To the one who deciphers--- Eight months ago I sat in a pew and vented my frustration to you in silence. I stared at those little hands and smiled at that little smile and wondered, hopelessly if I could ever carry such a burden. I rolled my eyes at the bottom dweller then as I do now, picked up the leather bound letter and found you there. We were the only ones in the room. Like a dream. Everyone else faded, the carols in the background were muted, and light shone from somewhere, nowhere, and suddenly all around. You leaned over my shoulder, poked your gentle, untamed finger into the letter, and whispered a promise in my ear: "They shall spring up among the grass, like willows by flowing springs. This one shall say 'I am the Lord's,' another wll call upon the name of Jacob, and another will write upon his hand, 'The Lord's'." Oh how do you know me? How do you love me? How do you speak to the depths of my soul? Best friend. Forever friend. Like tender flowing stream, like hard, pounding hurricane. And again I sought you. A complaint really; in my wining, unhappy ramble. You hear my cries. Of that I am sure. I left it with you. What choice did I have? No strong will of mine can change markets, economy, the will of man. And you said with a loud roaring yell what I was longing to hear-- not a temporary fix, not a compromise-- you spoke like the roaring of the waves in a great storm, like the flame of an untamed fire, like the blaze of an unshadowed sun: BEHOLD I AM DOING A NEW THING. NOW IT SPRINGS FORTH, DO YOU NOT SEE IT? FEAR NOT FOR I AM WITH YOU; BE NOT DISMAYED FOR I AM GOD; I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU. I WILL HELP YOU I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND. I WILL MAKE A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS AND RIVERS IN THE DESSERT. AS i HAVE PLANNED SO IT SHALL BE. AS I HAVE PURPOSED SO IT SHALL STAND. MY PEOPLE WILL LIVE IN A PEACEFUL HOUSE, IN SECURE DWELLINGS AND IN QUIET RESTING PLACES. BECAUSE YOU ARE PRECIOUS IN MY EYES AND HONORED AND I LOVE YOU. Oh to hear your voice. To be in that perfect peace, to know, to be without fear, that this, this crazy thing was purposed. The soul speaks words we do not understand and she burst forth, that ever growing child, that strong armed warrior and responded so fiercely that her body in this realm could not hold her: PRAISE BE TO GOD, HOW WHO FORMED ME AND THINKS ME BEYOND VALUE. OH GREAT ONE: YOU KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IT STAYED ON YOU, BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU. YOU MAKE LEVEL THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS! BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIM! LET THE FAVOR OF THE LORD OUR GOD BE UPON US AND ESTABLISH THE WORK OF OUR HANDS! And so, we speak only good toward our great endeavor. We speak only blessing on this house and on all its comings and goings. The drip of uncertainty having been snuffed out by the flame of an all consuming fire. He is mine and I will follow him until the ends of the earth (Lo-- even to the ends of the earth i am with you). Praise be to God, Jehovah Ezer: My lord, the God who helps me. | 
