JOY

These things I have spoken to you so that your joy may be full John 15:1

God is present. God is here. God is with us. God is closer than you think. Where you are there is God also.

All lovely statements of the fact that where ever we are God is! These thoughts passed through my mind from the sacred space and they gave me a great sense of presence and joy, yes joy. A joy that runs deep within and I ask myself just how near is God? As close as the 'voice' of the bird songs; in the rhythm of the great chorus of the cicadas in full voice on hot days leading up to Christmas; in the perfume of the jasmine on the fence and in the colours of the pansies clustered  along the garden edges. There, there is the answer as to how close God is and my heart is full of joy. ' Joy,' says Wayne Brighton, 'merges from the presence of God.'

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

                                                                 A joy and a delight.

Ah, its all like heaven on earth.

How many are your works O Lord! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104.

 I was gathering my thoughts as I sat in my sacred space, some not ready to harvest yet and others bursting in want of life and in the stillness, in the quiet, the echo of the Storm Bird was the song of the morning.

 How blessed are we I thought, to be able to sit in quiet and stillness in a garden full of God's creation, a space where he has painted a garden of all colours, shapes and sizes and the joy this gives not only to me and passers by but to the bees, the ladybirds, the beetles, the caterpillars, the butterflies and the birds and somehow my presence in that space makes me one with it all. Ah, its all like heaven on earth and I wished I could stay put there forever. I wonder where is your heaven on earth and where is your sacred space for occasional idle time in prayerful thought? Where do you pause with God from the business of life? 

Lord, let your face shine upon us.       Anne, servant of the Lord.

The flowers and the bees.

God's treasures.

 The heavens declare the glory of God: the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

It is so powerful and humbling to be aware of God's presence in our everyday life and catch a glimpse of his work. On one particular occasion I recall being in a rural setting where kangaroos and birds of many varieties were in abundance. As I sat on a granite outcrop at dawn, half way up a hill, I surveyed the panorama of deep blue rugged  Mountains - distant ones snow capped. There were rabbits, almost at my feet and kookaburras laughing ever so loud in the trees above me and God graced me with a briar bush full of blue wrens. I wrote in my note book: Today I have been blessed at the start of the day with a chorus of kookaburras and I have been amongst God's treasures. For me he opened the lid of his treasure chest and let a few come out and I thanked him yet again. Suddenly, in a breath taking response, he gave me a few more - a beautiful blue orchid  among the granite and brier. I thought of our powerful, mighty God who created rugged mountains yet can also create a delicate wild orchid. Little do we realise, sometimes, that the glory and power of he who made the universe lies hidden in a tiny flower.

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

                                                Made by God.

A nest of twigs

 God be in my eyes and in my looking. Sarum Prime 1527.

There is a holiness and a sacredness in those moments when the fading night and rising dawn meet. Its a 'thin ' space and the quietness of those moments are the quietest of all quiet. Sacred, holy, and from my sacred space I listen to the quietness and I just want to be there, in the moment, not seeking to be elsewhere or urged to hurry along and had I not heeded that urge I would have missed the tangle of sticks  in the fork of a branch  of the gumtree, so high up, a hidden nest where a miracle had occurred, where baby birds were born, and their tiny heads were peering over the rim of the nest, mouths open wide in expectation of breakfast.  

May we never miss the ordinary things of life from dawn breaking into day and nests of twigs with baby birds looking expectantly for breakfast.

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

                                        A nest of twigs.

so glorious, so beautiful, so lovely.

' Singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.' It is to him and about him that we sing. Ephesians 5:19

Is there nothing so glorious, so beautiful, so lovely as the sound and sight  of the magpies warbling in beautiful harmony together breaking the silence of the new day. What a blessing to behold. What joy that puts a smile on my face before I even reach the sacred space to take in the numerous blessings around me. I pause, I listen and I thank God for all his wonderful creation but especially the melodious sound of the magpies warbling at the break of day. J.E.Tada says: 'That joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  Be my help, my  strength and my song today.'

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

                                                Sing to the Lord

Transported to heaven.

 My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Job 42:5

Well I can say that my eyes have seen you, as from my sacred space I see the glory - the absolute glory of the Lord in a green rose bush so covered with roses that its dazzling!  They have  positioned themselves in such a way on the bush that its like a cascade of colour and styles. Some are just buds, others more open and yet others fading from a full flush. It makes me want to sing that lovely hymn, 'Glorious things of thee are spoken.' I venture forward. I touch a rose. I smell a rose, and thank God for the joy and delight it brings me, this glory of his creation. So today, stop and smell the roses and you will be transported into heaven.

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

                                                        Cascading down the bush.

https://comewalkwithme-reflections.blogspot.com

Oh how good.

All creation praises God. Psalm 148.

From my sacred space in the warming sun of the early morning I notice the glorious roses have arrived to join in the spring parade. They are dressed in skirts of peach, deep yellow. velvety red and soft pink and are full of pockets of perfume. Oh, how good are the delights of spring - Oh, how good is the feel of the suns warmth, the sound of the singing birds, the quiet and the peace.

Ann Renni would say: 'Have you made a list of the things you love? Consider the small wonders and ordinary joys of your life, the holy in the humdrum, God in all things, the blessings of simply being alive each day in a world that offers so much.'

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

Beautiful skirts.

It doesn't have to be a blue iris.

 O Master let me walk with thee. (TIS 601)

God created, formed and coloured for us to enjoy, not to rush by without even an awareness. To slow down the pace and enjoy more of the moments of creation around us is a true blessing. To walk a garden  path and see the glory it holds on its boarders of flowers, not just to notice them but to see the uniqueness of their creation or walk a bush track dotted with wild flowers and native grasses. To tune ones ears to the call of the birds. The moment is where you capture the beauty, where you have that sense of being blessed, when your heart stirs within you.  The moment is when you see what could have been missed and the moment is when you thank God for what he has revealed. Mary Oliver would say: 'It doesn't have to be a blue iris, it could be a weed on a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together into thanks.'

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

                                        Blue Iris

The splendour, the magic.

 A Thousand Hallelujahs we magnify your name. You alone deserve the glory, the honour and the praise. (Hymn by Brooke Ligertwood.)

The splendour, the magic, the theatre of spring; exploding buds, glorious colour, and busy bees, a wonder from my sacred space. It's all happening under the umbrella of 'creator God,' a window into his sacred presence.  I read a quote which said 'beauty in creation is harnessed to the heart.' and it is, so much so that it inspires me into prayer and I say, 'Bless us as we respond to your prophetic maxim:' There where you are you will find God.' (A.Remie)

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

                                                    The splendour of spring.

Spring glory

Join with all nature in unspoken witness to your great faithfulness, mercy and love. TIS 154

What is the glory attached to Spring? Need we ask. Just take a look about you. There is the soft fading mist of a warming mornings, tiny pearls of dew drops on the greening grass and new surprises every morning are the blooms in the garden and the blossom decorated trees some holding a carpet of petals all about them and the sky is  vast and blue. This is the glory of spring in the gift of a new day. Blessed are we to have the quiet of a sacred space to just sit, and be, and be loved by God in all that is about us as the morning soft mist rises over his creation.  Let our praise to God be forever and may peace fall like rain on our troubled world.

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

                                                A carpet of blooms

Stay awhile, love the moment

 Dear mother earth, who day by day unfold rich blessings on our way. All flowers and fruit that in you grow, let them his glory also show - O praise him. (TIS 100)

The depth and iridescent colour of the tulips was mesmerizing. Rows and rows of them in the glorious gardens of Tulip Tops. They were captivating and I thought, how does God do this? How does he not only create the plant and  the variety of colours but also the brightness of them. He must have a grand paint palate and I said to  myself in quiet meditation, don't rush, stay awhile and love the moment - Ah, just do it, love the moment.  I recall this saying: 'Each day is charged with the grandeur of God in its most resplendent moments and in its small wonders and incidental delights.' (Annon)  Don't rush wherever you are, stay awhile and love the moment.

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

Love the moment.

Raise our praise!

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies...….Christ, our God to you we raise this our sacrifice of praise. (TIS 137)

 Breath-taking design, colour and fragrance hangs around the spring gardens and captures my heart. Such beauty, such creation and its all dressed up in the beautiful sunshine of a new day and the blossom trees, O how they bless us with their glorious clusters of colour, a haven for the bees and honey eaters, and a joy for us to behold. O the love of God and the  words of a hymn come to mind: From the highest of heights to the depth of the sea creation's revealing your majesty. From the colours of fall to the fragrance of spring every creature  unique in the song that it sings... You are amazing God. 

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

                                                Glorious things of thee are spoken.

Wild wind.

 Wind, wind blow on me. (New Harvest 226)

It was a bit precarious in the sacred space with a wild wind blowing around me, remnants of autumn leaves swirling around  and the trees were shedding small branches that flew like kites in the uptake of the wind and others rolled across the lawn tossing and turning and tiny birds clutched the tree branches with match stick size pinions. It was indeed a  strong wind and it reminded me of the saying by P Wilding: ' Wind of God blow strong, blow fresh, blow now.' 

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

                                                    Swerling autumn leaves.

Fields of Vineyards

 'I am the true vine and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no  fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit'. John 15:1-2

In driving past  'fields of vineyards' I was drawn to stop and pause, to just sit and look because I was suddenly engulfed with the words of John, 'I am the  true vine .' It's a real God moment when that happens. And what struck me in this moment was that there was something different about the vineyard today. Through the soft morning mist there was a sense of order and freshness, like an expectation, a waiting. The vines were trimmed, pruned and tidied, stripped of all the unwanted branches and the undergrowth with the rows of grasses and weeds freshly mown and there was a wonderful look of improvement, of having been 'tidied up ' and I knew the vine-grower had been and away across the fields I could see the worker in the next vineyard, pruning, trimming, and cutting and there was a sense of preparation.

Isn't it wonderful when the gospel leaps out at you in daily life?

Jehovah - shalom. The Lord is peace.    Anne, servant of the Lord.

Pruned to make more fruit.

Breath taking.

 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, bow down before him, his glory proclaim. TIS 454

What words can we use to describe the beauty and breath-taking sights, smell and colour of spring? How can we describe the 'leap' in our heart when the first buds of the  blossom trees begin to open and cover the trees with a canopy of sweet smelling blooms?  As I walk through the garden I am blessed with bright yellow daffodils, heads nodding in the breeze and how can one not smile at their happiness!  Its like a 'fashion parade' in the garden - golden daffodils, blue, purple, pink,  and white violets, and the pink and white daphne. Its all not just a parade of colour  with  a sight for the eyes to behold but it comes with the double blessings of perfume and joy  that takes your breath away.  How creative, how beyond our understanding are the works of God showered upon us and I reflect that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.

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

                                                        Golden daffodils. 

and the kookaburra laughed.

 To God belongs the East and the West and wherever you turn, there is the face of God. Qur'an Surah 2

Stop and step aside awhile and take a retreat from daily life it is so refreshing, so life giving, so precious and there is a sharpness in shape and colour  about all that is around you that somehow you don't see in the business of life. The dew laden grass splatted with the blue of busy Wrens, silent mist covered hills, and wild grasses bending in the breeze, frolicking, playful  baby lambs and their quietly grazing mothers, green vivid shoots of the merging Canola crops, some already tipped in their yellow flowers  and a Kookaburra, winding up his laugh until he gets it out as full laughter  O that makes me smile! and  there, standing tall and silent are the kangaroos, the sentinels of the closing day which is painted in pink and red.  Peaceful, quiet, heavenly, a sacred space.

When we stop we find you, when we look we see you, and when we  listen we hear you.  

May God be with you always and more so in the sacred spaces.  Anne, servant of the Lord.                                         

                                                    Peace!

Come to the Father

When you come near here remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. Exodus 3:5

The  morning comes scattering the darkness and covering the day with soft  light and what better place to start it than in a sacred space that is responding to a murmuring deep within  you saying 'come to the Father.' And what joys await. I think one of the greatest yet simplest  spiritual acts we can do is to spend time in silence with our Lord and lo, what peace and richness lies within it. There rises from my sacred space the beautiful rich God made perfume of the Daphne flowers crowding its bush, the perfume of God. I remember an  elderly lady once asked me in a little note she left for me in the nursing home chapel, she said:' Tell me, can you smell God, because this space today was filled with such a beautiful fragrance that the only way I could describe it was, it had to be from God.'  There is something about sacred spaces, they are places where God is- waiting- begging us- to join him.

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

                                                            The perfume of God.

Speak to me of God.

 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and I proclaim your wonders still. Psalm 71:17

Its a cold, cold winter, one that seems like the frost gets right into your bones but the days are glorious and -  did I see it? Did I really see it? Yes, there it is the white with a  pink tinge of the Almond blossom peeping out of the bud in which its been snug all winter. A hint, a touch of the coming spring. Ah, the blessed  beauty, blessed God in creation.  I love this quote I first read many years ago by Nikos Kazantzakis: "I said to the almond tree, 'Sister, speak to me of God ,' and the almond tree blossomed."

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

God dressed in almond blossoms.

Draw me in Lord.

For God alone my soul waits in silence. Ps62:1

The naked trees are still. The Grevilia bush, loaded with clusters of honey filled flowers is still, empty of hungry, excited Wattle Birds, the air is so still and the sky is the soft blue of morning light. The birds are still asleep and the face of God is in everything I see and I am touched with the incense of the flowering Daphne and from my sacred space I can feel God drawing me in, drawing  me into himself and resting in the God space of my heart. Its fuel for the day ahead, its set me on the right path for the day, its a warm feeling to fall back on when things are hard and tricky in the day. Its the presence of God travelling with me. Oh not  to be missed, those precious sustaining moments with God. They are yours, they are mine, they are free.

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

For God alone my soul waits in silence.

My, they are a marvel to see.

 

Come my heart says, seek his face, your face Lord do I seek:  Psalm 27. 8

In the afternoon walk I set myself a mediative goal, to see what hidden blessings I can find and have a talk with Jesus about my discoveries. I mean, look at those acorns on the ground then look at the mighty tree they have fallen from, who would imagine such a tiny thing could grow into such a tree and there, just there in a patch of the grass on the common ground is a beautiful deep purple violet, standing alone, far from its home bunch in some nearby garden, and the King Parrots, my, they are a marvel to see dressed in ever so bright red and green beautifully groomed feathers. I wonder, I just wonder what joy God must have had in creating colour, shape and images for us and how many of them we pause to marvel at. I read this little reflection: 'In the tiny petal of a tiny flower that grew from a tiny pod is the miracle and the mystery of all creation and God.' 

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

                                                Beauty in  a field of common ground.

To feast continually.

A cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15 

We are never poor when our hearts have a continual feast: The company of friends around a picnic table sharing chocolate, sharing the beauty of nature, sharing life. Walking at sunrise, catching the making of the day, the fog, the mist, the colour. Walking a winters day in gentle rain, smelling the fresh earth, and jumping puddles. The blessings from God in greeting the stranger we meet along the way, the rubbing of a horses snout as he leans over the fence for a morning greeting  Godly encounters and the countless blessing God  gives us in our lives, his comfort and his love.

I read this from Iris Murdock: One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.

(and I just saw another in the tiny blue flowers, on  spindly stems waving their joy in the breeze.)

Let the peace of Christ dwell in your heart.        Anne, servant of the Lord.   

                    

                        Blessings dressed in blue.

A ball of yellow

 God - dressed up in sunlight. Psalm 104 (The Message)

So many mornings I see it from the window when I open the curtain to greet the new day, I see it before any other thing - its faint outline in the fog, a ball of yellow filled with the capacity to give us light and warmth and to me its God, dressed up in sunlight and my morning prayer along with the beautiful, harmonious odal of the magpies, their  heads held high, is a very simple prayer: 'Good morning God, good morning, good morning. A great way, an absolutely great way to start the day.

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

                                                            Good morning God.

Kissed by his peace.

 God gives richly all things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17

The real gift in God's beauty is to recognise the creator, the one who made all that is before our eyes in creation. If you stand at a scenic lookout looking  across vast green valleys to distant hills and high purple mountains, and then add a pastel pink and red and blue setting sun in the sky or look into the centre of a tiny, tiny Forget-me-not  you will be so enriched and much blessed if you see in it all the creator and not just the creation and you will be 'kissed' by his peace.

I read these lovely words somewhere recently; 'God sprinkles tiny hints of heaven on earth.' a sunset, the smell of the ocean, strains of music, a beautiful scene, the trill of a tiny bird, the laugh of the kookaburra, the sweet, deep perfume of the Daphne flower - all to give us a hint, a tiny taste of what's to come - mere glances and flashes of heaven.'

May the God of all creation bless us and keep us today and always.  Anne, servant of the Lord.

For-get-me-not

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done and  his miracles. Psalm 104: 4

I recall sitting out side a house of prayer recently when I was on a retreat. The view was captivating. The green of the rural countryside, rolling hills, seed planted fields and roaming, grazing sheep in paddocks before me emanated peace. Suddenly I could hear a group of people from the prayer room beginning to sing, softly, gently, slowly: 'Turn your eyes upon Jesus', followed by 'Isn't he beautiful.' All in one spirit I joined in, as did others near by and the Spirit of God filled that place. Later I wrote in my journal: God is before me in the morning, dressed in all his wonderful, beautiful creation. Everywhere I look I can see him and I heard a still small voice whisper. 'As you sit looking at me, so am I looking at you. You see me in creation, so I see you in creation,' and there was a deep sense of oneness.

Take time, make time, to pause, stop and enjoy God's handiwork, his fingerprints and loving touches which abound in nature...…..turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in his wonderful face.

Go well into the day, encounter the soft breeze of the Spirit across your face and walk humbly with Jesus by your side.         Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                                    Peace.

Applause for God

 An invitation to look at Gods wonder.     Altogether now - applause for God. Psalm 66: 1 (The Message.)

Take a good look at God's wonders they will take your breath away. I mean. just look at the tree decorated with the red and green of the King Parrots. Take a good look!  Take a good look at the first Jonquil to be in flower this winter, burst forth from its deep sleep to give us joy and resurrection hope. I mean take a good look.  God made such things, he made all his creation just for you and me.  Praise the Lord.

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

                                                          King Parrots decorations.

Sing to the Lord

 O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemers praise. TIS 210

What a way to wake up in the morning - with a hymn on your lips and in your heart. The morning  shrouded in fog was alive with a wonderful chorus that was completely in harmony with the paint brush in God's hand as he painted a loud magnificent dawn of bold red and gold and blue. - The chorus was magnificent.   A mass of Currawongs in harmony with each other, Crimson Rosellas 'pipping' a high and low note and the tiny trill of the darling Blue Wrens all just seemed to pull together a chorus of a thousand tongues singing praise to their 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 honour of your name. (Charles Wesley) 

           Take these words into your day because such music in our ears is life and health and peace.

                                                    Anne, servant of the Lord.         

                                                 Tiny trill of the darling Blue Wrens.
   

Bird song

 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 105:6

Morning by morning I hear the beautiful song of a little bird sitting on a twig in the tree, head held back as if he is singing to heaven and he sings and sings and sings. Its as if he is singing morning praises to his creator, singing his little heart out. I think this little bird knows he belongs to God. When the psalmist says let everything that has breath, praise the Lord, he means everything, even the little birds. I wonder how diligent are we  at singing praises every morning to the Lord?

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

And he sings and he sings and he sings.

Gift of his love

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. TIS 768

From the sacred space I could touch the glorious bloom of the last rose of summer. In the stillness and the quiet as I pondered with God on the gift of this new day I marvelled at the acuteness of its colour and the beauty of its perfect formation. It was as if God had placed it within my sight in an otherwise bare winter garden as an offering, a gift, of his love through creation. Stillness and quiet are what invites God into our space to sit and to be with us and to show us his love.  My morning prayer rises with these words: Teach me your ways so that I may hear you in the silence, see you in the emptiness, touch you in the gifts of creation.

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

.

                                                       The last of the summer roses- a gift.

Looking for God moments.

 The glory of the Lord appeared in the clouds. Ex 16:10

 Sometimes I go looking for God in moments of wonder and sometimes they just come to me unexpectantly. There are so many new moments of wonder to be grateful for all day and every day, just those fresh drops of rain on a dusty leaf, a verge of wildflowers, the sun shining through on a winters day, the birds in morning song  to say nothing of an unexpected gift, a conversation or the smile of a passer by. Recently while in the remote outback I went out with my camera  'to catch the sun set' and I was well rewarded but as the sunset evolved it became  far less of a sunset to catch but the deepening presence, wonder and awe  of God as 'the glory of the Lord appeared in the clouds.'

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

Pukatja/Ernabella SA

Daily blessings

 The gifts of God for the people of God. (APBA.)

Gifts are wonderful things full of surprises and there are no greater gifts than those showered on us by God. From the sacred space my morning is filled with gifts. There is the sun shining through the autumn trees at day break. The dew glistening on the grass, the last rose of summer opening, the Rosellas bathing in the birdbath with sheer joy, and the Rufus Whistler whistling, now that's a gift! and of cause the gift of being alive and loved by God as this new day breaks.  We are so blessed when we are open to the gifts from God, daily. What gifts I wonder have you received today?

May the peace of God( and his gifts) fill your life every single day.     Anne, servant of the Lord.

Now there's a gift!

Breath taking God

See the streams of living water, springing from eternal love. TIS 446

I was in awe  of the beauty of the autumn trees along the path way. Glorious in shifting colours, dressed for autumn were the trees as they prepared themselves for winter rest. They were so colourful that they took my breath away. Every leaf seemed to emanate the handywork of God and I was left with a song in my heart: Glorious things of you are spoken.

I wonder how often we get so accustomed to the things about us that we fail to see God, fail to stop in awe and wonder, fail to see his creation?

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

                                                                Glorious things

Well of living water.

 Plant your roots in Christ and let him be the foundation for your life. Col 2:7

There is something ancient, knowledgeable and  a mystery about the roots of the trees that stand above the sands in the river  bed. They look so strong having mastered many a storm and through drought their roots reach deep, deep down to the well of water in the depth of the earth. As I meditate on these roots I am drawn to think of the words of Christ as one who spoke of being the 'well of living water.'  The one who holds us firm in a storm and the one who is there in the times of  drought in our spiritual lives.

(annon) 'Like the deep roots of a plant drawing support and nourishment from the ground, your faith in God provides an anchor for the rest of your life.'

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

                                                An anchor for life.

Silence and solitude

 This is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm118:24

There is something about a rainy day. The only sound that can be heard other than the rain falling gently on the roof is the magpie singing its beautiful song. In this lovely day the yellowing autumn leaves on the tree seem even brighter in colour and there is a graceful stillness about it.  I love to just sit and soak it all in for there is God displaying his day. Ann Rennie says: 'Can we savour silence and solitude as wells of spiritual refreshment?  

Jehovah - shalom. The Lord is peace,        Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                    Sit awhile with me.

There is beauty.

 One God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all and is present in all. Ephesians 4:6

Something of beauty catches my eye as I pass along the garden path. A glorious perfectly formed rose. I pause and look, I catch its perfume  and reflect. How do you see the things of beauty? Wonder and amazement or common place? Look, look long enough that you become a part of it so that the fine line between you and its creator become one. Look deeply - there is beauty, there is beauty going deeper and deeper and deeper  among its petals - there is God.

Easter. Has it been a common place experience  for you or one full of wonder and amazement?

Alleluia Christ is risen.          Anne servant of the Lord.

                                              Created by God.

Creation announces the Divine

 O God, you are my God; At dawn I seek you: for you my soul is thirsting. Ps 63:2-3

The early morning sky was a vast dome of soft blue, perfectly curved and cloud free, it was as if God was stretching his hand out over the day, sweeping away the night and the more I looked at it from the sacred space the richer the blessing was. The Rufus Whistler was singing his beautiful song and an early yellow autumn leaf fell silently to the ground from the laden tree. Quiet, still, blessed as I watched creation announce the Divine. I thought to myself, not a thousand soft goose down feathers on my bed would stop me from missing this early morning time of the day with the Lord.  I wonder. Have you ever returned from a time with God unblessed?

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

                                                A single autumn leaf fell to the ground. 

Oh wow!

 Be surprised and full of wonder. Isaiah 29:9

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

Sometimes we can be so busy hurrying through our days, our diaries, that we fail to see what's in our day and days blur into weeks and years in our lives and we miss the ordinary yet life giving joys.  Slow down, notice the brilliant red of the flowering gum full of the light of the sun or the pastel pink and blue of the sunset, the first call of the morning birds and say to the Lord: Thank you for the ordinary gifts of every day, evoking in me wonder and surprise.

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

                                                                Red flowering gum

Shafts of sunbeams.

 In the morning you will see the Glory of the Lord   Exodus 16:7

Pre dawn darkness suddenly shot with rays of light, shafts of sunbeams lighting up the Eucalyptus tree like the burning bush, brilliant orange and yellow hue's.  It was just a sunrise, just a tree  - but I knew it was God and on the beath of prayer I whispered 'Good morning Lord.'

Macrina Wiederkehr said: You slip into my life  like the night and day, like stars and sunrise - I know that you are God.

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

                                                Good morning Lord.

'Here I am'

Love divine, all love excelling, joy of heaven to earth come down. ( Charles Wesley hymn)

God lavishes his love on us. Go outside, you can see it - creation in all its glory and what joy to hear nothing else but the beautiful melodious song of the magpies, sitting on the branch of the gum tree, head held high and singing with such joy and down closer to the ground the bees are busy in the grevillea gathering their harvest for the day from the brilliant red blossoms, produce for our enjoyment and there is a mass of butterflies on the magenta blooms of the Buddleia bush and from among the twigs and flowers God says 'here I am.'.  What love God has for us that he can create such as this for you and me. They are all miraculous detail of God's creation - daily gifts. What will you thank God for today?

May God's blessing be upon us and remain with us always.      Anne, servant of the Lord.

Miraculous creation.

Walk and talk.

 I come to the garden alone, while  the dew is still on the roses and the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. 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 non other has ever known. (Hymn. Austin Miles)

I love strolling through the garden early in the morning with a cup of tea in hand, just alone, just listening to the morning song of the birds, a beautiful chorus of different calls and I feel the freshness of the air and gaining warmth of the sun just up and still ,O so still and quiet , and looking behind me I can see my footprints in the dew laden grass and then I am reminded I am never alone,  be it in the garden in the still of the morning, or in a busy Mall or entrenched in the daily grind, we are never alone. Whenever I see my footprints or my shadow for that matter, I know Jesus walks with me. Our sacred spaces are so valuable to us, especially in the early morning and the quiet for its here that Jesus walks with us(or sits with us) and talks to us and joy is shared.

Jehovah - shalom. The Lord is peace.   Anne, servant of the Lord

.                                                Dance, dance wherever you may be.

In the storm

 'I am with you always. Matthew  28:20

We know that God is every where, in all places and in  all times but sometimes we forget this so keep this one posted on your wall - the wall of your kitchen, the wall of your office, the wall of your heart and read it often, so often that it becomes a way of life, an imprint on heart and mind and a breath of the wind  of the Spirit within and pull it out in full force when the storms are raging.

Lucado puts this in powerful context, ( I am with you always)  right into our every day lives, in fact into every minute of our every day lives.

'A storm on the Sea of Galilee was a kin to a sumo wrestlers belly flop in a kiddies pool. The northern valley acted like a wind tunnel compressing and hosing squalls onto the lake. Waves as tall as 10 feet were common. Yet from the centre of the storm the unwavering Jesus shouts - 'I am.'    In ICU, on the battle  fields, in the boardroom,  the prison cell or in the maternity ward. Wherever your storm, 'I am.'

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

   

A stormy sea.           

                                    

God at play

Dance then, wherever you may be. I am the lord of the dance said he and I'll lead you all, wherever you may be and I'll lead you all in the dance said he. (Sydney Carter - hymn)

If there was ever a time to be caught off guard by God its when the wind suddenly blows. This particular day the wind came out of nowhere and really stirred up everything around the sacred space, tossing old gathered leaves around, bending tree tops low - it was as if God was playing and this came to mind:

The windblown tree tops bow to the ground as if kissing the earth,

 and the birds 'fly sideways' as the wild wind gathers pace, tossing spent leaves, tuffs of dry grass and a  discarded birds nest in a swirl then dumping them 'thud' to the ground where they lay again.

Waiting - Waiting for the next playful wind and the 'flying sideways birds' navigate a bumpy landing around the spent leaves, the dry tuffs of grass and the discarded bird nest - to rest before the next playful gust of wind comes to play again. - What a joy it is to see God at play. Moments spent in the sacred space are a blessing for the day.

May God smile on everything you do - God go with you - God love you.    Anne Servant of the Lord.

                                                  A gift from the 'flying sideways 'bird.

Stand and see

O sing a new song to the Lord. Psalm 96

The glow of the rising sun casts colours of pink across the branches of the white river gum outside my window and on a single branch the magpie sings his morning song. What a delight to wake up to such a kaleidoscope of colours and a chorus of song, in the still, otherwise quite morning. And God is there, God is in it, it is God wrapped in light.  Its times like these that nourish our inner lives and strengthen our faith.

Mary Oliver said: Sometimes I only need to stand where I am to be blessed. 

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

                                                     Pink hues in the snow gum.