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