Loving Father, Gracious Son, Convicting Holy Ghost
Invite ye, this new year, not as a guest, but The Host
Carpe Diem, Carpe Noctem, Carpe Vitam, O God Most High
Trusting, Waiting, Knowing, Learning, solely on, of, thee, we draw nigh

To lean not on my own understanding, but to TRUST in you, my Lord
Acknowledging you in all my ways, with my heart, soul, mind, strength, in one accord
Fetter me with your Love, lest my feet wander astray
And direct me Lord, for you are The Truth, The Life, The Way

On wings as eagles, my beloved shall mount you assured
Help her WAIT upon you, which this frenetic world will find absurd
Renew her strength as she labors sacrificially in love
Hold her Lord, help her Lord and make her soar above

To our firstborn love, you commanded to be still and KNOW you, the Great I AM
For to know you is eternal life, O God, O Agnus Dei, God’s Lamb
Let him be still but not silent, in action, as your Love and Grace declare
On bended knee, may he unceasingly seek you first, is our earnest prayer

Lead our beloved secondborn, in your truth, so he may LEARN
To wait upon you and to trod in your path, may he yearn
For broad are the worldly paths, that lead to destruction
Be thou to him, O God, his Salvation

Be thou our Guide Lord, and the satisfier of our soul in drought
May we be rooted in you, so our lives, your Spirit fruit sprout
Loving not just you, our Savior but also our neighbor
Heartily as to you, O Lord and not men, be our incombustible labor.

Abba Father, Saving Son, Quickening Holy Ghost
invite ye, into our life, not as a guest but The Host
Carpe Diem, Carpe Noctem, Carpe Vitam, O excelsis Deo
Trusting, Waiting, Knowing, Learning, we draw nigh to thee, The Godhead trio.

From the Author’s/Poet’s Desk:

As we arrived at the beginning of a new year, thinking about the year gone past and looking forward to the year ahead, this poem is an expressions of our hearts, that in the coming year, my family (Sangeetha, Reuben, Ittai and me), allow the Lord God Most High (excelsis Deo) to seize our day (carpe diem), our night (carpe noctem) and our life (carpe vitam).

During the watchnight service on December 31st, at the Austin Christian Fellowship of India (ACFI), we picked promise cards for each one in the family. The poem is written by compiling the verses from our promise cards, as a personal reminder to us, but we pray that you personalize this for yourself by replaced the pronouns and words like “our” with “me” or “my” and any personal pronoun with your name or “I”.

The promise  cards picked for 2018.
For Reuben (our firstborn): 10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10)
For Ittai (our secondborn): 4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:4-5)
For Sangeetha (my beloved): 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

For Mano: 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)