I have placed my life in God’s hand
Hoping to glimpse the promised land
Like Moses on that magic spot
Who saw the place but entered not.
Just the distant sight of it all
Is enough to lift lifetimes pall
For in the end when truth is known
Each of us reaps what we have sown.
I think I have come to the end of my dreams
Was it but pretend, because that’s how it seems.
I’m not sure I know what the next step will be
But whatever it is Lord tarry with me
Forgive my failures and stay close by my side
As I slowly begin the last of my ride.
I’ve traveled so far on my journey of light
It’s time now to enter that final goodnight.
The sound of voices I love may twist the rules
Belief otherwise is the substance of fools.
What shall we do this blessed day,
We’ll walk with God along the way
And tred the path to long ago
When kindly thoughts did ebb and flow.
We’ll take a moment here and there
Remembering the love we shared
And try to keep our dreams alive
While unrelenting powers thrive.
When we have chosen every word
The angels up above have heard
And tasted both wins and defeat
Then may our hearts decline to beat !
We dwell upon this chaotic earth
With no understanding of our worth
We twirl about and chance fantasize
There exists much more than meets the eyes !
None but God knows the fabric within
That fosters depth and thickness of skin
And softens the odd thoughts that we think
On return from adversity’s brink.
God has the knowledge of all our tasks
And the simple truth is what He asks
To live with respect and do your best
Depend on Him to secure the rest !
These criss-cross tracks seen from o’erhead
The only sign our eyes have read
Some lonely truck half-cased in snow,
No telltale signs that we should know
How drivers found their safe escape
In this abandoned stark snowscape !
The storm continues wild and wet
How long before the wind will let
The drifts abate and settle down
So we may trudge on solid ground ?
I love the snow its smell and feel
Reminding us of all that’s real
One more facet of God’s great love
That shadows us from up above !
The God I know is good and kind
The world outside is deaf and blind
The rules of life are cast aside
And compromised by greed and pride.
The little that we know and fear
Won’t aid us as the time grows near
To make that one decision bold
Wherein the final truth is told.
God’s love will triumph over all
When bugles sound the last roll call
I’d like to be excluded from
Anathemas old curse and sum !
I looked outside into the sky
And in the west there shone this eye
So round and full and bright and white
Set in blue sky mid morning light.
I find it strange the two should meet
Like passing strangers on a street
I think that God employs surprise
Morning magic as we arise !
How much more ere we each depart
Will He reveal to trusting heart
To prove to us omnipotence
Is His alone in every sense ?
The fog encases all I see
As snowflakes strive to rapid flee
By tempest tossed chased in their flight
They cloud the sky and dim the light.
How clean and white the ground appears
While buried in God’s frozen tears
This fragile thought has crossed my mind
Perhaps the wind will purpose find
And churn the storms of faith about
Ensuring lives remain devout.
THIS A.M., I wakened early to visions of streets trod by nodding smiling people, assorted ages, sizes and in various shades of color, now that’s Hoboken ! Frankly even if you are a stranger, almost all seem to nod or greet in some mild fashion both with the familiar and occasional “homeless” . Here we are more than three and a half centuries after our initial encounter with resident Native American Indians. Can you imagine such camaraderie ? We have gone from Ho-Ho-Hoboken to a town where the cost of living space has tumbled to a low of $ 500. per finished square footage due to struggling economic times ! For those of us who have survived the Great Depression the dichotomy is astounding, not to mention, overwhelming ! Yet the homeless are with us still. I have become convinced that they may be the last extension of our society that remains impervious to the color GREEN ! HaHa ! But I digress, this is a place of many languages and dialects since it’s inception but grows even more divers daily and all in one friendly mile, which we happily share with the Cake Boss !! On that sweet note I wish to remind you that Hoboken WAS the home of Hostess Cake and Tootsie Roll when I was a little girl ! Sincerely, Claire B.
We can’t forget the children small
Whose portraits hang upon a wall
Of some far place we cannot see
Where angels guard their memory.
These little ones have paid the price
For madness and insane device
Of men who have no mind to care
About young lives and whom they spare.
Pray God soon acts to right the wrong
And beg it will not take so long.
My heart cries out it’s full of pain
To think that we’re at war again
We search for calm it isn’t there
The world still writhes in deep despair
When will it cease the unknown crime
This war on peace destroys our clime,
Oh why is man so incomplete
Unable to accept defeat ?
We’ve lost all sense in this foray
Will we survive another day
The question rises to the fore
From day to day who keeps the score,
The boy who grows to be a man
To love his God and have a plan
Or one who scatters discontent
No matter what the message sent ?
Who is to judge the final test
And weigh the cost of such unrest ?
A hopeful dream has piqued my mind
If I seek God what shall I find ?
A treasure trove of caring thought
With acts of love in kindness taught
Great patience gathered all around
While simple truths and peace abound,
The joy that bides with one each day
And faith that carries fear away
The gentle calm believing brings
And happiness where gladness sings.
TODAY is one of those days, remarkable and reassuring, a day to renew my connection with American values! A day to believe that we can rise above the chaos of our declining society with unfailing faith in our humanity. I have spent a number of hours in the last few days in the company of what I found to be a cohesive family, gathering for a wedding. How comfortable to witness old fashioned affection ! It brought back memories of my childhood and those wonderful family togethers by the lake, by the beach, in the park. Doesn’t everyone recall one magic occasion ? What is the fascination with immediate gratification of all of our senses when we leave no opening for that spectacular surprise or chance occurrence. Where did we lose anticipation ? Oh, Santa will you become the next victim of expediency ? As a small child, Christmas Eve filled our home with varied relatives, there would be rapping on the front window, a jingling of sleigh bells on the porch and as the curtain was pulled aside, the sight of a jolly person in a red hat waving a big red sack ! It took a few years and a new home before I realised that it was my cuddly and chubby aunt in a homemade costume who came calling, I know, I know, Alice in Wonderland ! I believe HER family WAS dysfunctional ! But aren’t we all just a bit, who wants to be perfect ? Such a heavy burden to bear ! I found it delightful to wake up to a brief spate of normalcy these few days in the Sheraton on the Hudson. HAHA !! Sincerely, Claire B.
The morning dew collects upon the petals of the rose
The leaves that fall into the stream drift as the water flows
The breeze that greets the newborn morn may whisper ever sweet
As birdlings in their parents nest await their early treat.
I’d like to think that men are bold and to their faith keep true
It might just be my fondest dream it would be me and you
The dearest hope I can conceive is one which makes Him glad
These must be joys that God does love and will not make Him sad.
EXCUSE ME, is that your dog poop on my sidewalk ? Sound familiar ? Rumor has it that one of our more visible brownstoners arose early one morning recently, wearing cap and woolplaid mackinaw, bearing spade in hand with a determined grin, approached the stoop, ladling animal excreta on same. I guess that he experienced momentary satisfaction in the act, relieving pentup frustrations of the past week. However one performance does not a cure make. I recall my own first night, a cold and snowy holiday eve many years ago. Sometimes I think I’ve never lived anywhere else, so assimilated have I become. To continue, after a 30 year exile in suburbia, HOBOKEN was a culture shock. I had a dog, a large dog, oversized and overfed who required a walk ! I grabbed a robe, slipped on scuffs, proceeded down the stairway and out into the night, dog and all. Once outside I reflected on the foolishness of my action, good grief, it was 3AM and the local bars were emptying out, all it appeared on my block ! Tightly clutching one fleece robe, sloshing through the snow, I “toughed” it out walking that dog with my heart pounding madly all the while muttering to myself hoping the passersby would think “maybe she’s crazy. Finally returning to my doorway, dignity challenged but intact, vowing to teach him in the very near future to use paper ! There’s a real need to provide dog walking areas, they do that in European cities out of necessity. Perhaps someday here ! Excuse me, for the moment I have to buy the Times. Sincerely, Claire B. PS. This in memory of Leo Perez, a dear friend and owner of the mackinaw who left us so young.
The rain that falls upon this place
The breeze that blows upon ones face
The leaves that flutter to the ground
The winds that rustle all around
The stars o’erhead that twinkle bright
The clouds that hustle day and night
The seas that play against the shore
The waves that feed the oceans roar
These things that keep our minds awake
Gods gifts that do our pleasures make !
The storms of life ride on the winds and round again
While noses pressed upon the frosted window pane
As closely as one can should sight the lights below
Of cars that creep and crawl and skid in midnight snow.
The safety and the eloquence of night time charm
Encouraged to protect us from intrinsic harm
Far wiser to outwait the storm and greet its end
Than try to force a circumstance and not unbend !
I looked out o’er the rooftops nigh
And spied a shining star on high
It shone so bright the whole night through
And challenged all the lore I knew.
If I had been so ever smart
It might have quelled an anxious heart
But as it is I question why
This star above is in my sky ?
Perhaps the Lord wants us to know
This universe does grow and grow
Thus pose to us this mystery
What else is there for us to see ?
The winter winds do fill my space
They chill my heart and sting my face
The air is like a frigid blast
I hope its strength cannot long last.
The open fields seem bleak with snow
Where do the timid creatures go
When winters length remains too long
And spring delays her joyous song ?
There’s much to learn if we can see
Some pattern in our destiny
That wings to us a message clear
Hold on to faith dispel the fear.
God will not fail He loves us still
We need His care, His word, His will
And if we do all that we should
We’ll find our lives so blessed with good !
The chapel bells rang loud and clear
The sounds sang out so full of cheer
These simple notes did spur my soul
To try again to reach my goal.
The joys of life seemed far away
I begged of God I should not stray
My heart is true, I rule my mind
Yet sometimes even truth is blind !
Out of the depths of darkness old
The sound of voices harsh and cold
Do echo through the silent night
Reminding one of freedoms plight
Like loneliness the runner finds
Along a road that winds and winds.
The ships in harbor seem absurd
There waiting on the watchmen’s word
To raise life’s sail on swollen waves
And seek escape from salty graves !
How easily snow can disguise
The ugliness before our eyes
And change the bleak facade of day
Into God’s wonderous display !
I awoke this morning with these words in my head, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish” ( John 3:16 ). Wow ! For those of us who are parents this is some wake-up call, but for those who have only one child, what a sacrifice ! This unseen being or power that masquerades in many forms to many peoples for many centuries must really like us, you think ? Frankly, I can’t begin to imagine that kind of love, I’m not even capable of it. How about you ? Is that why love has such power, not to be confused with lust ? The Bible is full of stories of love, when did we lose the true meaning ? Perhaps we should consider the story of David and Bathsheba, now that was lust ! Just look at the results, the baby died and the wisest man who lived, his brother Solomon, left us reams of prayers and wisdom and a civilization that perished. But love, like that of Jacob and Rachel endures forever. I think that is God’s love for us and passes all understanding ! I’m sure His promises are eternal and I’m willing to spin the wheel with God, no matter where the chips may fall. Will you join me ? It is truly the lack of love destroying this old world today and it’s time we got our act together ! Sincerely, Claire B.
I thought one day I would be old
I knew sometimes I’d feel the cold
I never thought I’d be alone
With no one here to call my own
Though all of this is now the fact
I have survived with faith intact.
The constant loss I could not bear
Would be the absence of all prayer
But if I cannot speak a word
I have no doubt my thoughts are heard !
EXCUSE ME, but you’re raining on my parade ! Oh, no it’s only Ronald McDonald sponsoring another sidewalk fest for the local neighborhood, frenzied and noisy. Speaking of parades, we’ve missed one, New Year’s Day ! How do all those bands and marchers manage to be so sprightly and energetic the day after ? I’d venture that the rest of the population including HOBOKEN can barely manage to lift their heads off the pillow much before warm-up time ! What is the secret ? This year I couldn’t get the adrenalin to flow until about 3 PM, and I stayed at home New Years Eve, just the TV and me, listening to the serenade of breaking beer bottles and screeching tires from the streets below. My morning after blues included one quick foray onto the sidewalk with black plastic bag clutched tightly in my very cold hand while the aging body repeatedly bobbed to scoop up the remains of the nights revelry. Thank God and the local politicos for a swift and efficient Department of Sanitation. They sure can cleansweep this town, toute suite ! When I was young, my mother told me that you could learn a lot about human nature by observing people’s trash cans. Some were all dented and dirty, others clean and painted with pride, some had no cans at all using boxes and bags while others simply used those of their neighbors. Now that’s a life lesson ! I honestly don’t know if that was what she truly meant however I never doubted her sagacity. Excuse me, but I just ran out of Lysol ! Sincerely, Claire B.
I’ve seen the little children play
Around the park along the way
I’ve heard their jumbled shrieks of glee
While hiding there behind a tree !
They laugh and skip and jump and run
It’s heart warming to see such fun.
Sometimes I feel the strongest yearn
To be a child who can return
I’d put my grownup cares away
Just to be young for one last day !
There is no one born without worth
We are His children from our birth
This world so great and marvelous
Such beauty God has gifted us.
He counts the hairs upon our heads
While angels guard us in our beds
There’s so much magic happening
With His true wisdom beckoning.
A consequence this wealth recalls
When in the forest one leaf falls
The stars above can sense the sound
And heaven hears it hit the ground !
Claire V. Bogdanos 