the depth of Gods love

 'How deep the Fathers love for us. How vast beyond all measure.' (Hymn)
I paused when I went out the door for a walk. There before me on the lawn was a flock of King Parrots and the more I looked the more I could see deep into their beautiful colours. They are a magnificent bird. The air is crisp and clear after yesterdays flurry of snow and I felt that God was in his house. As I walked we communicated without rambling and into my mind came the words of this song.'How deep the Fathers love for us.' I began to tease out some thoughts on the words 'deep' and the 'depth' of God's love. Thoughts like: The gift of this new day. The strength to do his will. The ability to see him in all creation.The deep yellow of the wattle in bloom, the perfume of the Daphne, his aroma, filling the air. The chorus of magpies. And I thought of the arms of a friend around me and my arms around another in need. I thought of a deep, deep bottomless well going deeper and deeper into my soul where it touched the point of no words and I knew the depth of the Father's love.
Take a moment to smell the flowers. Listen to the morning call of the birds. Give away a hug in friendship and be a blessing to those who cross your path........and breathe in the deep, deep love of God.
Anne, servant of the Lord

inviting themselves for breakfast!!

God's work

Speak , Lord for your servant is listening. 1 Samuel 3:9
I am intrigued by the prunus tree that I see in my street. For so many weeks they have  looked seemingly dead yet now, hanging from the branches are clusters of  bright pink blossoms. A sign of new life, beauty and hope. The sight of it makes me feel 'good', deep inside. Somehow it has a message about it. A God message and I am reminded of this saying.
I said to the almond tree. Show me the things of God. And the almond tree blossomed. (anon)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Not alone

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
I think of my favourite solo singing artists. The ones who's voices make me stop in my tracks and  give me goosebumps, so moving and emotional is the voice.  Such artists as Bocelli, Enja, Sarah Brightman but of all the solo artists the one that moves me most, takes my breath away and puts me at the feet of Jesus, is the solo magpie at the break of dawn.If ever there was a morning voice to God that says it all then this is it. The strong, melodious warbling is for me, the morning call to focus on God as the day begins to cover the night. Somehow it causes me to think of the 'silent' morning songs that are going up to God in our morning prayers. In itself, this one voice of the solo  magpie represents all the unheard voices raising their prayers to God at the start of a new day.
Do you ever get the sense when you are saying your daily office, your morning prayers, in the quiet of your chosen space, that you are not doing it alone? Reflect on the things in life that bring you to the feet of Jesus and be blessed.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

God's peace

The peace of God that passes all understanding.....(APB)
In the quiet, in the stillness, as the new day was being made
there was God
and there was me.
What peace
What a way to start a day, wrapped in the creators arms.

May your day be one of new beginnings.
 May your day be one of peace.
May your day be where you find peace.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne Servant of the Lord.

life and health and peace

O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemers praise. TIS 210
What a way to wake up of a morning  with a hymn on your lips and in your heart. The morning is  showing promise of a lovely day and is alive with a wonderful chorus that was completely in harmony with the paint brush in God's hand as he painted a loud, colourful  dawn of bold pink, red and blue.The chorus was magnificent. Two crows singing high and low in harmony with each other.   Crimson Rosellas 'pipping,'  The cheeky pewees adding their shrill voice and a flock of yellow rump finches just seemed to pull together a chorus of a thousand tongues singing praise to our great Redeemer. I joined in the chorus with: My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim. To spread throughout all the earth abroad, the honours of your name. (Charles Wesley)
Take these words with you as you go into your day because such music in our ears is life, and health and peace.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Waiting to join in!

In the presence of the Lord

Be still for the presence of the Lord is moving in this place. (Hymn)
Pre dawn is such a blessed time. Deep in the fading darkness comes signs and sounds of light and life. its the opening in the blinds of my room that says the day is coming. Its the sounds of the birds waking and calling (its a cheeky pee-wee at the moment!) checking out each other, that says the day is coming. Its the first step outside the door into the fresh morning air, waiting to be warmed by a not too far off sun, that says the day is coming. Its the quarter moon aligned with two bright stars fading into light that says the day is coming and slowly the wonder turns to awe, the puffs of cotton wool like grey clouds turn a shade of pink and orange  and all is alive with light that says the day has come. Be still in the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here.

Blessed be your day
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Precious God given love

Take my love;my Lord, I pour, at thy feet its treasure stored. TIS 599
The greatest thing that God asks of us is that we love one another and what an example we have if we look to him. We know what its like when someone shows us love in so many ways, we know how that makes us feel and how much it gives us life.
I was looking at God's love this past week when I visited the dementia ward of the nursing home with my little dog. I was looking at God's love as I listened to  an aid worker telling of the humanitarian crisis in Syria and I was looking at God's love this morning as I saw even more bright yellow blossoms bursting on the branches of the winter wattle and smelt its perfume in the air, God's perfume. As I wrapped the prayers of the morning around my heart I prayed.  Take our love Lord, our precious God given love, like the five barley loaves and two small fishes, and multiply it, so that it may be a blessing to you and to others.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

Treasure the pearl of great price

O God the fount of wisdom, you have revealed to us in Christ the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. (opening line of the Collect for 8th Sunday after Pentecost)
In my bottom draw I have a small, red velvet container and inside it is a string of  'real' pearls. I recall  the great excitement I felt when I purchased them on a cruise liner way back in the 1960's as a  gift for my mother who had never had the chance to own such a precious  gift.  Her joy was almost in describable. Somehow I connect this story with the parable of the pearl of great price. Once we find it;once we receive it; our lives are filled with joy and even more so, once we give it to someone else their lives are also transformed into experiences until then, unknown. I have a lonely isolated lady in the community that I visit who has no joy and no hope in her life. I am going to take the red velvet container with the pearls in it and tell her this story  of that pearl of great price.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

A string of pearls in the spirituality tin of hidden treasures.