Inspired by Deacon George

Amidst the grief of loss

God is with us

Amidst the joy of a new born child

God is with us

Amidst argument and acrimony

God is with us

Amidst playful banter

God is with us

In a pale sky

God is with us

In the rustling trees

God is with us

In the brilliant sunrise

God is with us

in the gentle breeze

God is with us

With a toddler digging in the dirt

God is with us

In the highs and lows

and everything in between.

Amidst the struggles:

Divorce, addiction,

family break-up,

our God, who is love,

is with us,

calling us together,

towards love,

towards the light.

But we forget.

So we celebrate Christmas

Again,

to remember again that

God is with us.

Our 14 year old kelpie

is riddled with arthritis.

The drugs keep her going.

That and her quiet determination.

Our morning walk is to the beach.

Her happy place.

She’ll swim every day she can

but hates being dried!

She seems to dislike

some of our neighbours.

Don’t know why.

She’ll plod along

into the corner of our yard

and yelp bark,

seemingly at nothing!

She always greets us 

When we come home.

If we’re lucky 

We’ll be greeted 

With her tail wagging

And a guttural ‘mmmmm’.

Best of all

is that she can randomly 

decide to show her affection,

trotting over to you,

with the ‘mmmmm’

and she’ll start licking your arm

as you reciprocate

by patting her.

Such love is grace.

Precious.

We navigated the backstreets 

of Nagoya

to find a gluten free restaurant.

Simple decor

But the welcome

was so warm, so homely.

The toddler greeted us

by giving out decorative umbrellas 

before drawing on the back

of another seat in texta.

She then crouched like a sumo

and pretended to whack 

herself on the head

with the pens in her hands!

The rest of the time

she was charming all and sundry

with a winning smile.

The two men sitting

in the corner:

One middle aged

the other one older

‘former baseball player

for Japan’

we’re told.

Both eat their meals 

a nd indulge the toddler

as she continues 

to dole out umbrellas.

The food is simple, tasty and wholesome.

The two women running

the restaurant 

did a marvellous job.

And while none of us

spoke the other’s language 

much good will was communicated.

In this foreign place

where I’d never been before 

there was warmth,

heart, soul and humanity.

A place where 

All can belong.

Despite the chill outside,

warmth streams in the door

comforting me,

making it easy to savour

and be present.

Rain falls

Yet we continue to explore.

We revive

our bodies in warm water,

soaking and soothing.

We have a delicious coffee

in Nagoya,

made and served by Jay.

Shrines

peaceful and powerful,

celebrations

of divinity,

primarily in nature.

The phrase

‘seething mass of humanity’

aptly describes Tokyo,

especially

the Shibuya scramble crossing

on a holiday evening.

Glimpses of life

that mark a life

lived in the present.

We visit

80 years after an atomic bomb

unleashed its destruction

in waves

both horrid and unnatural.

No one and nothing were spared.

Buildings and vegetation gone.

Some people gone instantly,

many others, called the hibakusha, suffered 

excruciatingly slow and painful deaths,

lasting days, months or years.

For some, that pain continues, still.

The facts and figures

The cold calculus of horror

from 1945

are set out.

I double over

in tears.

There was so much suffering.

Evocative sculptures from across the world

pledge peace.

Yet the world in 2025

is as it is.

Horrors of other kinds

Abound.

All for a similar end:

perceived power.

Have we learned nothing?

We are not displaying

The wisdom implied in the name:

Homo sapiens.

Head full of nonsense 

weighing me down.

I round the corner

and am brought up short

by a vision of beauty

and grace.

Everyday.

Wondrous.

I soak up this balm;

reminder of what truly matters.

Then, in a blink,

the scene changes.

I’m grateful for 

what it’s done for me 

Morning walk,

tears well.

I’m overcome

by joy,

glory,

wonder.

Did someone say

grace?

A booklet that I’ve put together of words and images about grace. Enjoy!

Those displaced from their homes 

due to violence or war.

Those suffering from mental illness or addiction.

Those whose life slips away

due to dementia.

Those who are struggling

with their identity.

Those who have been raped.

Those who are in pain.

Those in abusive relationships.

Those estranged from their families.

Those who’ve had a child die.

To them and their families,

friends and loved ones:

May dawn dispel the darkness 

or at least

a glimmer.

We thrive

We flourish

We nurture

and are nurtured

in a milieu of love.

Like the air we breathe

love can be taken for granted

or

savoured

revelled in

appreciated

as the only gift

the only grace in life

truly worth mentioning.

In love, we live

and move

and have our being;

We are freed

from our anxiety

or self-doubt

to be our true selves

in glorious daggyness;

where nothing else matters

just

love

and the way

it liberates our soul.

Every drop of love 

should be savoured 

no matter whence it came:

from an animal

from a child 

from an adult

from a friend

from your beloved

or the glorious beginning 

of another day

beckoning us on.