones.
I am thinking these days that somewhere in the midst of your words and mine may well lie the News.

Almighty God ; You have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, that in quiet and confidence shall be our strength : By the might of your Spirit lift us to your presence, we pray, that we may be still and know that you are God . . . . . Amen.
Thanks, pal.

2 comments:

susan gaddis said...

Wonder, questions, suprise, doubt, stumbling, backtracking, assurance, companions, enemies, journey, searching, holding back, fear, solitude, silence, musing, celebration, marking time, reflection, certainty, destiny:
stepping into the eye of the hurricane.

Cathy
blogspot.thismoment
and
Susan
susangaddis.net

GailNHB said...

There are so many words, so many perfect, descriptive, appropriate, powerful, life-affirming, mysterious, imprecise, undefined words that tell our stories and stir up stories to tell. Thank you for reminding us of so many of them and encouraging us to find new ones for ourselves.