"The Boardwalk Pavilion"

Summertime Worship

in Ocean Grove, New Jersey

Ocean Grove Beach Pavilion

THE BOARDWALK PAVILION

This glorious summer Sunday morning—

We’re drawn eastward

from north, south and west

by the magnetic pull

of God’s love-force

Drawn, to the old wooden pavilion

to the Atlantic, the Jersey shore

to the boards at God’s Square Mile—

Ocean Grove. Drawn

wearing khaki and denim

tees and tanks

sundresses, flip-flops

carrying water bottles

carrying Bibles

fanning ourselves

with song sheets

We fill the benches

then spill over

into the periphery

onto folding chairs, lawn chairs

beach blankets. Some stand

Some look for shade

It’s 80-plus and breezy

The sky, clear

The sea glistens

Waves slap the shore

merrily. We’re merry

Vacationers stroll past

Some peer; some stop

some smile; some don’t

Bikers pedal by

joggers jog

Hymnsong; guitar-strum

Son-smiles; praise dance

heart-moves; Kidz church

Gospel-preach

Agape flows outward

aboutward

Sea mist rises like incense

upward, Heavenward

toward the One

enthroned

We bask in the warmth

of His smile

of His warm, sunshiny love

Maude Carolan Pych

Introducing Barbara Higby's New Book...

Bob and I returned this week from our fabulous summer vacation to visit family in Colorado and California. One of the best things I found waiting for us, amid the huge stack of mail, when we got home, was a package containing the new book by Barbara Higby that I had pre-ordered. It is titled "I Was Broken, Too."

Barbara is my friend and the facilitator of the North Jersey Christian Writers Group (NJCWG). The book tells the story of her remarkable journey from brokenness to hope. 

Quoting from the back cover..."I Was Broken, Too" was written for you, the broken, disillusioned, and wounded. If loss of any kind has assaulted your hope, follow the paths that revived Barbara's--they are achievable and hope is possible. You will discover that what God has done for her, He will do for you." 

Her book is published by Elm Hill Press and is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and Christianbook.com.



And now, a summertime poem...

Let me introduce you to my granddaughter, Alana Dulce Muniz. In the photo below, she is in my kitchen, learning to make Irish soda bread. In the poem I'm about to share with you, Alana struggles with learning to dive during swim lesson classes, last summer at Erskine Lake...

Alana Dulce Muniz

LIKE A BABY BIRD

For Alana Dulce Muniz

Granddaughter Alana stands on the edge

of the diving board over Erskine Lake

Her arms are positioned high above her head

fingertips of both hands are touching

and pointing over the water

Her feet shuffle anxiously

She drops her tired little arms

looks around

lifts her arms again

points her fingertips, shuffles

trying to muster courage

wanting to do it so badly, but

too afraid to let herself go

Grandma calls to her

You can do this, Alana!

and Alana knows that’s true, so

she lifts her arms again

points her fingers again

shuffles right, left, right, left

then turns around

and climbs down the ladder

When she gets home

the baby sparrow in the straw nest

outside the kitchen window

is perched on the edge

It flutters its wings

It shuffles its little legs

The bird looks below

and shuffles some more

as mama bird flies to and fro

flapping her wings

with encouragement

Alana tells little bird

You can do it!

as we all stand by, like cheerleaders

hoping and waiting

Little bird remains perched there

for a long, long time

We give up watching

and don’t see it take flight

but it’s gone now

and a week later

when Grandma wasn’t there to watch

Alana perched herself, determinately

on the edge of the diving board

and dove victoriously

into Erskine Lake

Maude Carolan Pych