Thursday, August 23, 2018

Be Bless

By Jen Hunt in honor of Lashawnda Mccarty, on her graduation from an associate's degree in Human Services from Rasmussen

When Lashawnda writes
The phrase “Be Bless”--
If I confess,
A teeny tiny part of me
May want to change the tense

But what if it’s not
An adjective amiss
A benediction or
Appeal to quaintness
But a charge, or rather
Two, paired in one truth?
Number one: Be
Number two: Bless

How to describe a woman who
Glows from within,
Who never expires
No matter the wind?

A burning bush
Isn’t noted for what it destroys
Or ash left behind
But for light without soot
From an endless fuel

How does she do it?
Be. Bless.
First she “be”-s
Then she blesses
Two verbs, yet
One precedes

A burning bush needn't go anywhere
It can stay
That’s one way to glow
Stay still
Or

Move--
That works, too
For that, there's
God on the Go
Fire, then
Cloud, then
Fire some more
Whatever the need
God’s there, core and skin

No, the burning bush isn’t remembered
For ash left behind
But for energy sure
That never expires

In truth, the burning bush cannot be
Remembered
It just is
Because Jehovah is
The I Am Who I Am

Lashawnda--
Whether she stays
Or goes--
Carries that same fire inside
Ever-strong, solid and
Fueled from within
She. Just. Is.
So,

Be Bless
My cherished friend
Enjoy the ride!

Jesus’ Truly,
Jen

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Playground


By Jen Hunt, after thinking about sex abuse and gender issues confronting the church today

Maybe she gets to come up a bit
Maybe he’s got to come down
Maybe she got knocked up a bit
Maybe he gets knocked down
Somehow we’re back on the old playground
When will we ever learn
Jesus came to make straight the paths
Valleys and hills both burn
Oh
His and hers, Venus, Mars
Nothing comes of it
Whole earth’s striving way too hard
But the Son’s the center of it
See-Saw’s only fun to play
When both sides go both ways
Else I’m here, you’re there
Miles apart ‘n’
Here we sit ‘til the light of day
The Fulcrum, it cuts to the heart
When we’ve got a lot to say
Better get ears unplugged and heels undug
If there’s gonna be a better way
Oh
Maybe he gets to come up a bit
Maybe she’s got to come down
Maybe he got knocked up a bit
Maybe she gets knocked down
Somehow we’re back on the old playground
When will we ever learn
Jesus came to make straight the paths
Valleys and hills both burn
Oh
Pride and love can’t occupy
The same place so it’s been said
His Spirit comes to sons and daughters
Black, White, Brown and Red
Oh
His and hers, Venus, Mars
Nothing comes of it
Whole earth wants to be a star
But the Son’s the center of it
See-Saw’s only fun to play
When both sides go both ways
Jesus came to make straight the paths
Valleys and hills both burn
Somehow we’re back on the old playground
When will we ever learn