The 60-Second Sabbath

Humility

  • The Creative Process

    So you'd like to write a poem?     Use common words    in uncommon ways.     Only say    what's authentic for you    or it will land false.     End with a punch,    not below… Continue reading

  • So Like God

    So like God    to consume my pending harvest        like locusts,    to burn through my meticulous blueprints        like wildfire,    to cleanse me of soot    and soothe my seared soul        like rainfall,    and to… Continue reading

  • Obscuring God with Certainty

    The less I knew,the more I thought I knew. As a pastorat age 30,I had a head full of answers,a library full of answers,so many unnecessary answers. Insider tip:Never trust a pastorwith answers;the truly wisehave very few. The wise onesno… Continue reading

  • Sophia, Once Again

    "Sweetie," she said,"these things aren't happening to you,they're happening for you.There's a big difference." My blank lookmust have communicated my confusion. She patted me on the knee."You just sit with thatwhile I get us some tea." Text and image © 2014… Continue reading

  • Releasing

    So many questions,so few answers,so little needto stress about either. Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Seeing Good

    Today,right now,make the decisionto see the good around you:    beauty,    kindness,    color,    play,    love,    diversity,    possibilities. Observe the goodfor just 15 minutesand you will be    calmer,    more focused,    more creative, … Continue reading

  • Remembering

    i sit at a windowin the restauranton the 20th floor of my nyc hotel    cold, february night    snow piles in gutters below    frozen streets reflect homeward headlights i look down on the 9/11 memorial park    two… Continue reading

  • Monkeys

    A group of monkeys,typing randomly in a room,will eventuallytype these words,exactly as I am doing now. <sigh> Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Conviction

    Let your doubts be known,    embrace them,    articulate them,but find your convictions as well,    embrace them,    articulate them. The paradoxical beauty of the holy lifeis having permission to stand firmwhile losing the need to be right. Text and… Continue reading

  • Growing

    What a mess the world is in,filled with sorrow, death and sin,so much suffering, greed and hate,wrathful nature, cruel fate.Why would God allow it so? "Even God has room to grow." Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All… Continue reading