February 15, 2020

WHERE  DID  THIS  JESUS 

GET HIS  KNOWLEDGE? 

Where Jesus learned: at home, in the 

carpenter shop, in the temple or synagogues,

in fields, mountains, and deserted places,

looking at flowers, children, the birds

of the air, how merchants measured

flour and meal in the  marketplaces.

He liked being with  crowds, as well as

sailing on the sea of Galilee – whether

calm or in storms. He watched  

fishermen coming ashore with

empty nets. He sensed the difficulty

in being  blind,  lame and hurting.

He could feel those who reached out

to just touch the tassel of his cloak.

He took time to pray in gardens.

He looked  at grapes in vineyards

as well as wheat in the fields.

He saw that people loved bread and

wine, good stories like lost brothers

or coins or sheep being found.

He washed feet and allowed

women to wash his feet in turn.

No wonder he said, “The Kingdom

of God is here. It’s in our midst."

No wonder they said, "Where did
this man get all this wisdom?"

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

February  15,  2020 

Thought  for  Today 

“Bringing the  gifts  that  my  ancestors gave, I am the dream  and the hope of the slave.  I rise. I rise. I rise.” 

Maya Angelou

February 14, 2020

THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER 

OF FIRST CORINTHIANS 

REVISITED 23 YEARS AND 32 DAYS 

AFTER THE WEDDING CEREMONY 

Love is called for

when there is anger,

impatience or  jealousy.

Love is called for

when the other is boasting,

rude or selfish.

Love is called for

when the other is offensive

or resentful or loves it when the other fails.

Love is called for

when the other will no longer

excuse, trust, hope or be willing to  endure.

Love is called for

when we have forgotten to use 

the gift of the languages of love.

Love is called for

when we are still childish and

we still argue and are angry like kids.

Love is called for

when we’re looking in the mirror

instead of looking into each other face to face.

Love is called for

when we forget the 3 things that last

faith, hope and love, the greatest being love.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

February  14,  2020

Thought  for  Today

"One of the hardest  things  in  life is having words in your  heart that you can’t utter.” 

James Earl Jones

February 13, 2020

UNDERNEATH

There at two ways of doing this –

that is - finding out what’s beneath

this green grass called our backyard.

A good steel shovel or spade

with a sharp metal tip or one

of those gadget metal detectors.

I’d start with the metal detector

and then start digging – cutting into

the grass and then the  brown earth.

Or be the poet and see families for

the past 200 years – enjoying picnics,

parties, games on this back lawn.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

February 13, 2020

Quote for today:

“The battles that count  aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself—the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us — that’s where it’s at.” 

Jesse Owens

February 12, 2020

INNER VOICES

At times I’ve been tempted to collect your mistakes,

to write them down in a book, listing time, date, place, 

the things you said, or did to me that hurt - really hurt.

Then months later when a border war or skirmish

between us erupts, I can pull out my list of your

mistakes and splash them in your face, like acid.

Wait. I can’t do that. We’re Christians. We’re

humans. I don’t want to do  that.  I choose not

to hold onto all  the stupid things you do.

Yet! But! Wait!  A hesitation appears. If or when

you pick out something I’ve done wrong, a mistake,

I'll  have no book or words  to throw at you.

Yet! But! Wait! Come to think about it – there is

a benefit for me in not keeping such a diary ….

My space would begin to stink with smelly thoughts.

So, I guess, love for you is really love for me too.
Good thing someone took the time to write down
the words of Jesus - on why to love one's enemies.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020