lenten poem twenty-four

Pyrenees, 2014.

Carême 24: La grâce de Dieu

"Commended to the grace of God"

Perhaps I don't know

the fullness of this 

phrase's meaning.

But I know it sounds

like a good

and lovely thing

to wish for.

Like flowers in full bloom.

*Translation of French: God's grace

(Acts 14:26)

lenten poem twenty-three

lenten poem twenty-two

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2014.

Carême 22: Repose-toi

La nuit est fraîche

Mais la lune brille

Derrière les nuages.

Une lumière douce,

Gentille, et

Pleine d'espoir.

Tout ira bien, ma puce.

In English:

Carême 22: Rest

The night is cool

But the moon shines

From behind the clouds.

A light soft,

Kind, and

Full of hope.

Everything will be okay, my dear one.

lenten poem twenty-one

Carême 21:

Les cadeaux d'aujourd'hui

Midday bird choirs,

curly-headed new friends wearing niece-ages,

a tail-wagging blond puppy

licking fingers through a gate,

and the last spoonful of chocolate mousse

from people welcoming me 

~~gently~~

       into

     family.

My heart is warm

during this

leisurely stroll home.

*Translation of French: Today's gifts
Photo: Pau, France, 2016.

lenten poem twenty

San Diego, 31 December 2011.

Carême 20: This Grace in Which We Stand, 

or Romans 5:2

We stand beneath a shower

of golden light

and hold hands open in wonder.

This light of your grace, 

we can feel it

as it soaks us.

(Romans 5:2; Psalm 130:5)

lenten poem nineteen

England, 2011.

Carême 19: L'abondance

A sprinkle of water ~~ clean

New heart, new spirit ~~ redeemed

Saved from destruction ~~ alive

Life abundant

for you are holy.

*Translation of French: abundance

John 10:10; Ezekiel 36:22-30, especially v. 22

lenten poem eighteen

Pau, France. Today.

Carême 18: Sunday's Verse

La météo: il va pleuvoir 7 jours sur 8.

Timely then, this poetry lilting soundlessly, without
fanfare from the church's projection
screen while we await the
service's start.

Connaissons, cherchons à connaître l'Eternel!
Sa venue est aussi certaine que celle de l'aurore.
Il viendra pour nous comme la pluie, comme la dernière pluie
qui arrose la terre.
Osée 6.3

So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.
Hosea 6:3

*Translation of French: The forecast: It's going to rain 7 out of the next 8 days.

(Hosea 6:1-3)

lenten poem seventeen

Aix-en-Provence, France. 2014.

Carême 17: Of Seeds & Yeast

Growth of any sort

is miraculous mystery

God-done, for we cannot.

----Come, Lord. Grow us.

(The Lent Project - Biola U. Center for Christianity, Culture and the Arts; Matthew 13:31-33)

lenten poem sixteen

Pau, France. 2016.

Carême 16: Confessions

You say then we will 
know in full, face to face. Then.
But I want then now.
On Earth. Now.

-----Seigneur, je suis fatiguée par l'attente.


*Translation of French: Lord, I'm tired of the waiting, of the expectation.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

lenten poem fifteen

Southern France. 2014.

Carême 15: Fear Is Persistent

Why, Lord, do I fear

you will use my willingness to obey

as a weapon against me?

as a way to play with me?

-----You are not capricious.     

You are love.     

You are good.     

Help my heart believe you.     

(Madeleine L'Engle's poem "Sarah: Before Mount Moriah" found in A Cry Like a Bell and The Ordering of Love: The New & Collected Poems of Madeleine L'Engle)

lenten poem fourteen

Togo. 2014.

Carême 14: The Sign Is Worship, or Exodus 3:12

Part 1: Délivrance

Je vois ta souffrance.

Ne t'inquiete pas, je viens,
je te mènerais

là où tu t'épanouiras.

Part 2: Moses

Je ne comprends pas.

I must step in trust before

you give the sign?

You ask too much, Lord

Part 3: It Is Finished

We will worship you. 

Here.

And know.

*Translation of France: I see your suffering. Don't worry, I'm coming, I will lead you to a place where you will flourish. // I don't understand.

(Exodus 3:1-12)

lenten poem thirteen

Lagos, Nigeria. 2014.

Carême 13: Supplication

Lord, please show me if

there is error in my way;

donne-moi ta paix et

le courage de te suivre.

*Translation of French: Supplication=supplication; If not, give me your peace and the courage to follow you.

(Psalm 27)

lenten poem twelve

Ljubljana, Slovenia. 2014.

Carême 12: Stir Up Thy Power

Lord, as I long to

be known, help me remember

to deeply know others

                                                      ----being the first to hold out a hand.

(Third Sunday of Lent (Prayer) - InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Blog)

lenten poem eleven

Pau, France. 2016.

Carême 11: Un jour est comme 1000 ans

"How long, O Lord," souls 

cry. But time is mine not yours,

trust me, says the Lord.

*Translation of French: One day is like a thousand years

(2 Peter 3:5-13)

lenten poem ten

Kisaba village on Bukasa Island, Uganda, 2007.
The folks had carpeted this church with soft, sweet-smelling, freshly-cut
grasses. It was lovely--my first experience with grass carpet indoors.
But I also watched its freshness die, while Bible metaphors
echoed through me. Today's metaphor: James 1:9-11.

Carême 10: Pure of Heart

A pigeon couple

On tiled roof across the way

Happy in the rain.

                                                          

                                                         ----(for they are the Lord's)

("Limitations" from Prayer: 40 Days of Practice by Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson; The Lent Project - Biola U. Center for Christianity, Culture and the Arts; Psalm 119:33-48; James 1:1-15; Matthew 5:8)

lenten poem nine

Pau, France, 2016.


Carême 9: Repentance, or Truth + Grace

"Steadfast love surrounds
those who trust in you, O Lord."
God is soft with us.

----Je suis reconnaissante.
Merci, Seigneur.

*Translation of French: I am grateful. Thank you, Lord.

("Grace and Graciousness" sermon by Scott Patty @ GCC Nashville; Living the Christian Year by Bobby Gross, p. 146; Psalm 32)

lenten poems: a note

Pau, France, 2016.

An increasingly beautiful aspect of this Lenten poems discipline has been the decision to follow where the Spirit leads in this season. Which means the poems are not always a direct response to Scripture or to some specifically-defined Lenten reading. Sometimes they are instead inspired by a sermon I've heard, by a conversation with a friend, by a shadowed scene that played out for only seconds on the wall across the street from the window I look through while seated at my desk. All of life is the Lord's. Lent is offering a chance to learn to be especially present to the Holy Spirit's whispers in all of life's moments, not just the ones overtly deemed to be spiritual.

I did not expect all of this when I settled on this discipline for this season. But by freeing myself from responding only to my "devotions" (to what I read), the discipline has plunged me more deeply into a posture of listening all throughout the day: What will today's inspiration be? And yet, by interacting deeply with Scripture throughout these days, all of the listening is yet rooted there.

Whisper, Lord, whisper. Let there be life. And may it be good.

lenten poem eight

Frioul Islands, France, 2015.

Carême 8: La joie

Help me not fear, Lord,

to ask for joy--grande et profonde.

Let the fresh wind blow.

*Translation of French: joy; big and deep

lenten poem seven

Togo, 2014.

Carême 7: Glory

Keep fervent in your love.

        How, Lord?

        I alone am not enough.

Be ready, sois prêt.

        How, Lord?

        Ready for what?

Serve others, as a good steward.

        How, Lord?

        What is my gift?

(Live for the will of God, that God may be glorified.)

*Translation of French: be ready

(1 Peter 4:1-11)

lenten poem six

Southwestern France, 2014.

Carême 6: Sur Scène, the Neighbor's Wall

Unseen bird performed

a shadow play near noontime,

flew away. Encore!

(Sometimes life beautiful

 is found in shadows.)

*Translation of French: On Stage