The Black Box (Luke chapter 15)

Back at the first of second round
Of questing (’fore answer found),
I thought the name that would be cool
Was “ICD” (about the school –

And Native-Ed, as we had seen
When “RAI” was focus keen,
Then had its funding pulled away
To spite, like nose cut off that day).

I did not trust myself that time,
For I’d collapsed two times, said, “I’m
Now going to check all this out
With mentor-friend – remove all doubt”.

I did – two weeks in fair BC,
I poured it out so he could see
Where I had been, the road ahead,
For doc said, “Change, or you’ll be dead.

“Your body’s screaming, ‘Stop! You fool!’”
“Live gifts and wish-list – do the school
Stuff you have seen while on the wall –
Release the door-lock shut to all –

“Those native folks – there’ll be no prize
If You Succeed, for no one’s eyes
Will see what’s been prevented there;
But fix with fix which make it fair.”

I’d bounced it off my mentor’s head
And heart – he listened, then he said,
“Sounds good to me, not off the track,
Give it a go (no turning back –

“Is possible – the church has changed;
The one we knew’s been re-arranged);
Go do the part God’s given you
You’ll be okay – you’re not a fool.”

So, I went home; but government
Said, “No, that name’s for others meant;
You cannot use it, it’s ‘reserved’”
(With pun and irony absurd).

I’d little bounce – with tears poured out,
“I’ve nothing now”, though gone my doubt;
A door was closed, how could I move,
No company – so it behooved –

Me to approach reserve again;
“No contract – we will hire – the same,
But we’ve had trouble here before
So join the team, or out the door”.

Lord, now I’m back here once again,
With ICD potential name;
But in the process I have changed –
My focus, now’s quite re-arranged;

Much water’s flowed between the banks –
Like “Works of Power” (no parish – thanks);
The quest’s complete and handed in;
Now “Loop” – assignment I begin;

I’m interactive with You, Lord,
Not with the world – my thrusting-sword
Is sheathed (a stupid way for me
To think I’d “Works of Power” be);

Then training (fruit-tree paradigm);
And modules (novels, over time);
Then poetry; augmented text;
So much has changed – Apostle next.

In TCK, I saw my home
In Creenglish Echoland – I’d roamed
The world in search of base that’s mine,
Then saw I’d been there all the time.

But this is different now, I see –
The Loop is now a part of me;
Not up ahead, not in my past,
But present – I’m at home at last –

Above, and yet around, within,
In purity of Christ – yet sin
Is still a part – for all of us
Reality of world, with trust –

In You, who guides us every day,
To be in places where You say –
A whole new way of doing life
Is in this world of noise and strife.

So what am I to call it now –
This working context? Please show how
To find the handle for this biz
I do, so other folks can live –

And thrive the way You had in mind
When You invented them – help find
Your way amongst the many paths
Which now emerge for lasses, lads.

Lord, what I’m hearing now is new –
“Fresh start – like one I’ve given to you –
That’s what you’re doing (and have done) –
Give future-hope to everyone.

“ ‘Do unto others’ you saw first
In ’87, when things were worst
You’d ever seen, to then, at least;
‘Eight hours a day’, way you could reach –

“Ahead and do most anything;
At ordination Mac did bring
Into awareness what you do –
‘Encouragement to just be you’.

“So come ’long side the others yet
Out here in Giver-Land; and set
Them moving in their lives with zest,
As each into their futures press.

“When things collapsed (‘Apostle’ new,
Quite fragile was) from cancer too,
I had him say, “I’ll hire you
To do this one for me – it’s cool”.

“And so you did, then it collapsed;
Now through ‘black box’ at last he’s passed,
So he knows well the process, cost,
To save one son, coin, sheep that’s lost.

“For that’s the base of Gulliver –
Foundation laid for him or her;
Not ‘add-on’ – ‘geometric blast
Of life’ – ‘fresh start’ – ‘transforms the past’.”

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