And the little birds sang a big song

'Forth in your name O Lord I go, my daily labour to pursue.' TIS 571
Stepping out the back gate as the sun was rising and the ground fresh from a fall of morning rain I was confronted by the sights and smells of the new day:
The freshness from the early morning shower of rain.
The smell of dusty ground 'dressed' in rain spots.
The green, green  hills
The small yellow clusters of native flowers brightening the verge
The paddock full of wild oats with small birds singing a big song.......its all a prayer.
and I remembered this poem:
'When forth I go upon my way a thousand joys are mine, the clusters of dark violets, the wreaths of the wild vine.'
Even when facing the unknown challenges of a day all is possible when we take with us our morning prayers grounded in quiet times with God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne,servant of the Lord

Building the kingdom

'At the works of your hands I sing for joy.' Ps 92:4
Attitude and purpose  has a lot to do with how we go about our daily  life, how we do things, how we see things, especially how we see our relationship with God and our journey as followers of Jesus.
I read this  profound saying: 'Two stone cutters were asked what they were doing. The first said, 'I'm cutting this dammed stone into blocks.' The second replied, 'I'm on a team building a cathedral.' (anon)
How do you approach your daily life?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne,servant of the Lord.                                                  photo: Brisbane Cathedral.

presence and presents

'My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God?' Ps 42:2
Spring is the time when God surrounds us with his smile. Glorious colours of the blossoms and the flowers. Deep green grass and breathtaking sunsets and sunrise. Creation 'shouts' before our eyes, it 'shouts' the smiling face of God in all its glory. His presence is such a present. What a treasured gift.
Its not so much a case of taste and see for the Lord is good. Its more about look and see, feel and see, smell and see, touch and see, for the Lord is good.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne,servant of the Lord.                                                            
 photo:God in all his glory. Sunset last night.

curse or salvation

' The kingdom of heaven  may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field, but while everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds amongst the wheat then went away.' Matt 13:24-25

I looked across the paddock at the mix of colours in the grass and admired the deep purple of the Patterson's Curse or Salvation Jane as some know it by. Its a lovely purple colour, some paler than others and its clumps of growth are scattered amongst the wild oats. Such a pretty flower but so dangerous to animals if they eat it, such a curse to farmers trying to grow a crop. It can totally destroy good farm land, yet it is so attractive.  In a modern day parable I would relate the Patterson's Curse to the things in our lives that bring destruction. They look good, they look attractive, they are tempting but they take us right away from all that is good. They prevent our growth, they take us away from the life that  God  planted us into. As a farmer digs out the Patterson Curse to keep his crops healthy and weed free, so to we should dig out those things in life that stop us from sowing good in our lives. Patterson's curse is just that, a curse, it isn't Salvation Jane. The wrong in our lives is a curse, it isn't Salvation.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

photo is across the farms of West Macgregor ACT

God, always there

'I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where will my help come?,My help comes from the Lord.' Psalm 121:1
So often when out walking my eyes always lift to the hills. Its like I have scanned all else about me and admired the creation of God from the tiniest purple wildflower in a field of grass to seeking a bird whose call I am unfamiliar with and always my eyes lift to the hills. .Although God is all around me its like that's the place he is sitting . Sometimes the hills are so clear in the fresh morning, sometimes they are covered with mist and sometimes they cant be seen for the storm clouds yet they are always there. Its like God, good days he is right there with us, so clearly seen, other days amidst a haze he is hard to see  and some days, when the storm rages he seems so far away and yet..............he is there.
Clear, foggy or stormy days in our lives. God is still there in the sunshine and behind the clouds, as solid as a mountain. Remember that every time you lift your eyes to the hills.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

.Photo: the hills around the Sea of Galilee

What can I say/

'How good it is to give thanks to you, O Lord.' Ps 92:1
Sometimes we forget to say 'thank you' to God. Sometimes our prayers are all about our needs and our wants and the 'thank you' can become lost from our thinking.
I stepped out my front door of a morning to be confronted with green rolling hills, a running creek, grazing cattle and the only sound is that of the waking birds, Peace, quiet and filled with the presence of God. That's how the morning is and my first words are, 'Thank you God.' I was talking to a couple from a refugee family and they are living a life of uncertainty, fear, anxiety and threat yet they too are able, amidst their turmoil, out of their great love for God  to say 'Thank you God.'
Lourdes Ruiz Arthur wrote:

'What can I say as I live each day, What can I say to you,my God? all I can think is 'thank you .'
And for you and I, what can we say each and every day? 'thank you God.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

never alone

' He who keeps you will not slumber.' Psalm 121:3
'Where does God go when I go to sleep?' the small child asked me. ' Does he go home to sleep? Can I invite him for a sleep over if I need him?'
Sometimes we might feel that God is only with us when we are awake but I assured this child that God is with us always, when we are awake and when we are asleep, that he is only a whisper away anytime we need him.

Timothy Dudley-Smith wrote:

'I lift up my eyes to the quiet hills, with a prayer as I turn to sleep; by day, by night, through the dark and light, my shepherd will guard his sheep.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Faith and hope

'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,the conviction of things not seen.' Hebrews 11:1

Just a small group of about 8 people gathered for the morning prayers at the Day Hospice.Such a special time and what an expression of faith, of hope, was there with them.
I drew the service to a close after saying the Lords Prayer together when one  elderly man  present said, 'Can I sing that for you all?'  We sat, we listened to this magnificent, strong voice singing word for word of the Lords Prayer and the Spirit of God swept over the room and came to meet with each of us. No one moved after that, no one wanted to leave that space.

'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord

' The Great love of God O how lavishly given.'  (TIS 164)
That love is so lavished on us.
In the quiet of the morning I felt it to be almost sacred. There is a holiness about the early morning that is only heard and seen by those who venture into that space. A space occupied by the sunrise bathed in silent hues breaking into the new day,the stirring and first call of the birds, (it was a Willi Wagtail this morning) the quietness of half a dozen ducks as they take flight across the pond, their image reflected in the stillness of the water and all in a haze of morning mist like the Spirit hovering And as I enter into this holiness I whisper, 'Come, dear Lord and meet me in the morning and lets plan OUR day together.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Thank you God

'The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.' Nehemiah 12:43
I go to bed at night with a view out the window, in the darkness, of a galaxy of stars shining in their millions .As I walk in the morning I see the furthermost mountain 'tipped by the sunrise' of a new day and two bright red and blue Rosella's fly so close over my head that I feel the rush of air in my hair  as they pass.And as I watch the glorious, breath taking sunset at the close of day, magnificent in its brilliant hues I take all of the day into account and no matter what it has presented me with, nothing can take away the wonderful blessings of God's goodness of rest at night under the stars and the 'gems, the jewels' given at the open and close of each day and its all God, all his blessings,all his love.
The Abbot of Greve wrote:
'Lord, may I be wakeful at sunrise to begin a new day for you, cheerful at sunset for having done my work for you,thankful at moonrise and under starshine for the beauty of the universe and may I add what little may be in me to your great world.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Behold my God

'So faith comes from what is heard.' Romans 10:17
On the bookshelf I have some very new books and some very old and amongst the old is my grandmothers leather bible, worn from years of handling and reading the tissue thin pages and as I hold it in my hands I have a sense of her faith, I have a sense of her comfort and strenght in life received from the words on  its pages. It was given to her by her husband who later died in the great war. Her bible was a place to go to for comfort ,peace and strength, it was from those pages she nourished her strength and such faith in the family rubbed off on us all. Its such examples of a life lived in faith that give us faith and we see through the lives of others that despite what life delivers to us, through a strong faith we endure.
There are many scribbled notes on the inside page of her bible but one that stands out for me is this:
'Following Jesus every day, every day, nothing can harm me, he leads the way.' 
Think a moment on who influenced your Christian life, who introduced you to the life sustaining, life giving saviour, Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord

He speaks to me everywhere

'...how precious is your unfailing love , O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.' Psalm 36: 6

Quietness was all that could be heard in the early morning (Yes, you can hear quietness) as I watched the ducks glide across the misty pond  to  a perfect landing, their mirrored reflection  making it hard to tell which was the real image. The sun shone weakly in its early rising and the frost was still crisp and stiff under foot. A flock of 'top knot pigions' were stretching their wings and fluffing their feathers in their waking amidst the sticks of a bare wild fruit tree and then the silence broke gently as the blue wrens rose from their nest to the top branches of the blackberry bush checking out that all was well with their delightful song and I remembered the words of Maltbie Badcock(1885-1901)
'This is my Father's world, he shines in all that's fair;in the rustling grass I hear him pass, he speaks to me everywhere.'
What a glorious way to start a day. Keep your hearts and minds focused on God and he will speak to you everywhere.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

for-get-me-not

'Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.' Ps 31:2

There is always two sides to life-the good and the bad but how good it is when looking back on life to see that there is good, despite the bad and this is where we count our blessings.
There in a pot I had planted to take to my new home  a  prickly raspberry bush and there at its base was a small forget-me-not in flower, not deliberately planted, it just came with the soil. I couldn't help but smile when I saw it a reminder of my previous home and life there, some good, some tough.
Forget not the hardships in life but smile at the good, the blessings. As I looked at this tiny forget-me-not I also thought that through all of life Jesus too would say, for-get-me-not.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord.

God of ligt

'Listen,I am standing at the door,knocking;If you hear my voice and open the door I will come to you.......' Rev 3:20
Sometimes the 'matters' of life consume us and sometimes its hard to see where God is in it all. I have at times hear myself say to God 'Show me where you are, give me a sign, show me the 'things that are of God.'   The past year life has tossed me about like a cork on the ocean in my homlessness and its been hard to see an end to it and at times I would ask 'what more can be thrown at me?' but I never lost sight of God, he was there and all I had to do was call on him and just sit with him. Patches of difficulties in our lives can  really test us but 'hanging in there with Jesus by our side' makes it manageable and then we come out of the dark and into the light and God reveals himself in all his fullness, for me God has shown himself in my new home, my new location, surrounded by rural outlooks and blue wrens, the things of God.. What is it for you? Has God drawn you from your dark moments into his light?   Keep knocking, and the door will be open to you.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne Servant of the Lord.

whatever is true, whatever is noble....

'Great is your love, reaching to the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the skies.' Psalm37:10
  I stood at the tomb of St John, in Turkey and for a moment the connections were made right down the centuries as time stood still. Here was a tomb, perfect in its preservation  amidst a city of ruin and excavation.Not only a tomb but  a symbol of the great love of God. A symbol  that said to me that despite the destruction about us in our life and in our world, no matter how life pans out God is, God will be, and God endures. John left his mark for Christ for all to see, for all to know, a mark that spoke of determination to tell the world that Jesus Christ is Lord.
I wonder, in the name of Jesus Christ, what marks we will leave on the world that will endure for generation to generation not as a mark of greatness but as a mark of loyalty, faithfulness and perseverance to our saviour Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, Servant of the Lord.

moment by moment

'Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years we may live, let us enjoy them all.' Ecclesiastes. 11:7-8
What is time? I hear the children say the day has gone too quick, I hear older people say time passes to quickly, I hear colleagues say time goes fast and I find myself saying, 'where has the time gone?'
So easy for time to speed past us, so easy for the day to come and go 'in a flash' so easy to find ourselves saying, 'its nearly Christmas again, so soon!'
How does God mean us to handle the business and pace of life in this modern and fast world?
I often think that being aware of God in life,being aware of God in the moment and pausing enough in the business to say, look at that thing of beauty and meet God there. Somehow that slows down the sense of living 'fast pace.'Balance, I guess is the key. Balance between living life and living God.
Amelia Barr said: 'Time is a precious gift from God;so precious that he only gives it to us moment by moment.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne.
Servant of the Lord.

blessed life

' From the fullness of his grace ,we have all received one blessing after another.' John 1:16

I think the greatest blessing of all is knowing God and having Jesus in our lives. Life comes to life in that knowledge as we walk daily with him. From the toughest of days ,just to know he is there with us, is a blessing, to watching a new tight bud on a rose bush opening into a fragrance of beauty, colour and delight, a mystery, a wonder, a miracle, a blessing.

If there is something tough on your plate today, something you are anxious about, something you need God's blessing for then smell a roses, or look at the dense blossom of the prunes tree, or the bright face of a daffodil and know that God is with you and be blessed.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

peace to you

' The peace of God that passes all understanding......'  (APBA)
In the quiet,
     in the stillness
         as the new day was being made
          there was God
              and there was me
What peace
What a way to start a day
wrapped in the creators arms.

May your day be one of new beginnings
May your day be one of peace
May your day be where you find peace.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

' What ever you do,work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.' Col 3:23
I heard a chaplain in aged care asking a volunteer group if they could help out as they were desperate for helpers. 'We only help with the dying,' was their response. 'Are these people dying?' 'No,' the chaplain replied, 'but their souls are.' Immediately many of volunteers signed up to help.
There was something in this conversation that sounded like a parable in my ears, or is it a miracle?
Sometimes we are hesitant about asking for what it is we really need.Sometimes we have to spell it out as it is.For the sake of our brothers and sister. For the sake of Jesus.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

' Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight.But even the hairs of your head are all counted.Do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.' Luke 12:6-7.
I was walking across the paddocks enjoying the freshness of the afternoon listening to a flock of galas having a wonderful 'paty' on a patch of ground newly seeded and joining the 'party' was about twenty sparrows on a blackberry bush nearby. They had gathered on a branch all bunched up together , chatting, chasing one another in a mood of play, feathers ruffled and hopping in and out of a pool of water, splashing and singing. Some say the sparrow is a pest, a 'dime a dozen' bird that its not wanted, its destructive yet God counts it precious and whats  more, a blessing of hope and assurance are Jesus words when he talks about sparrows. He says, and get this, 'YOU are of more value than many sparrows.'
What a wonderful God we have. Welcome this day singing his praises.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.
                                                                          Picture of a sparrow in the tomb garden. Jerusalem.

caught!

'For to this end Christ died and lived again so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.' Romans 14:9
A bit rough and ready, a few tats  and showing signs of having lived life in the fast lane, he said to me at a funeral interview. 'I'm not religious love,I don't do this God stuff, but if you ask me to say the Our Father, I 'm ready. I got caught out once and after that I made a pocket sized version of the Our Father and I carry it with me all the time just in case  I get asked to say it again. I know it by heart as well just in case I lost the pocket card.'
At the funeral of his mate I read this passage of scripture from Romans 14
'We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live we live to the Lord,and if we die we die to the Lord;so then,whether we live or whether we die we are the Lords.'
After the service, with hand on his chest  over his pocket with the card in it he said.'I'm hanging onto this!'  I had a strong sense that God has him well and truly in the palm of his hand.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord.

Dwell in the house of the Lord.

'One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. Ps 27:4
Sometimes the best things in life are those things nearest to us.
The crispness of the morning frost letting us know we are alive!
The frozen dew drops on the tip of a leaf, hanging, suspended, paused, frozen in time.
The weak sun light pushing through the fog creating those moments of 'haunting beauty.'
The daphne at the front door,perfume filling the air and giving a sense that spring is on the way.
A day ahead prayed in and over, full of challenge and promise,an adventure, hand in hand with Jesus.
Robert Louis Stevenson said: The best things are the nearest" breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet,duties at hand, the path of God before you.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne,servant of the Lord.

regroup

' This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.' Psalm 118:24
How often do we get up of a morning and see nothing before us but the worries and issues of yesterday. We miss the glorious day with the sun shining and the crispness of the frost on the ground.
We miss the gift that it is, ready to be opened and lived. Indeed, the unfinished business from yesterday may well be with us but what a shame to allow that to blot out the sun(Son) on a new day.

' Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you,love you,savor you. Let me not pass by you in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may for it will not always be so.'  (Mary Jean Irion)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord 

lamp posts

'You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.' Matthew 5:14-16

I have a collection of family diaries dating from the 1700's through to the 1800's and their reading is just so interesting. I was reading about the gas lamp lighter and how, just after dark he would go from light post to light post lighting each lamp and the description was fascinating because the writer could not see the lamplighter in the dark, just each lamp lighting up a space in the dark as he passed by.

May we all think about our day ahead and where it is we may shine before others with the light of Christ.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Jesus is Lord

' Let all the world in every corner sing,My God and King.' TIS 105
I can still hear the words of an elderly lady that sit on my heart following a service in an aged care facility. She said.'My husband and I were the organists for our local church and we practiced the hymns during the week ready for Sunday. He would play and sing 'Jesus is Lord,' and from the kitchen I would come in with 'of course he is, of course he is.' She beamed in reminiscing. I find such inspiration from the older people who hold so strong to faith and out walking  the following day confronted with a glorious sunset I found myself singing, Jesus is Lord (of course he is.)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne,servant of the Lord.

A living God in our daily life

' ..........hold fast to him and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.' Joshua 22:5
I recall reading a story of a family on a train trip. The child was enjoying going from one seat to another looking through the windows at life going by and talking to the various passangers and many wondered who he belonged to when the train started merging into darknes as it entered a tunnel. The child ran and threw himself into the arms of a young man and then it was known who his father was.

  I wonder do those looking on at our life , those we share the highs and lows with, those we reach out to each day  know who our Father is by our actions and reactions and then I though for personal self isnt it so comforting to know that when anxieties  of life creep up on us, we can run into the open arms of Jesus, remembering they are forever open and around us, ready to hold us. Safe, comforted and secure.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

solid rock

'The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!  Ps 18:46

I was watching a fox crossing the paddock, cautious about his surroundings, cautious about the dangers about him but living his life and suddenly something wasn't right. He stopped, looked about and ran for his life, his safety, into a nearby crop of rocks. I thought of our Christian lives and how, through all the dangers and perils of our lives we can always run for shelter, comfort, and safety when our world is shaken and seemingly falling apart. We can run to the solid rock, our Lord. I see this so many times with people I spend my day with. People who are broken, frightened and confused, buried in the 'muck' of their life, yet God is central, he is the rock they seek, the rock they retreat too,the rock that enables them to survive.Thank God, we have a living God, solid as a rock!
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord

side by side with Jesus

'Tend the flock of God....willingly.' 1Peter 5:2
I find it comes automatically when I just look at things in daily life.
I see a vineyard and hear Jesus say, 'I am the vine.'
I see a river and hear Jesus say,' If you come to me you will not thirst.'
I see a paddock of sheep and hear Jesus say, 'I am the Good Shepherd.'
I reach for a piece of bread and hear Jesus say, " I am the bread of life.'
I see the needy, the lonely and the struggling and I hear Jesus say. 'tend my flock.' and I want to sing, 'Jesus, O Jesus come and fill our lives.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

God of the poor.

'Beauty from brokenness, hope from despair.........bread for the children, justice, joy, peace. Sunrise to sunset, your kingdom increase.' (Graham Kendrick song)

She looked absolutely in despair. All around her in her home was clutter, mess and chaos and amidst it all emerged two little dogs, coats matted,in knots, shivering yet much loved. How can I help was the first question as she lovingly cuddled one small animal. She was reluctant to make suggestions but said she usually has the dogs coats clipped but was struggling to save from her pension. We rang the dog groomer and the next day there was two beautifully clipped and cleaned dogs sporting their new woolen jumpers. Now, what next I asked her and through a prayer she asked did God send me to her home.

Lord, your kingdom increase.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

'be still for the presence of the Lord is moving in this place.'(Spiritual Song)

Pre dawn is such a blessed time. Deep in the fading darkness comes signs and sounds of light and life.  It is the tiny opening  in the curtain of my room that says the day is coming. Its the sounds of the birds waking and calling, checking on each other, that says the day is coming. Its the first step outside the door into the crisp morning frost waiting to be thawed that says the day is coming. Its the quarter moon aligned with two bright stars fading into light that says the day is coming and then slowly the wonder turns to awe as the sky turns lighter, the colours change to pink and gold to bright orange and all is alive with light that says the day has come. Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here.
Blessed be your day.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

sacred in the ordinary

Great is our God and greatly to be praised in the city of our God Ps 48
There is a lady in the bank who is facinated with my work. She has never before had conversation with a clergy person so every time I go in she asks more about my life and work in a very genuine and interested way. I was telling her yesterday of my ministry amongst the house bound elderly and those society tends to forget. As I left the bank her parting words stayed with me.'Look after yourself in all aspects, we need you, the world needs the likes of you.' What encouragement, what affirmation, what a blessing, what a God.
Psalms now says: 'Consider with me the greatness of my God. Measure his judgements;embrace his eternal love, stand tall in your faith, courageous in your committment, for he is truly a great God.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Jerusalem from the city wall with the temple standing out amidst daily life.

ring the bells

Sun and moon bow down before him, lost in wonder time and space. (Hymn)

I am always stopped in my tracks when I see a sun setting in the west  and a full moon high in the sky in the north east all at the same time. 'How', I say to God, 'can you suspend them both there in the sky at once.' Its a real 'God moment' to see these two great icons of the sky bathing in each others glory and I want to shout out 'Look at the sky, look at what God is doing, look at its beauty and mystery.'.
I recall  a story about St Francis of Assisi who was 'awe struck' by the full moon, huge and luminous bathing the countryside with its radiance. There was no one in sight to share this 'God moment' with him so he ran to the bell tower and rang the bell. People came running anxiously wanting to know what was wrong. Francis called from the top of the tower, 'lift your eyes, my friends and look at the moon.'
 Can you relate to the actions of St Francis? There are many a God moment when I want to ring a bell for others to come running to see the mystery and wonder of God's at work.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord..

only a rose

'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see their God.' (Hymn)
I was taking a service at the local nursing home and I asked this group of faithful  older followers of Jesus   if they thought they were Saints and in my mind has stayed the firm 'no' of one beautiful lady. 'I am not good enough.' she said.
 I remember once taking a bunch of roses to this service and asking them did anyone want one. They looked at the beauty  of the rose and all said 'yes'. Holding up my rose I broke of the petals one by one until there was the bare bud, then I broke the stem in half and said.'Now, does anyone want this rose, withered, broken and flowerless?' 'No' came the firm response.and in the silence that followed I said,' But God does.'
Even in our brokenness, our sense of failure and being not good enough God wants us. He wants us as we are and all we have to do is believe.

Next time you look at a rose or  a beautiful creation of God, be affirmed God loves you for who you are, a believer, a saint.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

 '.........and who is my neighbour' Luke 10 29

We all know the saying  sometimes we cant' see the trees for the woods.  Well sometimes we cant see Christ for looking also.
In a busy, frantic moment in the day when all seemed to be getting away from me and I was focused on achieving, a woman wanted to disrupt me.Just a moment, was my response on several occassions.  She is a lady with a disabilty, profoundly stooped over and rearly sees more than what is on the ground below her stoop.
Finaly I stopped to hear what it was she wanted .'I just want to say that I pray for you every day.' she said.  Suddenly my world stopped as I was overwhelmed with this rich blessing from God. It was as if Christ himself spoke the words.
                                                                                                                             
 Neighbourlinees: a sacred gift in a torn world.(S.Kennedy)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Candle warmth

' .......for the glory of God is its light, and the lamp is its lamb.' Rev 21:23
I had an opportunity to walk a labrynth yesterday. It was just on dark and in the centre of the labrynth was a  lit candle in a glass vase. (What is it about a burning candle that draws us into a 'something?' )As I walked the labrynth towards the candle I had a true sense of being drawn to the light and the source of all light, Jesus Christ. The closer I walked to it the more I felt the weight and load of life fall off. I came out of the Labrynth refreshed, renewed and very aware of the Spirit of God surrounding me.

'Gazing at the flickering candle I knew I was unconditionally loved.'

Weather it is a labrynth,a candle, a beach walk, a granit rock seat with a mountain view, a garden seat or a quiet chapel, its that stepping aside from life, just for a moment and being drawn to Jesus, the life giver, the load carrier that renews us and gives us new life.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

God's house

' I love thy house O God, wherein thy honour dwells.' (Hymn)
Yesterday I stood on the side of the  roadway, stunned and in awe of the great beauty of God unfolding before me. I think he must have had his best pastels and paints out just for this sunset and it wasn't only me beside the road, many others driving past were compelled to also stop and just take in this breath taking event as God painted the sky starting with mountain tops and sweeping to the plains. For me it was especially stunning as I was viewing it from the site of my new home to be.
As the pastel blues changed to pink and then red then orange I felt that warmth deep inside that only comes from God and I found myself asking the question Where is God's house and I knew I was in it.
Stanislaw Kennedy says:
'Teach me your ways so that I may hear you in the silence, see you in the emptiness, taste you in the fruits of the earth, touch you in the gifts of creation.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

I saw the face of God

' The Lord has decided the number of stars and called each by name. Great and mighty is our Lord.' Psalm 147:4-5
I saw it in the puddle of life giving water by the roadside.
I saw it in the sky as the night stars tucked themselves behind the glorious sunrise.
I saw it in the sun as it shone through a crimson autumn leaf.
I saw it in the Blue Wren as he 'hopped' across the lawn.
I saw it in the single crystal raindrop hanging like a gem on the end of a leaf'
I saw it in the wrinkled and worn face of the elderly lady.

I saw it.                I saw the face of God.      And my soul sang          How Great Thou Art.

World famous musician  Pablo  Casolas said:
I find God in the smallest of things and in the largest of things.
I see God in the colours and designs
No two things are alike, no two voices  are the same.
Who but God can do that?

Be blessed by the face of God today in all you see.

Anne, servant of the Lord

The unexpected sacred moment

'From the fullness of his grace, we have all received one blessing after another.' John 1:16
I was reading an article in the paper about the 'comeback' of lake George, a commentary on its  formation and behaviour and how it fills and empties mysteriously. At the moment it is filling for the first time for many years, then deep in reading its history were the words......' I look at the shimmering waters and can imagine Jesus walking across it.' I was taken back. There was something unexpected yet appropriate, something sacred yet wrapped in the secular, something  'out of the blue' in that line and I was left with those words given to a newspaper writer and for the world to read.  How powerful a witness in just a few words, for Jesus. How wonderful to see God present in all things.
God wants us to see all things, to hold nothing back. He wants to express himself in all things and make himself known in all ways.
Live while you live the Epicure would say, and seize the pleasures of the present day;while you live the sacred preacher cries, and give to God  each morning as it flies; Lord in my view let both united be; I live in pleasure when I live in thee. (Phillip Doddridge)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

God's love

'The great love of God O how lavishly given.' (Hymn)
God's love is indeed lavishly given, it is everywhere you look, if you look, in so many shapes and forms.
Have you seen God's love lately?
In the beauty and detail  and colour of the birds
In the perfume and detailed beauty of the flowers
In the glistening dew drops on a leaf
In the fine detail of a butterfly
What a wonderful God we have who lavishly gives his love, his great love.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.....' (APBA)

The disability group was chosing its favourite songs amidst much noice and anticipation and we had just finished singing 'Jesus Saves'(Colin Beauchanan) with great gusto when amidst the racket came the small voice of a three year old. 'Please, please, can we sing 'Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me?' There was total silence, you could have heard a pin drop as  the impact of her request colided with the words of the song. A sacred moment that still gives me 'goose bumps' every time I think of it.  It is such a privilage to serve others in serving Christ and I never know who receives the greatest blessing. In this case it was us all within ear shot of this small voice.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

'All for Jesus. All I am and all I have....' (Christian song)

I saw a man and his wife arrive at church and I instantly recognise him as one of the clients from the Day Hospice I am involved with at another church. I have a lovely friendship with this man  and his wife and he always welcomes me at the Day Hospice with a 'high 5.'  Curious, I asked in my delight at seeing them why they had come to church. His response was 'we wanted  to come and see 'high 5's church.' They stayed for two services and lunch and the special gathering with people with disability that followed. This man had been isolated in community for many years and gradually was 'touching life' again.

How blessed are we that can enable others to come and see....................all for Jesus.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

' Nothing will be able to separate us from the Love of God.' Romans 8.39

 One of the things I do in my ministry with the older people is to always include the familiar. Familiar liturgy, familiar hymns, a familiar words of hope and assurance that speak to them personally. I think there must be nothing worse than being isolated from community and all it holds, especially faith community and feeling like all there was is lost.

I recall hearing this story of a little girl in a refugee camp in Rwanda. She arrived at the camp on the back of a truck and  an enquirer asked the soldiers what happened to her. One soldier replied. 'The same as everyone else. She ha no one left.' And, said the enquirer, ' What is that she is singing?' The soldiers said. ' It is something about a person called Jesus.'  A closer listen revealed the words.......' Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so.'

With nothing in her world left, everyone she loved gone she still knew, from the familiar taught in her life that there was one relationship that could never be taken from her.

' Jesus loves me this I know......'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The soul is on its knees

' He was praying in a certain place and one of the disciples said to him.' Lord, teach us to pray.' Luke 11:1.

There is something about Winter
The bare trees in the morning fog
The deep red of the sunrise on a cold winters morning
The white as white crisp frost crunching underfoot
and the transparent cobwebs washed with dew drops hanging on a fence
and amidst it all the last of the brilliance of colour of the passing autumn.

There is one thing I have learnt in my day to day life that wherever you are, whatever you see, whatever you do, is all prayer on the breath.

Victor Hugo said:
'Certain thoughts are prayers
They are moments when, whatever the attitude of the body
the soul is on its knees.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

'Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.' Ps 84:5

I am often fascinated by bridges. They say so much about bringing life, about access and stand as symbols of hope. They have a strength that endures. When thinking of our own lives, a bridge from Christ to us, us to Christ and us to others  carries that same felling of bringing life, of having access and presenting as symbols of hope. There is such opportunity for us all to' be' as bridges' Several funerals in the past few weeks of people on the very edge of faith, just needing  help to cross the bridge to Jesus has brought access, hope and life.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

foxes and birds

'And Jesus said to him.' Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests;but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.' Luke 9:58
I had never thought of Jesus as being 'homeless,' of having no where permanent to call his  home. No where to go to take off his sandals and recline on a favourite cushion  and just 'be' at the end of the day. Friends willingly accommodated him in his itinerant ministry, but he had no home. He ministered, he prayed and he walked everywhere. (no rushing!)
I know in 'temporary homlessness' and blessings of friends who open their homes to me how hard it is to function in 'homlessness' and through that God has given me a true insight into the suffering, trauma, stress and chaos of  homeless people on our streets and those in detention centres. Its amazing how, with eyes open, God continues to teach us.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Autumn. God's love

'Accept my offerings of praise O Lord.' Ps 119:108

For me the morning is where I have the free mind and heart to meditate on the things of God and what a special thing that is, that one on one with God. It warms the heart by his presence.

I love the autumn confrontation of beauty, breathtaking revelations of multiple colours of his glory. I look from tree to tree with a sense of 'there he is, there he is and there he is over there also.' Its wonderful to capture his Spirit this way, its fuel for the day.

Look about , don't lose the moment of the Spirits refreshing in a rush to get to yesterdays unfinished work. Pause a moment with God.

Thank you God for giving us much more than we expect.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

all God;s creatures

' Is not he your Father who created you...' Deut 32:6

I watched as God went through the rhythm of the morning creation, tucking away the stars, and drawing a curtain of light over the night revealing what promises to be a glorious Autumn day and I watched a cluster of kookaburras on a power line just quietly listening as one was softly chuckling, then there was a couple chuckling and the next moment they burst in raucous laughter. (Try not to laugh your self when that happens!) and I thought of a song I want to teach the disability group at church:

' All God;s creatures have a place in the choir, some sing low and some sing higher, some just clap their wings, their paws, whatever they have got. All God's creatures have a place in the choir.' (Celtic Thunder)

How wonderful to see God in the morning when there are no distractions, no noise of a busy day, just the wonder of him in his creation all about us just for our seeing and hearing.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Shine for Jesus

'Christ is risen. he is risen indeed. Alleluia. (APBA)
We have had much time to reflect on the events of Holy Week and Easter, the highs and lows of Jesus life during that period and there should now be a renewed sense of purpose for Jesus.
I came upon a truck that had jack knifed across the road and a couple of anxious drivers attempting to stop the oncoming traffic before there was a greater accident. Getting out of my car I asked was there anything I could do thinking they might ask me to phone for help or stop the traffic, but no, on seeing me walking towards them one of the men rushed over saying. 'You are just what we need right now,pray for us that we get out of this mess quickly!'

What an honour, what a blessing to be recognised as one of Christ's own. What an honour, what a blessing to shine the light for Jesus.

In me Lord, let there be light.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Gethsemane

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, sit here while I go over there and pray.'....he was grieved and agitated.Then he said to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 'Stay with me and remain awake with me.' Going a little further he threw himself on the ground and prayed.'My Father if it is possible let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.' Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. Matt 26:36-40.

I stood in the garden of Gethsemane and I was silent. The gnarled old olive trees reflected something ancient, something knowing, you could feel it. You could sense the Spirit hovering in that place and all I can say is we need to stay awake with Jesus. We need to stay awake for Jesus.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

solid rock

' The stone the builders have rejected has become the corner stone.' Luke 20:17

Breathtaking misty blue mountains,the first of autumn fog in the valley, trees emerging like ghostly figures and a naked tree, dead, yet alive with bird life, a chorus of calls filling the still morning and heralding in the day as the golden orange horizon turned to pink then blue. And I said 'Here you are God, and here am I.' And my morning prayers were caught up like a fragrance in the dew of the new day.

The only true way we can make a difference for Christ is to be close to him, to have his name constantly in our hearts and on our lips so he is the cornerstone of our lives and our actions.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

the scroll of the book

' Then I said, 'Here I am ,in the scroll of the book it is written of me.'Ps 40:7

I stood in the small synagogue in the Nazareth village surrounded by time and history and God thoughts,and there before me was a table and on the table was a scroll, an ancient scroll. As I stared transfixed I had this incredible sense that I was standing on Holy Ground as I saw in reality things I had only previously read and heard of. The scroll was like a time capsule connecting the then and the now.

And I again make that promise to God to continue to do his will, with delight.

Sacred places, sacred spaces, sacred thoughts in the presence of God that warm the heart and affirm the faith. Where are the spaces you find God? Where is your faith affirmed and your heart warmed?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.