En-joy-able Life

G_d? He takes a sideways motion when we go off track;
Heading in the same direction – always got our back,
And our front, and all around us – circumscribed by joy –
Whither flee out of His presence, whether girl or boy?

We start out (dim recollection) neither here nor there;
Parents take us part way thither, choices we compare;
Some mature on horizontal, vertical, or both,
To the end we choose direction, that's what sets the course.

When we meet our life-time partner, throw away the key,
We set out to live together – G_d, and you, and me;
Then we find our paths diverging, often more than not,
Putting strain on our relations, soon things come to naught.

When we're climbing different mountains, thirty feet of rope
Soon gets tight and quite constricting as our way week grope;
One must leave their precious mountain, or perhaps us both,
If to have a lifetime marriage is of precious worth.

 ’Round the beings of both parties flows Creator's love,
Helping both to make decisions, gentle as a dove;
Sometimes we move way out further than G_d's pace for us –
Scramble back to His protection when encounter fuss.

Bending back and forth along some felt trajectory –
Taking hold then letting go – the best that we can be –
G_d knows how to bring maturing to our history,
Weaving in and out our being, half in mystery.

Running up ahead of Jesus in our striving ways
Gets us into trouble quickly, and for that one pays;
“Smarten up”, “don't be so stupid”– think we'd never learn –
Anxious is our inner being – joyful life we spurn.

Problem is, diverging distance one way or the other –
How to bridge that gaping wideness with our sister/brother?
“No concern of yours”, He tells us, “live out life your way;
I'll fulfill each person's story in sufficient day.”

“What about the gap between us – isn't that a shame?”
“Shame for whom? Each has a journey, living in my name;
I've a task with Grace fulfilling – mind your life and stay
Out of what is not your business, trust – I'll find a way –

“Way – to bring about maturing in both histories;
Things you did not choose to have, and not a part of Me
Fill your beings, permeate your lives right from their starts –
That's the social part of living – you're both body-parts.

“Social sin is your condition, not just in your lives;
In the context of your cultures sloppy living thrives;
Question is how can My loving-joy flow out through you
In the daily parts of living which I'd have you do?

“Joy – My joy, in strength surrounds you, let it soak in deep;
Celebrate in joyful loving, life and joy you seek;
How attractive is your lifestyle? Who would want your life?
Where's My joy and love exuding into social strife?”

Lord, that raises challenge for me – maybe that's the thing –
Giving rise to running out ahead, I cannot sing;
For it's stressful striving forward – that's perhaps the key –
Falling back into Your joy and let it strengthen me.

“One thing different”, was advice from book a while ago –
Wouldn't that some waves create – if laughter I would show!
No one laughs and jokes about the tragedies in life –
Tragedies? Get real – this lifestyle here is very nice!

Fill my life with joy, this morning, as I face today;
Open up my eyes and bring to me Your joyful way;
“Do not let them get your joy” and “Bridge is washed away”
Were the words You spoke to me through them in cancer's day.

Lord, I see Your transformation of this picture now;
Yes, I'm up ahead in living – silly little boy –
But Your love and joy surround us – not just in our lives
Lived on earth as single persons ’till when each one dies.

But around our smaller circles of Your love for each,
Lies a ring of larger being way beyond our breach;
So Your joy and love extends much further than our turf –
We can celebrate Your presence anywhere on earth.

Need not fear that You'll be absent, wandering from Your sphere;
Circumscribed within our groupings; venturing out here –
For the circle of your being tight around our space
Is not the limit of Your being for the human race.

Now I see the larger picture of my task to do –
Leading people to that angle slanting up to You;
Not coercion, but attraction – love and joy through me –
If that cannot be attractive – well then, “shame on me!”

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