Surf Songs of the Spirit

SEA JELLO

The waves of winter are unlike the deep blue of summer,

with white rimmed breakers, calm and serene.

Winter waves are stormy, froth and foam,

the water a mass of turbulent white.

Yet over and over the foam comes ashore…

Sea jello shaking, dancing in the wind,

Sand surfing, skittering across beach,

Until trapped by log or rock,

to turn yellow and dry as patterns in the sand.

Unique art created by the Master.

The storms of life, tribulations and trials,

also touch us with patches of sea jello,

moments of God beauty

that strengthen us to withstand the storm

and look for the sparkle of God-light in the bubbles of foam. 

(11.17)

LIBERATION FINGERS

I walked the beach today pondering my just completed liberation prayers.

I watched the winter waves roll in,

foamy fingers merging, touching, then ebbing away;

freed in their wake was the life of the sea:

jellyfish, shells, feathers, seaweed…

only to be reclaimed with the next wave.

Over and over.

I thought it much like our liberating God

who gently releases us to the freedom of life on this earth,

free to be in relationship and celebrate, free to service and sin.

God, who then comes in with fingers of grace to reclaim and forgive,

and set us free again and again. 

(11.17)

Summer 2016...

      Walking the beach last week in absolutely beautiful weather conditions brought songs to my lips constantly.  After writing three new verses to This Is My Father's World (there were no stanzas for the ocean!), I found another hymn of creation come to mind: For the Beauty of the Earth.  The following is my new interpretation of this well-known song.  

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

 

For the beauty of the sea

Waves that roll eternally.

Sand and seaweed, foam of white

Seagulls soaring into flight.

Lord of all to Thee we raise,

This our hymn of ocean praise.

For chiseled peaks cloaked deep with snow

And shrouded valleys far below

Tamaracks and stately pine

Lupine, phlox and columbine.

Lord of all to Thee we raise,

This our hymn of mountain praise.

For flaming bands of crimson light

Sunsets draw us into night.

Bolts of lightning,  clouds of white

Stars and planets shining bright.

Lord of all to Thee we raise

This our hymn of celestial praise.

Eagles and hawks that soar on high

Ravens and lowly dragonfly

For deer and bear and mighty moose

Chickens, pigs, and barnyard goose.

Lord of all to Thee we raise

This our hymn of creature praise.

For the beauty of the sand

Cacti creations dot the land.

Coyote, fox, and tiny shrew,

Armadillo, lizards too.

Lord of all to Thee we raise

                            This our hymn of desert praise.