One More Ocean Grove Poem

Maude's photo of Ocean Grove tents--2012

CAMP MEETING WEEK

An hour and a world away

is a charming place we love to stay,

where time stands still a little while,

in fact, some call it, “God’s Square Mile.”

Our spiritual retreat vacation

at this gem within our nation

is where we find more than we seek,

at Ocean Grove, Camp Meeting Week.

The Great Auditorium’s surrounded

by quaint tent houses, abounded

by flower gardens, every hue;

coral, magenta, lavender blue.

Great preachers come from far and near,

expectant pilgrims come to hear

the preaching and angelic choir

as the great pipe organ sends its fire

of resounding music through the air,

inviting all who will to prayer.

All this takes place beside the sea

in a grove of sweet tranquility.

Stroll tented lanes in ocean breeze,

past tabernacle, B & Bs;

Victorian landmarks give a show

of “painted ladies” row on row.

Visit eateries, little stores

and take the garden trolley tour.

This Jersey shore town gives to each

respite, chapels, sandy beach,

a quiet boardwalk and pavilion,

where perhaps, more than a million

over the years have stopped and heard

Gospel concerts and God’s good Word.

So come, find more than you may seek

at Ocean Grove, Camp Meeting Week.

Maude Carolan

This poem was written several years ago and many decorative broadsides have been distributed. It was featured in the Great Auditorium program once during Camp Meeting Week. This is one of the poems included in my new chapbook, "God's Square Mile--Poems about Ocean Grove". For ordering information, scroll to the end of this website.

Weekend Retreat--Ocean Grove, NJ

Maude's photo/Cross on Ocean Grove Beach

HAIKU

On Ocean Grove beach

a Cross atop a sand dune

is a seagull’s perch

Maude Carolan Pych

We just returned from a lovely long weekend away in Ocean Grove, NJ, especially to attend the 60th Annual Choir Festival. What a joy! joy! joy! More than 600 singers participated in the glorious presentation. While out for a stroll on the boardwalk, I snapped the above photo, knowing it would be the perfect accompaniment to this little haiku, which is one of the poems in my newest chapbook, "God's Square Mile--Poems about Ocean Grove". Ordering information appears at the very end of this website.

Introducing My New Chapbook

Maude's newest chapbook

WORSHIPFUL CONTRASTS--
OCEAN GROVE

9 a.m. Sunday—

Contemporary worship. 

Boardwalk Pavilion, Ocean Grove

This is where we worship 

with snare drums and guitars

funky drama and 

spontaneous praise dance on the boards

facing sand and spray and rising sun

This is where we lift our hands 

and shout "Hallelujah!"

louder than the rousing rhythmic praise

of the waves crashing in our midst

This is where families come in tees and tank tops

cut-off denim, wrinkly cotton shorts

bare feet, sneakers, flip-flops

It's where we fan ourselves with song-sheets

chug from Poland Spring bottles

and flip through the pages of our Bibles

It's where we greet strangers, unabashedly

with "Praise the Lord!" and hugs and exit

faces shining with Moses-glow

10:30 a.m. Sunday—

Classic worship. Great Auditorium, Ocean Grove

I walk briskly from the Boardwalk Pavilion

(with my Moses-glow) to the old Methodist edifice

with its prominent Cross facing the Atlantic

This is where thousands gather

facing a purpose spelled out in lights:

Holiness to the Lord—So be ye holy

This is where worshipers arrive in crisp pressed cotton

and wrinkle-free polyester, strap sandals, pumps and pearls

where we rise and sing on key, hymns by Wesley and Crosby

where we utter printed responses by rote and in unison

Here, to the accompaniment of a historic pipe organ

we hear a traditional choir sing traditional hymns

and accomplished tenors and sopranos

and some of the greatest preachers on earth

do magnificently what they have been magnificently trained to do

This is where we pray quietly, reverently, solemnly

hands folded in our laps, as 100 silver-haired ushers

process prominently with collection baskets

wearing white slacks, dark jackets and red ties

with white carnations pinned to their lapels

This is where Gordon Turk, the organist

presents a resounding recessional

as we nod at one other warmly

and walk out edified into a balmy afternoon

Maude Carolan Pych

The above poem is about my favorite vacation place at the Jersey Shore. Just this week I put the finishing touches on a new chapbook all about this shore town. It is titled, "God's Square Mile...Poems about Ocean Grove". Ordering information can be accessed by scrolling to the bottom of this blog.

God Will Provide

Photo Credit: www.goodsalt.com

LOVE AND THE AKEDAH

The Binding of Isaac – Genesis 22

"Take your son

your only son

whom you love…"

Twenty-two chapters into Scripture

and it's the first time love is mentioned

as God tells Abraham,

"sacrifice Isaac

as a burnt offering"

What swirls

through the mind

of this old patriarch

(who after a hundred years

fathers the son

of God's promise…

the son he loves and

proudly watches grow)

What swirls as he swings

the sharp axe, splitting wood

It was three days journey

from Beersheba to Moriah—

Leaving his servants behind

Abraham hands Isaac

the bundled wood

and carries fire and knife

up the mount

himself

"Avi" (my father)

"where is the lamb?"

"God will provide the lamb

my son"

Abraham erects an altar of stone

arranges the wood and binds the lad

(whose faith and obedience

must be at least as great as his own)

Unflinching before the God

he has finally come to trust

the aged patriarch

(known to lie

to save his own skin

known to try to pull off

God's covenant himself

when it seemed God was slow

in keeping His promise)

this same patriarch…

raises the glinting blade

above his son, his only son

whom he loves…

Split-second

to knife-fall

the angel of the Lord calls

"Abraham! Abraham!

Do not lay a hand on the boy…"

The old man

who proves he would

withhold nothing from his God—

drops the bloodless blade

unbinds and embraces Isaac

O boundless relief

Effusive praise

and there, tangled

in a thicket, struggles

the substitute sacrifice

…a ram

Two millennia later

God's Son

His only Son

Whom He loves

carries wood

of a crossbeam

up the very same mountain

No angel of the Lord

arrives last moment

to halt the hammer fall

No ram appears

in a thicket

For God so loves

the world

He provides…

His Son

His only Son…the Lamb

Maude Carolan

Listen to the Songbirds...

Photo Credit: my.nature.org

 BIRDSONG

I opened a window

to let birdsong in.

Warbles, twitters and chirps

from the great oak

filled the room

with nature’s rhapsody.

God could’ve

given winged creatures

brays, snorts, whinnies or croaks,

but He gave them songs.

Whose delight is greatest,

His, theirs or mine?

Maude Carolan

I thought this would be a good poem to begin the summer. It's an oldie. It appeared in my chapbook, "God Could've" which is now out of print.

It's All About...The Lamb, Vol. 17, Issue 2

June 15, 2014
Vol. 17, Issue 2

It’s all about…The Lamb

Maude Carolan Pych/Quarterly Poetry Letter

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches

and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” Rev 5:12 NASB

It’s all about…The Lamb is a quarterly publication for lovers of the Holy Lamb of God, who also enjoy poetry. The purpose is to magnify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and inspire an ever-deepening relationship with Him, the lover of our souls…

I’M CELEBRATING “TWO” BIG BIRTHDAYS…

As usual, June is busting out all over with gala celebrations…weddings, First Communions, graduations, recitals, etc. This June two celebrations are for me. Celebration #1 was June 3^rd, my 70^th birthday. The festivities began in May with a bus trip to beautiful Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, then onto an intimate lakeside dinner with my hubby, birthday cake with my siblings, a dinner at the Jersey Shore with my children and grandchildren and a get-away with daughter Beth to Point Pleasant, where I accompanied her on a brief business trip. To top things off, the icing on the cake will be a cruise to Bermuda later this summer with my entire family…Wow!!! All this fun takes the sting of turning a new decade completely away! (Well, almost!)

Birthday #2 is my spiritual birthday…I was Born Again and filled with the Spirit, June 6^th, 35 years ago. Praise the Lord and Hallelujah! What makes this extra-special this year is that the Lord has been reigning in my heart for exactly half my life.

I have posted poems about birth and rebirth on my blog to mark these special occasions. To read them, go to http://maudespoems.com and click on the archived poems dated 6/1/14 and 6/6/14.

+ + + FEATURED POEMS + + +

The two poems I’ve selected for this edition both rhyme. They are “My Friend” and “Sky Dancers”. The first was written in 2000 and speaks of my relationship with the Lord, Who the Book of Proverbs tells us is “a friend Who sticks closer than a brother.” and the second is another oldie in sweet celebration of summer being right around the corner. I hope you enjoy reading them.

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

1. 

   Photo Credit: Flickr.com

   

   
   
   
   

   Photo Credit: Flickr.com

SKY DANCERS

There's something happy about butterflies.

They flit-flitter as they flutter by,

flying flowers against the azure sky.

They alight upon the milkweed, and then

they circle, soar and alight again,

toe-dancing on pink petals in the glen.

Ever dwelling in hue and sweet fragrance,

in garden splendor they flicker as they dance.

Pollination is purely happen-stance.

I delight in their overflow of joy.

(They wouldn't even know how to be coy.)

A flame of mirth! A whirligig! A toy!

Do they recall they once were grubby worms,

remember well their dark and squiggly squirms?

Reborn, now grace and beauty each affirms!

This almost seems to be sheer fantasy,

sky dancers as enchanting as can be,

springing from blossoms right in front of me!

So, merrily a-nectaring they go,

reaping and sowing sweetness in day-glow…

Seems they have learned what all of us should know.

In contemplation of their simple ways,

I wish to add their ballet to my days,

to sky dance gracefully on wings of praise!

Maude Carolan Pych

Comments are always welcome and appreciated. If possible, please post them to the website.

Look for the next edition of It’s All About…The Lamb, September 15, 2014

A FEW CLOSING WORDS…

Dear Reader/Subscriber,

I hope you have a delightful summer! 

In the meantime, every hour of the day…

May God be with ewe,

Maude

After God’s Own Heart Publishing

P.O. Box 2211, Woodland Park, NJ 07424

thelamb777@optimum.net

http://maudespoems.com

TWO!! Birthdays This Week

Photo credit: pageresource.com

THE UPPER ROOM

In remembrance of Pentecost 1979—

The Upper Room Charismatic Prayer Group at the Parish Center,

St. Catherine of Bologna RC Church, Ringwood, NJ—

Father Matthew Gaskin, pastor

Here I am, Lord

at the podium in The Upper Room

reading my poems again

The Upper Room—

room of my second birth

where thirty-five years ago

after questioning Your existence

and the meaning of life

the truth of the Gospel became real to me—

Yes, it was here, in this very place

that Father Matthew delivered the prayer

for those of us who desired to be Born Again

and filled with the Holy Spirit—

a birth both spiritual and virginal

from the Seed of God alone

a prayer that changed our lives

completely and forevermore

There was no primal cry at our rebirth

but exultant cries of “Hallelujah!”

and Pentecostal utterances

No amniotic fluid

but streams of Living Water

and Second Chapter of Acts tongues of fire

that we couldn’t see with our eyes

but knew in the realm of the Spirit

were blazing above our heads

In a wonderful and mysterious way

that night and this room was reflective

of another Pentecost; another upper room

another descent of the Spirit—

somewhere in Jerusalem, 2000 years ago

We became new creations that night

like those believers of old—

burning with Light

that has not grown dim

Maude Carolan Pych

On Tuesday I celebrated my 70th birthday; today (Thursday) I am celebrating my 35th spiritual birthday. I have been Born Again for exactly half my life and it's been an amazing journey.

This poem was originally published in the 15th anniversary poetry anthology of the St. Catherine of Bologna Patron of the Arts Exhibition held in Ringwood, NJ, in March.