come and see!

The first thing Andrew did was to find Simon and he said to him, 'We have found the Lord.' John 1:14
When the grandchildren visit and we share a meal together I always suggest we thank Jesus for our food before we eat by using a simple grace. Yesterday, I heard that my 5 year old grandson requests everyone in his class at pre school to not start eating their lunch until he says 'the special words to Jesus.' His father suggested that perhaps not all the children will know about Jesus. His reply was. 'Yes they will because there is a church right next door to the pre school and anyway, I can tell them.'
What an absolute, humbling and delightful thing it is to know that you have enabled someone to 'see Jesus.'Eric Fellman said: Lord, let my life show you to someone today.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

unused gifts

There came to him a woman having an alabaster  box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head. Matthew 26:7
Most of us that have something that's very precious don't use it. How many items do you have that you perceive to be precious and you never use them? I can think of several in my home, items such as the fine bone china cup saucer and plate that was given to me as a gift when I was only 10 and all these years later I have never used it but admired its place in the china cabinet along with other 'precious'  items.I wonder if it is truly honouring the giver to not use such gifts?  Many a 'gift' we have comes from God. Gifts he gave us freely to use, not store  away. Bring them out, use them for his glory and enjoy the benefit of using and sharing  something precious that will also bring joy and delight  to others.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

refreshment to the soul

Sir, give me this water that I may never be thirsty. John 4:15
I like this saying. 'I wasn't thinking of music but it began to rain!' How true is that. When we have been waiting and waiting for it to rain and it finally comes, its like music to the ears.It brings refreshment to the soul, it lifts our spirits. No wonder Jesus used the imagery of water, -  living water, when he invited people to come and be refreshed in body, mind and soul - and grow. I have also heard it said that gentle falling rain is like a ministry. Helen T Allison says this:
One little unshed raindrop
may think itself too small
yet somewhere a thirsty flower
awaits its fall.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Home garden

Pause with God

Withdraw to deserted places and pray. 5:16
I cant seem to walk past the pond without stopping awhile to look at its mysteries and hear its sounds, I just stand and look and momentarily not a sound passes from me to the bulrushes, the frogs, the birds and the ducks except a thought of thanks to God for a new day, for his beauty in creation and for a pause of stillness and reflection. I come away feeling a refreshment of my soul and a slight skip in my step and though I have felt the great benefit of a pause with God I reflect on how he deserves some sacred space in our day.  While its such a privilege to spend time with God, he to wants to spend time with us.

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

One does what one can

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. Luke 12:6
Its amazing how everything has its role in God's world, even the humble sparrow. Seen to be a pest by many a garden lover and totally banned in Western Australia this little creature of no real beauty still has a place among .  It always brings a smile to my face when I see it, especially since it was the only bird I saw in the 'Tomb Garden' in Jerusalem. It says something to us that everything is of worth to God even the most plain of us all. Every thing has a place. I love this story, no, its a parable.(author unknown.) It was a chilly overcast day when a horseman spied a little sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. Reigning in his mount he looked down and inquired of the creature.'Why are you lying upside down like that?' I heard the heavens are going to fall in today,' replied the bird. The horseman laughed. ' I suppose your spindly legs can hold up the heavens?'  'One does what one can' said the little sparrow.' Isn't that so true. Each of us no matter how small or how ordinary we think we are we all have a place in God's world and for God, we do what we can.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Tomb Garden Jerusalem

See it to believe it?

All of us are here in the presence of God Acts 10:33
There is that old saying, 'You have to see it to believe it.' but with a faith in the everlasting presence of the Lord with us, we don't go along with that saying. Many a time I have felt the presence of God with me and especially when out walking, or when in  a 'sticky situation' when I don't know to turn to the left or the right and yes, every night when I say my prayers and turn the light out I know I sleep in the company of God's protection.  Thomas Kimber said: After a long trying march over perilous Antarctic mountains and glaciers, a South Pole explorer said to his leader. 'I had a curious feeling on the march that there was someone else with us.'
No, we don't have to see to believe it. Just know that the presence of God is with us always.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Wonders never cease.

Loving God, we thank you for this world of wonder and delight. (Thanksgiving 5 APBA)
Many a time we all come to a place where we look about at all the wonders within our sight -  be it walking on the beach and discovering shells of all variety and beauty, sitting trying to count the many grains of sand, wondering at the life the  sea creatures might have. Or if it is sitting in our garden admiring its beauty, watching the butterflies and birds and marveling at their creation and creator. Or maybe its leaning on a fence and pondering the view across the paddock to the distant hills as the sun sets marveling at that beautiful phenomenon and reflecting on the day passing  What ever it is -
(As Gariepy says ) as we look about us we will find that wonders never cease as long as we never cease to wonder. and William Wordsworth invites us to 'let nature be your teacher, she has a world of ready wealth and our hearts and minds to bless.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

it gives off joy and memory.

Glorious things of you are spoken. (Christian hymn) 
Many things give us joy in life if we can just see God in all. Today held a special blessing as I looked onto it and saw the many new blooms of the roses in their second flush for the season each arrayed in its own glorious colour and wearing a perfume that gives off joy and memory. But the blessing that even topped that was just beyond the leaves of the heavenly perfumed roses. It presented first as the tiniest splash of blue - two tone blue-deep and light - and as I looked a little head became visible and a trill rose from deep within its tiny mouth. No words, just a sweet trill - glorious, lovely,special - and there it was in full view, a  blue wren gathering the blessings of his day from among the rose leaves . I thought, no matter what may be on our heart when we get up, nothing could dispel the blessings of God given for us at its start. Even if it was a fleeting blessing, it will remain  regardless of the days events.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Create in me a new and contrite heart (Ash Wednesday Collect0
On Ash Wednesday the symbolism as you walked into the church was a purple cloth draped on the floor below the sanctuary. Two large branches forming the shape of a cross, burnt to their core by the recent bush fires in our area, lay on the  cloth. It was powerful.  I always marvel at the country side after a bush fire, devastated, destruction, black, yet   within weeks, even days if there has been a drop of rain, new shoots will begin to grow from what seems to have been something  very dead - bush fires turn trees into ashes but rain on them brings new growth. (This so reminds me of Christ the living water.) Is 61:3 talks of beauty from ashes.....'To give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning'  I looked at those burnt tree branches  and something deep within my being, something deep within my soul said something about God, something about us being in the power of God, something about our own new growth, something about a God who holds us close and has the power to restore.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord