God's paint palate

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
   The minute I step outside to go for a walk I am met by the rich smell of spring. The blossom on the prunus tree and the sweet lingering perfume of the Daphne and it all sits in the silence of the rich red sunrise coming across the  morning sky.   It reminds me  each day of God's faithfulness to us. He never fails to produce a beautiful spring or a glorious autumn or the changing shapes of winter and the sharp, shimmering images of summer. Day by day he delivers. What an array of colours he must have on his paint palate. You can almost hear him mulling over it. 'Ah, what colour will I make that. How far will I spread the sunrise today and will I progress the blossom on the wattle to an even sharper, brighter more brilliant yellow. Will I take them along another branch.' Each day  sets my thoughts on   God and my day ahead. I like these thoughts by Mary Fleeson:
My journey is always just a beginning. A fresh new day on an old, old path. That's the blessing . That's where the hope blossoms.   No matter how much I wondered yesterday I can start again tomorrow and when all my tomorrows are used up I'll still have traveled. And you know what people say, Its the journey that counts not the arriving.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord.
      

The colours on God's paint palate.

spend a moment in wonder

As sorrowful,yet always rejoicing;as poor,yet making many rich;as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:10
The glorious spring. God in all his glory. The wattle so bright yellow and in such variety. Have you noticed that? Like all things God makes, nothing is the same. Then there is the Japonica so deep red or sometimes white and as for the daffodils, well there is a garden at my place that has bunches of beautiful daffodils. There are some with apricot trumpets,some with yellow, some with white, some with a pale pink.What rich and beautiful gifts from God. They are real draw cards to see him, far surpassing material things. Made by God in order that we may see God and love him even more. What heavenly gifts can you see where you are right now? God has put them there just for you. Spend a moment in wonder with him reflecting: 'as having nothing yet possessing all things.'
Anne, servant of the Lord.

you cant look at a bright faced daffodil and not smile.

treasure chest

And now O Father mindful of your love....we here present, we here spread forth to thee...in thine own service make us glad and free. (Paraphrased )hymn W Bright
I had this image this morning as the sun rose deep deep yellow on the horizon then soft pink spreading across the sky and then, a brilliant light, so bright that it was dazzling to look at as it heralded in the new morning.
It was like God was opening the lid on the treasure chest and letting out the treasure. The treasure of a new full day. Full of colour. Dressed for life. Untouched. Fresh. Waiting to be embraced and loved and used for him.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Gentle water fall

'....and in all we do...' (A collect for grace BCP)
How can we not be filled with hope, affirmation and assurance when we experience the moving of the Holy Spirit? Sometimes the Spirit is so real, so near, so 'in us' that its a place of oneness. A  place we don't want to leave. Its like this: An elderly lady in the nursing home told me how she was feeling following the church service she had just been too. She said she felt so 'alive' and 'full of God's blessings.' God is so real,' she said. 'so within me. A deep, deep presence that showers me with constant blessings. Its like  standing under a gentle waterfall and having the water flowing over me.'
What sacred ground. It's the very real experiences of others in the faith that enable us to 'run the race with perseverance' gathering as many as we can along the way. Picking up those who have fallen or lost their way so they too can come to know the living God. And being spurred on by those who have seen the light.  In the Prayer-given Life it says: today I have been brought in safety to this new day, a true, free gift and so we pray. '...direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose;through Jesus Christ our Lord.'
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Blessed assurance.

Remember me

I the Lord of sea and sky. I have heard my people cry.  Who will bear my light for them? whom shall I send? (Here I am Lord  TIS 658 (paraphrased)
I had been out in the community,( visible in clerical dress) doing some physical work with people with hoarding issues and decided on the way home that I needed a coffee. I stopped by a coffee shop that I had never visited before and the lady behind the counter said to me. ' You are a God send if ever there was one.' At first I didn't know what she meant and then she went on to say. 'Remember me, I use to be at the coffee shop in the shopping center down the road a bit.' I did remember. She went on to say. ' I asked God to send someone to me today. My mother died yesterday and I needed someone to pray for the presence of God in peace.'   'Indeed I will pray. I am going back to church at the moment and will light a candle for you and your mother, in the chapel but lets pray now.' I could sense the other three people in the shop get up from their seats and I thought they were going to leave. Instead they came closer as I said a short prayer of comfort.
Roy Lessin wrote: Jesus will come to you in the most unexpected times. In the most unexpected ways and through the most unexpected people.
Be blessed in these special meetings with God
Anne, servant of the Lord

Here I am Lord

Love from God

Morning has broken like the new morning (TIS 156)
I opened the blinds in my office and the new morning came flooding in to the song of a cheeky pee-wee on the picket fence and right on my lips were the words of this lovely hymn. What a blessing. Longfellow has a saying. 'Into all our lives, in many simple, familiar, homely ways, God infuses this element of joy from the surprises of life,which unexpectantly brighten our days and fill our eyes with light.' I think that is so profound and fills one with joy just to read it. Think of your days  and the blessings that come expectantly. Treasured gifts from God, that's what I call a blessing. They are mine. They are rich. They are special. They are personal, life giving,faith affirming and exciting They are like love from God directly to our heart. Sometimes this love comes to us  from a glorious sunset. Sometimes it comes from a beautiful single flower. Sometimes it comes from serving others.
When you settle down tonight  don't count sheep if you take awhile to sleep, count your blessings from this day  and be blessed. I can guarantee you will be asleep before you finish counting as they will be so numerous
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

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Heavenly places

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3
 I commented at a gathering, as I held a bunch of Jonquils, that one smell of them and I was back as a 10 year old sitting in a paddock with friends, surrounded by bunches of jonquils. And again, one smell of the Daphne and I am in the garden of my grandparents. So many smells and perfumes that transfer me into a lovely time lock of memories. I always feel there is something spiritual in those experiences. They are so spontaneous, without thought, so quick and so comforting.Happy memories or should I call them blessings in heavenly places.
Where are the heavenly places on earth for you? Where is it that the spontaneous spiritual blessings come to you?

May your day be filled with heavenly places.
Anne,servant of the Lord.