Saturday, December 3, 2016

Brother Lawrence's Kitchen

I fold back the sleeves of the day
into Brother Lawrence's kitchen.

The dusky light shines through motes
making a silhouette of this homely monk.

The hard work of food, cooking and dishes
happens without the use of the word busy.

I feel love through the pores of him breathing
and his eyes connected to fellow, self and God.

No ordering about and yet, everything has a place.
No rushing, and yet look, it is all done.

There is peace in each duty performed.
There is a divine connection in the work.

Lord, your presence is all around me as I do,
everything that has a need can be settled into
without the driven edge of stress.

Let us practice the presence of grace
and rest in the bosom of your love
where work is worship.

Jenneth Graser


Credit unknown - From a book published by Fleming Revell Co. in 1900

An audio reading of the book The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence:



2 comments:

  1. Oh if only I could remember this more often:

    "There is peace in each duty performed.
    There is a divine connection in the work."

    Peace can only come in willing surrender, in quiet mindful contemplation and application to the holy-ordinary task before us. My foggy and butterfly-prone mind struggles with this sometimes. It's all too easy to allow stress and future concerns to divert us from fully inhabiting this moment. Beautiful poetic thoughts on a needful spiritual practice! Thank you, dear Jenneth. Bless you, friend, for your listening heart and attentive senses that record beauty in the everyday. xo <3

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    1. Thank you dear Joy for your rich insights! I am glad it is called a "practice" because it is my desire to grow in this in every area! Very much a process! Blessings my friend <3

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