The 60-Second Sabbath

Growth

  • Parable

    "And lo,"he said,"the kingdom of Godis like unto a bride, who,in the whisper of an evening breeze,suffused with the saffron of a setting sun,lets drop her robe and stands naked before her beloved,and in that moment    claims herself,and in that… Continue reading

  • The Truth Beyond

    Jesus did not point to himself.Jesus pointed to the Truth beyond himself.Don't get stuck with making Jesus    the sum and total of your faith.This is not what he wants,not according to the gospels. Don't get stuck,if you are of… Continue reading

  • The Hope of Failure

    Everything outsidehas to fail you,disappoint you,stop functioning,no longer be true. Then, finally,you go insideand find the depth of things…grace and mercy,God,your uncomplicated, worthy, gently held self.  Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Boundaries

    Last nightas I lay awake thinking about work,I finally took a stand: "Look, work," I said,"enough is enough.I will give you my daylight hours;I will allow you to consume my consciousnessfor ten or more hours each day,but that is all.You… Continue reading

  • Labeling

    I have good news for you,the label-makers:     You can stop.    Up/down,    good/bad,    us/them,    Christian/not,    conservative/liberal…    you hereby have permission to stop! And what a reliefto cease the endless, unnecessary labeling!Think of the time and energy you'll save!Thing of the good you're now freed to do! Hold… Continue reading

  • The Diet

    The ego hungers,gorging itselfon what feeds its insecurity. Why are we starvingin a worldabundantwith beauty and benevolence?     Stop bingeing on nothing,    and the ego dies;    the real you    finally lives,    nourished by what matters. This is a dietto die for.  Text and… Continue reading

  • Wisdom

    We embrace wisdomwhen we turn our attentionto whatever is.  Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • How God Speaks

    We strive and struggleto hear God speaking,when we ourselvesare God speaking, our very existence,God's shout of "Yes!" to creation,our very selves, first and foremost,an invitationto divine dialogue.  We are the prose and poetry of God,God's sonnet and soliloquy,God's laughter and passionate… Continue reading

  • The Ruins of St. Valentine’s

    He awoke on the couch'midst the ruins of St. Valentine's Day–cumpled brown wrappers    from a box of Russel Stovers;a bent Hallmark card    (heavy on the red)    jammed between two cushions; the dryness of his mouth    from… Continue reading

  • Yes or No?

    Start with "no,"and you'll never get to "yes";doors slam the length of the corridor,blocking entrance to all possiblities. Start with "yes,"and sunlight filtersthrough a thousand, trembling leaves. Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading