Hands Aloft

One of the coolest parts of my pastor job is blessing – the language and posture of conveying God’s cherishing . . . bestowing . . . graceful and grace-full . . . God-Word of love and well-being.

Celebrating their wedding anniversary, I am reminded of my step-daughter’s wedding day, she and her husband-to-be-who-now-is side by side, facing each other with the setting sun behind – and there, in one photo, am I, lodged between sun and couple, hands uplifted and curved into the embrace that is blessing.

In that picture-captured moment lie all the best hopes and dreams we who surrounded them had and have for them.

I hope I remembered that day to bless them with the ability to fly. . . to soar above the every day now and again . . . to hold tightly and loosely all at once . . . to be able to see beyond the crisis or doldrums of the next moment into an infinity of love and grace . . . to know that together they can achieve heights neither could without the other . . .

Blessing.

Where Levi Walked

In a little while, I will go and
stand with family and friends
as they remember their Levi,
gone a year now – was it today?

I will watch they who watched
Levi go from boy to man
they who hold the picture memories
so close in their hearts – always
the smiles are what grab and hold

smiling Levi holding a crab up
to the camera . . . smiling Levi
posing for the senior picture
perfect moment picture –
so much more important
than he could have ever guessed

It is that smile I remember
on the face of the boy-man
I barely knew but who
inhabits my refrigerator along
with so many others still here,
smiling new picture memories

I will go to the woods today
I will walk where Levi walked
and I will stand – for a time –
with those who love him best –
witness to their love, their loss