pictured words

a simple pairing of pictures and poetry

Tag: My God

NEW WORD FOR 2023

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Each year, I choose a word.
Grace, joy, giving, hospitality, empathy, prayer …
You know, words that improve my focus
and my life.
Not one for resolutions,
the idea of a word of the year appeals to me.
It is simple.  Embraceable.
I nearly chose prayer again,
but after much thought and, well, prayer,
I decided on open
Open heart.
Open door.
Open to grace, joy, giving, hospitality, empathy, prayer …
Open.
And I’ll open 2023 in prayer
that my Lord will more fully open my heart
to His open arms. 

©  Marie Elena Good, 2022

WHAT THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE CAN’T SEE

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Exposure to the vastness of our world
reveals the limitations of my brain.
As gleaming glows of galaxies unfurled
have come to light, I cannot even feign

to grasp a tiny bit of what exists,
or visualize what else may be out there.
For as the search continues to persist,
we’ll surely find more great unknowns elsewhere.

Here’s me, my feet fixed firmly to the ground;
my tiny world spills full with those I love.
My eyes and heart lift up to God, spellbound
at what He made that I can scarce dream of.

This God who spoke unending realms to be,
sees fit to whisper words of love to me.  

© Marie Elena Good, 2022

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place: What is mankind that you are mindful of them? Human beings that you care for them?”
~ Psalm 8:3-4

BENEATH THE MOON OF GOD’S CHOOSING

Photo by Keith R. Good

In the midst of war
(and there is always a war)
lies grim misjudging.
Fear of difference.
Insatiable greed for land.
Resolute loathing.
Dire false impressions.
Grave miscommunications.

And a common moon.

And beneath that moon,
in God’s perfect alignment,
is home to us all.
We’ve food and water
(if only we’d gladly share),
great plains and mountains,
celebrated seas
with unfathomably large
communal mammals.
With microscopic
yet astoundingly complex
sentient beings.
Sands God has numbered
stay in place as our home spins,
not spilling a drop
of the vast waters
that both adorn and provide,
beautify and quench.

And though we do not
tend to her needs (let alone
the needs of “others”),
God gave us this home
brilliantly placed beneath the
moon of His choosing,
populated with
children He chooses to love.
(There are no “others.”}

© Marie Elena Good, 2021

#5-7-5

Every little seed

Poland Forest, Poland, Ohio

Bloom confidently.
Even breeze-scattered seed is
rooted by God’s breath.

© Marie Elena Good, 2021

ISCARIOT

603px-P._Molnár_The_Thirty_Pieces_of_Silver_1909

By János Pentelei Molnár – biblia.huA Biblia a magyar képzőművészetbenPic, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18270499

You found inside you
the price to betray a friend:
that of one suitcoat.

© Marie Elena Good, 2020

“What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.” ~ Matthew 26:15

WHAT GOD IS THIS?

1511098_10151983000978600_1242442648_n

Nativity by Gertrude Kasebier c 1901

Following the angel’s appearance months ago,
A young woman – mystified, yet willing –

Subjected herself to ridicule

While readying for the baby whose presence

Began making itself evident.
 

Then came the night
On the heels of a long and arduous journey

In humbleness of setting and witness.
 

How prepared was the young woman’s weary body
And emotion-laden heart

For the miracle of birth,
Let alone this Miracle of Birth – this holy night

That culminates in pulling her newborn son to her breast,

Offering life-giving milk

To the very One who created life,

And came to offer it eternal.
 

What God is this who would choose this humble,
Implausible means

Out of love for a sinner?
 

My God.

My God…

 

©  2013, Marie Elena Good