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at church in October in the Midwest

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it all seems soft

maybe it’s all the sweaters

the quieter voices

fewer musicians

I am not complaining

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it’s an autumn form

perhaps

an instinctive response

to the response

we settle down

at least a little

like the leaves

upon the ground

we retune ourselves

for a new key

that is the winter sound

the keening through the trees

or soughs

over freezing water

as it takes its time to harden

to protect

‘til summer

everything that lives beneath

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we live protected by the Lord

beneath

above

anywhere we live

slow or fast

we breathe

we try

we pause

to worship

to ask more of our protector

and to say thanks

thank you

Lord

for slower seasons

autumn into winter

for an hour

here and there

to stop

to understand

who is Lord

(who is not)

and why

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c l couch

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photo by Lucas George Wendt on Unsplash

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