The gift of nothing

Come, let us with our Lord arise..........this is the day the Lord has made, that all may see his love displayed. TIS 375 paraphrased.

 I love the words, 'just lose yourself in me and find my love,' for that is what happens when we take ourselves off to our sacred space to just 'be' with God because, for me, that is where God's given treasures are seen, in the stillness and quiet amongst the garden of emerging spring where there are pockets of quiet and fragrant beauty and the breeze is 'singing' gently through the trees.' O, to give the first hour of the morning to God, it belongs to him, just breathe it in and enjoy the gift of nothing.

May your sacred space fill you with God's love.   Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                       A sacred space.

Dwell in the house of the Lord.

 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dewll in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. Psalm 27:4

Sometimes the best things in life are those nearest to us. The crispness of the morning frost letting us know we are alive; the frozen dew drops on the tips of a leaf, hanging,suspended, paused, frozen in the moment; the weak sunlight pushing through the fog creating those moments of  haunting beauty; the Daphne at the front door that really knows how to charm with its deep, sweet perfume that takes you back in time to grandma's garden; a day ahead prayed in and over, full of challenges and promises, adventure and delights, hand in hand with your best friend, Jesus. Robert Louis Stevenson said: 'The best things are the nearest, the breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at hand and the path of God before you.'

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

                                      The Daphne takes me back in time

In the presence of the Lord

 Be  still for the presence of the Lord  is moving in this place. (Hymn)

This is the feel I have when I go and sit in my sacred space - the presence of the Lord. Its a sence of the Spirit there which affirmes even more that the first hour of the morning when I am present  that it  belongs to God and I ponder at times if I dont go to my sacred space would God be waiting there in expectation?  Pre dawn is such a blessed time, deep in the fading darkness comes sights and sounds of light and life and I can 'be' and just 'be.' letting go of any of my plans for the day as the light gently paints the morning sky and the stars slip away. May you have a sense of God's deep presence in your sacred  space.

Jahovah Shalom - the Lord is peace.     Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                    A blessed time.

No fan fare

 My mouth is filled with your praise. Psalm 71:8

The morning is filled with stillness, there is not a single leaf moving on a tree, there is not a puff of  wind or a slight breeze, nothing, just stillness and silence while God works on bringing about the gift of this new day which is evolving out of the dark night. Stillness is so poweful. Many things are born in stillness. Many things happen in stillness. Stillness is a mystery, for example I placed 3 stems of lillies in a vase of water, they were just buds on a long stem and then later that day I was taken by surprise  at the full blooms they had turned into. Glorious purfumed filled blooms of colour. There was no fan fare, no choir playing the allelulia chorus, no drum roll, no shouting, just stillness, a stillness filled with God creating. Sister Kennedy says: A flame burning, a snow drop falling, buds opening - the dynamic of stillness.

May the stillness of our creating God fill your life every single day.    Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                           And in stillness a new day dawned.

Breathe in the morning

Every day I will bless you and praise your name: Psalm 145:2

How lovely it is to watch the night give way to morning light - a new day. In the stillness and light I want to open the door and let it fill my home. Slowly across the frost white landscape is a creeping light that engulfs the remaining dark. The evening star is tucked away, the moon has gone to another place and the sun is  showing  its rising glory. Creations shadows take form  and the birds begin to ruffle their feathers and sing and my heart  sings for God has blessed us with a new day - another new day. Every day is a gift regardless of our situation,embrace it and hold it for this is life.

Rahindranath Tagore said: Do not say it is morning and dismiss it with a name of yesterday, see it for the first time as a new born child that has no name.

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

And creation begins to take form.

Your place O God

 I love thy place O God, wherin thy honour dwells.. Hymn A&M)

J Hughes wrote: The wonders that surround us  can be hidden until we use  the gifts God has given us to be able to see them. How true. How very true Sometimes we can walk right past something and not see it for what it is. I like to think of it in this way:

I saw the florescent red and  green of the king parrot. I saw the mottle brown of the garden sparrow. I saw the brilliant red of the  cyclamen flowering through the debrie of the winter garden. I saw  the bulging rain drop on the end of the leaf. I saw it. I saw the presence of God.

Where have you seen the presence of God today?

Mane Nobiscum Domine - remain with us Lord.   Anne, servant of the Lord.                            

                                                The presence of God

Hush!

 Be still my soul. TIS 123

Winter - I heard it said that its a season of mist and hovering beauty and isn't that so. From my sacred space I see trees with empty branches standing naked, wrapped in the fog and its quiet, ever so quiet as the night fades into the increasing light of the day and a lone magpie raises his morning song while all others are still wrapped up in their feathers, asleep and  the presence of God is palpable I love the words of  T. S. Elliot; ' I said to my soul, be still.' because that's just what this morning is saying to me, 'wrap yourself in the still and quiet my soul and just be.'  Have you been in such a situation where you want to say to your soul, 'Be still?'

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

                                                      

                                         Trees of empty branches wrapped in fog.

Renewed love

 Be still in the presence of the Lord, the Holy one is here. (Hymn)

Even though its quite damp from the morning rain the sacred space still holds its still, quiet, reflective peace as I lean over the garden gate, taking a moment to be still and to know God's presence. My eyes rest on the last of the summer roses, fading, and a  crimson rosella drinking from the water I provide in the bird bath ,and as  our eyes meet a holy mystery unfolds. Lord teach us to be present - to find you in the simplest things, a garden's peace, a bird's bright colours, the gentle breeze your Spirit brings. Let us not rush past your blessings, nor miss the sacred in each day but seek, in quiet moments to walk with you to watch and pray.

May the peace of Christ surround us, may his love our hearts renew and in every creation and moment, may we see the eyes of you.   Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                The last of the summer roses

Your face I see

 Let us see your face Lord. Psalm 79:2

We live in the midst of creation. Everywhere we look, every path we take, every seat we rest on, every tree and  flower and creature we look at, there is God. I love these words, they are like a canticle.

J. Hughes wrote: May you walk with the knowledge of God's unconditional love always at your side.

Mane Nobiscum Domine - Remain with us Lord.

                                                            The light of Christ

Joy

 For the joy of the Lord is your strength. Neh 8:10

You know how it feels when you round a corner, or come over the crest of a hill and there before you is  is the most stunning, breathtaking sunset or breathtaking view or a kookaburra laugh breaks the stillness of the morning or even when you come across an unexpected  family of kangaroos on the walking track, grazing and just being family or recently for me this beautiful image of a soaring cockatoo just gliding, flying, cruising.

 All the elements of  pleasurable surprise. I was touched by these words in a recent conversation, ' joy comes through surprise.' We have a God of surprises, who fills our hearts and lives with joy. A God of surprise who meets us often when we least expect it.

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

The joy of beauty.

Photo by Guy Thomas.