“Jesus purchased my salvation to open the way for a close relationship. And Jesus wants this relationship to inspire a life lived out on the main street of my daily activity and interaction with others. Reflect on how highly Jesus values you.” –Maurice Roberts, Fruit of the Vine

Query: Do you know how much you are valued?

The Plague

Hundreds of starlings descend on my yard,

taking over the trees in refugee fellowship.

Juiced by the season, they jaw their opinions

and call out themselves in bird-sound

so thick they can ride it together on a plan

long implanted within and among them.

The wind in the trees has a word of its own

for the birds and for me: all flesh is grass.

So, immigrant-style, the black birds flock

and fly off before winter (today, just a shiver)

arrives, landing hard with both feet.

I call out to my own: Who needs me today?

Who’s leaving today? Who’s leaving today?

–Jeffrey Johnson, This Will Be a Sign