It was like the tinkling of a small bell

 The glory of our King was seen (TIS 253)

I was sitting in my sacred space just quietly and thinking about how God is in the present - in my breathing -  and  how he  can be seen in all that surrounds me. And it was as if I was seeking God when I heard a tinkling bell like sound coming from a small pair of birds in amongst the glorious autumn colours of the crepe myrtle bush on the the edge of my sacred space. In the quiet the tinkling little call was ringing in the still morning air, softly and gently giving a sense of a gentle peace and joy. There are so many God given treasures to be seen and heard from my sacred space where God says just loose yourself in me and find my love. Take the time to just 'be' in your sacred space and await the blessings.

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

                                                            The glory of the King

Shout for joy.

 Glorious things of thee are spoken. TIS 446

Have you ever had your breath taken away by something beautiful in God's creation - a complete rainbow after a storm, or a thundering waterfall with its spray  falling like mist on the surrounding country side, or a glorious sunset beyond description, or the beauty of the magnificent autumn leaves especially when the playful wind blows through the trees and the leaves rain down on you  like confetti. O yes, I say it again, have you ever had your breath taken away by something beautiful in God's creation.

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

                                                                                                                         Lost for words

                                                              photo by Guy Thomas with permission

The Lord is in his house.

 Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

The early morning was so quiet and my sacred space was still in darkness. There was a nip in the air and even the birds were still sleeping in their nests. It was so peaceful to just be with God and I could see the cloud around the horizon with a tinge of red and I waited for the morning to explode into the colour of an autumn sunrise.

I was not disappointed.  Layer upon layer of red and orange and grey and blue that kept coming and coming like a tide on the shore and it rebounded across the sky in a repetition of colourful episodes.

Breathtaking, mind centering and blessing upon blessing as the Lord showered the day with his presence. My cup has been filled, the Lord is in his house.  How have you filled your cup ready for the day?

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

                                                              Autumn sunrise

Angel Dust

 May the Lord bless his people with peace Psalm 29:11

Sometimes there are no words when I look to the west in the evening just on sunset and the countryside is lit with colour and radiance and a sense of fine dust filtering through it as if its find gold dust falling from heaven. I call that angel dust sprinkling our earth for our joy and pleasure. Have you seen it?

                                 I read this prayer from Frederick Buechner:

Lord catch me off guard today. Surprise me with some moment of beauty so that at least for the moment I may be startled into seeing that you are  here in all your splendor, always and everywhere, beauty hidden, beneath, beyond, within this life I breathe.

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

Sunset. Evening glory.

A sacred silence

Morning has broken, like a new morning. ( Hymn TIS 156)

Its just past day break , a lovely autumn morning. The fog was twisting, weaving its mysterious silence through the trees and across the dew leaden grass  and a stillness and quiet  hung in the air - a silent mystery full of haunting beauty. Daniel O'Leary says: 'Enjoy something good and beautiful today even if it's just to take a moment to look at the shape of a leaf.' or as for me, to stand on the edge of the fog with God  and be shrouded in its mystery. 

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

                                                                       Silence.

When I in awesome wonder

 O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hand has made. I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed. (Hymn TIS 155)

Its nothing short of awe and wonder and amazement when I go outside at night and pause in the sacred space in the dark quiet and stillness and gaze at the night sky, a multitude of billions of stars and that perfect roundness of the glowing moon , its a humbling experience, and I pause and think there are four humans up there in a tiny space capsule, a great human endeavor but in all of that I am struck with the words of one of the astronauts who was so speechless about  what he was witnessing as they rounded the moon with it so close to them and also seeing the blue sphere of earth below it that  all he could do was declare the handiwork of God. A person of faith or not he said this would leave you in no doubt. Perhaps I wonder is this all part of God's plan? Not only will the astronauts return to earth with a great deal of knowledge and scientific data but as great witnesses to God. May we also be great witnesses to God through  life experiences that leave us with no words except to say 'that is God'

Peace to those who are far off and peace to those who are near.  Anne, servant of the Lord.

God's handiwork.

                                                Photo by Guy Thomas.

And God turns up.

 Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

I hear so many older people saying that in isolation and quiet their 'awareness' is  becoming more acute. There are birds in the garden, tiny birds, that they don't recall hearing before, singing in such beautiful  harmony. There is a beautiful rose bush outside the window that  only weeks ago was stripped in a destructive hail storm that's now blooming with a mass of colour, brighter than they recall having ever seen before and I wonder in the time of our own stillness and quiet, perhaps in your sacred space, how God's glory is impacting on you?  Can you see it? can you hear it? Can you feel it?   What is God saying to you? 

I read this quote from Clement of Alexandria (c150-c212). Wonder at things that are before thee, making this the first step to further knowledge.

May the Lord of peace give you peace at all times in all ways.  Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                            Beauty from brokeness 

Creative God

 Psalm 77 :14  You are the God of great wonders.

Oh the creativity of God. His imagination is beyond our understanding. As I watched from my sacred space I could see a flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos looking for a feast in the nearby cedar tree picking twigs, holding them in their claws and cracking open the berries that dangled from them. From God's imagination and his paint palate he has created these amazing birds - pure white with a sulphur  crest and I wonder why the touch of a bright yellow crest on an otherwise pure white body? Its like his paint brush has just done a 'swish' of yellow in fun. I love God's imagination and creativity.

 In the stillness and quiet of any sacred space God will reveal his awe and wonder.   

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

                                                                        Magnificent.

Colours of God

 I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses -  and he walks with me and he talks to me and he tells me I am his own and the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known. (Hymn)

I love the colours of God that are so breathtaking in autumn. In this season of mist and dew laden grass the trees are drawing our attention. Sometimes its a single scarlet leaf  on the end of a twig or  in rich red, orange and shades of yellow adorning the entire tree. Breathtaking, heart warming colours - each a gift from God. I hold one and I feel blessed. As for those already fallen to the ground they bring a lightness to my step and I can't resist kicking them up with childhood glee. Everything from God is such a gift. Today, hold a leaf, pause at a tree that's a kaleidoscope of colours, look about at the beauty that is in clear view and give God the glory.

May the God of life bless you and keep you todays and always. - Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                        Breathtaking beauty.

Into the eyes of God

 ...and to  know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God. Ephesians 3:19

The sacred space is such a wonderful spot to meet with God and reflect on things with him be it the beautiful magenta Pelargonium in the old garden pot or the glorious crimson rosella on the edge of the bird bath, drinking the fresh water I had not long ago added and that reminded me, have you ever looked directly into the eyes of a rosella?  Our eyes met one day and for a few seconds we were locked into each other, neither moving and I had this deep spiritual feeling that I was looking into the eyes of its creator, God and we were one with each other and God. Moments  such as this do not happen in the rush of the busy day or running between meetings or appointments. Moments like this come back to us with their original spiritual impact when we seek our sacred space, a space where we can deep dive into all that is and  has been on our journey with God.  

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

                                  
                                            God's beautiful creation