A taste of heaven.

 Great are the works of the Lord to be pondered by all who delight in them. Psalm 111

I just have to say it again. The perfume filling the air from the flowers in the garden is just heavenly and I can feel the love and presence of their creator all around. I stepped out into the moonlit night before settling down for the evening and the perfume from the flowers was 'a taste of heaven.' Rich, deep perfume rising from the daphne and the violets and I wished I could put that smell onto paper so we can all enjoy God's love this way. O, the night air - its just bursting with fragrance. I read these words from Willkie Au. 'We experience a taste of heaven in moments of profound love, beauty, joy and peace in God's presence - swept away into another world.' and that's how it feels in the garden, 'swept away into another world, a world of love, beauty, joy and peace in God's presence.

May the peace of God fill your life every single day.       Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                            'Little violets'

Is it spring?

 There are moments when we glimpse something of the glory of God (Chris Monaghan) 

Is it spring? No, not yet, despite the fact that as I rounded the corner on the garden path there were flowering daffodils - bright, happy yellow, with long trumpets almost heralding in a spring and I can't walk past them without  smiling. I pause and admire. As I approach the front gate  the air is filled with the perfume of spring flowers - God's fragrance, and I know the presence of God is there in the violets, the daphne and the jonquils, and it all smacks of the glory of God. Life is full of rush, of having to 'be' somewhere, of no time to stop, no time to pause.  We all know the lovely 'stilling words' of psalm 46:10. Be still and know that I am God. Without quiet we do not know God. Without stillness we don't have time for God. Without the pauses we don't see the glory of God.

May the peace of God fill your life every single day.    Anne, servant of the Lord.  

                                    

                                            Jonquils in the garden

Their throats full of song.

 Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise God all creatures here below, praise God above , you heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  (Doxology. TIS 768)

What a special blessing it is to feel the oneness of creation, of all that is about you, and see it in the light of God's love.    I thought these thoughts as I watched from my sacred space  a line of  black ants seemingly on a mission, as they crossed back and forth on the garden path and that beautiful first bloom of the daphne bush bursting with perfume, the perfume of God, and the tiny little birds, throats full of song, taking a bath in the bird bath, splashing around, playing, with such delight. To think that we are all a part of the thoughts and creativity of a loving God  who made the ants, the flowers, the birds and yes, you and me, puts me in silent prayer of awe and gratitude and there I stay in the sacred space, still, quiet, feeling the oneness of it all.

May the peace of Christ fill your life every single day.   Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                     Daphne - The perfume of God.

It passed my ear like a soft whisper.

 Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. (A portion of St Patrick's prayer)

My sacred space had shifted to beautiful Galong Monastery for a few days retreat but was by no means absent of the beauty and creative activity of God that is seen from the sacred space at home, in fact in the quiet and silence of the country side God was ever so present even in the tiniest of the wildflowers in the grass.

Of a morning I ventured outside where the darkness of dawn was ablaze with the glorious fire of a red sunrise and God's  presence was every where across the countryside, and as a  gentle breeze passed my ear it was like a soft whisper saying, ' bless you today as you savour these simple, generous blessings.'

It doesn't matter where we are God is there also because 'to God belongs the east and west and wherever you turn, there is the face of God.' ( The Qur'an Surah2 quote)

As you bless us with light at the suns rising, shine on us now with love.  Anne, servant of the Lord. 

                                                Dawn ablaze with a glorious sunrise.

God has been here.

 All creation come praise the name of the lord. praise his name alone. the glory of god is greater than heaven and earth. psalm 148:13

I was watching from my sacred space, a  spiderweb, hanging on the wire of the fence and shining like a thousand diamonds as the sun just fell on the frost that was embracing it. I thought, what a great God we have who creates so many things of beauty for us to enjoy, even a delicate frosty cobweb! And the  grass was white, O, so white, with thick frost and the air was fresh and clear and I could imagine God, with his paint palate just delighting in giving us that beautiful, cloud free blue sky on this winters morning. Everywhere I look are the fingerprints of God. I read this quote by Rabindranath Tagore: ' Do not say it is morning and dismiss it  with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a newborn child that has no name.' 

May the God of all creation bless you and keep you today and always.   Anne, servant of the Lord.

Frost covered web like a million diamonds.

Turn your sight to the rising sun

 For God alone my soul waits in silence. Psalm 62:1

The quiet and the stillness of the early morning where not a sound is heard and the light of day is just on the horizon, I wait, I wait in the sacred space and its here as day breaks that I see things  emerge in their  shape and colour and get that sense of being one with the creating day. I am always filled with peace and abundant blessings at God's invitation to be a part of this curtain raising on a new day and as I turn my sight to the rising sun so to I turn my sight to God and his blessing on my day ahead. 

 Where have you turned you sight to see God in the morning light?

I see things emerge  in their  shape and colour.

Morning bells

 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe. Psalm 119:117

I woke up this morning amidst God's love in what the local radio station called a 10-10 sunrise. It was glorious in colour and peace but I think what actually called me into the day was the tiny prayer bell I have hanging in my sacred space. Its soft metallic tinkling in the gentle breeze draws me to thoughts of God. I recall reading a very old  pocket book called' Morning Bells' and in it I read : The path is not easy, there are rough stones and we can stumble. How do we walk safely over such a rough path? My response. 'Its not my grip of Christ's hand but Christ's grip on me, that what stops us stumbling and keeps us on the path.' I hear the tinkling of the metallic bell and immediately I say, ' may today be in your strength Lord even though the path can be rough. hold thou me up.' 

I read this quote: Yes, I will uphold you, with my right hand: you are called and chosen in my sight to stand (unknown.

May our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.    Anne servant of the Lord.

                            

                                            Blue wrens on top of the prayer bell

Ah, the joy.

 Jesus said; 'These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and  and that your joy may be full. john 15;11

Some words are effervescent, they just bubble up in your mind and spill over into your feelings. Words like 'joy' give you a good feeling deep down in the soul. I mean, can you not experience something breathtaking and not get that sense of joy. Something of beauty and not get that sense of deep  joy. It's more than an a-hhh moment, its deeper than that. I sensed it  when  I was out walking and there in a rock wall was a beautiful violet, a survivor, a battler, a beauty, a pocket of joy. I read this lovely quote which said: 'Joy is happiness, spilling over, wearing wings! It can be a real indicator of the presence of God.'

May the God of life fill you with joy.    Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                       A battler, spilling over with joy.

I saw the face of God.

 The Lord has decided the number of the stars and called each one 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, night stars being tucked away behind soft pink clouds in the sunrise. I saw it as the sun shone through the crimson autumn leaf. I saw it in the currawong as he called his mates into dawn. I saw it in the single, crystal clear raindrop that hung from each leaf and blade of grass. I saw it in the soft blue, perfect formation of the bluebells that clutched the side of the road. I saw it! I saw the face of God and my  soul sang :  How great though art!

World famous musician Pablo Casals said: 'I find God in the smallest and in the largest things. I see God in colours and designs. No two things alike, no two voices the same.' 

  Where are you seeing God today?

As you bless me with light at sun's rising, shine on me now with love.     Anne, servant of the Lord.

Blue bells  beside the road side.

What is love?

For  God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

What is love I thought as I sat reflecting in my sacred space looking around at the winter flowers in the garden fresh from the frost with the sun glistening on  them like a myriad of shining crystals. The sight was something that stirred my soul, something more than just, 'that's nice.'  Or perhaps its seeing the delight of the flock of cockatoos enjoying the last of the acorns on the oak trees or perhaps its something that we give away and it becomes the best part of us. Or is it the drooping posy of wild flowers offered by the  sticky hand of a small child. All is love, given to us by the one who gives the greatest love - Jesus Christ.

May the God of love bless you and keep you always.            Anne, servant of the Lord 

A posy of wildflowers.