matthew 6:28

Baby flower on my lap
See how you grow:
You neither labor
Nor spin, yet
No royal robes can rival
Your fresh beauty,
God-clothed --
My little lily of the field.

ode to pluto

Your whole life they told you
you were special,
you were part
of a bigger system,
worthy of styrofoam
ball status in the
school science project.
You had a name!
and then one day
you found out
all this time
you were really just
asteroid no. 134340.

weight

I feel the weight of you
on my chest
even when you are
not in my arms.
You watch me now,
eyes just learning
to follow an object
across your field of vision;
you will keep watching
all the way
through girlhood and
into the years
when your every move
is a question:
Who am I?
and later:
What does it mean
to be a woman?
and I hope:
What does it mean to be
a woman of God?
These things are coming
and even now
I feel their weight,
the weight of my part
in what your answers
(and questions)
might be.
And in this way
you make me a better me,
a better woman,
a better woman of God:
thank you.

taken, blessed, broken, given

Henri Nouwen uses four words to describe what he calls the "life of the beloved": taken, blessed, broken,given. Nouwen finds these words embodied by Jesus at the Last Supper as He takes the cup, breaks the bread, blesses the elements, and gives them to his friends. I find them to be a resonant expression of pregnancy, birth, and life with a newborn. This was written when Sadie was 2 weeks old.

Taken [early pregnancy]
or rather taken over, occupied, lived in, forcibly moved to another state of being.

Blessed [late pregnancy]
wished-well, given gift after gift, lavished upon, receiving benedictions from strangers and friends.

Broken [birth]
brought low, bent over, rent open, flung wide to usher out.

Given [life with a newborn]
or rather given over in love, offered up, poured out, spent to the last sweet drop for this beautiful gift.

evening prayer

I'm writing a few basic prayers to say with my children throughout the day. Here is the evening prayer, based on Psalm 4:

Lord tonight we call to you
You are right in all you do
Hear our prayer, forgive our sin,
Bring us close to you again
Keep us quiet in our beds
With happy hearts and peaceful heads
Stay close by us through the night
Safe and sound till morning light
Amen.

midday prayer

I'm writing a few basic prayers to say with my children throughout the day. Here is the midday prayer, based on Psalm 121:

Lord we turn our eyes to you
We need your help in all we do
You made the world so you know
The best way for us to go
Watching over one and all
You won't let us slip or fall
Inside, outside, everywhere
We are always in your care
Amen.

morning prayer

I'm writing a few basic prayers to say with my children throughout the day. Here is the morning prayer, based on Psalm 5:

Jesus hear us as we pray
We come to you to start this day
Because you love us we are saved
Please make us holy, strong, and brave
Protect and bless us all day long
And fill us with your joyful song
Give us favor that we might
Shine into this world your light.
Amen.