Gifts from God

' Opening their treasure chest, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.' Matthew 2:11

I am always so struck by the wonder and graciousness of God in the distribution of gifts for us.

Glorious rain, not just a little, but a lot.

Beautiful flowers with splashes of colours and deep perfumes. The colour would have been enough but no, he has added the perfume.......an extra gift.

The beauty of the coloured birds woulds have been a delight in themselves but again he added an extra gift of song, sweet melodious song.

A pair of ducks crossing the road.......waddling, enough to put a smile on my face but even again he added the 3 fluffy babies by their side.

Even the gift of the plain euchalyptus in flower, a brilliant flower from the plain green nut.

As we give gifts at Christmas to show our love of one another, so God gives us these gifts and so much more, to show his love for us.

I think we all know the saying: Every day is a gift from God. That's why its called the present.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

O what a gift

' Oh what a gift, what a wonderful gift.' Sacred song.

Gifts are stacked beneath the Christmas tree and there is an air of expectation and excitement about what each may hold as we wait for Christmas morning to celebrate the birth of Christ our savior. But you know, the best gifts are those that come to us unwrapped and unexpected:

Like the first time your 3 year old granddaughter tells you that Christmas is Jesus birthday or the first glance in the morning at the rising sun, its rays covering the mountain like a yellow lace veil, or the bright coloured parrot who sits inches from you and looks you in the eye. Or that rainbow stretching in its fullness, a complete bow across the open paddock.

May Christmas especially be a time of surprises and blessings that come unwrapped and unexpected.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

My heart just wants to sing

' My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.' Luke 1:46-47

The opening lines of the Magnificate always bring to mind several hymns such as 'Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord,' and 'Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.' My heart just wants to sing when I read this passage from Luke.

How easy is it in our daily life to want to express this feeling. Every time I come away from a pastoral engagement with people on the very edge of society, for what ever reason, I feel so blessed that I just need to drive around the corner from where ever I am and sit a moment with God. The blessings, the knowing, that what has been engaged in is from God, is so humbling. Yesterday I celebrated at a wedding in the country in a small Wesleyan Chapel with a small group of people........ it was simple, uncluttered and so special and today I am taking a Christmas tree and decorations to a family of a mother and four small children, refugees from Africa who are isolated in the community and struggling to get on their feet. When God puts us in places of need one wants to react......react out of a response that says deep inside that there is nothing in my life I would rather be doing, than serving the Lord.

Through your Spirit heavenly Father make these your servants faithful to serve and constant in advancing the gospel in the world. May they follow the example of Jesus Christ your Son, who washed the feet of the disciples and set the needs of others before his own. (Common Worship liturgy)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

I've a mind to be contagious

' For you will be his witness to all the world...........' Acts 22:15

I was so blessed and filled with a sense of the 'Spirit, moving in this place,' when I received a Christmas card from a parent at school who's child has severe disabilities. She said, ' I asked him what he does in the GT's group (God's Team) at school .' And he replied, 'We learn how to look after for each other like Jesus.'

I was so moved, so touched. How wonderful it is to be a servant of Christ, a messenger for him, a gatherer for him, a spokesperson for him, a deliverer of a message that brings life to all.

I trust you too can reflect on your year and see the footprint of Christ in the lives you have touched.

I love this verse from Macrina Wiederkehr:

Don't hurry morning, come slowly, dress yourself in light, climb over the hill lovingly, hand me a new day hopefully, get into my bloodstream, and colour me like the rising sun, slowly. I've a mind to be contagious. Colour me bright.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Keep it simple, keep it focused

' Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews?' Matthew 2:2

Its that time of the year when we are all tired, worn out and pushing hard to get to the end of it yet we seem to go to more parties, more celebrations,more farewells, more 'last minute meetings'more.....more........more and by the time Christmas day arrives we somehow cant wait for it to be over. Is that the way to celebrate Christmas? I would be the first to say no, yet am probably the worst at all the above.

During Advent I have reflected a lot along the lines of how I 'do' Christmas........one thing my thinking does is that it draw me closer in thoughts and prayers with God.......

The true meaning of Christmas is always with us, its never changes and will never change, but we can change our attitude, our way of celebrating and more and more I think...keep it simple, keep it focused......focused on Jesus.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Your light must shine before all people.

'You are like a light for the whole world.......no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl;instead he puts in on a lamp stand where it gives light.' Matthew 5:11-16

All of us have a task to do for Christ and that is to spread the word, to tell our friends, our neighbours....the whole world that Christmas is the coming of Christ,

Our Saviour and friend.

We believe that Christ can save us and the world so why do some hide this wonderful news.

I had said to me on two occasions this week, by Christians. One conversation: 'I am going to take a hamper to a man with a young family down the street who has just lost his wife. He doesn't go to church so I will tell him its from the 'Lions Club.' and another. 'This year I have sent all 'non Christian' cards to my friends who are not Christian, rather than offend them.'

My heart sank and I must say I did react and encourage them to think otherwise. Why have the light of Christ within us and then cover it up to the rest of the world? How can we claim to be the light of Christ, if we hide the light'

This Christmas think of the real meaning of the coming of Christ and don't hide it. Be bold,be strong in your faith......share the light and let it pass from you to them.

There is a saying that a candle loses non of its light if hundreds of other candles are lit from it.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

When you give a banquet

'..........But when you give a banquet, invite the poor,the crippled, the lame and the blind. And you will be blessed.' Luke 14

If there was room for more around your dining room table at Christmas time who would you invite?

Yesterday I was at a Christmas part with the 'Faith and Light' community, a group of about 30 people with a range of disabilities. There were encouraging and proud moments as actors took their place for the nativity play, there were mixed and emotional voices as the carols were sung, there was a wonderful traditional Christmas dinner and great glee at gift giving time.

There was no where else I would have rather been yesterday afternoon. Yes, there were 'fields to plough,' other places I could have been, other dining tables I could have been around, but I wouldn't have missed this banquet anything, I was so blessed.

This Christmas look about for the lonely, the left out, the poor and make that extra space around the festive table, and you will be blessed

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

God's love for us

'What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them.' Psalm 8:4

I took and evening walk and paused in the dark to look up to the sky, covered in masses of stars and a large, white full moon, just there, suspended, and in all that vastness....I felt small, just like a dot and the words of Psalm 8 came to me..'When I look at the heavens and the work of your fingers....the moon and the stars which you have established ....' no wonder I was feeling small and I had this overwhelming desire to fall on my knees.....'what are humans that you are mindful of us...that you care for us'

At the age care facility I have introduced the Hymn, 'How deep the Father's love for us......how vast beyond all measure....' We sing this in realization that even in all that God has created he cares for US...for every one of us....even you.

Grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

Go in my name

'Go in my name and because you believe others will know that I live.........freely, freely you have received.......freely, freely give.' (Christian Hymn)

What a glorious morning for walking. Fresh from rain, summer dried grass smelling like hay, mountains misty in the rising humidity and touched with a soft purple...... ..... and as I walked I was reflecting on the wonderful ordinations on Saturday.........22 more people who have heard the call of God, been enpowered by the Spirit and now go in the name of Christ to be 'fishers of people.'

I think one of the 'missed hits' of our lives would be when people looked at what we do in ministry and life and put it all down to the person.

Its when we take on Christ as a way of life that we then live that life. May it be the living Christ in us that people see shining through every day. May the affirmation of who we are be Christ centred.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

blessed are the pure in heart

' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see our God.' TIS 448

I was at the Lodge with about forty students and their parents from the school and it was a wonderful day for them all as they played and socialised in the grounds of the Prime Ministers Home. Two things struck me in a profound way.

The PM and his wife came and mingled amongst us and chattered. No fan fare, no media, no calling to attention., no hype......And, a family I spoke to as I greeted their profoundly disabled son told me of how they are so blessed by their child , how he has changed their lives forever.

I was reminded of this comment by Charles King:

A surgeon was having a conversation with his gardener about religion. 'I have cut into hundreds of bodies, he said, but have never seen a human soul.' 'Well,' said the gardener.' If you cut into a tulip bulb, you wouldn't have seen the flower.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,

Anne

Black bird has spoken

Eleanor Farjeon writes in her lovely hymn, 'Morning has Broken.' 'Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.

Isn't it true, that sometimes we look but don't see what we are looking at and sometimes we listen but don't hear what we are listening too.

In the first moments of dawn I can hear nothing but the melody of the blackbird, high on the power line singing, and singing and singing...... Is it just the blackbird singing, or is it a 'God thing'.

Perhaps his perpetual singing is praise for the new day and praise for his creator...or is it just a blackbird singing?

Yesterday I was at church in a small rural town and an elderly lady said to me.......'I was baptised in this church'......In those few words I saw and heard a lady of deep faith, of loyalty and faithfulness to her God......one of the 'great crowd of witnesses, running the race...' How blessed are we when we listen and hear, look and see 'the God thing' in everyday life.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

I am reminded of your sincere faith

' I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.' 2 Timothy 1:5

The same small 3 year old child that peered in wonder at a beautiful birthday cake, was having a conversation with me a few days later about birthdays and as she talked of family birthdays yet to come this year there was a pause, as if she was thinking and then she said, in a soft, quiet voice.......'and Christmas is Jesus birthday.......' It was the first time I had heard my grandchild say the name of Jesus......and with such thought. It opened the door to a lovely conversation and I thought of Lois and Eunice.

What wonderful opportunities we have to 'sow the seeds'.....amongst those who are hearing and saying the name of Jesus for the first time.....small children in our families, in Sunday school, in schools. Older people in nursing homes and those distant from church teaching.

Grab hold of every opportunity to have the conversations.....the conversations about Jesus.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

The glory of the Lord

'The glory of the Lord shall be revealed.' Isaiah 40:5

In the hard places

In the laughter

In the breathtaking moments

in the pauses

in the noise

in the quiet

.........in all we do this day......in all we say......in who we are......

May we see it everywhere we go this day and every day.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Martha complained to Jesus

'Martha complained to Jesus because Mary visited with him while she worked.......'

Luke 10:41-

Pray and work are two elements of faith that so often get right out of balance. Sometimes its all work and little prayer, sometimes its prayer and little work. I think of this and a picture comes into my mind of a person in a dingy rowing with one oar......whats he doing? he is going round and round in circles and getting nowhere....give him two oars and he rows with rhythm, the boat balanced.......... and going in the right direction.

There is no point complaining to our brothers and sisters or to Jesus if the balance isn't right between work and prayer.

How do you know when you have the balance right? Is it something to do with an inner peace and quiet?

On this matter St Francis De Sales says:' Each Christian needs half an hour of prayer each day, except when we are busy;then we need an hour.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

This is the sign of the covenant

'I have set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me, and you, and every living creature. Genesis 9:13

There it was in a paddock, a bow, stretching from one end of the field to the other in brilliant colour and completeness.

How often do we see a rainbow in its completeness?

Not often....... and when we do it seems to carry more 'weight' in its meaning. It takes your breath away and the only words that come are.......

'wow!' Followed by 'Thank you Lord .' It only took a moment for the head reaction to reach the heart...... I had to stop the car, get out and just soak in the coloured 'words' of Gods promise, his covenant, to all creation.......'Never again will I flood the earth...'

What a wonderful God......a rainbow, a promise.......

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

And in all we do

'.......and in all we do......................'(A collect for grace BCP)

My heart lept with affirmation, asurance and hope as I listened to an elderly lady at the nursing home tell me how she was feeling. We had just been to a church service and she was so 'alive' in Spirit.

She said: 'I dont know how much longer I can stay on my feet with God's blessings,God is so real, so within me....a deep, deep presence that showers me with constant blessings.....its like I am being washed with blessings which ever way I turn....like constantly standing under a waterfall and have the water flowing over me.'

You know, that is sacred ground, that is what drives us all to run the race with perserverance, gathering as many as we can along the way to come to know and experience the living God.

In the Prayer-given life it says:

Today I have been brought in safety to this new day, a true, free gift......and so have you. What's to be done?

......'direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose;through Jesus Christ our Lord....'

Anne

may the strength of God pilot us.

'May the strength of God pilot us.' St Patrick

Day by day as we go out and come back in we can sometimes wonder about the value and worth of our daily doings especially if we are the only one doing this particular work. How do we maintain the strength to 'keep at it?'

I read this verse by Charles Allen:

'Remember that you are needed. There is at least one important work to be done that will not get done unless you do it.'

'May the power of God preserve us, may the wisdom of God instruct us......'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

To get a touch from the Lord

' May the Lord bless his people with peace.' Psalm 29:11

What a glorious, magnificent 'God filled' sunset, glowing gold and filtered with golden particals that 'veiled' the mountains and valleys.

At the Aboriginal church we sing this song: 'To get a touch from the Lord is so real......'

It dosent matter how you feel or what sort of a day you have had, you must admit that a touch from the Lord reaches deep inside and blesses you.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Come, let us go up to the mountain

'Many people shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob: that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. ' Isaiah 2:3

I think one of the most meaningful words outside the name of Jesus is retreat.Many of us had one at Galong last week.

Its not just about retreating from all that we do in daily life but its about retreating to regather to regather strength,

to regather rest,

to regather ourselves and to regather our relationship with God. To stop and take a step back and be still and hear what God wants us to advance with.

And in all of that the beauty of retreating is suddenly there are roses to smell and birds to see and the stillness of God's voice to hear.

Step aside awhile........with God.......and be renewed, refreshed.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

The Lord is the everlasting God

'The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. Isaiah 40:28b

I wandered in the Garden, as the song goes, 'while the dew was still on the roses .'

I wandered amongst the mysteries of God

amongst the incense of new roses and the brilliant coloured sweetpeas

and new mown grass

to the melody of the garden birds

and I thought of this verse by Jane Armitage:

'O thou who gave us eyes to see

And love the sight so fair

Give us the grace to seek out thee

And see thee everywhere.'

Grace and peace from the lord Jesus Christ

Anne

I am with you always

' I am with you always.' Matthew 28:20

Imigery can be so strong .

Every time I see a flower growing in the crack of a path or out of a stone wall thoughts such as this come to mind:

'May you always notice

the (dazzling white) flowers

growing up between the cracks

and may your life be full

of little resurrections.' (Neil Paynter)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Prepare the way of the Lord

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ Mark 1:3

I was touched by the early morning, so still, so quiet, with a blackbird breaking into the dawn, softly singing a solo with perfection on every note and I just sat and engaged ....... God and me..........a oneness.

It’s like the whole start of the day is on pause before it lunges into its business and strife.

As I sat, over and over in my mind roll the word from psalm 46:

‘ Vocate et videte quoniam ego-somdeus’
‘Be still and know that I am God.’

Did you know this is called the war psalm, said before engaging in battle?

I don’t think there is any better way of entering a new day than to be wrapped up in the love, protection and peace of God, prepared for anything...

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

The lost sheep

‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? Luke 15:4

Yesterday I was preaching about the Diaconate and mentioning stories of God’s love ..................................stories of the children from school.

After the service a man came to me, tears in his eyes and said, ‘You have made me cry.’

Immediately I apologised and sought to console him. ‘No, ‘ he said,’ it’s alright, it’s just that you have been one of only a few people who have said out openly from the pulpit, for all to hear, that there is a special place in God’s heart for people like my disabled son. ‘Today,’ he said,’ others now know I bring my son to church because God loves him.’

How often are we ‘welcoming and nice ‘but never so inclusive that we do not give hope? How often do we talk openly about those with less ability than ourselves, openly in the context of giving hope and affirming the loving and care of the parent.... as a very special gift from God, only given to special people? Ministry in our daily lives is about giving life to others.......we hold the treasure of the knowledge of life. Let us use it to be life givers.

‘This is just a wheelchair,’ says a seven year old girl with spina bifida. ‘God made us in his likeness, so I guess at one time God was in a wheelchair.’ (Creating an Inclusive Worship Community)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

my mouth is filled with your praise

‘My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendour all day long.’ Psalm 71:8

I am always stunned and in awe of the wonder of God’s creation.

Today I heard on the radio that scientists were able to look through a telescope and see a very distant planet for the first time.......it was so big that 1 million planets the size of earth could fit into it. What a mighty God!
And then
A few days ago I spend a glorious day with friends at the tulip farm wandering, sitting and relaxing amongst the glorious flower beds of beautiful colour and we were doubly blessed by a flock of red rump finches who settled on the grass near us.

What is this God that he can make universes, massive planets, beautiful coloured flowers and birds of every variety?

Alice Chapin wrote: ‘Blue skies with white clouds on summer days. A myriad of stars on a clear moonlit night. Tulips and roses and violets and dandelions and daises......bluebirds and .........
...................See how he loves us!

Look about you today and marvel at the glorious splendour and magnitude of our God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

A time to keep silent

‘A time to keep silence and a time to speak.’ Eccl 3:7

Listening.....intently.....listening.
Sometimes I listen deeply,
So deeply that the silence is loud,
So deeply that out of the silence
comes the still small voice
or more profound
a beautiful, richly coloured bird lands within inches of my sight......and God speaks.

Mother Teresa said: ‘God is the friend of silence. See how nature.....trees, flowers, grass.....grow in silence’

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

I will bow down toward your holy temple

‘I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and faithfulness.’ Psalm 138:2

Often I am lost for words when I walk in the morning.

.......There is just me,

.......and those I take along in my prayers

.......and God.

And as the last of the night stars fade into the day,

the rising sun comes over the mountain top and colours the day in almost indescribable beauty, draping itself across the valley and paddocks.

.......It warms my heart

.......It stills me

.......It takes my breath away and

.......It takes my words

Leavening me in awe and I want to take my shoes off

.......and slowly

.......quietly

.......beautifully

A song comes into my heart.

The new day is created , new opportunities are opening up ....... I have sung, I have prayed, I have been in the presence of God ....... I am prepared to ‘be’ the gospel ....... and God knows my heart is blessed and I call it my Morning Prayer.

What is your experience of Morning Prayer?

Remember, any place is a good place to pray to God

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning

'Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust....' Psalm 143:8 (NRSV)

The Wisteria hung in strands of rich purple blessings from the trellis on the fence, filling the spring fresh morning with a luxurious perfume.

Despite the rain and dust storms of the past two days......this beauty was still there in place today after the sky cleared.

Imigery of Gods love for us.......dispite the storms his love is still there when they clear away and the new day dawns.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness

‘Those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.’ Proverbs 14:22

So true.........
The morning is glorious and God is well and truly up........the only sound in the breaking dawn was that of the black bird calling...as I walked and talked to God, surveying him in all his splendour in nature.............. I left my plans for the day with him.

It is so much easier to front the day in partnership with God.......inviting him into all your plans and intentions.................laying them all before him so he can order them according to HIS plan. .......and whatever the day brings there is always an act of kindness, a joy shared, a deed done that flows from the joint plan of action...

Take this thought with you today:
‘ One small deed accomplished is better than a hundred unfulfilled promises.’ (Rice)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Give thanks to the Lord of lords

‘Give thanks to the Lord of lords.....to him who alone does great wonders, his love endures forever.' Psalm 136:3-4

You only have to step out the door on this glorious spring morning to have that line of the psalm fall of your lips.........beautiful, fresh and washed everywhere you look....sun shining, recent rain and birds full of the business of spring...............First thing that comes to mind is that constant ‘thank you Lord’ not just for what beholds me as I go out the back gate, but for all that has gone before..............the good, the hard, the challenges, the blessings...............there is no real word for God’s love..............its best felt in the awe that is followed by silence.....and expressed in actions that flow through us all.

Show that expression of the love that overflows in you....show it to everyone who passes through your day...................show it through the joy of knowing the love of the Lord.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne