Autumn poems warm my soul....

Autumn

The autumn winds are moaning round 

And through the branches sighing, 

And autumn leaves upon the ground 

All seared and dead are lying. 

The summer flowers have ceased to bloom 

For autumn frosts have blighted, 

And laid them in a cheerless tomb 

By summer sun unlighted. 

Thus all our 'fondest hopes decay' 

Beneath the chill of sorrow, 

The joys that brightest seem to-day 

Are withered by the morrow. 

But there are flowers that bloom enshrin'd 

In hearts by love united, 

Unscathed by the autumn wind, 

By autumn frost unblighted. 

And there are hearts that ever thrill 

With friendship warm and glowing, 

And joys unseared by sorrow's chill 

With hallowed truth o'erflowing.

William James Jones

Sustain Me in the Coming Then

O God, empty me of angry judgments,

and aching disappointments,

and anxious trying,

and breathe into me

something like quietness

and confidence,

that the lion and the lamb in me

may lie down together

and be led by a trust

as straightforward as a little child.

Catch my pride and doubt off guard

that, at least for the moment,

I may sense your presence

and your caring,

and be surprised

by a sudden joy

rising in me now

to sustain me in the coming then.

[from Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder]

(Helpful in the busy hectic days of September!)



Falling Leaves, a death scene or a musical dance?

“Glory be to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:21)

As we enter into the Fall season it is tempting to feel somewhat depressed as the sunlight lessens and the air becomes cooler. Recently I have discovered that I am susceptible to seasonal mood changes. Doubt tends to creep in along with the chill. We may doubt God’s presence in the midst of struggles we face, especially in times when we feel too busy to spend time praying. It may seem hard to believe that God can be present when we are confused, tense, or frustrated. At times such as these it is good to pause and just breathe in the Holy Spirit, allowing our minds and hearts to focus on the hope that results when we turn to God’s strength and goodness. It is all about perspective. As I watch the leaves begin to fall I can see this as a sad death dance or a joyful precursor to renewal. Joyce Rupp in her poem, The Falling Leaves, there is a stanza that goes:

“this gigantic death scene of leaves

does not smell of sorrow and sadness,

rather, the earth is colored with joy

and the leaves make music in the wind.”

Now that is the way to turn a negative falling leaves death scene into a joyful musical scene! I love Rupp’s way of reframing what could be perceived as depressing into beauty. It is a great honor to be invited into your lives in times of struggle and to pray for you when you are in need. Some people say it must be depressing to always be going to the hospital or to be hearing about people’s problems. But I say: "What a blessing it is to be given the opportunity to act as an agent for God’s tender loving care and as a messenger of God’s hope and comfort in times of distress!" I hope you will never hesitate to invite me to pray with you, for you, or for those you are concerned about. I know many pray for the staff here at PCM and we appreciate it so very much! Your prayers keep our PCM ship afloat in the rough and calm seas of church life. Blessings for a beautiful Fall!


(Falling Leaves image, Jeremy Montalvo)