Scatter joy.

Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us.'
On that first Christmas love came down and kissed the earth and the world was on the verge of change. One tiny baby, a tired mother and father, the donkey resting and cattle gathering around a stable manger as shepherds and sheep arrived to see where and why the star had led them. Love, that is what Christmas is about, and it is needed no less in our world today than it did on that first Christmas. There will be many, many hundreds of people experiencing horrendous loss, grief and a sense of hopeless  this Christmas with the massive drought and destructive,mega, unprecedented bush fires that are ravaging our country, but amidst  it all there will be stories of sacrifice and love. Euripides wrote: Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other. 
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The shepherds are coming.

Hold fast to your faith

They shall know that I the  Lord their God am with them. Ezekiel 34:30 
How hard it is to think of the joy and celebration of the coming of Christmas in a few days while our country is a dust bowl of drought, burning up with unprecedented weather and mega fires and we are choking in thick smoke. Our wildlife, especially the koalas are being lost to the flames to say nothing of human life and property. I suspect many would say 'where is God.' Somehow I think the world would have been in a pretty bad state when God sent his Son Jesus to earth as a tiny baby, to be our Savior. We need to hold our trust in God, and never waver. I like this passage from Ezekiel 34 called The Good Shepherd: This is what God says: 'I myself will look for my people and take care of them in the same way as a shepherds takes care of their  sheep.  I will bring them back from all the places where they are scattered on that dark disastrous day. I will lead them to the mountains and the streams of their own land, so they may make their home amid the green pastures. I shall be their God, their Good Shepherd, they will be my people, they will be my flock.'  

Shrouded in thick smoke

Hear it in a bird song.

I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me. Psalm 13:6
Some time ago an elderly lady asked me 'can you smell God, because every time I walk into the chapel I can smell this beautiful perfume.' Yes,' was my reply, 'We can smell God, you only have to pause at a rose in bloom, or catch  the sweet perfume  of the jasmine in the evening breeze and that is God. And another question. 'Can God sing to us because we can sing to him?', Again my reply was 'yes,  sometimes it can sound like the wind but then again like a tiny bird. Its all God's love. You can feel it in the wind, smell it in a flower and hear it in a bird song, to say nothing of the laugh of a kookaburra! Just stop a moment and listen.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Baby Galah's sing out of tune!

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Quite beautiful, quite pretty.

(Zaccheus)  - he was trying to see who Jesus was, so he climbed a sycamore tree.  Luke 19:3-4 paraphrased.
So many things in our day can just pass us by if we are unaware. Take the trees for example. When I was out walking I noticed many of the white branched eucalyptus trees are showings areas of pink on their white trunks  and I marvel at that and I wonder.  Its quite beautiful, quite pretty and as the wind blows the leaves, its like the trees are singing and among the thick of leaves the birds join in and I find myself humming  as I go on my way.. Philip Toynbee said: in Tree scrutiny: I stand apart and look; looking I respect almost to the point of love but what I hope to be loving is God; not because he 'made trees,' but because he gives me the power to see them with such intensity and clarity.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne,servant of the Lord

White trunk eucalyptus trees

Every night will have its morning.

Comfort, O comfort my people says the Lord. Isaiah 40:1
There doesn't seem to be a place on the eastern side of our country that isn't burning or shrouded in choking smoke. Catastrophic and mega bush fires are destroying everything within their path yet there is a great sense of hope and thanks. Hope that the fires will not destroy their property, hope that lives wont be lost and hope that fleeing animals will be able to outrun the fire. Despite many losses though stories of bravery, thankfulness and praise go up each day especially for the exhausted fire fighters.   There is great comfort in the words of this hymn by Robin Mann. Though your tears be an ocean full, though you cry with hurt of living. Though your eyes see only darkness, though your eyes can see no light, though your eyes see pain and sorrow, comfort, comfort. Every night will have its morning, every pain an end, every burden will be lightened. Comfort, comfort all my people with the comfort of my word.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Hope where it seems no possibility

angels heralding Christmas

And peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17
So many things in a day can make us happy if we just look and reflect. Like the 5 angels at the street library. They gave me great joy. So for this week  choose something that makes you happy and send up a prayer of thanks saying 'My Father, thank you for THIS because its a lovely gift from you.' 
Enjoy the special moments with God's gifts. Look out for them.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord

and there are the 5 angels.

There are about 5 angels

There is  joy in the presence of angels:  Luke 15;10
Where I take my daily walk I am always blessed by something. On my walk I pass a street library where a home owner has  set up a little 'house like structure' on a pole  on the edge of the path  with second hand books for people to take free of charge, and add to if they have finished a book they would like to give.To my delight the street library had additions yesterday, the first Sunday in Advent. There was a colourful, spiral streamer hanging alongside from a branch of the tree  and on the ground were about 5 angels made of tin, elevated on almost unseen little spikes and a tiny angel above the door of the library. What joy it gave me and to mind came this quote: Let there be little Christmases throughout the year when unexpected acts of kindness bring heavens light to earth. 
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne,servant of the Lord

ADVENT. 

And the silence is itself

Declare your steadfast love in the morning.  Psalm 92:2
Sometimes we can sit so still and quiet as if a bird has landed on our head and our whole being  is  focused on the moment. Pre dawn is always such a lovely time with silence, stillness and presence  and I was reading a saying by Thomas Merton which said: This flower. This moment. This silence - the Lord is here. Best because the flower is itself and the silence is itself, and the silence is itself and I am myself.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord

morning stillness. The Lord is here

sweet melody

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise you the Lord.  Psalm 150:6
So does that mean my little dog who lies on my knee in sleep, breathing softly, or the bird that sings at the crack of dawn in rhythm of its breathing ,praises the Lord?  To these thoughts I say yes, yes and yes,I believe so. The bird high on the lamp post as the sun rises and sets, singing its little beating heart out with such beautiful musical notes that it can be doing nothing more than praising God. William Blake said: For every thing that lives is holy. Life delights in life.

Singing to the Lord

I sing because I'm happy

You are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31
Even though the sparrow is a common, plain little bird, he is loved by God and God uses this common little bird to tell us that no matter what we are, no matter how we look, no matter who we are we are valued by God. I watch these little birds scavenging in the garden ever so happy, ever so 'chatting' and busy and cant help saying to each and every one, 'you are special.' Mary Oliver says:Of course I love the sparrows, those dun-coloured darlings, so hungry and so many.' and I found these words : I sing because I am happy. I sing  because I'm free, for his eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me. (anon)
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

A sparrow in the tomb garden in Jerusalem

It happens so suddenly.

Is anything to wonderful for the Lord? Gen 18:14
We can be just going about our day minding our own business when a piece of music, the sight of a beautiful flower, a sweet perfume in the air or a butterfly ever so graceful crosses our path, or the blackbird singing in the morning sun rays and our heart flutters for one brief moment and we are raised out of what ever it is we are doing to a 'heavenly place' and then, in just a flash, we are back on our way in our daily routine. 'All the things we enjoy, ' says John Calvin, 'are ladders by which we ascend nearer to God.'
May the Lord of peace himself, give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Lost in wonder

Who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:4
I was always fascinated by the wriggly bark on some gum trees and wonder what God had in mind when he planted that species. Who did he invite to joining in the creation with him? Is it just a pattern on the tree trunk or did he have the assistance of a tiny creature? I think when we look closely at just about anything we can be asking similar questions that steer our minds and thoughts to God. Like the beauty of the rose bud that blossoms into a flower from the inside out. Or an acorn that grows into a huge oak tree, or the small ants that make huge nests. God gave us so much to see, to treasure, to draw us into his presence in wonder and delight. Jean-Pierre de Caussade said: If one looks long enough to almost anything, looks with absolute attention at a flower, a stone, the bark on a tree, grass, snow, a cloud - something like revelation takes place. Something is 'given' and perhaps that something is always a reality outside of self.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Tiny ants, huge nests. How clever is that.

Hope

Love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord. Thessalonians. 1:3
 The catastrophe fire storms have left so many people homeless, lives lost and  stock killed and thousands of miles of bush and wildlife destroyed  . Can there be any hope for those who are in the midst of all of this? I was watching the news and taken by the hope that one farmer has. He was all but burnt out yet in a paddock that had been singed by fire and surrounded by devastation there was a  horse who had just given birth to a new foal.The farmer saw this as a sign, and it gave him a great sense of hope. Amidst the fire storm there was new life,a blessing,  a new beginning and a quote came to my mind: 'Hope is like the sun, which,as we walk towards it, casts a shadow of our burdens behind us.' (author unknown) 
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

New life, new hope.

Take a little rest

Wide, wide as the ocean, high as the heavens above, deep deep as the deepest sea is my saviours love. (hymn)
Ah, there is nothing like a rest after a hard days work and that goes for all creatures in our world, not just us humans. Without stepping aside we fail to see the treasures that God has prepared for us, for our enjoyment.I stepped aside for two days and spent it by the sea and God didn't fail in his blessings. The sky was blue, the white topped  waves were playing gently with the breeze, the seagulls were almost aerobatic in their attempt to catch a morsel of food from a passer by before the other dozens of gulls caught it. (a bit like feeding the 5,000) and the pelicans got into clusters to see who could be first to take the catch thrown to them from  the fishing boat that had just positioned itself at the jetty. All the activity of the fishermen and the creatures came to a stop  in the afternoon. It was a time of rest from business and the pelicans caught my eye again, all lined up in a row, resting. The entire day was like a kiss from God.  We have a beautiful world, created for our pleasure and enjoyment if we take the time to stop and enjoy. There is a Jewish saying: On the day of judgment God will ask one question: 'Did you enjoy my world?'
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Time for a break from working.

Oops, they got it wrong.

Then Peter said to Jesus, 'Lord it is good for us to be here;if you wish I will make three dwellings here, one for you,one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' Matthew 17:4
Sometimes we get it wrong. Sometimes we over think things and sometimes we rush in before we think or in our excitement we over look the real meaning of what is happening. These thoughts were running through my mind as I was quietly looking at three 'wiltjas' or Aboriginal 'dwelling places.' at a campsite of  story telling  around Alice Springs. As I was looking I thought of  Peter's words to Jesus when he said: 'Lord it is good for us to be here. If you wish I will make three dwelling places. One for  you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. At the first rush of adrenaline, at the first assumption of why they were on the mountain with Jesus, they got it wrong. I love these words of  Mary Oliver.. She wrote: Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.  
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

And there were three dwelling places.

Holding tight

Hold me up that I may be safe: Psalm 119:117
The wind has been particularly wild lately, blowing in all directions and with force, yet as I was driving, I was in awe of a tiny lady bird holding fast to the window screen of my car. Despite the wind which I thought had the power to break a tree, this little creature with its bright red coat and tiny black spots stayed with me on the window of my car. What incredible strength in those tiny legs and how the suction on its feet. (are they called feet on ladybirds?) held her on. I found myself talking to this little creature saying hang on we will be home soon and the moment I pulled up at home this little soul flew off the window and landed on a rose in full bloom. Its a parable isn't it?   I can see how such a story could be our story as we  hang onto God when life gets rough and the strength he gives us to hold on until we arrive 'home' and fly off to safety in him. I read this  saying: The little bugs that scurry, the little beasts that creep among the grasses and the weeds, and where the leaves are deep: All of them were made by God as part of God's design. Remember that the world is theirs, not only yours and mine.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord

All God's creatures have a place in the choir.

Free spirit

For he commanded and they were created. Psalm 148:5
There is a survey going on at the moment  to record sightings and colours (what I call their personalities)of the butterflies. There is something about a butterfly. Its like a soft gentle spirit silently passing by and hovering over the perfume of the  sweet smelling flowers.They are like angels, drifting on the air,  a creature that stops us in our path and draws from us a breath of delight -  an AH moment  - and leaves our heart feeling warm and fuzzy. They are those little angels that delight us at the time we are looking to God for comfort or  peace or just an uplifting of our spirits yet when we think about its transformation from a caterpillar to this beautiful spirit we are left in wonder.   Maya Angelou said:We delight in the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty   
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord.-  

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly. (Richard Bach)

a

Pause as the new day dawns

This is the day that the Lord has made. Psalm 118:24
Its here again Lord, your gift to us of another day and I wonder how much we really appreciate that. Have we stopped to listen and to look at its sights and sounds before rushing head long into it. Is our wakening mind full of the coming events of the day, all those hastily scribbled notes for the days agenda that wait in the diary to be fulfilled.Take a moment, a precious moment and look at the face of spring blooming around you.Go low enough to see the face of the flowers and take in their sweet perfume. Mary Oliver said. O do you have time to linger for just a little while out of your busy and very important day for the goldfinches that gathered in the field of thistles.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways
Anne, servant of the Lord

And a new day dawned

Eastern or Western spirituality.

He is named wonderful counselor, mighty God. Isa 9:6
Around the walls of my office I have a few icons of various sizes that I have bought home from several trips to the Holy Land but there is one that sits on my prayer desk and it comes with me when I go on retreat, on holiday and on many occasions when I have been in hospital. Its small enough to travel  in my pocket, be placed on a bedside table or desk with my prayer book and note book, and other items of devotion and has the image of Mary and the baby Jesus. Somehow, it doesn't matter how many times I look at it in prayerful silence it always has something new to discover and meditate on. Its a bit like sitting in the quiet of a garden and in the stillness gaze at the intricate,  delightful and colourfull  flowers and seeing something new every time, just sitting and looking at my surroundings and reflecting on the creator. I call these icons too. Living icons. that I never tire of. Thomas Merton said: I have a small icon that goes with me, its made of wood and is of Mary and child. Its like a kiss from heaven and is a perfect act of timeless worship. I never tire of gazing at it. It is unutterably splendid and silent.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in all ways.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Lost in wonder, love and praise.

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From a bud to a rose

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. Matt 13:44
I recall the story of a young boy who was seen by his mother as he sat on the back step of their home just quietly and with curiosity peeling  petals  off  the a tight a rose bud. His mother asked him what he was doing and he said he was trying to open   the  rose.. His mother replied that the rose and all its beauty and sweetness can only be opened from the inside. Its like a parable isn't it? or is it a miracle ? that change and goodness and beauty come from within when opened out by God. That what begins is not how it is.  Spring  is a time when there are  signs of new life and opening rose buds are on full display. I love this line from one of Mary Oliver's poems:Roses- opening now their soft dresses, their leaves are shining. Oh how spring can bring a picture of parables and miracles.
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
Anne ,servant of the Lord.

Ah, what beauty, what perfection

created, shaped, drew and painted.

He gave us eyes to see them and lips that we might tell how great is God Almighty who has made all things well. ( hymn 135,v5  TIS).
Spring is such a lovely season that carries beauty, perfume and many an 'Ah' moment. But then again so does the autumn with its stunning displays of leafy colours that drifts on the wind from their moorings and yet again we can claim winter as a lovely season with its white frost, magical floating fog and the icy cobwebs that hang on the fence wire. Summer also can claim our love with its warmth, clear blue sky and long balmy nights. Sometimes I am speechless at God's creation. What love for us that he created and made and drew and painted adding splashes of colour, different shapes, different sizes and different sounds all of which draw our minds and thoughts to him.Vincent Van Gogh said: (But) I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Even the laughing kookaburra

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Live with intention

Be still before the Lord and wait in patience Psalm 36:7
We live in a fast pace world that often leaves us exhausted and under pressure. Today's world is one we know we have to step out of regularly for the sake of our body, mind and spirit and what better place to do that than  in the garden where there is a sense of peace and calm and the only sounds are that of the birds singing to God. A quiet place I love to be  is in my small garden surrounded by open spaces and the rich colour and the beauty of the spring flowers. Its here I  can feel God's presence moving in and the stress and pace of the day moving out.
Elena Pasquali said:I sit still and quiet in this my quiet place, and think of good and lovely things and God's unfailing grace.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Silence and stillness are gifts.

Lost in wonder

For everything created by God is good. 1 Timothy 4:4
I was admiring the beautiful spring flowers that are everywhere in the garden from tulips to blue bells, to jonquils, to lavender and as I reached out my hand to draw the vine of sweet peas closer to get a full burst of their perfume my arm stopped before I touched them and it was like there was a real oneness in that moment.
Pablo Neruda said: Many things give me completeness, they did not only touch me, my hand did not merely touch them, but rather, they befriended my existence. 

Painted by God.

O what a gift, what a wonderful gift.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day so may the light of your presence, O God set our hearts of fire with love for you now and forever. (Daily Office APBA)) 
Every time I say the daily office I think of all of you who are doing likewise. its a practice that bonds us together even though we can be near or many hundreds, even thousands  of  miles apart.  Its a practice not by rote or habit but with a true hart and therefore with sincerity we say 'Thank you Father for this day because its a lovely gift from you and  thank you for the birds. Even if I don't praise you they would go on singing to your glory'  (Treasury of prayers)
May we  focus our eyes and our thoughts and our presence to see God at work in our day. Unwrap it slowly, gently, bit by bit, savoring its silence, its sounds,its perfumes, its beauty.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord  .
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PEACE

God revealed

When he is revealed........ we will see him how he is. 1 John 3:2 (paraphrased)
Many of us have 'symbols' in nature that remind us of the presence of God. We look about and God speaks.There are so many daily blessings and affirmation of his presence with us.. Even the tiniest flower will be dressed in the handiwork of God. Its like he has a paint palate and he ponders and chooses colour and shape and splashes that around and perhaps he will think with each stroke of his brush that this will please my people, this will bring them joy, this will bring them blessings.this will show them my love. Look and see that the Lord is good.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord.

Who would make a flower so beautiful

See more than there is.

All things have been created through him. Col 1:16
So much more can be seen when we  look beyond what is right before us and so often we miss the beauty, the blessings of awareness. So,when you look at a window, look through it into the world.  When you look at the beautiful bright mass of yellow on the wattle tree take a closer look at the tiny balls of fluffy yellow that make up the mass. When you look at a gum leaf after the rain you can see a life giving drop of water bulging on its tip.When you walk past a pocket of perfume on the Daphne bush notice its little tiny pink and white individual flowers that make up its beauty  What delight there is when we let our 'God mindfulness' play on our imagination.  W.E.B Dois says:  Lord make us mindful of the little things that grow and blossom in these days to make the world beautiful for us. 
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

Look beyond the window

All the things we enjoy

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,give thanks in all circumstance.  1 Thess 5: 16-17             
 A weekend of silent retreat in the  highlands of New South Wales and I found myself repeatedly thanking God around every corner I turned. There were flowers smiling brightly,an occasional fading autumn leaf still visible on the ground,an old  tree of fading pink blossoms that looked like it had been sharing its joy for many years, Kookaburras laughing, and  rows and rows of vineyards ready to burst into production of the finest dinner wines and there was peace and there was quiet and there was God. John Calvin said, 'All the things we enjoy are ladders by which we may ascend nearer to God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.
'

                                     I see heavens glory shine and  faith shines equal (Emily Bronte)         

Within ear shot.

Because he has inclined his ear to me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. Psalm 116:2
As a child I loved exploring the bush, climbing big mountains and roaming around river flats with my friends.Sometimes we would split up in pairs and go separate ways catching up at the next gully or creek and we would keep each other within earshot with the very Aussie  'coo-ee.' We would 'cup' our ear to hear the far off voice responding. A voice that kept us connected.  A voice that made sure our friends were close by.  Psalm 116 is a psalm of love towards God and a knowledge that he has his ear tuned to  hear us at every call be it sadness or joy, pleasure or pain, when we call he hears us. What a faithful, loving God. How can we ever repay his love to us who is surely very near. I answer myself with the hand written note in my bible at psalm 116:v12. ' I will give a life of service.'  How did you answer?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Over fields, around ponds and up the mountain.

Ever present God

 Its good to be near God. Psalm 73:28
You might be standing beneath a wattle tree catching its perfume and admiring its bright yellow colour or you might be looking at a tiny wild flower that is here today and gone tomorrow or perhaps you are among those who see little hope in their lives and no God in the smell of the wattle or the face of the tiny flower. When I have a short prayer time with the very ill people in the day hospice we always start the gathering with a moment of quiet and stillness drawing into the presence of God and remembering that  where we are, he is also there.' How lovely it is to know that we cant move an inch sideways, forward or backwards without God being there. No matter where we are, we are  in the place where God has brought us and that truly makes for Holy ground.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

God is here because you are.

Lifting holy hands above.

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the sky, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies..........for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight (TIS 13)
So much around us in today's world has the potential to cause us despair and impact on our well being. But don't let any of that cause you to lose your joy in the Lord for Oh how we also live in a world of wonder and delight. Yesterday I had the  perfume of the new mown grass mingled with the sight of wattle blossoms bursting with bright,yellow from every individual bloom, packed with a real punch of perfume that sent me back to where I grew up as a child. God so blesses us when we come out of the gloom of winter into the season of spring where he showers us with so much joy from his treasure chest of colour, perfume, and sound. And as I reflect on these things I am blessed with  the beautiful warble of a pair of Magpies singing their joy. Take each day for what it is, balancing  in it the prayers for  the dramas of the world and the joy of the Lord.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The light of spring rising through the winter gloom.

Do you believe in angels?

And suddenly the angels came and waited on him. (Matthew 4:11)
Some things stay in our minds and hearts always and its usually because they have made an impact, so much so, that we actually feel a stir in our heart and a leap in our faith because God is in it. An elderly lady was telling me about an encounter that she could only call an act of God through an angel. She had been out for a walk and was struggling to get her 'wheelie walker' up her front steps when what seemed like a presence out of nowhere  came a young man who said, 'Can I help you with that?' Prior to this she had not seen anyone around and had never seen him in her neighborhood She accepted his offer and then he seemed to go as mysteriously as he had come. She described him as a young man perfectly groomed with skin so smooth, a glow on his face and his hair beautifully combed. She said I can't explain his looks except he looked like someone who had just stepped out from a shower in preparation for his day yet it was more than that and as she spoke about this it was obvious by her experience that something, or someone special had helped her that day. I call such experiences as 'having your soul tickled by God' Go into this day being aware of angels.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

An angel of the Lord.

Joyful in believing

How shall I sing to God when life is full of gladness. (TIS 667)
I was watching a playful wind pick us the dry leaves from the carpeted ground and toss them into the air in a spiral and off they went in a twister that carried them high  into the sky well above the tree tops where the birds fly and as I looked up I had a sense of the grandeur of God that reminded me of a verse I had read:
The woods are God's own cathedral with pillars that reach the sky and a faraway ceiling of fluttering leaves where songbirds and angels fly. (anon)

God's own cathedral.

And the perfume of the violets pack a punch

All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above, so thank the Lord, O thank the Lord  for all his love. (TIS 130)
God has been putting down his perfume, its just outside the front door in the beautiful aroma of the Daphne. Its along the walking track in the bright and fluffy flowers of the Golden Wattle. Its filling the air, its hanging off pearls of tight pink buds among the already merging blossoms of the Prunes tree and its in the cheerful faces of the daffodils and  those jonquils beside a fallen tree and it hovers in the bright blue of the violets that pack a real punch among the garden beds.  All around is the glorious perfume of spring hastening our hearts towards God and holding hands with our soul.
From a book of Treasury of Prayers I read this lovely prayer:
 Sing to God with thanks and love.
 Praise him for his joyful spring, bringing life to everything.
 Praise him for the blossom trees,birds and butterflies and bees.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

The perfume of God from hidden places

Every night will have its morning

Comfort, comfort all my people. (TIS 647)
 I was sharing with an older lady who lives alone, about God's comfort after she had expressed some anxiety at bed time when all was dark and all was quiet and there was a loneliness in that. I shared with her about my prayer practice at bed time saying one of the last things I do when I go to bed at night is wrap myself in prayer thinking  as I wrap myself in the warmth of the blankets that I am  wrapping God himself around me giving me a feeling of his presence. It really is quite comforting. I have a small book called Irish Blessings by Pat Fairon and in it there is this lovely prayer called, On Lying Down saying: I lie down with my dear God, may my dear God lie with me, two hands of God about my waist, a cross of angels over me, from head to sole tonight and until a year from tonight, and tonight itself.  Isn't that so comforting? I love the two hands of God about my waist.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,
Anne, servant of the Lord

Peace

Go out with determination

Because the Lord helps me, I will not be dismayed, therefore I have set my face like flint to do his will, and I have known that I will triumph. Isaiah 50:7 (TLB)
We know we have the help of the Lord at anytime because he is on our side so why is it we dismay? How blessed we are to be in a situation where we can know this right to the depth of our heart that God is always present, always in what we do in his name. We sometimes say in tricky situations: Grit your teeth and get on with it, or bite the bullet and just do it and what I like about Isaiah is he juts does that with a great sense of determination . ' I will set my face like flint and do his will.'
When we have matters of 'dismay' in our day we have the promise of God's help so whatever might come your way, go for it, with determination, God will be there holding your hand.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

In the hands of God

Now that is prayer.

Keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and  love of God and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer Book blessing)
I was sitting in my quiet space, just listening to nature  and watching two beautiful King Parrots having a feed on the lawn. Their colours were brilliant as if they had just bathed and groomed their feathers  and there was silence.  Sometimes I listen - deeply - so deeply  that the silence is loud.
So deeply that out of silence comes a still small voice, or, - or  more profound one of the beautiful, richly coloured birds lands within inches of my sight - and God speaks.  Its a powerful assurance that we are filled and surrounded by the knowledge  and  love of God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

What a blessing.

Don't hide your light.

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
I cant help but continue  reflecting on the football game. Sometimes we think that God is not in the world . There is so much unrest and pain and suffering in war torn countries and even in our own communities violence is increasing and some  tend to look for meaning in life  in other ways  and  games like football become  'the new gods' as some all but worship their favourite teams. Yet some go to a game with a message for the world to see and as I watched the rugby final for the Bladislow cup on Saturday afternoon  I saw it  again......a very large yellow banner which took three people to display and written on it in bold large black print was that familiar verse. John 3:16. It always gives me goosebumps when I see it and I think of the boldness of the faith of those who take and display such a banner to get the message of love and hope across to a large audience  around  the world. I wonder how we display our faith in the communities around us and are we know as people of faith?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Shine for Jesus.

Sing, sing,sing

Forth in your name O Lord I go, my daily labour to pursue. TIS 571
There is a freshness about the morning that lingers after the frost has melted under  the warmth of  the rising sun and the sights and smells of the new day are lingering.  And I reflect on many a new day, like the one that comes on a hot, dry morning when the ground smells of dust after an early morning shower of rain has 'dressed' it in rain spots. And those days where the far off  hills are green, heralding  the new growth of spring and those clusters of yellow wildflowers that are 'smiling' on the verge and the fresh smell of the paddock full of wild oats where the small bird singing a big song and all I see and smell is a prayer and I recall this verse 'When forth I go upon my ways a thousand joys are mine, the clusters of dark violets, the wreaths of the wild vine
Even when facing the unknown challenges of a day, all is possible when we take with us our morning prayer that have been grounded in the quiet times with God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord.

The wreath of a wild vine

More to birds than birds.

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all. ( TIS 135)
I was feeding the birds in a wildlife sanctuary  and their beauty  and colour captured me. As a flock of them descended on the plate of food I was holding others landed on my arm and sat on my shoulder and head.There was noise and there was a flurry of wings and right at that moment in a kaleidoscope of colour  I felt I was  standing on sacred ground as I looked into the eyes of a bird and it seemed like we were one. One in connection with the creator. It was a spine tingling experience as I saw that flash of recognising  God in all his shapes and colour and forms. It was a moment I will cherish like one does at the sight of a butterfly passing  by when someone close to you has died or  the presence  of a special bird that just seems to appear at the right moment to bring memories closer and your thoughts, full of reassurance and hope go straight to God. I think you know what I mean.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,
Anne, servant of the Lord.

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder

So still

Let my prayer be counted as incense. Psalm 141:2
There was a day or so ago a morning so still and shrouded in fog and as it cleared there were pockets of 'wisps of mist' rising  low across the frost laden ground  sparkling in the morning sun and there was silence. A silence that was in itself a prayer And I thought of the prayer called:
 'So Still'.
O make my heart so still, so still,
When I am deep in prayer,
That I might hear the white mist-wreaths
losing themselves in the air!  ( A prayer from Japan)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

White mist rising.

There is more to football than football

God lives in us. 1 John 4:1
A one liner that has a huge impact. A one liner that says it all if we love one another.  I think it was Julian of Norwich who took a one liner and pondered on it in depth with great insight. Sometimes we can be engaging in every day life and come face to face with a one liner, for example, I was watching a crowed stadium at a sports event  one day and among the banners and flags that were flying was a simple one liner in bold print on a piece of cardboard which said : John 3:16 and being a football fan I was watching the Raiders game last night  and I noticed some players had writing on their wrist strapping. One I saw was a persons name and when a try was scored the wearer would touch his wrist strapping, then his chest, and then point to heaven.  But the writing on one  wrist particularly caught my eye in the middle of a tackle. It was in bold black printed, two words saying simply 'Jesus Lives.' Thousands watch the football either on TV or in the crowd and thousands saw those words, 'Jesus lives.'. Now that is literally wearing your faith on your sleeve for all the world to see.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Peace - Jesus Lives.

The shepherd.

When he has brought out his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:4
How comforting are those words? For some reason the timeless parables are what seem to stay with us from way back in our Sunday School days.They are what we remember most and what we often depend upon most in our faith journey.  They assure us that Jesus is always with us in all situations and whats more, he is the answer to all our situations.  There is the timeless parable of the lost sheep and it always comes to mind when I see sheep walking in single file across the paddock, following one after the other. Just think on this, (and often in day to day life its a hind sight thought,) but think on it now - Wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever situation we find our self in now, or in a moment or in an hour, or tomorrow, Jesus is there just ahead of us. He is in front of us. He is the next  moment, the next hour, the tomorrow we often are so wary of. He is there already. In a poem by J.Danson Smith, the last verse says: He goes before, be this my consolation. He goes before, on this my heart would dwell.He goes before, this guarantees salvation. He goes before, therefore all will be well.
As we live life with its ups and downs may we always be mindful of the shepherd. he is there,just ahead, follow his voice.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The sheep follow the shepherd, they know his voice.

A priceless present

This is the day that the Lord has made: we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
This verse of psalm 118 has a lovely ring to it. Its a happy verse and especially carries a real depth   for those who are morning people. What a way to start the day by looking out the window (when you cant be out walking in it) as the dawn creeps through the last veil of the fading darkness. Its hard not to recite this verse while engaging in the morning. This is the day which the Lord has made - I think, here it is, new, fresh and a door to open into a wealth of opportunities., unimaginable opportunities, graciously given by a gracious God. Here is a chance to live another day. Here is a chance for blessings to roll, to give and to receive and a chance to serve the Lord more and more.
Sometimes we dont even see this side of a day. Perhaps we just roll out of bed with a head already full of the days list of things to do and sometimes we might say from under the blankets, 'surly its not time to get up already!' However we look at a new day it sets the pattern for the day. Which pattern for your day would you like to set - acknowledging God is in it from the very beginning or not even seeing him until the morning is well past. Alice Britt Chole says:'As we open our eyes each morning, God sets before us a priceless present. Unique, fresh, and full of potential. Each day God gives us time - rejoice and be glad in it.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

And a new day dawns

Shout his praises.

Altogether now - applause for God! Psalm 66:1 (the message)
Psalm 66 invites us to come and see what God has done. To take a good look at his wonders for they will take your breath away. I mean, just take a look at this, does it not take your breath away? God made that just for you and me.

Lets make happy noises about God.

Where I am there you are also.

God is our strength and ever present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
At the Day Hospice the prayer service starts with a very comforting, reassuring prayer which goes like this: The light of God surrounds me, the love of God enfolds me, the power of God protects me,
 the presence of God watches over me. Where I am God is.
A small boy was in distress and his Sunday School teacher told him that no matter where you go God is always with you. There is no place he is not. If you are an astronaut and fly to outer space in a space ship God is with you. If you are an ocean explorer in a submarine on the ocean floor, God is with you.If you are a mountain climber hanging off a sheer drop on the side of  a cliff face in Simpsons Gap, God is there.  And if you are a small boy in distress, God is there. Every move you make, every breath you take every joy and every sadness, God is there.
 Its quite profound when you really stop and reflect that God is so close to you regardless of where you are, no matter what is going on in your life and around you. In his strength we stand, in his love we are enfolded even if its just an ordinary day or a cliff hanger.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Cliff face at Simpsons Gap.

New birth into living hope

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us  a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter:3
I find an old tree stump that has new shoots growing from it, quite powerful. It has a real message about it and when I look and see something stirs in me from way down in my soul and there is a deep spiritual connection. I read this quote which said: 'A green shoot grows out of an old tree stump announcing to the world that there is power in dying.' Ah yes, I knew there was a spiritual connection as I reflected on the dying and resurrection of Christ.  There are many little pockets of dying and resurrection in life and this is so obvious at this time of the year when the lovely fresh, new shoots of the spring bulbs are pushing through the dark winter soil into the light. Wander your garden and look and see.
May grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Anne, servant of the Lord

little pockets of  dying and resurrection.

All together lovely

Serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with singing. Psalm 100:2
Today, like every day, we have the wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord. When we get up out of our beds we come into God's presence with singing and from then onwards into the day we are ready to serve him. Think of it: Our God who is a mighty God, a powerful God, a creator God, all together lovely and all together worthy wants us to reach out and touch others with his love. He wants us, ordinary people to do extraordinary work, the most precious, the most blessed work. Its work high above that of a CEO, we need no top qualifications or prior learning, all we need is to take that love of God that dwells in our hearts and use it to serve him through prayer or through action. Wow! what a privilege, what a joy, what a delight.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Off to love and serve the Lord

Loyalty,faithfulness and perseverance.

'Great is your love reaching to the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 37:10
I remember a few years ago standing in silence at the marked tomb of St John in Turkey and for a moment I felt a connection that went right down the centuries and a feeling that time stood still. It is a tomb perfectly restored in its preservation amid a city of ruin and excavation and archaeological diggings.  But it was more than just a tomb. It was a symbol of a man's great love of God. A symbol that said to me that despite the destruction about us in our life and in the world, no matter how life pans out, God will be, and God endures. John left his mark for Christ for all to see, for all to know, a mark that spoke of determination to tell the world that Jesus Christ is Lord. I wonder, in the name of Jesus Christ, what marks we will leave on the world, on our community, on our church, on our families that will endure for generation to generation,not as a mark of greatness but a mark of loyalty, faithfulness and perseverance to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The restored tomb of St John.

sacred pauses

'All things wise and wonderful - the Lord God made them all' TIS 135
Many an acorn crushes underfoot as I walk beneath the large canopy of the oak tree and I never cease to marvel at such a small acorn turning itself into a very large tree or I can walk in a forest across a carpet of pine leaves and see the tiny native orchid growing in the most unlikely place sheltered beside  a fallen limb. Such mysteries, such surprises of wonder are before us every day, God's handy work  for our enjoyment, our pleasure but if we never cease to hurry then we wont see these things, which are the face of God looking back at us as we pause in wonder. I read this lovely quote by Thomas Kimber: 'We may not understand nor know just how the giant oak tree throw their spreading branches wide nor how upon a mountain side the dainty wildflowers grow.' But one thing we do know and that's the creator who created them - The   wildflowers in their beauty, the mountain ranges tall, the billabongs and rivers the friendly birds that call - the Lord God made them all. (TIS 135 v:1)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Growing in the most unlikely and unexpected places

Fading night and coming day.

May the mind of Christ my saviour live in me from day to day. (TIS 609)
Typical winters morning with a 'pea soup' fog, silhouetted images of the bare trees and fading night darkness as the day light pushed the stars away giving over to a soft pink sunrise and blue skies. The air was fresh and perfumed with a faint smell of winter gardens. I was struck again by the thought that every day is a profound God experience from the moment it begins and what treasure we have at our fingertips to lead others to  experience the presence of God.
I read this quote by Abraham Lincoln:
(After I die) I want it said of me, that I plucked a weed, and planted a flower, wherever I thought a flower would grow.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

 Haunting beauty of a winters day. 

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