For all the Saints

The great cloud of witnesses.

All Saint's Day.

 Those faithful who have gone before us.

 Those who have shown the WAY.

A plumbing issue caused me 

to move a shelf in the basement

 that has not been moved in a long time.

There stacked in the back

 is a poster of what oldest daughter- Jessica-

made as part of her Confirmation project.

 The verse she chose-

Hebrew 12:1.

How fitting to pull this out on

 All Saint's Day.

Done 17 years ago.

 Still blessed by many of this cloud of witnesses.

 And some that have departed this earthly life-

to join the eternal throng heavenward.

They have run the race with perseverance.

I give thanks for those 

who have steadied the course.

 Thrown off everything 

that hinders and easily entangles.

Lord,

make me and all I love- 

Brave. 

Let us steady run the race.

And as we fail- that your great grace

captures us- 

again and again -

and AGAIN.