Suffering.

The more I grow distant from the affairs of this world and tune my heart with the desires of heaven the more unbearable it seems to live on this earth and be confined to this earthly body with it's abundance of limitations and sinful attributes. The more I focus on the goodness of God and am overwhelmed by His holiness, the more frustrated I am by the fickleness of my own heart and the imperfections of others who's sin hurts me more deeply. This discontent is holy. But sometimes in this participation in His sufferings I neglect to drink deeply of the cup of The Lord and instead of drawing on His strength in the midst of my weakness, I drink from the cup they offered Him on the cross to numb His pain. And so reckon myself numb to His peace and comfort.

to know your name

Knowing You is the great adventure.
 

It's a treasure that we have to seek to find within ourselves,
through the glimpses of you in our interactions with others
and our experiences directly with you.
 

Knocking on the door of all You've made us for is scary,
but the alternative is worse,
disobedience and death even while we suppose to live.

We can't see all that we're stepping into,
and perhaps that's the greatest leap of faith.
 

The leap into all the unknown of ourselves;
the questions, the doubts, the wounds,
the barriers to a deeper experience of ourselves, our neighbors, our world,
 

but most of all, You.

God, don't let us give up the legacy you're creating thru us
for the temporary acceptance afforded us by this age.

Let us press on for the greater reward of knowing you and being found in you.

coffee

 Such a communal cup of brewed delight.

You offer up your fragrance for all to enjoy and pause 

for the familiar routine of meditation,conversation or awakening.

There is obviously an element of fellowship in sharing a cup of coffee, 

but how often do I contemplate the people involved 

in the process of crafting this beverage?

 Someone harvested the beans, roasted them and packaged them for sale. 

They had to be ground up and interact with hot water 

to release their flavor and aroma, 

much the same way is the release of the Spirit in me.