Saturday, October 25, 2014

We Pray for Our Friends...












Bob and I celebrated our 8th anniversary this week. The following poem was written for our 7th anniversary...



WE PRAY FOR OUR FRIENDS

Bob and I sit at the kitchen table
before our evening meal—

We clasp our hands, bow our heads
and pray for our friends, our family
and people we do not know
because when people know you pray
they give you people to pray for

First we pray for those with cancer
and ask God in His mercy to heal—

There’s Lynn who had a recurrence
after a long remission. Lynn
who is so adventurous and brave—
Last week she had a CAT scan
We’re waiting for results

and there’s Joanne, who battles leukemia
She leads the dance ministry at our congregation
with astonishing poise and grace
and places her trust in God, Who has
blessed her with miracles
along the way
We persevere in prayer for her
We always persevere

and there are others, many, many others
and other diseases, ailments and situations
that we bring before God’s throne

We lift up our family members and ask
God to touch each one where they need
a touch from Him, asking
each name be written
in the Lamb’s Book of Life
for it’s our heart’s supreme desire
that each has a place
at the Banqueting Table in Glory

We pray for our nation
our president, our congregation
and our pastor

then Bob always takes a moment
to thank God for giving him
me as his wife and he tells God
he’s a very blessed man
and finally, I express my own thanksgiving
in having him as my cherished husband

We conclude with Amen
and a gentle kiss

Today is our seventh anniversary—

Dear Lord…
the sweetest part of everyday
is this solemn time we spend with You
here, at our table
in prayer


Maude Carolan Pych

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Autumn Haiku


Maude at a sunflower field in Lafayette, NJ, in 2013

Haiku

At Sunflower Field
I hold the sun in my hands
Amber petals blaze


Haiku

Sunflower blooms bold
See the Lion of Judah--
His glorious mane!


Haiku

They make me smile--
The enormous sunflowers
drooping by the fence



Maude's backyard pumpkin 2014



Haiku

It's October First

I shall cut my orange orb
from its withered vine


Haiku

Autumn leaves lull me
Red, orange, russet and gold
till winter blows in

I


Sunday, October 5, 2014

At-One-Ment



THE UNFATHOMABLE VASTNESS OF HIS MERCY

One day
the Lord’s long, long arm
reaches all the way
from Heaven into Hell
to grant a blessing
upon a beloved child
in her hour
of her gravest sin.

In great despair
she can't imagine
a way out, still

she is moved
by the unfathomable vastness
of His mercy
and the awesome wonder
of undeserved love
unconditional
and full of grace.

This much beloved child
earnestly longs
to mirror the woman
from ages past
who wept bitterly
upon His dusty feet
and ever so humbly
wiped away tears
with her dark
and silken hair.

Like the woman
from ages past
she understands
one forgiven much
loves much

She is on the brink
of loving Him

much


Maude Carolan

Today was the Yom Kippur service at Beth Israel Worship Center, in Wayne, NJ. Pastor/Rabbi Jonathan Cahn spoke about atonement and our "At-One-Ment" with God, urging us to live in oneness with Him, moment by moment, day by day.