Category Archives: Blessings

Raindrops

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Raindrops

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for raindrops,
pesky on glasses,
risky on a white t-shirt,
frisky as they land with a splash
in roadside puddles.

Blessed are You
for the wideness of meaning
in a raindrop:
hope—the end of drought,
fear—a tropical storm,
irritation—picnic at the park,
boredom—long and rainy spring.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for the elegance of raindrops,
their tidy round wetness
highlighting beauty as they pause
on blades of grass, bluebird feathers,
rose petals, pine needles,
or dangle from the tiniest twig.
How do they hold on without fingers?

Starling

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Starling

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for starlings
in shapeshifting flocks
clouds of wings,
or neat rows on power lines
trailing stragglers at each end.

Blessed are You
for cacophony in the pecan tree this morning,
commanding my attention
as I step outside and look upward,
stare until I find movement,
the lean and pointy shape of a bird.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for the company of starlings
floating and flapping,
unaware they catch my eye
and remind me that You know
each one.
Maybe I, too, can know a starling someday.

Together

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Together

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for what I can’t do alone—
friendship and love,
hugs and kisses,
move a piano,
put a bandaid on my back,
play tag,
sing harmony.

Blessed are You
for what I don’t want
to do alone—
celebrate Christmas,
feel overwhelmed,
blow out candles,
put together a puzzle,
go to the theater.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for coming to a world
tired of being alone
as Emmanuel, “I am with you,”
and for creating me to crave
love and laughter,
connection and collaboration,
touch and togetherness,
melting into others
the way You melt into me.

He Brought Me to His Banqueting Table

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He Brought Me to His Banqueting Table

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for celebration—
a handshake
or handmade card,
a hatful of money
or armful of flowers.

Blessed are You
for birthday parties
and white elephant gifts,
balloon bouquets
and long-stemmed roses,
graduation caps
and dance recitals,
fireworks, hot dogs,
folks gathered together.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for water drops on flower petals,
rainbows and radiant children.
Birdcalls announce morning,
crickets herald evening,
wordless celebration,
sun setting, moon rising,
Your banner over me is
love.

Berries Will Turn Red

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Berries Will Turn Red

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for warm mug in hand,
steam rising,
tea sweet with creamer.

Blessed are You
for Phrank—the cat—
purring on my lap,
face pinched with old age;
for leaves edged thinly with brown,
hinting at Autumn;
for the last bucket
of grapes from the vine,
complete with spiders,
ladybugs, and earwigs.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for tiny green berries
hidden in green leaves
surrounding our porch.
The berries will turn red,
the leaves will flame with color
and I will cut
a handful of branches
and put them in a vase
and say, Thank You for this,
for life.

For 18 Years

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For 18 Years

Blessed are You
Lord our God
King of the Universe
for 18 years of marriage,
of love—
bitter / sweet
comforting / unsettling
lonely / intimate
full

Blessed are You,
for I have seen You
in Michael’s face
in his words
his steadfastness
forgiveness

Blessed are You
Lord our God
King of the Universe
for duck pond dates
pillow talk and pillow tears
Ted Lasso
role reversals
one-liners
friendship

Blessed are You
for we have loved and endured
each other
and each other’s families.
We have learned by participation
what hurts and what heals.
Seeing, seeing
seeing each other
and then again
forever

My Favorite Greens

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My Favorite Greens

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for bouncy green parrots,
moss, and mint ice cream,
firm green limes,
green toenail polish.

Blessed are You
for green smoothies and green tea,
guacamole on yellow corn chips,
green apples and green beans,
zucchini sautéed with Portabellos.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe;
green was, I suppose, Your idea—
humans with green eyes,
frogs with green bodies,
lily pads and spinach,
tropical green fish—
these are a few of my favorite greens.

Will I Be Friends With My Mind?

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Will I Be Friends With My Mind?

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for my mind.
I’d rather curse You for it,
but that wouldn’t fit my poem.
My mind is prone to operating
with one wheel in the ditch.
Sleep is my drug of choice,
sweet relief from my mind.

Blessed are You
for meeting me in my mind,
proving once again
that You have a taste
for dinner with a sinner.
Because of Your audacity,
I consider making amends
with my mind.
Maybe we can get along
despite everything.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for my mind—
filing cabinets of facts,
drawers in disarray,
windrows of worries,
and stacks of stories.
If it were empty
I would cease to exist.
So, thank You for the mess
and the miracle
that is my mind.

Holy Homemakers

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Holy Homemakers

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for taking up residence in me.
I don’t think You are an implant,
sewn to the tissues of my brain, or heart.
You must live in that part of me
we humans fail to define,
the spirit or soul,
breath of life first passed
from Your lips to Adam’s
all those years ago.

Blessed are You for co-signing
on the mortgage
for these bones and flesh,
and putting Your name
next to mine
on the mailbox.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for showing me how to belong
here in myself,
trusting what Your presence indicates—
that this is home—
my spirit, my body, and Your divinity
as homemakers.

Cats, Who Speak Their Minds

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Cats, Who Speak Their Minds

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for kittens,
by turns eager or shy,
soft or sharp,
gentle or vicious,
always fully embodied.

Blessed are You for cats,
who know the wisdom of naps,
the wildness of string,
the curiosity of a cardboard box;
who speak their minds
with mews and purrs,
claws and paws and pointed ears.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
for senior cats,
who ease into all-day naps
quite naturally,
forget litter box etiquette,
and are content with a cuddle,
rather than a romp.
May I, too, receive life
with gaiety and age with grace.