Come tarry with me.

And he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, non other has ever known.( Christian song)
I  often  hear this song  when I have Elvis singing  gospel music  on the CD in the car but it rings quieter in my heart when I am out walking. The perfume of the dew laden grass, and the absolute delight of hearing the small voice of a blue wren tucked away amidst the dense growth of a bush and the melodious solo  of the black bird. Sounds and sights of summer often broken in this Christmas season by the perpetual harassing cry of the baby Galahs pestering their mothers for more food, and more food. I thank God for such sights and sounds.  I cherish this time of the day walking  with God,talking to God, every morning. What joy and what a privilege to be able to share it..  This Christmas I find I am thanking God more and more for Jesus. May your Christmas be one of joy as you 'tarry' with Jesus and may you be the light that shines for many, leading others to Emmanuel......the God who is with us......always.
God's peace and blessings for this precious season.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

sounds of  an Australian Christmas

The greatest gift

God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Christmas is just around the corner and gift choosing is on our agenda as we shop with wish lists in our hand and I think, if I could give a gift to the world it would be that everyone knew the depth and meaning of this passage of scripture. Those precious words. That great love from God. That life changing  'living' that comes from a 'Christ filled life.'  Events in the world over the year have caused us shock, shame and horror. Sometimes we think can it get any worse, can it get even more evil from the  actions of those who 'live in the dark without the knowledge of Christ.'   Its a blessing to be able to stand in the cool freshness of the new day and feel the presence of God in the stillness. In all things he is with us even though at times it may not seem so. We cant change what is but we can make a difference. May each day be something we value and treasure. May we show love to all, Christ's love and may it be know to others by our words and actions.
Come Lord Jesus.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Peaceful morning walk

What a creator. What an artist

God created all kinds of birds. He blessed them all and told the birds to increase in number. Gen 1:21-22.
I woke up to the beautiful warbling of two magpies under the tree near my window. They were singing to their hearts content, wings spread as they were washing their black and white suits in the gently falling rain. Fussing about a short space away was the pair of pee-wee showing their two new offspring how to dance and sing in the rain. It was all such a picture of delight and enjoyment. And then, joyously , in the distance a kookaburra laughed, and he laughed and he laughed. And I laughed at the sight of the sulpha crested cockatoo swinging precariously on a branch that looked like it wouldn't hold his weight but he was full of fun as he bounced up and down causing the yellow rump finches to scatter in a flurry of yellow hues. What a mighty God we have. A God who created. A God who gave us and all creatures great and small his individual stamp of ownership. A God who loves all his creatures. As Christmas draws near we can reflect on what God has given us in the wonderful gifts of his creation and above all the wonderful gift of his Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

What an artist. What a creator. What a God.

Advent

Its that time of the year when all the invitations come to us from family and friends.
Invitations to the pre Christmas parties
Invitations to school and university graduations
Invitations to end of year parties and celebrations
Invitation to holiday with family
Invitation to Christmas dinner.

But you know the best invitation comes from Jesus
'Come to me' he says in Mathew 11:28
'Come to me.'
 Now THAT is the best invitation we can ever get.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Come walk with me.

Seek O seek the Lord

Seek, O seek the Lord, while he is near. (TIS 464)
I love this quote from Mary Oliver: 'Hello, sun in my face.Hello, you who made the morning and spread it over the fields and into the face of the tulips'. It sort of beats just saying 'Good morning Lord.'  Oh, and did you see him smile at you today? I did, and it was for me in the glorious shape of the flower I call 'Grandma's bonnet.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne,servant of the Lord

Jogged awake.

Where were you while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy. Job 38:4-5

I like this saying by Annie Dillard. She says: 'If I am lucky I might be jogged awake by a bird call. This morning it was the wood duck.'  I  often wake up to the sounds of the early morning before I look the day in the face and today, in the distance was the melodious call of the blackbird, a solo artist singing its song to God from the top of the power line, the highest point it could find to sing its melody to everything with in ear shot.  How are we going to approach our day? with a song in our step that  sings to everyone within ear shot? A song that says I have joy, the joy of the Lord?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

perhaps this one jogged you awake?

Those pockets of fear

And the peace of God which transcends all our powers of thought, will be a garrison to guard your hearts and minds in Christ. Phil. 4:7 (Waymouth)
There is something 'deep' about the wording of some texts that is so meaningful...the peace of God which transcends all our powers of thought.....Have you been in that place where the storms in your life are raging yet by the power of God there is an inner peace, a calm below it all?  A lady was telling me about the shock she had after visiting the doctor who told her she needed open heart surgery. 'Initially,' she said 'my mind was full of all sorts of thoughts and I felt like I was in utter turmoil. I had no where to take my thoughts and fears but to God and then, wave after wave of his deep peace filled all those pockets of fear in me.I felt a peace I had never felt before.' Sometimes the storms of our lives rage like a storm across the ocean but you know, under the  surging waves of a stormy ocean, there is calm at its depths.  I read these words on a street notice board: Storms draw something out of us that calm seas don't. (B.Hybels)
May you ride each wave of  life's storms in the deep, deep peace of Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

below the turmoil lies  a deep calm.