This one's for Jim. Also, it was half
written by him. Oh, and get this - he
surprised me this weekend by coming for
a visit! We had an amazing time, from
sushi to poem writing to walking through
Cleveland's West Side Market, which, by
the way, is a cultural paradise for people
like myself who get very excited by food.

Poem #1

Driving across the country
just to show up on my doorstep -
No delivery man could ever take your place.
Spontaneity among our hearts
found us at "The Harp."
We climbed to the top of Cleveland's tower.
Flying further, Mr. Magic made
a glorious mess of music.

Do you know what I saw,
What angels heard
when you smiled
and jumped?

Happiness can haunt a lonely cave
but we are not afraid.
Every couple makes a song that sounds
from out their love's stirring.
We converse in this way, lined in harmony,
strengthened by virtue of our meeting.


The internship continues to go well. I am on a
massive learning curve, but I think that's the general
idea of an internship. I'm really enjoying it and am
so excited to be in the place I am in, wanting and
praying to be used as a vessel, filled by Christ
through His Holy Spirit.

In Christ, both Jew and Gentile (me) are made into
one man, joined together with Christ, and being
made Holy by a God who reached out to us in mercy
even WHILE we were sinners. It is by Grace we have
been saved! (Yes, I am reading Ephesians these days.)

There is a Power like that which raised Christ from
the dead that is accomplishing these things in us,
and is giving us the ministry of reconciliation in
the world. Praise God! The book of Ephesians is
proving to be very faith strengthening. I need it
so much. Faith in God through Christ makes this life
really mean something of value - something that will
live on after my short and fragile (though beautiful)
life is over.

I think part of life's beauty is somehow intertwined
with the fact that it is fleeting, and so fragile. I
can picture it like a rose wet with dew, so vivid and
bright, but quickly becoming pale and wilting, bent by
the rays of the glistening sun that continues on until
her Maker will take her place.