advent journal
People who think poetry has no power have a very limited understanding of what power means.--Christian Wiman If you look up power in the dictionary, the definitions revolve around influence and control, as in the power to make people do what you want. If you look at the way
advent journal
One of the songs sure to show up over the next few weeks is “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” In our congregation, we sing it to the HYFRODOL tune, which is warm and familiar to me. As long as I have heard the story of Jesus’ birth, it has had expectations
advent journal
On my train ride to Grand Central Station, the penultimate stop is Harlem/125th Street. Once the doors close, it takes about fifteen minutes to go the last eighty blocks to the terminal on 42nd Street. The closer we get, the slower the train goes. Passengers get up, put on
advent journal
Somewhere along the way, and a long time ago now, I picked up a quote that has stuck with me: “The first rule of theology is there is a God and it’s not me.” I have no idea who said it, but it continues to ring true and it
advent journal
In last night’s poem, I wrote would that we had a ladder to make a consolation of ourselves I didn’t realize my autocorrect had its own poetic intent until I read the poem again this evening. What I meant to type was would that we had a ladder
advent journal
solstice come sit in the dark with me and look at that moon that is so at home in the night let us reach deep into the pockets of our souls for scraps of hope and wonder come look up at the firefly stars flinging their light lay back on
advent journal
After I finished writing last night, I was still restless even though I was exhausted. So I decided to watch Springsteen on Broadway, now that it is on Netflix. Once I got started, I had a hard time turning it off. I’ve been a fan of the Boss for
advent journal
Wednesdays are my day to go to New York for work, which means I leave the house around 4:30 to catch the morning train in West Haven and I get home in the evening about 7. I am grateful I only have to do it one day a week
advent journal
A season isn’t something that befalls you, it is something that you inhabit. —John Berger, The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger in the fulness of time they hit the road when the days were accomplished they stayed a couple of nights then they went back home
advent journal
My dear friend David Gentiles died on December 18 nine years ago. I am still conscious of both his absence and his presence. Going through some old poems tonight I found this one that I wrote after he sent me a note to say he was listening to his John
advent journal
Maybe it’s because I went into the family business. My grandfather, Milton I, was a preacher. My father, Milton II, was a preacher. I am Milton III. In the spring of my first year at Baylor, I walked down the aisle at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church one Sunday night
advent journal
One of my favorite Advent songs comes from Tom Petty. the waiting is the hardest partevery day you see one more cardyou take it on faith, you take it to the heartthe waiting is the hardest part Though the baby he’s talking to in the song has nothing to