Haiku

Last week was my synod's Theological Conference. As is the case at events like these, just as much value lies in the conversations that take place before, between, and after the formal sessions as with the official presentations themselves...but there's always some good nuggets to be taken away from the keynote speakers.

There's also some sessions that are downright clunkers.

During one such session last week, I decided to pass the time by writing some haiku. Yes, I know.

I'm a nerd.

I started with this one:

I enjoy haiku.
Five and then seven and five
is a fun pattern.

On Monday, before one of the afternoon sessions, the bishop got up to announce that Steve Pederson had just been fired as the University of Nebraska's athletic director.

He was greeted with silence.

He said, "no, really, I'm not making a joke. It happened."

Upon which came a thunder of applause. It was a bit surreal.

To commemorate, I wrote this one:

Steve Pederson led
NU's athletic program
almost to ruin.

The rest came mostly as responses to words or phrases that one of the speakers used that touched a creative nerve. Here's the rest of what I wrote:

Faith is an action,
more than a belief, that drives
me to serve neighbor.

"Take and eat, drink." We
become that which we consume
at the Lord's table.

Do we honor the
parts of the Lord's body that
annoy, stumble, or fall?

Discovering my
God-gifts and using them helps
me serve cheerfully.

The God-sized hole in
my life cries for comforting.
Does the church cry too?

Confirmed in Christ, we
daily remember water
drowning our old selves.

"How is it with your
soul?" he asked, and I shifted
the subject quickly.

The cross, beckoning,
battering, calls us to our
life transformation.

LH