to teach a lesson

you wanted to teach them a lesson...

so you thought you'd share your wisdom?

-but was that wise?

why is it

that we so easily want to teach

yet we drag our feet
when it comes to being taught?

never mind retention

we want to change the world

so we point our fingers

at everyone else

when changing the world
starts so much closer to home

than we are really comfortable with...

b.e. noll

@ least two

Today's talk was inspiring, at least to me. Between that & Chris Smith's spoken intro to & our singing of Never Once by Matt Redman I wrote this:

@ least two
so often
I have felt
completely alone
by
myself
like there was
no one
for me
with me
beside me
on my side
not one
who understood
got it
wanted to
I believed
a lie
in a sea of faces
a liar
THE liar
whispered
till I believed
& mourned

mourned the loss
of people
right in front of me
years later
standing
in a
"no loneliness allowed" room
sunday morning
singing a song
exposing that lie
never once
was I alone
I have many
a sea of loving faces
that clothe hearts
of love
mercy
grace
care
help
I have those
who will stand
walk
run
cry
be silent
with me
no matter
where my path leads
it's never
"just me"
it's never
"just one"
alone
it's
always
@ least two
[me...& YOU]


...YOU
closer than skin,
bigger
than air,
stronger
than steel,
more flexible
than water,
more alive
than life,
longer
than time,
deeper
than the universe,
further "up"
than space,
firmer
than Earth,
YOU
the one
whom
the universe
rests on
like a marble
rests
in my hand

b.e. noll

p.s. Thanks to Tracy & Jim, who were an unknowing [personal] illustration of the sermon topic today, community.

the live version of a photo

Yesterday I got to spend a few fleeting moments with some friends I haven't seen for quite a while. It was nice to see them...

live version of an old photo
I haven't heard
these voices
singing to each other
in conversation
for such a long time
fun to see the reconnection
catching up on what's been happening
eve's dropping on each other's stories
flurries of questions
nods of understanding
a community
reconnecting
the well worn bicycle metaphor
fitting in quite nicely
hand shakes
hugs
once again
looking at smiles live
where
for so long
it was just frozen smiles of yesterday
on dog eared photos of
another time
long ago

Thank you
Yahweh
for making people
priceless

b.e. noll
[I have no clue who took this photo, as I am in it. Thanks though!
Laramy Peak, Wyoming. !980... 1988 or 1989, pretty sure]