What is the longing of my heart?
What do I want?

I want us to just be
Just be ourselves
But ourselves full of Jesus
overflowing Christ
Putting others first
Questioning everything
Holding on to what is good
Acting justly
Loving mercy
Walking humbly
Seeing God everywhere
Especially in the other
Having a bigger view
And a smaller one
To feel God beside you when you wash the dishes
When you play catch in the backyard
When you pick at your sandwich in the breakroom
When you go through the drivethrough
To really listen
To love creation
Including these bodies

To wonder what really matters – just to wonder, just to start to consider wondering
That would be plenty.
that would be radical enough.



(this came out after attempt #948 to write a set of responsive prayers for the coming weeks. I just want to slam my head in the car door. Too many words.

I have often thought, especially in church, that bad art comes from writing to order. You know how you occasionally hear a worship song, and it's just clunky and dead? I always think that's from a person who said "we need a song about justice?Let's see, I'm sure I can write a song about justice...Hmmm...." and what you get is something with unassailable lyrical content that sings like a national anthem. (Not ours. I actually like our national anthem, especially the later verses. Like some made-up national anthem extolling a list of selected virtues.)

Anyway, I was doing some very bad writing indeed, and so I took a break and wrote that. It has not cleared my head very effectively - its still rather buzzy and hot in there - but I might be on my way.)