Crocus Mind

Shout out to the Woman's Circle Bible Study of the Montreat PCUSA Church for their welcome, support and inspirational peer study groups.

Thanks to Mary Collins for sharing this prayer

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It Takes Courage To Be Crocus-Minded

It takes courage to be crocus-minded.

Lord, I’d rather wait until June

like wise roses,

when the hazards of winter are safely behind,

and I’m expected,

and everything’s ready for roses.

But crocuses?

Highly irregular!

Knifing up through hard frozen ground and snow,

Sticking their necks out because they believe in Spring

and have something personal

and emphatic to say about it.

Lord, I am, by nature, rose-minded,

even when I have studied the situation here

and know that there are wrong things that need righting,

affirmations that need stating,

and I know also that speaking

out may offend –

for it rocks the boat.

Well…I’d rather wait until June,

Maybe later things will work themselves out,

and we won’t have to make an issue of it.

Lord, forgive.

Wrongs don’t work themselves out.

Injustices and inequities and hurts don’t just dissolve.

Somebody has to stick her neck out,

somebody who cares enough to think through

hard ground because she believes

and has something personal

and emphatic to say about it.

Me, Lord?

Crocus-minded?

Could it be that there are things that need to be said,

and you want me to say them?

I pray for courage.

From Bless This Mess and Other Prayers by Jo Carr and Imogene Sorley.

Copyright ©1969 by Abington Press.