THE FLOP-EARED BOY WAITING FOR A DONKEY

 

 

FLOPPY EARS HEAR BETTER

 

THE VILLAGE BOY ASSIGNED FLOPPY EARS

BY SOME UNKNOWN PANEL OF ELDERS

WAITED IN STINKY PUDDLES FOR ONE WHO BEARS

WAITED UNDER A HEAVY BAG OF SMELDERS

THIS FLOP EARED BOY HAD DREAMED OF OTHER FLOP EARS

NOT OF HIS OWN KIN WHO WOULD TROD

WITH FOUR HOOVES, NOT JUST TWO

BEARING A HEAVY BAG IN NOD

OVER LONG DUSTY ROAD IN RUE

OF THE TAXED LOAD EVEN UNBORN

STILL THE FLOPEARED BOY ONLY HEARD FALLING STARS

AND SWEEPING WINDS OF WINGS

BUT WAIT–NOW  DID HE HEAR CLACKING BARS

DRAGGING TO BEAR FRESH THINGS

FOR HEAVY DONKEY LOAD HAD KNOWN

OF NEED FOR SWADDLINGS IN OLD BOXES

HEAVY DONKEY LOAD NOW HEARD WIND-BLOWN

NOW FLOPPY EARS OF BOY AND DONKEY COCKSES

TO CATCH THE BREATH OF EACH IN HEAVE AND SIGH

AS EACH FOUR FLOPPY EARS SENT  WIRES

OF HOPE TO HEART OF BOY AND ALL BY

AS EACH FOUR FLOPPY EARS ALL ANEW UNDER STAR’S FIRES.

 

 

To Be Continued with a third set of ears joining to listen!

 

SKIPPING A ROPE ALL THE WAY TO THE STALL

 

 

Over the past two weeks, we have learned many truths from some unexpected critterly relationships and encounters on the way to Bethlehem.  We have heard them talking in their own languages, with their own unique points of view.  We have sung with them, been startled by them, marched along them, crawled with them, flew with them, called out to whoever would listen with them.  We have been sweeping clean our own Advent path with a lot of help from our critter friends.

 

N ow we will be meeting up with some beings who are mostly human, but not entirely, thank goodness.  We will listen to them in their own idioms.  We will cry and laugh and dance and crawl and mourn and regret and sigh and then jump up high in many showers of  new light along with these folk.  For, you see, we are created in such a peculiar way that we just do not learn or prepare or rejoice very effectively until our hearts and minds have been drilled by points of light fired like shafts by others into our souls.  Come, let us prepare together!

 

So grab your walking sticks and a travel pack.  Scrub the mists from your eyes, so that you may see clearly what has been inside you always.  Throw a little water over your head, so that you may be clean when meeting these wonderful “other folk”.  Carry a little oil, pack a little water, store up a little grain “against that day foretold since before the creation.”  Take my hand, pilgrim.  

 

DREAMING ABOUT ADVENT

 

HERE IS A LINK TO A MEANS OF EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALING THAT I HAVE BEEN MEDITATING UPON FOLLOWING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS AND BEGINNING, FOR ME, THIS SEASON OF ADVENT.  THIS SEASON ALWAYS WORKS BEST FOR ME WHEN I CONSTANTLY REMIND MYSELF IT IS A TIME OF PREPARING MY HEART ALL OVER AGAIN TO RECEIVE THE BIRTH OF MY LORD AND SAVIOR THEREIN. 

Key to easing a painful memory? Dream about it.

HOW CAN I PREPARE MY HEART? 

1.  GIVING IT THE MEDICINE IT NEEDS TO HEAL ENOUGH TO BECOME A NURTURING RESTING PLACE

2.  GIVING IT THE REST IT NEEDS TO HAVE TIME TO DREAM

3. GIVING IT THE FOOD IT NEEDS, BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY, TO THRIVE

4.  GIVING IT THE TIME IT NEEDS TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT AND SQUEEZE AND LET GO

5.  GIVING IT THE OXYGEN IT NEEDS TO HOLD ITS OWN BREATH IN EXPECTANCY

6.  GIVING IT THE FLUIDS IT NEEDS TO WATER MY SOUL

7.  GIVING IT THE AROMAS IT NEEDS TO PREPARE A PLACE OF WORSHIP IN PURITY

8.  GIVING IT THE TOUCHES IT NEEDS TO CONNECT TO ALL HIS OTHER CHILDREN

9.  GIVING IT THE PRAYERFOCUS IT NEEDS TO KNEEL AT ITS OWN MANGER

10.GIVING IT THE STUDY IF NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO REST AND WORK IN BALANCE

Oh, little heart of mine, are you big enough?

Are you big enough to be a manger?

Oh, little heart of mine, are you sweet enough?

Are you sweet enough to feed a baby?

Oh, little heart of mine, are you soft enough?

Are you soft enough to hug that little child?

Oh, little heart of mine, are you strong enough?

Are you strong enough to pulse with that baby’s love?

Oh, little heart of mine, are you filled with enough air and blood?

Are you filled enough to hold still while all those others come to love?

Oh, little heart of mine, are you wise enough?

Are you wise enough to tell of His love to others?

Oh, little heart of mine, are you broken enough?

Are you broken enough to let the baby’s light shine through?

Oh, little heart of mine, are you still enough?

Are you still enough to rest within the baby’s arms?

Oh, little heart of mine, have you learned enough?

Have you learned enough to talk to my soul?

Oh, little heart of mine, have you prayed enough?

Have you prayed enough to kneel with the lambs?