August 06, 2025

Reduction by Susan Barclay

 

Image by CongerDesign@Pixabay
                                                        

 

REDUCTION

 

In this season of caregiving

I am being reduced

Cooked, simmered, evaporated

A concentrated version of myself

 

Who am I now?

I am daughter

I am mother

I am wife

 

Who am I?

What is this new flavour?

This new texture?

This new consistency?

 

I seek more of Him and less of me

Holy Spirit, come

I am jellied and trembling

When I am weak, I am strong

 

Give me this day love, joy, peace

Patience, kindness, goodness

Faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

Teach me Your ways

 

Make me lie down in green pastures

Lead me beside quiet waters

Restore my soul

Fill me with Your sacred rest

 

In this pressure cooker, sautéed

I become saltier for Christ

Taste and see that the Lord is good

His mercies are new every morning

 

This is my desire

To spend time in God’s stock pot

Take up less volume in the world

And enhance its flavour

 

Father, You are the Master Chef

The 3-star Michelin

Make of me what You will

I am Your creation

_______________________________

c. Susan Barclay, 2025. For more about Susan and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com 

 

 

7 comments:

  1. Pam Mytroen10:16 pm GMT-7

    Love your poem, Susan! I love these lines: “ I am being reduced
    Cooked, simmered, evaporated
    A concentrated version of myself” and “In this pressure cooker, sautéed I become saltier for Christ”.Wow! Love this!

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  2. Great poem, Susan! A hard season to be in the pressure cookier, but what a great attitude you have. May you have grace for each moment.

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  3. Anonymous9:45 am GMT-7

    A wonderful poem, Susan! Yes, may God provide everything you need in this season. (And seasoning, to carry your metaphor further. ;) Carol Thornton

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  4. I love your poem, Susan. How vivid and descriptive of this hard season you are in at present. Wishing you His great grace along with generous 'seasonings' of joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness.

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  5. Amazing poem! It is a very creative description of the refining process. Truly, to have the fullness of joy in Him, He must increase and we must decrease.

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  6. I love this poem, Susan, and your prayer to be more like our Lord, even when we're in a "pressure cooker".

    ReplyDelete

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