In John's version of the Jesus story,    immediately following the resurrection,the risen Christ's first question–    posed to Mary Magdalene–is:     Why are you weeping? Christ's next question:     For whom are you looking? For me,   … Continue reading

Slow down.    Breathe.        Be. In the slowing,    in the breathing,        in the being, regain focus,    know peace,        feel Presence. Slow down,    Breathe.        Be. Text and image © 2020 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.Visit PhotosByDirk.com for… Continue reading

"Be perfect, therefore,    as your heavenly Father is perfect."                                    (Matthew 5:48) This line,    spoken by Jesus,is the summary statement    for a host of collected teachings of Jesus,including the… Continue reading

Every now and then    a word comes alongbrilliantly articulating    what I could not.     Cockwomble. "A person, usually male,     prone to making        outrageously stupid statements        and/or inappropriate behavior   while generally having        a… Continue reading

The wind    rearranges the leaves        in our driveway. It gathers them in a line     against the garage door. It rushes them out to the sidewalk. A pause…    they return,        a scratching, skittering… Continue reading

What is courage? Do you have it?    Do I? Doing the right thing    in the face of difficulties. That's courage. Speaking the truth    when others do not want to hear it. That's courage. Offering love and compassion … Continue reading

Empathize. This is the message    in Moe Gram's muralat Denver's Black Love Mural Project. Empathize with you and them. To feel empathy    is to feel with another,to understand their experience fully enough    to "feel along." It's a… Continue reading

Bishop Rob Wright,     of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta(in an address last week    to the Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado),spoke of hope. I need hope. When watching what is happening in and to our country   … Continue reading

All my life    I've been judging people,concluding things about individuals–    and groups–and, in the process,    dismissing them as "less than":         Those people are lazy.        She shouldn't eat that doughnut.        They're… Continue reading

Racial inequality    benefits whitesat the expense of    people of of color. Isn't that great?     We don't have to worry         that our race will be held against us.     We can move about freely     … Continue reading