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News & Reviews
June 2002 |
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Poppy and the Papaya Tree
Welcome to "News & Reviews." We encourage you to write and let us know what you are doing with your poetry: Has your poetry been a blessing to anyone? Are you using your poems to minister to others? We'd like to know. We are especially looking for encouraging letters sent to you from readers who either have used your FOCP--published poetry or have been blessed as a result of having seen it somewhere on our web-site. Send your e-mails to "News & Reviews" cpoets@adelphia.net
E-Word Today has moved to a 7-day-a-week publication. Subscribers can receive E-Word Monday through Friday only, Saturday and Sunday only, or seven days a week (in their choice of html, plain text, or large print). Current recipients of the Monday through Friday subscription will not automatically receive the newly available weekend editions mentioned above. You must subscribe. Devo Digest, published 7 days a week, also features poems from our Library of Poetic Expression on a daily basis. As in E-Word Today, the actual poems are not being published in the devotionals. Instead, a link with the title of the poem and the author's name is being listed. These publications also provide links to the Poem of the Month WebPage as well as this Fellowship's website. Their combined circulation is nearly 13,000 opt-in subscribers. The e-mail addresses for both devotionals are as follows: E-Word Today: ewordtoday-subscribe@ewordtoday.com
Winner of Father's Day Special Contest is "The Daddy Dance" by Joy Kelly, The Woodlands, Texas. Be swept into an enraptured love dance with our heavenly Father as poetess Joy compares God's love toward us to that of the love a devoted earthly father has toward his children. Congratulations, Joy! A link to this poem will be listed in E-Word and Devo the entire month of June. You can also view this poem by visiting our Poem of the Month WebPage. A down-to-earth, from the heart poem, "Father" by Norman Stephens, is to a faithful dad what Proverbs 31:10-31 is to a virtuous woman. See for yourself. Holy Ghost awesome! "Earn Your Title, Dad," an exhortation of wise counsel that obviously came straight from our heavenly Father's heart through James Tate's heart for whosoever will listen. "Father" A father's hands are callused from
the hard work he performs And when a father comes home tired
from working hard all day Where once your father's skin was
smooth his head so full of hair But to hear him tell it you're the
apple of his eye nls501@aug.com
Dad, a young bird in its nest Just stop and think a minute, Look to your heavenly Father, Most any man can be a father Birds, while teaching their young, So set the pattern for him; jetate@juno.com
Poems for the Liberty in Christ Contest are currently being reviewed. Deadline for submission is June 15th. Winner will receive a $25 prize, a certificate, and the winning entry will be selected as July's Poem of the Month. If none of the poems entered in special contests qualify as a winner, the cash award will be added to the next special contest award. In the event this should occur, either a non-member's poem or, at our discretion, a poem by the founders of this ministry or yours truly will be posted instead. Hopefully, this will lead to careful and prayerful preparation of future contest entries. UPDATE ON PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED ENTRIES: In lieu of a newly submitted poem, you may choose to send an e-mail to cpoets@adelphia.net and a COPY to elc@cfaith.com requesting a review and reconsideration of a previously submitted entry. If you choose this option, please include your name and poem's title exactly as it appears in our Library of Poetic Expressions, otherwise, we will not be able to retrieve your poem. Keep in mind that time will not always permit us to search for potential special contest winners in our library. So, if you wish to be included in future special contests, it will be your responsibility to take advantage of the option mentioned above. REMINDERS:
Our Newest Outreach, Holy Land USA, is our newest outreach. We are still recruiting poems for 3' X 4' sign placement in this 250-acre natural sanctuary. To date the Holy Land directors have selected 11 poems of the 37 submitted by over 25 poets. They are as follows:
Note: Poems are not selected by FOCP founders or volunteer workers. They are selected by the directors of the Holy Land Project. The first seven are already placed. The rest will be positioned as funds are made available. Pictures of the sanctuary are already on our site, and more will follow as we place the poems. New poetry should be written on the following topics:
From: kingscta@lycos.com Greetings from the Christian Artists Network. The Christian Artists Network is a new, worldwide, Christian music web directory open to any Artists or Band with a Christian music site. It only takes a few minutes to join and it's free. It is hosted by The King's Court, a Christian music site active in worship music and affiliated with Song Select and Christian Copyright Licensing International (CELIA). To find out more information go to: http://www.thekingscourt.com/artists.htm then, click SubmitSite Feel free to forward this email to any Christian Artist or Band worldwide who you feel would be interested in joining this network. Have a great day praising Jesus. Will Goldstein ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cfanarts@aol.com John, Church for All Nations will be holding a series of writing workshops for both poets and playwrights beginning June 12th in midtown Manhattan. Please share this information with any of your members who live in New York or New Jersey. Detailed information is contained in the attached announcement [see below] or can be accessed by logging on to http://www.cfan.net and clicking on "Special Events." Thanks for your help in getting the word out about this. Jeff Dailey WEDNESDAY EVENINGS BEGINNING JUNE 12, 2002 Poetry--6:00 PM From the earliest days of the English language, the Bible was used as a basis for poetry. Among the surviving remnants of Old English literature are poetic retellings of Genesis and Exodus, metrical versions of the Psalms, and poems based on the life of Christ. Likewise, plays based on biblical stories and themes were performed throughout the Middle Ages, as a means of educating people who couldn't read. In modern times, however, writers have mostly neglected Holy Scripture as a source of inspiration. Our workshops seek to remedy this. Beginning on Wednesday, June 12, 2002 and running for six weeks, Church for All Nations is offering free creative writing workshops to both beginning and advanced writers. Poetry workshops will be held at 6 PM and playwriting workshops at 8:00. Each workshop will offer instruction and time for writing and sharing. At the end of the workshop series in July, opportunities for public readings and publication (both in print and on the church's website) will be offered to poets and workshop performances will be held of the plays written by participants. The workshops are sponsored by the Lutheran Crusaders Fund and are free to all participants. However, advance registration is required and can be done easily by e mailing cfanarts@aol.com and giving your name, address, phone number(s), which workshop series you wish to attend, and a brief summary of your writing experience. Or you may call the church directly at (212) 333-5583 or leave a message at (212) 465 7428. Church for All Nations is located at 417 West 57th Street in midtown Manhattan, between 9th and 10th Avenues. -------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "John W. Evans" <joevans@attbi.com> Dear Brother James Tate, I want to tell you I'm enjoying more and more your Editorial Comments at our FOCP website. I can tell you put your heart into your articles, and your enthusiasm is obvious as you write. Of course I was surprised to find that you had resurrected my Mother's Day poem from the dust of the shelves of a number of years ago now. Your comments were gratifying, and I want you to know that I do appreciate them so much. Joyce and I have had some family problems of late of a rather series nature, and your kind words have helped to mollify them considerably. Yes, "there is a balm in Gilead"--and you are a servant of our Lord helping to serve it up! God bless. I count you as a real friend, and the FOCP is fortunate to have an experienced brother such as yourself working with us! Cordially, because of Him, John Evans ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: mcbrower@msn.com Hello Rev. John: My name is Monique Brower. I am an inspired poet of the Lord. I visit your site often and I am always blessed. I must say in all honesty that when I first came by your site over a year ago, I thought, "Ok...this is a very white site," as I am a black person, but the Holy Spirit quickly convicted me and I stayed for a while. Praise the LORD, I was enlightened! (Since then I've sent my friends!!) You are a gifted, anointed man of GOD and your ministry is phenomenal! Thank you for sharing your gifts! Thank you so much. You are BLESSED. I know without a doubt that this is my ministry as well. I feel compelled to share the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST in this manner and I do. I desire to be RADICALLY OBEDIENT to the WORD of GOD! Part of my testimony is on the below link, I hope you have a moment to check it out. Currently, I have been facing some mountains, but I wake up each morning with faithful expectation of their removal. This e-mail has two parts. 1. I wanted to take a moment to thank you and let you know how much of a blessing you are to the world. Your article in the newsletter this month was a particular blessing to me, especially, when I read your story on Jonah & The Whale. I never thought of doing this technique, but often times I write in a dictation form as I am inspired by the HOLY SPIRIT. Then when I am released to share it, it comes out in first person, like I am GOD or the HOLY SPIRIT speaking. It used to be a struggle for me to share these poems 'cause I would think, 'LORD, people are not going to get it... They are going to think I am telling them what to do, or that I think I am You', so, I would try to change, rearrange or reword the inspiration that He gave to me. Boy, was that the wrong answer. What God gives me, He gives me and He doesn't want me to add to it or take away from it, and I learned and am obedient. Anyway, I appreciated the technique you shared, I could never put it into words before, but at times, God allows me to be in His shoes, to share His heart with the world. That is an awesome feeling and I am often amazed! 2. I also wanted to know if you could help me... I sent an e-mail to your web designer, to inquire about the host of your site. I received no response. I have been endeavoring to build a website for the ministry which God has birthed in me. It has been difficult as I am untrained, but with the help of the HOLY SPIRIT, I know it will be fruitful. Can you please give me information about your host and what are good prices? My site is much smaller of course. I would also like people to be able to link to your site. Everyone needs those blessings. Once my site is posted I would also appreciate any input you may have as to how it can be improved and totally CHRIST centered. I hope you are not discouraged to help me because I am not a member of your organization... I want to be. I have not had the funds as I have been a stay at home mom for a while and we have been on a very fixed income. I am anticipating going to work soon, though and am exited about being a supporter of your ministry. I greatly admire you and the fruit of your labor. Continue to be EXCEEDINGLY & ABUNDANTLY
BLESSED of the LORD! M.C.BROWER ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "John Marinelli" <john@christianpoets.com> Dear Monique, Thank you for your kind words. . . . As to hosting for your site...call Terry Whitsitt E-mail Address webmaster@webtechdg.com Phone: 800-627-5937. Tell him I recommended you. As to linking to our site, please read the info on our links page for details. Look forward to your membership and poetic fellowship. Keep listening for the heart of the Master and pen what you feel or see in the Spirit. God Bless, Rev. John Marinelli ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jetate@juno.com Subject: Mommy's Hardened Heart Oh, Elsie, I cried when I read your article about your mother coming to the Lord. God bless you for sharing it with us. Locking up baby Christians was such a funny thing, so I laughed and I cried over reading your well-written devotional piece. I was deeply blessed. I know that others will be blessed as well. James ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jetate@juno.com Rev Marilyn Marinelli, I read your "Paper Made People" and want to tell you I appreciate it very much. We all need to be aware of the danger of the enemy of our soul seeking whom he may devour. And, as you so well stated, we need to take the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Marilyn, keep up the good work in God's kingdom by helping others along the way. He will bless you for it. . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------- From: <jetate@juno.com> John, I liked your story poem "Jonah and the Whale." I'll have to try one some time. I did one on Moses years ago, which I may dust off and let you have a look. Blessings. James ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Dieter & Stevie" <steiner@txol.net> Dear Elsie, Your story showed me a way to go on loving someone who is giving me a great deal of pain; someone I love. It means more than I can say to be able to read how you wrote about something so personal and yet so important and let others see, too. I will wait and pray knowing that the end result will surely be God's will, not just mine. Just wanted to say thank you. ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Elsie Cuevas" <elc@cfaith.com> Dear Norman, I just read your "Mother's Pink Rose" and what a beautiful tribute it is! I'm not sure if your mom really recently passed away or if you were using poetic license, but I do want to thank you for sharing it. It is one of those poems that has greatness stamped on it. I will certainly pass this one on. God bless you. Sincerely, Elsie --------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Stephens" <nls501@aug.com> Dear Elsie, My Poem was poetic license, but I wanted you to know that my mother died in 1983, a Christian, and I've worn a pink rose ever since. I am a former country songwriter from Nashville and am now writing just Gospel songs and poems. I had 12 top ten songs from 1969 to 1976 before my wife of 20 years died at the age of 37 with cancer and I quit the business. I would guess my most notable song was one in which I received a gold record in 1971. I had a top ten country hit with it then Wayne Newton recorded it, and it sold a million. The name of the song was "Daddy Don't You Walk so Fast." Thank you so much for your comments on my poem "Pink Rose." The response encourages me tremendously to continue writing. Norman Stephens ------------------------------------------------------------------- To: nls501@aug.com Those are some creditable accomplishments, Norman. They are wonderful. But here is something that I think is even more wonderful. It is unusual that I even read your Mother's Day poem, because as I hunt for poems to use for the following month's selection of E-Word Today, I always ignore new entries with titles of a past contest theme. I just don't have the time. And since the Mother's Day contest and selections for E-Word were already past, there was no earthly explanation as to why I even clicked on your late entry Mother's Day poem and read it. I don't even initiate e-mails commenting about poems unless someone makes a request. I reserve those remarks for "News & Reviews." But I felt compelled to do so in your case. I now understand why I did. The words I used to describe your poem came from that special place inside of me where God dwells. He merely used this unworthy vessel to convey it to you. I am convinced that God's not finished with you yet, Norman. There are greater things to come--believe it! Sincerely in Him, Elsie ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: VeemBee@xtra.co.nz DEAR JOHN JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I USED THESE TWO POEMS FOR OUR CHURCH NEWS LETTER. "ALL ABOUT MOTHERS" BY JILL LEMMING & "ACCOLADES TO A GODLY MOTHER" BY LINDA. J. STEVENSON. THANKS ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hames, Linda . . . for setting me free to share my poetry. I had a friend contact me after seeing one of my poems on http://www.faith.cc. I don't know how it got there. Above my poem on that website, was your poem "Poet of the Lord." I had read it before, but this time it really spoke to me about not being ashamed of writing. I feel free to share my poetry with others and remember that I am carrying His message "so that others may know Him, as I do." Thank you, again. Because of Him, Linda C. Hames ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dick
Hayes Dear John, I am writing from North Liverpool in the UK, where I am a Health Manager, a Leader of a Christian church with a serious interest in English poetry. While browsing for Christian poetry interest, I read your poem (April 2002 ) in Christianpoets and enjoyed the extended allegory\image. I was struck by the language and rhythm and wonder whether you have been influenced by such as Longfellow and Lowell. The observation, detail and reflections suggest a deeper interest than is often demonstrated in the devotional and sentimental. I myself use poetry as a descriptive base to create a hold on the readers mind - especially to allow the non-Christian to enter in before the introduction of ideas which would be rejected at first glance if brought to the fore too soon. If you would care to make contact I would be glad to exchange thoughts. Dick Hayes ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "John W. Evans" <joevans@attbi.com> Dear Brother Hayes, Thanks so much, brother, for your interest in my poetry. I taught poetry in English classes in the public school before retirement, and it's only been since retirement that I've gotten into writing poetry seriously. I do particularly like the story poems--poems that tell a story-- and I hope to pique the interest in them for spiritual things. I use metaphor a lot; in fact my "If Only Men Were Made Aware" is a "conceit" (I think you'd call it), where the entire poem metaphorically deals with the threat of physical death as a graphic representation of the possibility of spiritual and eternal death. I have hoped and prayed that the interest is captured by this usage, that men and women are caused to think of their eternal destinies though it. "On Rushing to Judgment," another personal favorite of mine, uses Wellington's and Napoleon's great battle to point up Jesus' victory by death and subsequent resurrection over Satan for our souls' eternal welfare, as England's welfare was made real after Wellington's victory. "A Dinnertime Tale" uses the man/woman love theme to point up the need for forgiveness (I had fun with the repetition of the dinner items there!). "Hold Onto Your Fork" uses the metaphor of dining to relate to spiritual matters, in particular the need to look away to Heaven to come and life's "dessert" there to be shared with our Lord Jesus. I have not patterned my poems after the eminent poets you mentioned, but I am flattered that you might see a comparison. I strive for a consistent meter, like the use of alliteration, and rhyming that is not forced or artificial. Thanks again, my friend, for your interest. You honor me by it, more than you can know. God bless you in Jesus. John W. Evans ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: GenPyntr@aol.com I am fascinated with the poetry by Jumoke Fasan from England. Is this a man or woman? I think I had an e-mail address for this person once; but can't find it. Would you pass along to him or her how much I appreciate their poetry? I am trying to study some of the better poets on this site and learn from them. Thanks! Geneva Note: According to her poem "All the Man I Need," she's definitely a woman. We'll pass this letter along to her, Geneva. If she responds, we'll post it. ------------------------------------------------------------------- From: <elc@cfaith.com> Hi Jackie, I used your poem "Fleeting Moments" in a Mother's Day card I made for my oldest daughter this year. My granddaughter is two years old, and I thought it was fitting. Thank you for having made it available. God bless. Elsie ------------------------------------------------------------------- "Enemy's Observation" by Juanita DeHart, Houston Texas, was posted in the May 17th edition of Spiritual Uplift. Ed Peacher is the editor of Spiritual Uplift. To Subscribe/Unsubscribe or Change Your Email Address to "SPIRITUAL UPLIFTS," send an email to ed548@yahoo.com and indicate your preference. Comments and questions can also be sent to this address. If you're recommending this newsletter to your friends and they wish to subscribe, have them send an email to ed548@yahoo.com and put "Subscribe to Spiritual Uplift" in the subject line. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross Gardner, our Canadian counterpart of the Fellowship of Christian Poets died February 21st. He is now with Jesus. The Canadian Ministry is no longer in operation. Our condolences to Audrey and family for the loss of their beloved husband and father.
I stared at the wrinkled spot on the page that one of my tears had made as I waited for the right words to come. I wanted to make my father understand about the unrighteousness of every man who is outside of Christ. My thoughts drifted back to the conversation we had the day we sat across from one another at his kitchen table during my "save-my-family missionary trip" to Florida: "God loves me, because He knows I am a good man, and He will never send a good man to hell." "Poppy, the Bible says our righteousness is as filthy rags. You need to humble yourself and acknowledge you are a sinner like everyone else." "The Bible was written by man, and every religion thinks they are the true religion. Yours is no different," he countered and continued to eat his papaya. My mind focused in again on my partially written letter, "Lord," I pleaded, "my father is not getting any younger. Please help me make him understand." Words would not come to me, but I remembered the morning when I overheard whacking and rustling noises coming from my parent's backyard. As I peered out from their kitchen window, I saw my father, who in his 70's was still lean and strong, hacking away at the top of his beloved papaya tree with his machete. I couldn't believe my eyes; he loved that tree! Throughout my visit, I had watched him eat papayas in the morning with breakfast or as a snack or for dessert after dinner. It had only been several days before, that I asked what he was doing when I saw him pouring some powdery substance around the base of the tree. He told me he found a worm in a couple of the papayas and was trying to save the tree. I watched him through the window furiously chopping away at the tree and couldn't understand why. I stared in amazement at how fast it was coming down, all the while praying that God would not let him fall. When he finally came inside, I asked him, "Poppy, why did you do that? Weren't you going to wait to see if the tree could be saved with the powdery medicine?" "Every papaya I opened this morning was infested with worms. I couldn't save it; it was too far gone," he told me sadly. "Wouldn't it have been better to remove all the fruit from the tree and wait till next year for fresh fruit?" I asked him, still perplexed. "If I didn't chop down and uproot that tree," he explained, "its roots would have spread out and infested the roots of the nearby avocado tree and eventually all my trees would have been ruined too." That made sense to me. "I am so sorry, Poppy. I know how much you loved that tree." Somehow, I hadn't seen the analogy before, but now I did. And suddenly I knew just what I had to write him. "Poppy," I began, "remember the papaya tree that you loved so very much and that brought you pleasure day and night?" I proceeded to compare Poppy to his tree, explaining that despite our heavenly Father's great love for him, he would not be allowed to dwell in heaven among the angels and sanctified saints unless he humbled himself and allowed God to clean him up. The Lord would simply not permit his unsanctified, self-righteous heart and mind to infest heaven's inhabitants no matter how much God loved him. As I continued to write my letter, faith began to rise in my heart, and I just knew there was coming a day, it wouldn't be soon, but there was coming a day when Poppy's name would be written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Today, I smile as I think how God who planted a worm in the prophet Jonah's vine in order to teach him a lesson, planted worms in Poppy's papaya tree to teach him a lesson too. Truly God is not a respecter of persons and is the same yesterday, today, and forever! And although the tree's destruction brought my father anguish and grief, the unfortunate incident was destined to become a seed that would one day be sown in his heart to help spring forth new life in the Fertile Fields of our Lord. Our Father is so faithful. ". . . You, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name" (Isaiah 63:16b). Hallelujah to our God who continues to show Himself strong on behalf of all that come to Him in faith believing for the salvation of their lost loved ones. May faith continue to rise in our hearts that we might be a blessing to our heavenly Father and bring Him pleasure always. Amen! © 2002 Elsie Cuevas
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