A Needle in the Sky

This month the Space Needle celebrates its 60th anniversary

The very week that I turned ten
Seattle had a fair.
And they’d invite the whole wide world to come.
A needle in the sky stood tall.
A monorail sped by.
A forest of amusement rides was fun!

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans came.
And Elvis showed up, too.
That sixth-month party gave Seattle cred.
The city that Bill Boeing built
had finally come of age.
Just look at who has followed in his stead.

St. Arbucks, Eddie Bauer,
Microsoft and Amazon.
There’s Nordstrom, Costco and there’s REI.
Expedia and T-Mobile.
There’s Zillow and PACCAR
and don’t forget Big Fish with dreams to fry.

And now six decades later
from that Needle in the sky
we have a view of that for which we wait:
A world where everyone can “breathe,”
where cops deserve respect.
A world devoid of homelessness and hate.

A world that’s litter-free and green.
A world where truth stands tall.
Where love’s the lyric of the song we sing.
A world where peace can have a chance
and cancer’s finally cured.
A world where Jesus Christ is hailed as King!

From Refugee to Royalty

Remembering the remarkable Madeleine Albright

When it comes to American royalty,
she checked all the boxes.
Her amazing life
was a fairytale come true.

As a child refugee,
whose grandparents were victims
of the holocaust,
she saluted Lady Liberty
with allegiance in her heart
and a twinkle in her eye.

She elevated the role of secretary
to a whole new level.
She broached serious subjects
with integrity and dignity.

Madeleine Albright
was regal on every level.
Her face and her jewelry
sparkled with grace.
Her name called attention
to her brilliance.

This diminutive diva
on the world stage
was a rock star in global affairs.
She towered over her peers
with Katanji-like class.

Though slight in height,
we looked up to her.
While she stood only 4’10” high,
she was tall enough
to shatter a glass ceiling.

With John Glenn,
Madeleine Albright lived a legacy
that was out of this world.

As we look up to the heavens tonight,
let us thank God
for this princess of peace
who illuminated our world for good
and gave our daughters
a role model to which to aspire.

Peace to her memory!

A Prayer for Peace

Lighting a candle for peace against the backdrop of war

God of all nations,
I give You thanks
for the country I call home
where liberty is prized,
justice is pursued
and freedoms are protected.

On this bright sunny day where I live,
the dark clouds of war
threaten peace far away.
I pray for those whose lives and liberties
are in grave danger.

Surround President Zelenskyy of Ukraine
with wise counsel.
Provide a hedge of protection
for his people in harm’s way.

Give the vulnerable courage.
Infuse the fearful with faith.
Heal those who’ve been wounded.
Honor the memories of those who have died.
Comfort the grieving.

Would You grant our President
and other leaders of the free world
the means to work together
for a peaceful resolution
to this complicated bloodshed?

Would You prevent this regional conflict
from becoming a world war?

Would You remind us of the lessons
painfully learned from past wars
that are too-easily and too-quickly forgotten?

Would You use this chaotic frightening scenario
as a means of opening our eyes, ears and hearts
to You and one another?

These things I seek and ask in Your holy name. Amen.