Scatter the fragrance.

 Send out fragrance like incense and put forth blossoms like a lily. Scatter the fragrance and sing a hymn of praise; bless the Lord for all his works. Ecclesiastes 39:14 

I paused. I  looked. I touched. I smelt. I marvelled. There is something deeply spiritual about just wandering in the garden, humming quietly that familiar hymn that just always comes to mind when we look at the awe of God - 'How Great Thou Art.' In my wandering I look at every flower in detail and I look to its creator. Such intricate work, such beautiful design, such glorious colours, such  joy and every flower filled with its own special fragrance that infuses my mind with memories.

Fanny Robinson wrote: Thus musing in a garden nook, each flower is as a written book, and rich the stores of Holy thought, that by these blossoms fair are brought.

Peace to those who are near and peace to those who are far off.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                 

                                            Oh, what a gift what a wonderful gift.

Heavenly hosts.

 Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory. Psalm 24:10

I recall as a child being shattered when someone told me there was no such thing as angels. 'But there has to be' was my response. 'God talks about them, they are his helpers.' This person couldn't be convinced and I went away saying to myself, ' Anyway, I know there is, I have seen them.'   Our earthly journey is accompanied by 'members of the Heavenly hosts,' those who come alongside to console, empower and encourage us.  We don't always recognise  it when we are being 'unwittingly entertained by angels.' and its often in hindsight that it becomes  obvious. I suspect at in todays world of pandemic, floods and bushfires with so much happening that the 'heavenly hosts' are very busy, even just in our neighbourhoods during lock down. Perhaps you have been visited by one? Perhaps you are one?  I thank God for his angels and this morning especially I pray that they are present among  many in Afghanistan.

May the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Earthly angels.
      

Capture a delight

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Romans 15:13

What was the delight you captured on your hours walk today and brought home as a memory? I find I am seeing and savouring more detail. I see beauty like the deep purple clump of violets  gone wild in the grass near the walkway that I had only briefly seen in passing before but never pondered on the how or the why of their presence there. I captured the  bright, ever so bright red of the front of the King Parrots  chest, so brilliant red, and it matched the brilliance of his green back when he turned about. That memory was imprinted in me for the rest of my walk home. Ah such beauty from a wonderful creator. My gifts to bring home from my walk.

I read this quote: Watch windflowers dance in the breeze for a moment of pure joy.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                  The joy of the dancing windflowers.

The Lord-Shalom

 - -- so Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it The Lord - Shalom

Gideon discovered that he could find peace in the Lord. We know that fear paralyses us and it petrifies us and if we hold onto fear it will disrupt our life, in fact it could
change the course of our life. But we also know that God can dispel our fears because is he not the God of peace?

Have you built an altar, perhaps called a quiet place, a prayer space or a garden seat that you call The Lord - Shalom?    God's peace is there for us all if we take the time to be with him. In the garden, around my quiet space, I can look into the eye of a beautiful flower, dwell on the layer of its skirts and there is God, our creator, gently blowing in the wind, with peace.

In the middle of a pandemic search out that place where you find God and be with him in peace.

Jehovah-Shalom. The Lord is peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Lockdown. - a curse or a blessing?

 Come away with me by yourself to a quiet place and rest awhile. Mark 6:31

   What are you doing during this period of being locked down? Besides doing a great catch up in and around the house. I have been spending time in the garden with roses to prune and flowers to smell. But I have had a great 'pull' in this period to go on a daily personal retreat. In the quiet and stillness making time to draw even nearer to God and looking deeper into his eyes in nature - and his voice in the  bird songs, now clear and joyful in a silent world. The one hour allowed outside for exercise I breathe in the clear, pollution free air full of the perfume of spring  to appreciate the outdoor beauty and picturing what God had in mind when he created the crested wood pigeon or the daffodil or the forget-me-not and why he put the trill in the tiny birds.   What are you doing during the lockdown?

A hymn by Getty called Holy Spirit backs my retreat: Holy Spirit, living Breath of God, breathe new life into my willing soul. Let the presence of the risen Lord come renew my heart and make me whole. Cause Your word to come alive in me; give me faith for what I cannot see, give me passion for your Purity; Holy Spirit breathe new life in me.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                        Have you ever watched a bee gathering pollen?

Sets the spirit ablaze with love.

 The sun when it appears, proclaims as it rises, what a marvellous instrument it is, the work of the most high. Sirach 43:2

This is a lovely reflection I read  sometime ago: 'As a new day shines over your place today remember God is reminding you of his glory - be in wonder of him. He is mighty and the perfecter of beauty.'

So much of our world is struggling in stress with climate change reactions and a deadly pandemic BUT God never fails us. These are times that we need to draw even closer to him, to pause and see there is good and hope in the beauty around us and in his faithfulness that never fails. No matter what our life might be like at the moment God will always make the sun to rise every day. Blessed are those who rise early enough each day to witness the sun rise on the creation of a new day. It sets the spirit ablaze with love for the creator.

May the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                Morning glory.

Chubby balls of grey feathers.

 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within in me. Psalm 51:10

Has spring already arrived I found myself thinking as I stepped out the door into a balmy sort of morning and as I stood on the edge of the garden, with just me and God  I heard the call of a baby bird anxious for its breakfast being watched by its mother, one eye on the baby and one eye on the food gathering.  I marvelled at the increasing swell of the buds on the Japonica bush, some already bursting with delight  and the air is filled with the perfume of the wattle blossoms. From the bird bath came sounds of the joy of little finches bathing, splashing water all over while under the bird feeder were the sparrows, chubby balls of grey feathers always so happy, gathering crumbs and they, a pest to some, always bring me delight for they remind me of God's promise that he cares for us all, even the sparrows.

A few still moments at the front door with God sets the pace of the day. 

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                        Golden  Cootamundra wattle,

Memories are made of this.

 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above coming from the Father of lights. James 1:17

It was Fanny Robinson who said: Flowers are the gems that children love, yet we all delight to see and they bring a thousand memories of bygone days to me.

How very true that is. I couldn't resist while out walking yesterday, stopping to smell a Jonquil, attracted by its vivid white  flower foremost, because   also I  knew that if  I stooped to smell it I would visit that comforting, safe, warm place of peace as a child sitting in the paddock surrounded by the clumps of Jonquils filling the air with God's perfume.  Its the same memory as walking under a trellis of Wisteria or passing by the Daphne bush at the back door. They transport us to places of comfort  and joy in our memories. Spring is full of memories from the gardens that embrace our life. Enjoy them all and what they offer.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.    Anne, servant of the Lord. 

                                         
                                    memories

All things bright and beautiful

 Each little flower that opens each little bird that sings, he made their glowing colours he made their tiny wings. (Cecil F Alexander)

I love to walk in the garden. I love to admire the gardens when I go out walking. Each and every flower is an inspiration of God's thoughts and creativity and every perfume is his aroma.

From tiny forget-me-nots to long nodding trumpets of the bright yellow daffodils. The Lord God made them all.  I don't think you could look at a flower and not give God a smile.

I mean - look at the pansies' faces, they look so happy and childlike.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                            Bright and beautiful.