The Ugly and the Beautiful

Sometimes inspiration comes in the form of what Ann Voskamp calls, "the ugly-beautiful." The difficult events/situations that happen personally or the sadness felt over something. That's what inspired me to write the Palm Sunday Parable. Jesus is hailed with hosannas and yet rejected and He looks at Jerusalem, at its people, and weeps.

Then Good Friday and more ugliness. However, the ugliness does not win. The victory belongs to the resurrected Jesus! Death dies and Life lives--which means true life, abundant life, is offered for us all. And THAT is beautiful!

Palm Sunday Parable (Luke 19)

Nobility arrives at a distant

Country to claim his kingship. His subjects,

The ones he loves, hate him—reject his gift,

His benevolence, seeking false freedom,

Blinded by fear. And the king takes and gives.

Nobility arrives on unbroken

Colt to offer His Kingdom. Commoners,

The ones He loves, offer cloaks, branches—yet

Leaders reject Him, choosing fundalit

Laws, age-old shackles. And the King He weeps.

Easter tanka 

Empty tomb. Kairos

re-configuring chronos.

Death died. The double

negative makes positive.

Life lives—Victory is one.