God and Wine

  For those of us who live in war zones right here in the US... who see the teens running inside "somebody shootin 'round da cornuh," they shout who see the kids just tryna work on their layups in beautiful 62 degree weather grab their balls and sprint for cover "what's alla that, man?" who see the young woman running downhill away from potential death away from her home who see the grandma get up from her post-church porch sit and crawl away from her peace and into her prison Nobody should live like this We are at war RIGHT HERE Everything is connected Liberation is a global pursuit For those of us who live in war zones I see you

I am not climbing; I am weaving.  I am re-membering self  back to wholeness. I am being  In a world where beingness is criminalized; I am creating lives  outside of blueprints and boxes  that suffocate  and satiate When holy hunger  and bottomless breath are necessary for life And liberation. I am not climbing, filling my days with  clockwork conferences, monotonous meetings, strategic selfies, rubbing chafed elbows with the  "right people" for "opportunity." Who is "right" in a world where chains  taking on new forms keep our elbows free while binding our feet? I am not climbing; I am cultivating The earth beneath my feet, remembering dust, remembering reformation, Because who are we  Without the soil? - September 1, 2023

  Cracked Eggs, Nerf Guns, and the Murder of Karon Blake At the time of my writing this, I am sitting in my big chair, staring at my front window from inside the house, looking at the drippings that have stained the glass from the eggs that some neighborhood kids hurled at my window almost two weeks ago. They were mad at me (I suppose) because they came to steal another package off my front porch in December, but they did not know that it was a package I’d planted with a note inside. I had them on camera stealing several packages on my block during the winter break, including one of mine that contained dog food (I know they were disappointed when they opened that one up ha!). Instead of calling the police or posting their faces on the many neighborhood apps, I decided to take an old amazon box, place a note inside, retape it and leave it on the porch. The note read: “God loves you. I care about you. Stop stealing packages. -Pastor Mac.” I wanted these 3 kids who look like the...