the universal drum

there is a great desire within all living things to continue living

the beating of a heart is the universal drum all living creatures march to

Jesus had a heart like ours

it beat like ours and he also wanted his human heart to continue beating

read his prayer in gethsemane and you can't deny this

but his love for the Father was greater than his love for his own beating heart

his love for us was greater than his need to survive

somehow, even in his great struggle, he knew the cup he must drink was vital for the Father's work

he gave himself for our hope

his beating heart came to an abrupt stop on the tree of life with the words

"it is finished"

we have so much to thank the Father, Son, and Spirit for in this moment.

 

wkm

Homemade Video of Beloved

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1-JIt3SFsA

 

Here is something i did one night in the studio in Vancouver. Roy, the producer was gone and around midnight I was bored. It's not slick, and the strings are different than what Roy ended up putting on the song, so it makes this take unique from that perspective alone.

 

Peace,

keith

 

Also, I put a few more homemade videos on YOUTUBE.. One is of a brand new tune.."Are U Listening Lord?"

the better for it

God never tires of us bringing Him our needs

we must never think of Him as getting irritated with us for pleading with Him

Jesus made it clear with the story of the woman and the evil judge

the more we stay on our knees and seek God the better

the better for the defeat of our pride

the better for the maturing of our wants

the better for the good habit it creates

the better for our souls

none of us pray enough

give thanks often in the midst of longing

give praise too in the midst of suffering

and never stop laying those needs before the Father

 

wkm

After the Rain

it has rained all day

i really like this new place

it's as if we live in a lodge hidden in a rain forest

evergreen's surround us and large trees

oaks, sycamore, pine

this rain is steady, it reminds me of Portland Oregon

we spent some time there a few years ago

it rained every day we were there

a steady rain like this one

i am sitting at the kitchen table as i write this

there are two large windows allowing me to watch this beautiful rain

i hope it rains like this every now and then in heaven.

 

wkm

doG spelled backwards

i had one of those days yesterday when you, "wonder why you are here."

its a very selfish thing to wonder I guess

the eyes are too much turned inward

my dog Jack snapped me out of it with his constant need for affection

he is the most loving dog i have ever been around

he looks me in the eye and there is no guile

i think the Lord gave us dogs to teach us unconditional love

i know i am not alone in this thought

they demand love and yet keep giving love even when they are ignored by us busy humans

sounds kinda like God to me

my brother-in-law used to sing a funny little song,

"my best friend is doG spelled backwards"

as St. Therese, the Little Flower said,

"Everything is grace."

 

wkm

 

BELOVED ON ITUNES

Ok, Beloved is now on Itunes,  W. Keith Moore, Beloved

 

You can now download your favorite song or the entire album for your IPOD. Thanks for being patient.  This is also true for SOUL and AMBO.

Peace,
k

 

www.wkeithmoore.com/store

PS.... All of you Pilgrims can go to www.wkeithmoore.com/fridge.html  and look for the 5 songs I wrote while we were in Turkey and Greece.. 1. Hot or Cold,  2. First Love, 3. I know You're Rich, 4. I Press On, 5. Blessed Be God ( this one should be on by tonight)

 

If you would like a CD of these 5 tunes, please email me and I will let you know how to do so.

the deer and i

at 5:00 this morning there was a deer standing less than 20 feet from
me on my back porch
she was not afraid
we lived in the country for 8 years and only saw deer from a distance
in the field
now we live in a neighborhood and they are like pets
perspective is everything
how we weave our lives in and out of our perspectives is where we learn to trust
we are all waiting on something
even if we do not know this, we are
we are made to anticipate something
our soul is never content with anything except the peace of God
and the peace of God is ever before us, just beyond our sin
when our perspective of God becomes closer to what He wants,
we will be less afraid no matter how close trouble or anxiety get
we will be like the deer and i this morning

wkm

pub life

the somber looking young girl walked into the room
her blue eyes kept lowered as she found a table alone, she has on very
large black headphones that are plugged into her ipod

three rough old dudes are drinking miller lite and laughing about something
they are worn out from working in this brutal heat all day

a brown dog trots by on the sidewalk hoping for scraps by the back door
the old cook feeds him twice a day

the waitress comes with my order
chicken fried steak, black eyed peas, green beans, jalepeno cornbread

she pours me a fresh glass of sweet ice tea
i thank her and she walks away

I cross myself, say a blessing
bon apetit

wkm
ajax diner, oxford ms

The Inner Side of the Wind

You walk with eyes wide open

ever looking for the guiding hand

Until a day when death a door opens

to the inner side of the wind

 

Life is a twisting highway

a lonely interstate

the soul is the endless engine

that keeps us moving in the thoughts we think

 

Love will never end

It's what we'll find when the highway bends

Into the shadows my dear friend

we'll see the inner side of the wind

 

The corn is high in the fields

soon the harvest will come again

the autumn brings change and an orange moon

and a cold mysterious wind

 

Green leaves change on the branches

yellow, red, and gold

reminding those who notice

the mystery of death and hope

 

You walk with eyes wide open

ever looking for the guiding hand

Until a day when death a door opens

to the inner side of the wind

 

wkm

Oxford MS

July 23, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Van Gogh Thinking?

What was Van gogh thinking

When he drew the Starry Night?

Was it a prayer for his own darkness

to be overcome by light?

 

What was St. Francis thinking

When he gave everything away?

His clothes, his food, his reputation,

to live on a beggar's pay?

 

Painters, mystics, priests, and poets

In love with thier silent God

It may drive them mad but they show us things

that inspire our weary hearts

 

What was St. Pio thinking

When he received the marks of Christ?

Five wounds he carried with him

Up until the day he died?

 

What was Mother Teresa thinking

When she held a dying man?

"This is Jesus that I'm holding.

This poor wretch is the Great I Am"

 

Painters, mystics, priests, and poets

In love with thier silent God

It may drive them mad but they show us things

that wake up our sleeping hearts

 

Vincent filled his work up with the light of God

St. Francis changed the world wherever his bare feet trod

Padre Pio saw the pain in every soul and knew what to say

Mother Teresa embraced the endless night and she never ran away

 

What was Van gogh thinking

When he drew the Starry Night?

Was it a prayer for his own darkness

to be overcome by light?

 

wkm

Oxford MS

July 22, 2009

 

p.s. go to my site and buy some cd's.. I lost my job, I need the money! And buy a few for the soldiers... PEACE and LOVE!

 

www.wkeithmoore.com/store

 

 

 

 

THANKS!

To all of you who have purchased CDs from my website, THANKS! And I especially am grateful for so many buying cds for the soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan, They will appreciate your caring. I hope they like the music.

 

If you haven''t joined in, please do so, we are hoping to send 500 by the first of September....

 

Peace,

 

Keith

Ancient Ever New

i want to tell you a story

it is an ancient story with every drama known to man

it begins at the beginning

its end is known but yet to come

there was a garden where love bloomed and died

there was a garden where love cried

then there was a garden where magdeline cried for joy

this tale weaved its way for the last two thousand years through kingdoms and kings

it speaks of corruption, betrayel, redemption, and Truth

though battered from within and without

the Truth in this story has never changed

this is the story of the Church built upon Peter

 

wkm

for Fr. Robert Barron

 

Smelly Woolly Ragged Sheep

deep into the heart of prayer

to teach, to practice, a walking sacrament!

we met at Mundelien

he was on his journey into Mary's wise and loving arms

a deacon then, now a priest in the service of her Son

there is no higher calling than to be a shepherd

to care for, admonish, pray with, to serve the sheep

i feel much better now that Fr. Greg has his shepherd's staff

there is grace, honesty, encouragement and laughter when we talk over the phone

one day, God willing, i will be in Wisconsin to visit

i will sit and make a confession

and by the power of the Holy Spirit

he will absolve me, the smelly woolly ragged sheep that i am

in the line of the Apostles, he now does the work Jesus gives every Apostle to do

"whoever sins you forgive are forgiven..."--Jesus

Isn't it amazing how God chooses to help us in the journey?

 

wkm

for Fr. Greg Michaud

 

50 Knots

i was inspired to wear the 'Jesus Prayer' rope on my wrist by a priest of the Eastern Rite Catholic tradition from Pennsylvania

he is never without his,

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"

50 knots to meditate on throughout the day and night

i visited his parish in the small mining town last year

the rectory where he lives is filled with icons

it is a place of memory and reminders

i had never been to a an Eastern Rite Mass

everything is a song

there is much preparation by the priest

much work to be done, and very much prayer

even before the service begins

the smells of incense and the sound of chanting from behind the screen filled me with a sense of something ancient  untouched by the winds of time

nothing has changed in this liturgy for thousands of years

such beauty and purpose with every gesture and song

 

wkm

for Fr. Ron Hatton

travel light

i spoke with a man who lives off the land

 a young man with an old soul

we walked through a field where he grows corn

he spoke softly and i had to listen closely to hear him

the sky was as blue as a robin's egg

the breeze came from the west and the deep green corn stalks swayed softly

he pulled an ear from one of the stalks and peeled back the leaf

as yellow as the yellow in a Van Gogh painting

i couldn't help but smile when he smiled

he rubbed it with his thumb and a few kernels fell to the ground

he took a bite and handed it to me

it was sweeter than any corn i can remember

we walked to a small pond down the hill

purple wildflowers and red clover covered its banks

we sat down on the ground and he said,

" i used to be an attorney. i didn't know God, though i pretended to. i had money, cars, girlfriends, a big house, i was a player. I woke up one day empty, dead inside. I sold everything and bought this place. i don't have a car payment, no television, i do have a small radio and i get the local paper. i grow my own food, raise one hog a year, a few goats and chickens for meat and eggs. I have a milk cow named Betty. a few old dogs and cats i got from the animal shelter. i drive a beat up jeep to Mass every day but saturday cause there is no Mass here on saturday. i am finding something i had wondered about for a long time. it is a simple life, not an easy life, but a simple one. i am learning to travel light, and i am not as empty anymore."

 

wkm

for Jeff Cavins

 

"which christian are you talking about?"

the bible is not the Word of God

Jesus is the Word of God

we do not worship a book

we worship the Giver of the book

and the One revealed in the book

we must read the bible often

but we must not read it without guidance from the Holy Spirit

if we read it in isolation, interpreting it alone, we run the risk of starting a church

 one not built on St. Peter

the bible read without the authority of the Church Jesus built on St. Peter makes the bible the most dangerous book in the world

we see the fruit of this everywhere

much of christianity has become something unrecognizable and non distinct

it has become a plethora of individual interpretations and bizarre denominations

"it makes little difference to call oneself a christian in our day.", the old man said,

"which christian are you talking about?"

 

wkm

the cross!

the cross!

the cross!

the cross!

we will never begin to understand the empty tomb until we embrace our cross given to us by God

our suffering is as much a part of our journey to the empty tomb as our faith is in the journey

st. paul gloried in the cross!

this is hard to do, but we must stop running from it

the cross offends our modern ideas of a shallow christianity fed to the world by tv preachers, talk show hosts, and heretics

success, wellness, "favor", blah blah blah!

the cross offends our pride that would have us believe we deserve better

Jesus said unless we deny ourselves and take up our cross

we cannot be called his disciples

embracing our cross brings us closer to the humility He desires in each of us

then our hope will be a light, a true and real light in the darkness,

our own darkness and the world's.

 

wkm

the logic of faith

the logic of faith is illogical

we die so that we may live

the only way to keep love is to give it away

the heart runs to the heart's treasure

i am not convinced van gogh was crazy

i believe he longed for hope and light

he painted it into every painting

the sunflowers, the starry night, the empty chair with pipe

the logic of faith is mysterious

the evidence of things hoped for

faulkner filled every dark story with the hope of light

so did flannery o'conner and walker percy

poets are always grasping for the light of hope

for all of us are always pursued by it.

 

wkm

storm

i fled the oncoming storm on my bike

you don't want to be caught in a summer storm in mississippi

especially on a bike

the lightning was gaining on me

i counted when I saw a strike

'one mississippi..two mississippi..

BOOM!

the wind was really blowing now

when i left the house there was no sign of it

'one mississippi..' BOOM!

i felt the wind change from a furnace to slightly cool on the back of my neck

i could see the gravel road i turn on to go home, about a half a mile to go

very large raindrops began hitting my helmet with a thud

'one.....' BOOM!

I had 300 yards to go and the darkness had overtaken me, so had a little bit of fear

lightning struck very close, i could smell sulfur in the air

by the time i reached the carport i was exhausted and fully alive!

we are always being pursued

 

wkm

 

Stolen Thoughts

The entire world is not worthy of a man's thought, for this belongs to God alone; any thought, therefore, not centered on God is stolen from Him.---St. John of the Cross, Maxims and Councils

 

Pretty radical thought from St. John of the Cross.

Did he really mean every thought?

 I think so.

 We are faced with an incredibly deep ocean.

God is not easily understood or embraced.

Yet, He uses the most intimate words to reach our tattered hearts.

Longing, grace, love, hope, peace, mercy, forgiveness, knowing, Jesus wept

i often steal thoughts from God and i find these stolen thoughts are usually wasted on myself

on my shallow desires and ideas

but this is all we have to work with in this valley of tears

 being thankful and grateful in all things is where we start returning those stolen thoughts

 

wkm

no matter where we roam

the desert outside of santa fe, new mexico in autumn

standing on a hill with friend at sundown

watching the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (which means 'the blood of Christ')  change to the color of blood in the setting sun

the columbia river gorge in summer

the wind blowing us hard as we watch the wind surfers glide and fly over the raging river

copenhagen, denmark in winter

the smell of the street vendors incredibly delectable sausage along the 'walk street'

st.claude, france in spring

my wife and i walking the narrow streets looking for a cafe to sit, drink coffee and try the local fare

kent, england in summer

riding the train from london and talking with strangers about accents and the delta blues

istanbul in early spring

walking at 4:45 in the morning in front of the blue mosque, waiting to hear the haunting call to prayer

vancouver, bc in november

sitting in the studio listening to roy compose the strings for one of the songs

oxford ms in winter

teaching a young horse he can trust me

 

this morning as i was riding my bike i heard the sound of geese making their way north

i skidded to a stop and watched them

they looked solid white, like angels, reflecting in the morning sun

they flew in their well known V shape

there is mercy, order, and grace all around us, and no matter where we roam

we are always being pursued.

 

wkm

 

 

 

Pablo's Garden

pablo is a potter from spain

he came here to the university 6 years ago and never left

he looks like a character from the film "il postino"

i met him one afternoon about a month ago when i was riding my bike

he was out cutting the grass near the roadside and called me over

i had wondered about who had bought the little place because in a year it had dramatically changed

it used to be a nothing piece of land with nothing going on

pablo has turned it into a homestead

he has chickens, goats, a horse, a burro, kittens and cats, a dog, ducks, and canaries

he works all the time, his garden is the best in the area,

he gave me so many tomatoes and peppers yesterday i can stay away from kroger's "produce" for a while

he also gave me fresh eggs from the hen house, taking them from the hay where the chickens lay them

have you ever had fresh eggs?

he makes beautiful pottery and is building an old style kiln behind his home

he only uses clay from here in yocona ms, he says it is,"a splendid clay"

that is what all of the piles of wood are for, he will not use electricity in his kiln, the wheel turns as he pedals

there are some people in this life with a simple heart, dirt covered fingernails, and seem born in the wrong time

they shine like a light in this dark world of instant gratification

waiting for things to grow gives them a peace in waiting for most things

pablo and his garden shine just fine

 

wkm

July Tomatoes

simple things are the best things i believe

raw garlic and olive oil

fresh cilantro, curry, cayenne pepper

i have a friend who carries cayenne with him whenever he leaves the house

this is a good idea, i have started doing this and all foods benefit greatly.

but a ripe red homegrown mississippi tomato can make a grown man cry

the flavor makes store bought tomatoes a curiosity

this morning i sliced a fresh one borrowed from a neighbors vine and sprinkled a little sea salt with crushed black pepper, not too much,

i added to the plate a dab of mayonnaise then covered the mayo with cayenne for dipping

i threw in a few fresh cayenne peppers from my neighbors garden too, such a nice man

this is so good it will make you slap your momma!

my grandmother use to say this about such foods

especially july tomatoes

 

wkm

for Phil Keaggy

Beloved and new Website

I apologize if you are receiving this twice, but my email is acting strange tonight..

 

 

 
Hey folks, my new album came out today and we are hoping to sell a bunch of 'em. You will have the option of purchasing not only Beloved, the new album, but also three others from my catalog I have never been able to offer in this way before.. You can also listen to every song in its entire on the page designated for that album.  please go to my newly re-created site to listen, look, and buy.
 
www.wkeithmoore.com
 
http://www.wkeithmoore.com/index2.htm
 
Also, check out the daily "musing" and sign up for it to be sent to your email.
 
www.wkeithmoore.com/talk.htm
 
I have been taking alot of pictures over the years too.. Here are a few of them, more will be added over time. It's called "Life in Photos".
www.wkeithmoore.com/life.htm
 
 
You may also go to http://cdbaby.com/cd/wkeithmoore2 if you prefer to buy it digitally.
 
FOR A SOLDIER
 
I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING WE ARE OFFERING FOR YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN!! You now have the oppurtunity to send the troops in Afganistan a gift. When you purchase any of my CD's you can send another to the soldiers for an additional $6.00!!! Thanks to Blake and Lindsey Hill's great idea, and Jean Tillery's hard work, we are able to offer this...You will see the option on the STORE page when you choose an album.
 
www.wkeithmoore.com/store.htm
 
Please visit the store and thank you for your support!
 
The T-Shirts are very limited, as well as the Ambo CD.. they won't last long.
 
Don't forget to tune in to "The Journey Home" with Marcus Grodi. I will be Marcus' guest August 24. This show is on EWTN. You can always watch on the web too. http://www.ewtn.com/journeyhome/index.asp
 
Peace,
 
w. keith moore
 
p.s. pass this email to as many people as you know, I would appreciate it.
 
www.wkeithmoore.com/beloved/

the basin

there is nothing too wonderful about losing your cool

i lost mine yesterday and it was because of my pride

it was because i was reprimanded for something at my new job i honestly had no idea i was doing wrong

in fact, i was in the right to be angered by how i was treated

my anger was justified, but to who?

 i bit my tongue and went back to work

it was another humiliating moment among many over the past few years

padre pio tells old me this is great for my soul

he reminds me of the cross and the strangeness of the narrow road

he says i should be happy that i am being humbled like this

i wouldn't say i was jumping up and down with glee!

but when i do stop and take a deep breath i sense the Potter at work

something is being honed and smoothed

maybe there is a basin in the soul for peace to pool like water

a peaceful eddy for my mind to drink from in the midst of these never ending storms

i don't know, i just hope this is happening

and that's about as much as i am willing to talk about it.

 

wkm

Hope

hope is everywhere we look

and very often hidden well

 

wkm

Breathe

The dark door of time, of the future, has been thrown open. The one who has hope lives differently, the one who hopes has been given a new life.--Pope Benedict the 16, from his book, "Saved in Hope"

 

our certainty lies in the hope we are given in the gospel, the cross, the empty tomb.

we are not that much less lost than anyone else breathing the air of this good earth. 

it is helpful to remember this often as we follow try to follow our mysterious Savior.

hope gives us our faith, and a deep reverence for our time here.

our "faith gives us gives us confidence in the things hoped for", to quote the writer of Hebrews.

we must not allow our faith to become about "what is mine", or, "How blessed I am", or, "I got my ticket to heaven!" , this is incredibly shallow and missing the point.

we are people of hope and humility first, we have hope in the mercy and love of the Father of Jesus.

think of what this means, think of the joy before us, let us live in a loving fear of God,

 and breathe.

 

wkm

 

 

Dogs

horses read our emotions, dogs read our minds

dogs know before we tell them, you can't keep secrets from them

i found a new home for buddy and rascal yesterday

a man in the meat department at the grocery store has a farm and kids who want big dogs

i feel as if I am betraying my two dear friends...

my wife called me one day 5 summers ago and said a puppy was found behind a dumpster at the drug store

i was putting fence post in the ground at the farm, and it was a brutally hot day

i told her to bring the little mongrel home

he was so small, solid red, now he is so big, (part mastiff)

my son and i went to the animal rescue the next day and found rascal a friend

we named him buddy, so small, now he is big too, (part retriever)

they have never been apart and i thank God they will stay together

this is a mercy for me as much as them

buddy is a little sharper than raz and i know he knows something is coming

he has a little worry in his eyes, even while wagging his tail

rascal just wants to ride in the truck

i hope they forget me soon

 

wkm

On a Mountain Bike

this morning when i rode my bike i felt the rising heat of July

 the breeze in my face was warm

mississippi summers even keep the birds from flying as much

a Deer carcass along the trail is finally starting to lose its stench

i didn't have to hold my breath as I pedaled by like I have had to do over the past couple of weeks

death is always with us, even on a mountain bike

after the buzzards were finished they left the bones and hide

 the deer is now close to being one with earth again

dust to dust, soon wild flowers will grow where he or she met the silence

the last mile of the seven i ride is the hardest, a steep incline

 it is also the most rewarding with the vista of a mist laden valley

this morning it looked like smoke from a forest fire with this heat and humidity taking over

 it is good to be among the wild things

 

wkm

Too Much Mercy?

God showed mercy to Hagar and Ishmael

Didn't He know what kind of trouble this would bring?

It seems as if God is not afraid of trouble

He saw centuries of conflict between these two brothers of the same father

The wars, death, maiming, land mines, chaos, pride

God must see something we don't in these tumults of ours

Nails through the very real flesh of Yeshua

Thorns into the very real head of Mary's boy

Blood dripping down upon the ground of Abraham, Isaac, (Ishmael), and Jacob

Yeshua said "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also."

 

wkm

 

Sideways

Sideways

 

i do not pretend to understand what is happening

life comes at you sideways and nothing seems as clear as you once thought it to be

even the reflection in the mirror is somewhat suspect

my dogs still recognize me, even the two big dogs who will soon be lying around someone else's yard

i will miss them terribly

maybe I look the same to them as I always did,

before this strange wind began to blow

i wonder if they sense my occasional waves of sadness

i walked out this morning and looked at what will soon be only a dear memory

the pasture, fence, pond, trees, the good loneliness, the beauty of this solitude

it will be for someone else to gaze upon

i only hope they become as much part of it as i have for the past 8 years,

years for which i am most grateful,

i will not spend another winter here.

 

wkm

A Cashier's Perspective

Nothing is as boring as it seems.

The monotony of scanning items and small talk

The coeds who never stop yapping on their cell phones no matter what

The soundtrack of songs chosen because of the appeal to the buying demographic

They keep coming and coming, buying more and more food

It is amazing what we consume in a small town

It is bizarre to think of a big city like Chicago and its consumption

Today a man kept yelling at his small son, badgering the boy who wanted a certain candy

I felt as much for the man as the boy in some way

He seemed unable to communicate in any other fashion, as if he was trapped somehow

Everyone was uncomfortable, and I sensed in myself what many were thinking, "He is not a fit parent!"

I could see it in the condeming eyes of the upscale housewives buying their beer and avocados

Their is so much drama in the human condition

Nothing is as boring as it seems.

 

wkm