Praying Mary Oliver It doesn't have to be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together and don't try to make them elaborate, this isn't a contest but the doorway into thanks, and a silence in which another voice may speak. Source: Thirst I like the poetry of Mary Oliver and am looking forward to giving a review of her work at church Monday. It looks like I'll be well enough to do so and I'm grateful. The church had a healing service last Sunday, but I was too sick to go. :) Some Episcopal churches regularly offer the laying on of hands and healing prayer, but we hadn't done it on a Sunday morning in several years. Many participated and seemed deeply touched by it. How wonderful!! Who of us is healed and whole? It is so easy to make assumptions and to judge harshly. No matter what we think we know about another, there is always suffering we aren't aware of. So---what does our God require of us, "but to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God." Micah 6:8 Spring is here!!!