It's all about...THE LAMB

December 15, 2012
Vol. 12, Issue 4

 

 

 

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…

 

 

FIRST THINGS FIRST. Precious Lord, I call upon your name for an outpouring of your love and mercy upon the people of Newtown, Conn. and all the grieving people nationwide and worldwide who have been stunned by yesterday’s tragic killing spree. Lord, comfort the brokenhearted and help us to know how to prevent so great an evil from ever happening again. Amen.

 

 

POETICALLY SPEAKING, IT HAS BEEN A VERY EXCITING TIME...In October I was invited to be interviewed on video by a dear poet/friend of mine, Gloria Rovder Healy, at Seabrook in Tinton Falls, NJ. The program will be available via closed circuit television to the approximately one thousand residents of the retirement community in January. During the interview I spoke about my life as a writer of family and inspirational poetry and was pleased to read several, some old favorites and a few from my new chapbook, A Pilgrim’s Quest—A Poet Visits the Holy Land. It was a lively exchange, a very interesting experience and great fun, too. I look forward to seeing the finished video soon.

 

Then, last month, I was invited to speak at a MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) meeting at Bible Baptist Church in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. The topic was The Pearl of Great Price. I spoke to a group of young moms, some with babies bouncing on their knees, about motherhood, grandmotherhood and faith in Jesus Christ, with plenty of family and inspirational poetry woven into the message. Thank you, Jane Sparling, for asking me to speak. It was truly a delightful evening.

 

 

PASTOR/RABBI JONATHAN CAHN OF BETH ISRAEL WORSHIP CENTER and author of NY Times best-selling novel, The Harbinger, has been invited to be the keynote speaker at The Inaugural Prayer Breakfast, January 21^st in Washington, DC.

 

Many members of our congregation plan to travel from New Jersey to our nation’s capital to attend the breakfast and to join our beloved pastor in praying for the United States of America.

 

WITH CHRISTMAS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, I made a few revisions to a poem written last year during the holidays, and then arranged it decoratively on paper that has a bright red border and mailed the poems to family and friends. This is one of my favorite holiday traditions and a definite labor of love. I carefully penned a greeting on each page in my very best handwriting, thinking about each person as I did, sometimes stopping to offer up a prayer on their behalf. I folded each one neatly and placed it in a hand-addressed envelope. Bob sealed every envelope (about 200) and affixed a Christmas stamp and an address label embellished with an angel design, specially ordered to compliment this year’s poem. The title is, The Winged Ones. I’ll include it in this poetry letter. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

 

 

FEATURED POET: ANN CREDIFORD

 

At the annual Christmas Brunch of The North Jersey Christian Writers Group (NJCWG), held recently, we went around the table reading our Christmas writings. Ann Crediford delighted us with a very timely poem. I’m pleased that she so readily granted me permission to share it with you. It is entitled, The Day Before Christmas. I’m sure it will make you smile and that it will reach you with its deeper sentiment.

 

 

+++ THE POEMS FOLLOW +++

 

 

THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS

On the day before Christmas the tree is not trimmed.

Not a stocking is hung, not a package is wrapped,

Not a cookie is cut, not a pie is prepared.

But Mom does computer, while Dad loves TV.

Today his fifth show is The Price is Not Right.

Son Jimmy lies prone on the living room couch

while he texts to a friend and plays music he likes.

Little Suzy has earbuds with wires to her IPod

and types on a laptop to play a new game.

Zing zing goes the doorbell but no one gets up.          

At last Mom says to Dad, “Will you please see who’s there?”

When he opens the door, it’s Grandma and Grandpa,

Who enter the house with their smiles and good cheer.

But mom keeps on computing with, “One minute, please,”

so Grandma hails Suzie with “Hi! How are you?”

Her granddaughter smiles but she misses the question,

then lowers her eyes and keeps playing her game.

So Grandma sits down by herself in a corner,

and Grandpa greets Jimmy, who gives him a high-five.

But that’s all he has for him. Texting comes first.

Frozen out Grandpa sits down next to Grandma.

And Dad goes on watching The Price is Not Right.

Then all of a sudden Mom looks at the floor

where the wire to her PC is burning with fire.

All screens go to black and it gets very quiet.

She unplugs the cord and the fire fizzles out

but the cable is dead and the gadgets don’t work.

Since the power is on, they all start to feel festive.

Grandpa and Jimmy put trim on the tree,

Grandma and Suzy make pies and some cookies,

while Dad wraps the presents and Mom cooks a meal.

By the end of the evening the stockings are hung,

the mess is cleaned up and the dishes are done.

That night in his room Grandpa falls to his knees

and thanks God for a non-electron Christmas eve.

Ann Crediford

© 2012

 

 

THE WINGED ONES

 

As Zacharias tends

the temple altar of incense

there’s a sudden swirl

of fragrance and smoke

Lo! A resplendent angel

appears before his very eyes—

 

It is Gabriel

who stands in the presence of God

 

The winged one startles the old priest

by proclaiming—

 

Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear a son…

He will be the forerunner of Messiah

 

Astonished at the announcement

(for his wife is advanced in years)

Zacharias dares question

God’s messenger

and is duly struck dumb—

 

and will not utter another word

until the Heavenly proclamation

comes to pass

 

As grey-haired Elizabeth blossoms

with approaching motherhood

Gabriel alights again

all wings and gleam and glory

in a visit to Mary, a Nazarene maiden

He foretells that she, too, is with child—

chosen to be the virgin mother

of the Holy Son of God—

 

Breathless, Mary runs

to Joseph, her betrothed

eager to tell of the angelic visitation

and Gabriel’s marvelous word to her

 

but it is too much for him to comprehend—

Feeling deceived and disheartened

he considers ending their engagement

 

until one night, while tossing in sleep

an angel of the Lord appears in a dream

to assure him

Mary is indeed pure and righteous—

miraculously overshadowed

by the Holy Spirit of God

 

so Joseph marries her

and together they await the coming

of The Savior of the World

 

and when that wondrous event occurs

a multitude of angels fill the Heavenlies

with most glorious splendors

The Bethlehem night becomes brilliant

startling lowly shepherds

reclining in fields with their flocks

 

and all the beautiful celestial beings

with wings and robes and gladness

proclaim good news of great joy

for all people:

 

Glory to God in the Highest—

Jesus, The Messiah, is born!

 

Maude Carolan Pych

© 2011

 

 

Permission to forward or copy is automatic and encouraged as long as credit is given.

 

 

Comments are welcome and appreciated.

 

Look for the next edition of It’s All About…The Lamb, March 15, 2013

 

 

 

A FEW CLOSING WORDS…

 

Dear Subscriber,

 

I wish you a peaceful and joyful Christmas surrounded by people who love you. May it be tenderly reflective of the spotless and holy precious Lamb of God Who was born to save us…Jesus/Yeshua.

O Praise Him!

 

…And Happy Hanukkah to those of the Jewish faith…

 

God be with ewe,

Maude

 

 

 

After God’s Own Heart Publishing

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

 

 

Thelamb777@optimum.net

www.maudespoems.blogspot.com