Sunday, August 30, 2015

Bedazzled by Sunflowers!

Are you like me? Are you bedazzled by the sight of giant sunflowers along the road this time of year? The following poem is about a field of those glorious wonders in full bloom along Emmaus Road during a pilgrimage to Israel in 1986. Those beauties were just one stunning example of Our Creator's majesty! Praise Him!
Photo by: Maude Carolan Pych


SUNFLOWERS ALONG EMMAUS ROAD
Israel Pilgrimage—1986

Big, bodacious sunflowers
live up to their name
sun-shining a million
dazzling petal spires at us
along Emmaus Road

It is fitting
because I am ablaze
with Jesus-joy
to be here

as I think about my newly
Resurrected Lord, vanishing
at the very breaking
of the bread

astonishing the disciples
who sat with Him
at table

Those utterly bewildered disciples
whose hearts thumped
and blazed
with glory fire
as He walked with them
as He explained to them
the Holy Scriptures

2000 years ago
somewhere
along this very road

Maude Carolan Pych

Sunday, August 23, 2015

"The Watchman"

Photo credit: www.pinterest.com

THE WATCHMAN

Perhaps the Mashiach[1]
is on His way,
ready
to lead us
to the Promised Land.
There have been signs
of His coming
that haven’t been reported
in the papers
or radio or TV newscasts.

I’m a watchman.
I wait.
I prepare,
knowing not
the Day or the Hour.
I plant my rose bush
at the gate,
sup,
rinse my bowl,
retire--
trying to live
His Great Command
as best I can.

Perhaps He’ll come
tomorrow.

It’s possible.

Maude Carolan


[1] Messiah

Sunday, August 16, 2015

The Name Above All Names--YHVH

Photo Credit: Godisreal.today

THE NAME

YHVH
the tetragrammaton
the unutterable
four consonants
of the Most Holy Name
of the Great I Am
Who was, Who is
Who is to come

Whose shining Face
eyes of mortals
could not behold
and live

Whose Holy Ark
mere mortals
could not touch
and live

until He
Who always was
came in the Person
of His Son

and mortals flocked
to hear Him speak
children climbed
upon His lap
sick and lowly
sought His touch
even grasped
at His hem

By His Word
even the dead arose

When He
Who always was
shed His innocent Blood
upon Calvary’s Cross
the thick woven veil
to the Holy of Holies
tore top to bottom
that all may enter in

By His Holy Name
Salvation comes

Now we know Him
as our Brother
Savior, Friend

We call Him
Jesus—

the Christ

Maude Carolan

Sunday, August 9, 2015

The Blessing of Friendship with God

Photo Credit: tommyboland.com
MY FRIEND
"…there is a friend
who sticks closer than a brother."
Proverbs 18:34

Sometimes I go to God's house, sometimes He visits mine;
He often comes to work with me and helps me pass the time.

He's with me in the kitchen when I cook and as I scrub;
I meditate upon Him while lolling in the tub.

He keeps me company driving and when I take a walk;
God and I stroll quietly and other times, we talk.

God's there when I am shopping and watering my flowers;
He inspires my writing, in computer weary hours.

He's in me as I minister and hears me as I pray,
lifts me up when I am downcast and helps me through the day.

He sups with me at table and He joins me in my rest.
Oh, when we are communing, they're the times I like the best.

God loves it when I worship Him and glorify His Name;
He shines His face upon me and ignites me with His flame!

I read to know God better, for He knows all about me;
fills sleepy thoughts at bedtime with His sweet tranquility.

How blessed I am to know Him! Love overflows my heart!
I count upon His faithfulness and know we'll never part.

My heart is filled with gladness every moment that I spend
with the Creator of the Universe, Holy God, my Friend.

Maude Carolan


Sunday, August 2, 2015

Christian Rock Concert--Ocean Grove

Photo Credit: examiner.com













ROCK CONCERT,
GREAT AUDITORIUM, OCEAN GROVE

It was good for us to be there
even though our silver pates pounded
and our ears were so deeply traumatized
by each deafening decibel
our hearing actually dulled, temporarily
The thundering beat bounced off
walls and rafters, ceiling and floor
reverberated in our seats
and sent tremulous vibrations
through our entire beings

It was a rock concert of worship music
with smoke and strobe and spotlights
PowerPoint and praise to Jesus. Hallelujah!
Amplified drums and crashing cymbals
the resounding cymbals the Psalms speak of
It's the very same music we enjoy over the radio
when we have control of the knob
There was no adjusting the volume tonight

The lead singer leaped across the stage
and sang so loudly we couldn't hear words
We attempted to sing along as best we could
we clapped and shouted and raised our hands
along with thousands, mostly young
with wonderful innate enthusiasm
and accustomed, receptive ears
We even did "the wave" with them
until we all were reminded
of the balcony's 100 year old fragility
We were reminded of our own 60ish fragility

We really wanted to stay. We really wanted to enjoy
We really wanted to span generations with great jubilation
We didn't mean to weenie out, but
looking one to the other
realized our pinched faces weren't reflective
of the fired-up ones one third our ages
so we ducked out midway through the second performance

Tomorrow we'll go to church
We'll sing, "Come, Thou Almighty King"
Number 392 in the frayed pew hymnal
but we'll treasure aspects of tonight
like the little girl in ribbon-tied pigtails
both hands raised way up high
like the cool guys with their big silver crosses
their earrings and bandanas
black tees emblazoned with The Name
like the twelve year old in the row in front of us
who kept spinning his green glow stick
as he danced in the bleachers praising his Jesus
with all the fervor of the shepherd/king of long ago
who led that remarkable gambol of wild abandon
before the Holy Ark


Maude Carolan