Religion

Conversing with God on Love

God: “Love is patient.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “Love is kind.”
Me:“Check.”
God: “It does not envy.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It does not boast.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It is not proud.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It is not rude.”
Me: “Check.  So far, so good.”
God: “It is not self-seeking.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It is not easily angered.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It keeps no record of wrongs.”
Me: “check…hold on, no record of wrongs?  None?  You mean I can’t bring up that time when my wife did….  No record of wrongs?  Let's...let’s start again.”

God: “Love is patient”
Me: “Well…most of the time.”
God: “Love is kind”
Me: “Yeah, pretty kind.”
God: “It does not envy.”
Me: “Hmmm….”
God: “It does not boast.”
Me: “Gulp.”
God: “It is not proud.”
Me: “Ouch.”
God: “It is not rude.”
Me: “OK, I give up – this is way too hard.”
God: “Just let it go.”
Me: “But it’s too hard.”
God: “Let it go.”
Me: “I’ll try harder, I really will.”
God: “Listen.”
Me: “I will.”
God: “No, listen…let it go.”
Me: “I will.”
God: “No, listen.  Let it go.”
Me: “I am.”
God: “Let it go.”
Me: “Help me.”
God: “You keep on seeing, but don’t see.”
Me: “Seeing what?”
God: “You keep on hearing, but don’t hear.”
Me: “Hearing what?”
God: “It’s not about you – it’s about Me.  This is My love, dear one, not yours.”
Me: “Oh, God.”
God: “One more time through.”

God: “Love is patient.”
Me: “Always so patient.”
God: “Love is kind.”
Me: ”Undeservedly kind.”
God: “It does not envy.”
Me: “I have nothing to give.”
God: “It does not boast.”
Me: “Careful with my fragile ego.”
God: “It is not proud.”
Me: “Compassionate with my state of nothingness.”
God: “It is not rude”
Me: “Gentle beyond belief.”
God: “It is not self-seeking.”
Me: “All things work together for good.”
God: “It is not easily angered.”
Me: “Though I am easily sidetracked.”
God: “It keeps no record of wrongs.”
Me: “For Your sacrifice has covered them all.”
God: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." 
Me: “And truth brings trust.”
God: “It always protects.”
Me: “Though I stray.”
God: “Always trusts.”
Me: “Though I often fail.”
God: “Always hopes.”
Me: “Though I often doubt.”
God: “Always perseveres.”
Me: “Though I often give up.”
God: “Love never fails.” 
Me: “Never fails, ever.”

Me: “Thank you God.”
God: “I love you.”

Pops 2009


Wendell's Trees

Wendell Berry helped open my eyes
when I could not see
the trees for the forest

where the collective gratitude of the woods
cannot be stacked
up against the individual

gift of praise from every sentinel
which is more powerful
and ultimately more palpable

because each is together, yet separate
as I am with you
and we are with God.

Pops 2006