Have you seen God today.

' One day Jesus was praying.....when he had finished one of his disciples said to him.'Lord, teach us to pray.' Luke 11:1

One of the greatest most powerful, most humbling experiences we can have with God is those occasions when we find ourselves and him alone together and he says, 'Here, a gift for you.'

These moments can come in a flash :

When I sight a tree of brilliant autumn colour......and there is just me and God.

or when I the see the fog weaving its way through valley and vineyards .....and there is just me and God.

Gifts from God as he stands right there with you, handing them out one by one .

Gifts that stay with you in memory to bless throughout the day .

I love these gifts. Its like having something special in your pocket, you put your hand in and pull it out again be blessed by God's presence.

'When we are gifted with an awareness of 'God's' presence in prayer we savor the gift.

we let God hold us and carry us, as the sea holds and carries a vessel. (anon)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Prayer calling

'And all the peoples behold his Glory.' Psalm 97:6

There are so many things that draw us to prayer.

It might be a candle.

It might be the call of a bird.

A glorious frosty morning.

A cobweb draped across the wire on the fence.

In Melbourne recently, at the Ignatius Spirituality Centre ,I discovered many things that drew me to prayer but amongst them was a glorious flower, one I had never set eyes on before. It covered a Hakia bush, it drew my breath away, it drew me to prayer.

Richard Cabot says:

When beauty overwhelms us,

we are close to worship.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

The Lord is with us always

'You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.' Psalm 23:4

We know this, we know that God is with us always yet we so often doubt that solid Christian fact.

Yesterday I was driving home from beautiful Tumut and I was taken by everything about me.

The glorious autumn colours of the poplars and claret ash trees.The deep green of grass from recent rain.

The town from a high advantage point bathed in early morning mist and sunlight.

The valleys and rolling hills

Water filled dams on the farms

And I pause to watch a farmer, way off to the left of a large herd of sheep, commanding his kelpie to bunch them up and bring them down from high on the hillside, to the pens.......just magic!

I had a strong sense that God was so present, the overseer of all that I saw....overseeing with love and protection and creativity. It was a comforting, peaceful sense of the presence of God and I drove the highway with an unseen passenger and a huge sense of 'wow!'

May you know, always, that God is present, he is there when we clearly know it, and when we feel he isn't. He is with us.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Give thanks always

'I make all things new.' Rev 6:4

The first thing that strikes me is the absolute quiet of the dawning of a new dayand I hear the words of God.......'be still and know that I am God.'

Then there is the morning choir and at the moment its a duet between two warbling magpies just calling in the dawn with a smile on their faces. (can magpies smile?) and morning has broken.

Then the words out of the early morning darkness......' I am the light of the world.'

With these thoughts on board I move into the new day and I have a true sense of who I am.....of purpose.... and are charged for what the day may offer.

Galatians 2:4 says:

'Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work YOU have been given, and then sink yourself into that. '(NCV)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

a thousand colours is your face.

'There's a hush of expectation, and a quiet in the air and the breath of God is moving in the fervent breath of prayer...' TIS 276

Sometimes there is no greater peace and assurance of the love of the risen Christ than in a glorious sunrise or a glorious sunset as God's paintbrush streaks the sky. There is something there that speaks to us of God, of his love, of his continuation with us in our day or his presence with us in the dark night.

As I think of the sunrise,tipping the mountain top with a ray of yellow light I recall the opening lines of a hymn we sang in church 'There's a light upon the mountains, and the day is at the spring where our eyes shall see the beauty and the glory of the king.'

All through life we experience our own personal sunrises and sunsets, darkness and light and like the dawn which always comes, so to does the love of God and we know that deep from within our very being we 'praise and serve a risen saviour.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Easter

' He is risen........Alleluia!'

How magnificent to worship a living God.

I have spent several days this week in the Ignatian Spirituality Centre in Kew, Melbourne, where I have been attending a conference. All about me within the centre is the Ignatian spirituality expressed in art and many crucifixes in various shapes and forms decorate the walls. Every time I looked at one of the crucifixes I found myself reflecting on the suffering of Christ on Good Friday

.........and it wasn't until I saw, standing all alone, a large plain wooden cross.......empty of the Christ ..............that I had a great sense of freedom and liberation.

I thought of the promises Jesus made:

'I will never leave you.'

'I will rise.'

'This promise is for you and for your children.'

God has done what he promised.

You can almost see Jesus standing outside the tomb fist punching the air and voice shouting an almighty 'YES!"

Its so true isn't it that the resurrection of Christ is the AMEN to all his promises.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

Good Friday

'It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him.' Mark 15: 25

O the love of Jesus,

O the love of Jesus,

O the love of Jesus.............it washes white as snow.

Grace and peace on this Good Friday

Anne

Where there is love, there's a quiet peace.

'So faith, hope,love abide, these three:but the greatest of these is love.' 1 Corinthians 13:13

What a week ahead of us for reflection.....Holy week. I find my thoughts are many at this time. I think of Palm Sunday and the entry into Jerusalem. The feast of the passover......Good Friday, Easter day and I wonder how Jesus was feeling. We know that there is to be a good outcome from this journey, that even though he will die, he will also rise again and be with us. But how lonely, how abandoned to be doing this alone with no one alongside who understands.

My thoughts this Holy week are on those amongst us who have a particularly hard journey through life, and I am thinking of those with disabilities and how we can lead them into a place of 'life.' It was such a blessing yesterday to invite a person with disability into the sanctuary to help with the distribution of the palm crosses. It was a feeling I couldn't explain. All I can say is God was very real, very alive and very present in that sanctuary this Palm Sunday and I was so richly blessed. God poured his love upon us and we walk away at the end of the service.....changed.

A life had been acknowledged and included.

A resurrection had occurred.

Think of your journey this Holy week and who it is you might lead through to resurrection this Easter.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

The cross of love

All glory praise and honour, to you redeemer king. Tis 333

Every time I open the front page of my prayer book, there it sits, an old faded, greying palm cross. I gaze at it and reflect and remember. I remember a journey.

My journey.

Christs journey.

I remember making palm crosses as a child. A wonderful activity of gathering palm branches and sitting around tables in the parish hall with a group of ladies from church. There was lots of chatter and laughter and it was the day before Palm Sunday. I remember it as one of the many treasured steps of my faith journey.

As I look at this palm cross I think of the crosses of life.

The crosses I have had to bare

The cross that enabled me to bare them

The cross that saved me

The cross of love.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim, till all the world proclaims his sacred name.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

Church.........anywhere, everywhere

' We love thy place Oh God, wherein thy honour dwells.' Hymns A&M242

Isn't it wonderful when we come to a place in ourselves where we can see that 'church' is not just the four walls of a building. I like to think of 'church 'as a place where God dwells and where God is talked about, and where the peace of God resides and the example of Christian life is lived and love abounds and 'God talk 'happens.

I am a lover of church buildings and culture as places to worship, grow and be nourished as the family of God...but for those who do not yet know of that family or feel they don't belong in it, then the means of having 'church' with them, where we can bring the love of Christ into their lives, are unmeasurable......just think about it starting with your own home and family and those whose path you cross today:

At the family dinner table when grace is said and others prayed for.

At the bedside of the sick or dying.

On our front porch when we welcome the stranger or chat with the neighbour.

In the garden......with God.......now that's a cathedral!!

In the op shop.

Caring for the unloved and unwanted...........Anywhere that brings God into being.

An Indian born Theologian, Ravi Zacharias said this:

Of all the disciples who floundered and stumbled, Peter was at the forefront. Yet it was to him that Jesus issued the pastoral call: ' Feed my sheep.'

Are we not all disciples with that same pastoral call?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Daily blessings

' Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord. Isa 24:15

The large skeletal like tree was silhouetted against a horizon of deep, deep red rising from the east that carried itself across the sky in various layers of colour until it blended into a very pale pink and blue............a glorious morning painted by the sunrise and it was almost shouting......'the heat of the day is coming.' But for now, still, cool, quiet........peace.

Its so lovely to enjoy the sacredness of the morning before the day heats up and I am taking from that experience three key words into my day........still, quiet, peace.......................Oh, and I might add one more........................... stay cool!!

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

a bible with Jesus on the front

' Love one another as I have loved you.' John 13:34

The words on the desk calendar took my notice as if it was written in bold print: 'Love one another as I have loved you,' it said. Then followed the words: 'it may seem impossible to do, but if you will try to trust and believe great are the joys you will receive.' and you know.......that is so true.

I live in a neighbourhood when there is a very large and dysfunctional family that terrorises the neighbourhood yet I have always 'looked out for them.' Yesterday one of the 9 children rang my doorbell and quietly and politely and right out of character asked me if I had a bible he could have . Once I recovered my momentary surprise I said I would get him one and produced a Good News New Testament. He looked at it for a moment and said 'thank you' in a very quiet voice and then looking at me said,' this is lovely but can I have one that has Jesus on the front so I can see him.'

What is it that melts us inside when we know we are bringing the love of Christ into a life, a life that's broken, abused and rejected.......I think its the fact that through sharing Christ we bring hope. I think its because we are doing what Jesus asked us to do.....Love one another.

Yes, I did produce what he was looking for..........a lovely picture book of bible stories with more pictures than words, anf Jesus on the front!

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

my cathedral/your cathedral

' In your presence there is fullness of joy.' Psalm 16:11

I was reading a verse by Steiner Rice, 'My garden beautifies my yard and adds fragrance to the air, but its also my cathedral and my quiet place of prayer.'

The morning gifts take my breath away. Soft, soft morning mist, gently rising, hovering over the dew laden grass, glistening in the early morning sun, pink clouds over head, sun kissed and a choir of birds at the feeding tray........my cathedral.

Its so easy to turn a special place into a cathedral. Its those places where we 'hover' with God and he 'hovers' with us be it in our garden, gazing out a window at a blue wren on the grass, overlooking the vineyards to the magnificent mountains or walking a beach at the start or end of a day. Special places, God filled.

Turn a special place for you, into a space, for you and God.......your cathedral.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

colours of the masters palette

'For each perfect gift divine, to our race so freely given,graces all of your design, flowers of earth and buds of heaven.' TIS 137

Have you ever looked 'deeply' at God's creation. I mean really paused and look hard, in wonder, at the shape, the design and most of all the colour. We can miss so much in the business of life. I had plenty of time to reflect and 'look deeply' at the garden from my recovery room and confronting me every day was this glorious, soft pink bottle brush bush. For ages I would just look at its beauty and ponder on the things of God.

Imagine the colours he must have on his painting palette .......how big must the options of colour be.......imagine it....... dobs of blue, red, green,purple,yellow, black,pink and many many more, to dip his brush in and just simply create and colour.

What is colour? To me its an image of joy

Its a rich blessing from God to brighten our day and to give us pleasure.

It never ceases to amaze me that our mighty God, in all his majesty and power and dominion can think of such small things, as our pleasure and enjoyment.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

My fourpenny Jesus

' Even the darkness is not dark to you........' Psalm 139:12

I once read a story of a small child who found a statue of Jesus in a bric-a-brac store, his arms were outstretched as he had come off his cross. The store owner sold it to her for fourpence and it was with her the rest of her life, in the good times, the lonely times and in the darkness of the London Blitz, constantly reminding her that Jesus was with her always.

I had a similar experience. I found a small Holy Family icon in St Vinnies amongst the castaway bric-a-brac of peoples unwanted goods and I brought it for a dollar, you know, its the 'hinged' version ,and being a visual person I tend to carry it with me and so I took it to hospital for my recent surgery and placed it on my bedside table. The first morning after surgery and in a haze of drugs and excruciating pain, in that space of day between night and morning, I could see the outline of the icon but couldn't see the images on it yet I knew they were there.

I was hit with an overwhelming peace and comfort as I thought of Jesus, not visible to us, yet always there. Always present even though we cant see him.......always beside us.

You know, I reflect on the purpose of Icons.......how their images draw us closer in reflection on God and I value this little one that had been abandoned, simply for that reason. It will always be a visual reminder that Jesus, in giving his life for me, for you,will never abandon us, he is always with us.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Gold in the morning

' In your presence there is fullness of joy....' Psalm 16:11

Some pastoral visits have a sense that God walked right in the front door with you.

Yesterday morning I was visiting a 92 year old lady of German descent who had survived the war and worked at that time as a social worker......... imagine that task!

It was one of those pastoral visit that leaves you thinking, there is no place I would rather be, there is no other thing I would rather be doing, there is no one else I would rather be with at this point than this person and God.....and Oh how present he was.

Our conversation came somehow to morning walks and sunrises and she said to me, with a far away look in her eyes............ There is a saying we had in Germany about the early morning sunrise, translated it says something like this: ' The gold in the morning, brings God to the mouth.'

(Steiner-Rice.)

Its not the things that can be bought, that are life's little treasures, it's just the little 'heart gifts' that money can not measure.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

seeds of peace

'Peace I leave with you;my peace I give you.' John 14:27

I had a sense in the small hours of the morning that even though the year is young, there are many out there who need a touch of God's peace today.

I'm a gardener, I love to be in the garden, planting, pruning, potting, enjoying. Its one of those places where I meet God and the signs of his hand work are all around and as for biblical imagery, it abounds.

It's a place of peace but more so the sense of peace comes when you realise the magnitude of our God.

Lucado says: 'Want to see a miracle? Take a seed the size of a freckle. Put it under several inches of dirt, give it water, light and fertilizer. And get ready. A mountain will be moved. It doesn't matter that the ground is a zillion times the weight of the seed. The seed will push it back! Never underestimate the power of a seed.'

Just reflect a moment: If you need peace today, think of the seed, think of the magnitude of God.....wait for the miracle .......and be at peace.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

What a glorious morning

' Praise with joy the worlds creator......' TIS 179

I was reflecting on the beauty and 'God filled presence' of the early morning when two things came to mind.

Following a recent reflection one of the deacons wrote: 'Its a glorious morning here, the birds since the rain have been very vocal and active and their song was heart stopping first thing this morning.'

The other was a picture in my mind of the sunrise across the ocean at York Peninsular.

Both thoughts had me asking myself the question:

Is it the same thing to say, 'Oh Lord what a glorious morning' and 'Come into his presence singing Hallelujah.'

How nice it is to let the hand of God reach out in his presence, and touch you.......before you have barely washed the sleep from your eyes.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

pale blue cornflowers

'Listen, a sower went out to sow......'Matthew 13:3

There is something deep inside me that set a thought off when I saw the pale blue cornflowers flowering amongst the weeds on the roadside.

Something came to mind to do with the parable of the sower,

something to do with growing strong and blossoming into flower despite the hard roadside, rocky soil,

something to do with overcoming difficulty,

something to do with achieving, surviving, growing, despite other issues around you that endeavour to pull you down,

to strangle your growth.

Here were these flowers, growing strong and tall and blossoming amongst the weeds and rocky soil.

I am tempted to say.......'dont just look with your eyes, but with your ears, listen.'

Grace and peace from the Lords Jesus Christ.

Anne

The sheep with their little lambs

' Here is the lamb of God.......' John 1:29

I was at a funeral yesterday in my home town of Tumut and amidst the many memories that come flooding back when I sit in that church, was none as strong as when the choir sang that beautiful classical piece, 'All in the April Evening.' I remember my mother singing that around the house, I remember the choir practicing in the church, over and over and over, for an Easter choral presentation, among them the deep base voice of the one we were fare welling. But what came flooding back more was the reason for this classical piece having been written in the first place. Written by a person who saw a mob of sheep with their lambs being herded across a road to head for the hill side.

' All in the April evening, April airs were abroad. The sheep with their little lambs passed me by on the road, the sheep with their little lambs passed me by on the road......and I though on the lamb of God.'

This scene reminded the composer of another lamb who went to the hill side......the lamb of God.

Isn't it wonderful to be able to look and see the things in life about us and connect with God through familiar scripture, but more so through relationship with God.....one doesn't go without the other.

Grace and piece from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

O sing a new song

'O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things, his right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.' Psalm 98:1

You know, you cant do a single thing outside the presence of God because every minute is in the presence of God......all that is, is God and has God in it.

The beautiful flower created by God and anointed with his perfume.

Every leaf on every tree..... has the hand of God in it.

Every conversation, God is present.

Every dying, God is there.

Every living, God is there.

Every which way we turn, there is God.

Even in sleeping....Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep....there is God.

Steiner-Rice says:

'God's mighty hand can be felt every minute, for there is nothing on earth that God isn't in it.'

Go into the day, each and every day, and all the days that follow knowing that God is with you, everywhere, in everything.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Because their lives are precious

'He will help the poor....save the needy......be kind to the weak......and save lives.' Psalm 72:12

Isn't this passage from psalm 72 a portion of a job description for followers of Christ..for Deacons.......for all Christians?

There is a story of a man called George, a wheel chair bound evangelist, who is 'dirt poor.' The people he ministers to are even poorer but there is none so rich in faith as George. In his wheel chair he travels from village to village....sore muscles and calluses on his hands, he keeps going....his deepest desire is to share Christ with others. (Lucado)

When I read about George I found myself thinking how far does my love for Christ reach into the needy of the community? How body worn am I at the end of a day from serving others and how deep are the calluses. Interestingly, its not the body scars at the end of the day that we dwell on......its the body count.......the poor who have been helped, the needy who have been cared for, the weak that have been strengthened and the message of God's love sown.....because lives are precious.......to Him.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

I am the gate

' Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.' John 10:7

As I walked I was reflecting on the morning beauty and the blessings around as the day unfolded, when I saw a lady sitting by herself on the embankment off the side of the track. As I approached I asked her was she alright. ' Yes,' she responded, ' I am just contemplating in this lovely spot.' Our conversation lead to the inspiration that I get from walking this track of a morning and the mention of 'God' came into my conversation. 'Its interesting,' she said, 'how you can get 'God thoughts 'just sitting and contemplating. Did you notice there is a gate up there, just along the track a bit that leads into the sheep paddock.....doesn't God say something about gates and sheep?'

Its so lovely to pause in the fullness of the moment, sensing you are standing on Holy ground, having a conversation, God centred, yet total strangers and it leaves me continuing my morning walk singing a song in my heart, a precious song between me and God.

As Macrina Wiederkehr says:

Breath in the dawn, rise high the chalice of your life, taste the joy of being awake, its the best medicine of all.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

New Year 2010

'The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water continuously gushing up to eternal life.' John 4:14

I couldn't help but notice the rapid green growth of the new grass shoots after the recent rain. Arid patches of dusty track were turning into new growth with this 'living water' sprouting seeds, full of life and colour and goodness.

As we come into a new year with all its new beginnings we often reflect on the past year and all it held. So often I have heard people say its been a dreadful year......cant wait for it to finish....family losses, continuous health issues, some life threatening, personal pain,bush fires , drought and floods.

Its always good to reflect back on the year past and in doing so challenge yourself to see where God was and is, in the 'pain.' What are we learning from the difficult times and are they times that draw us closer to God? The 'living water' that Jesus is to us also brings us to life and new growth if we visit his 'well' often, seeking that life giving drink.

In all the difficulties of life we know, that Jesus is always with us......so go to that well and drink.

This verse is from one of my favourite hymns:

O love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee: I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depth its flow may richer fuller be. (George Matheson)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Gifts from God

' Opening their treasure chest, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.' Matthew 2:11

I am always so struck by the wonder and graciousness of God in the distribution of gifts for us.

Glorious rain, not just a little, but a lot.

Beautiful flowers with splashes of colours and deep perfumes. The colour would have been enough but no, he has added the perfume.......an extra gift.

The beauty of the coloured birds woulds have been a delight in themselves but again he added an extra gift of song, sweet melodious song.

A pair of ducks crossing the road.......waddling, enough to put a smile on my face but even again he added the 3 fluffy babies by their side.

Even the gift of the plain euchalyptus in flower, a brilliant flower from the plain green nut.

As we give gifts at Christmas to show our love of one another, so God gives us these gifts and so much more, to show his love for us.

I think we all know the saying: Every day is a gift from God. That's why its called the present.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

O what a gift

' Oh what a gift, what a wonderful gift.' Sacred song.

Gifts are stacked beneath the Christmas tree and there is an air of expectation and excitement about what each may hold as we wait for Christmas morning to celebrate the birth of Christ our savior. But you know, the best gifts are those that come to us unwrapped and unexpected:

Like the first time your 3 year old granddaughter tells you that Christmas is Jesus birthday or the first glance in the morning at the rising sun, its rays covering the mountain like a yellow lace veil, or the bright coloured parrot who sits inches from you and looks you in the eye. Or that rainbow stretching in its fullness, a complete bow across the open paddock.

May Christmas especially be a time of surprises and blessings that come unwrapped and unexpected.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

My heart just wants to sing

' My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.' Luke 1:46-47

The opening lines of the Magnificate always bring to mind several hymns such as 'Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord,' and 'Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.' My heart just wants to sing when I read this passage from Luke.

How easy is it in our daily life to want to express this feeling. Every time I come away from a pastoral engagement with people on the very edge of society, for what ever reason, I feel so blessed that I just need to drive around the corner from where ever I am and sit a moment with God. The blessings, the knowing, that what has been engaged in is from God, is so humbling. Yesterday I celebrated at a wedding in the country in a small Wesleyan Chapel with a small group of people........ it was simple, uncluttered and so special and today I am taking a Christmas tree and decorations to a family of a mother and four small children, refugees from Africa who are isolated in the community and struggling to get on their feet. When God puts us in places of need one wants to react......react out of a response that says deep inside that there is nothing in my life I would rather be doing, than serving the Lord.

Through your Spirit heavenly Father make these your servants faithful to serve and constant in advancing the gospel in the world. May they follow the example of Jesus Christ your Son, who washed the feet of the disciples and set the needs of others before his own. (Common Worship liturgy)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

I've a mind to be contagious

' For you will be his witness to all the world...........' Acts 22:15

I was so blessed and filled with a sense of the 'Spirit, moving in this place,' when I received a Christmas card from a parent at school who's child has severe disabilities. She said, ' I asked him what he does in the GT's group (God's Team) at school .' And he replied, 'We learn how to look after for each other like Jesus.'

I was so moved, so touched. How wonderful it is to be a servant of Christ, a messenger for him, a gatherer for him, a spokesperson for him, a deliverer of a message that brings life to all.

I trust you too can reflect on your year and see the footprint of Christ in the lives you have touched.

I love this verse from Macrina Wiederkehr:

Don't hurry morning, come slowly, dress yourself in light, climb over the hill lovingly, hand me a new day hopefully, get into my bloodstream, and colour me like the rising sun, slowly. I've a mind to be contagious. Colour me bright.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Keep it simple, keep it focused

' Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews?' Matthew 2:2

Its that time of the year when we are all tired, worn out and pushing hard to get to the end of it yet we seem to go to more parties, more celebrations,more farewells, more 'last minute meetings'more.....more........more and by the time Christmas day arrives we somehow cant wait for it to be over. Is that the way to celebrate Christmas? I would be the first to say no, yet am probably the worst at all the above.

During Advent I have reflected a lot along the lines of how I 'do' Christmas........one thing my thinking does is that it draw me closer in thoughts and prayers with God.......

The true meaning of Christmas is always with us, its never changes and will never change, but we can change our attitude, our way of celebrating and more and more I think...keep it simple, keep it focused......focused on Jesus.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Your light must shine before all people.

'You are like a light for the whole world.......no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl;instead he puts in on a lamp stand where it gives light.' Matthew 5:11-16

All of us have a task to do for Christ and that is to spread the word, to tell our friends, our neighbours....the whole world that Christmas is the coming of Christ,

Our Saviour and friend.

We believe that Christ can save us and the world so why do some hide this wonderful news.

I had said to me on two occasions this week, by Christians. One conversation: 'I am going to take a hamper to a man with a young family down the street who has just lost his wife. He doesn't go to church so I will tell him its from the 'Lions Club.' and another. 'This year I have sent all 'non Christian' cards to my friends who are not Christian, rather than offend them.'

My heart sank and I must say I did react and encourage them to think otherwise. Why have the light of Christ within us and then cover it up to the rest of the world? How can we claim to be the light of Christ, if we hide the light'

This Christmas think of the real meaning of the coming of Christ and don't hide it. Be bold,be strong in your faith......share the light and let it pass from you to them.

There is a saying that a candle loses non of its light if hundreds of other candles are lit from it.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

When you give a banquet

'..........But when you give a banquet, invite the poor,the crippled, the lame and the blind. And you will be blessed.' Luke 14

If there was room for more around your dining room table at Christmas time who would you invite?

Yesterday I was at a Christmas part with the 'Faith and Light' community, a group of about 30 people with a range of disabilities. There were encouraging and proud moments as actors took their place for the nativity play, there were mixed and emotional voices as the carols were sung, there was a wonderful traditional Christmas dinner and great glee at gift giving time.

There was no where else I would have rather been yesterday afternoon. Yes, there were 'fields to plough,' other places I could have been, other dining tables I could have been around, but I wouldn't have missed this banquet anything, I was so blessed.

This Christmas look about for the lonely, the left out, the poor and make that extra space around the festive table, and you will be blessed

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

God's love for us

'What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them.' Psalm 8:4

I took and evening walk and paused in the dark to look up to the sky, covered in masses of stars and a large, white full moon, just there, suspended, and in all that vastness....I felt small, just like a dot and the words of Psalm 8 came to me..'When I look at the heavens and the work of your fingers....the moon and the stars which you have established ....' no wonder I was feeling small and I had this overwhelming desire to fall on my knees.....'what are humans that you are mindful of us...that you care for us'

At the age care facility I have introduced the Hymn, 'How deep the Father's love for us......how vast beyond all measure....' We sing this in realization that even in all that God has created he cares for US...for every one of us....even you.

Grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

Go in my name

'Go in my name and because you believe others will know that I live.........freely, freely you have received.......freely, freely give.' (Christian Hymn)

What a glorious morning for walking. Fresh from rain, summer dried grass smelling like hay, mountains misty in the rising humidity and touched with a soft purple...... ..... and as I walked I was reflecting on the wonderful ordinations on Saturday.........22 more people who have heard the call of God, been enpowered by the Spirit and now go in the name of Christ to be 'fishers of people.'

I think one of the 'missed hits' of our lives would be when people looked at what we do in ministry and life and put it all down to the person.

Its when we take on Christ as a way of life that we then live that life. May it be the living Christ in us that people see shining through every day. May the affirmation of who we are be Christ centred.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

blessed are the pure in heart

' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see our God.' TIS 448

I was at the Lodge with about forty students and their parents from the school and it was a wonderful day for them all as they played and socialised in the grounds of the Prime Ministers Home. Two things struck me in a profound way.

The PM and his wife came and mingled amongst us and chattered. No fan fare, no media, no calling to attention., no hype......And, a family I spoke to as I greeted their profoundly disabled son told me of how they are so blessed by their child , how he has changed their lives forever.

I was reminded of this comment by Charles King:

A surgeon was having a conversation with his gardener about religion. 'I have cut into hundreds of bodies, he said, but have never seen a human soul.' 'Well,' said the gardener.' If you cut into a tulip bulb, you wouldn't have seen the flower.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,

Anne

Black bird has spoken

Eleanor Farjeon writes in her lovely hymn, 'Morning has Broken.' 'Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.

Isn't it true, that sometimes we look but don't see what we are looking at and sometimes we listen but don't hear what we are listening too.

In the first moments of dawn I can hear nothing but the melody of the blackbird, high on the power line singing, and singing and singing...... Is it just the blackbird singing, or is it a 'God thing'.

Perhaps his perpetual singing is praise for the new day and praise for his creator...or is it just a blackbird singing?

Yesterday I was at church in a small rural town and an elderly lady said to me.......'I was baptised in this church'......In those few words I saw and heard a lady of deep faith, of loyalty and faithfulness to her God......one of the 'great crowd of witnesses, running the race...' How blessed are we when we listen and hear, look and see 'the God thing' in everyday life.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

I am reminded of your sincere faith

' I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.' 2 Timothy 1:5

The same small 3 year old child that peered in wonder at a beautiful birthday cake, was having a conversation with me a few days later about birthdays and as she talked of family birthdays yet to come this year there was a pause, as if she was thinking and then she said, in a soft, quiet voice.......'and Christmas is Jesus birthday.......' It was the first time I had heard my grandchild say the name of Jesus......and with such thought. It opened the door to a lovely conversation and I thought of Lois and Eunice.

What wonderful opportunities we have to 'sow the seeds'.....amongst those who are hearing and saying the name of Jesus for the first time.....small children in our families, in Sunday school, in schools. Older people in nursing homes and those distant from church teaching.

Grab hold of every opportunity to have the conversations.....the conversations about Jesus.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

The glory of the Lord

'The glory of the Lord shall be revealed.' Isaiah 40:5

In the hard places

In the laughter

In the breathtaking moments

in the pauses

in the noise

in the quiet

.........in all we do this day......in all we say......in who we are......

May we see it everywhere we go this day and every day.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Martha complained to Jesus

'Martha complained to Jesus because Mary visited with him while she worked.......'

Luke 10:41-

Pray and work are two elements of faith that so often get right out of balance. Sometimes its all work and little prayer, sometimes its prayer and little work. I think of this and a picture comes into my mind of a person in a dingy rowing with one oar......whats he doing? he is going round and round in circles and getting nowhere....give him two oars and he rows with rhythm, the boat balanced.......... and going in the right direction.

There is no point complaining to our brothers and sisters or to Jesus if the balance isn't right between work and prayer.

How do you know when you have the balance right? Is it something to do with an inner peace and quiet?

On this matter St Francis De Sales says:' Each Christian needs half an hour of prayer each day, except when we are busy;then we need an hour.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

This is the sign of the covenant

'I have set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me, and you, and every living creature. Genesis 9:13

There it was in a paddock, a bow, stretching from one end of the field to the other in brilliant colour and completeness.

How often do we see a rainbow in its completeness?

Not often....... and when we do it seems to carry more 'weight' in its meaning. It takes your breath away and the only words that come are.......

'wow!' Followed by 'Thank you Lord .' It only took a moment for the head reaction to reach the heart...... I had to stop the car, get out and just soak in the coloured 'words' of Gods promise, his covenant, to all creation.......'Never again will I flood the earth...'

What a wonderful God......a rainbow, a promise.......

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

And in all we do

'.......and in all we do......................'(A collect for grace BCP)

My heart lept with affirmation, asurance and hope as I listened to an elderly lady at the nursing home tell me how she was feeling. We had just been to a church service and she was so 'alive' in Spirit.

She said: 'I dont know how much longer I can stay on my feet with God's blessings,God is so real, so within me....a deep, deep presence that showers me with constant blessings.....its like I am being washed with blessings which ever way I turn....like constantly standing under a waterfall and have the water flowing over me.'

You know, that is sacred ground, that is what drives us all to run the race with perserverance, gathering as many as we can along the way to come to know and experience the living God.

In the Prayer-given life it says:

Today I have been brought in safety to this new day, a true, free gift......and so have you. What's to be done?

......'direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose;through Jesus Christ our Lord....'

Anne

may the strength of God pilot us.

'May the strength of God pilot us.' St Patrick

Day by day as we go out and come back in we can sometimes wonder about the value and worth of our daily doings especially if we are the only one doing this particular work. How do we maintain the strength to 'keep at it?'

I read this verse by Charles Allen:

'Remember that you are needed. There is at least one important work to be done that will not get done unless you do it.'

'May the power of God preserve us, may the wisdom of God instruct us......'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

To get a touch from the Lord

' May the Lord bless his people with peace.' Psalm 29:11

What a glorious, magnificent 'God filled' sunset, glowing gold and filtered with golden particals that 'veiled' the mountains and valleys.

At the Aboriginal church we sing this song: 'To get a touch from the Lord is so real......'

It dosent matter how you feel or what sort of a day you have had, you must admit that a touch from the Lord reaches deep inside and blesses you.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Come, let us go up to the mountain

'Many people shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob: that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. ' Isaiah 2:3

I think one of the most meaningful words outside the name of Jesus is retreat.Many of us had one at Galong last week.

Its not just about retreating from all that we do in daily life but its about retreating to regather to regather strength,

to regather rest,

to regather ourselves and to regather our relationship with God. To stop and take a step back and be still and hear what God wants us to advance with.

And in all of that the beauty of retreating is suddenly there are roses to smell and birds to see and the stillness of God's voice to hear.

Step aside awhile........with God.......and be renewed, refreshed.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

The Lord is the everlasting God

'The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. Isaiah 40:28b

I wandered in the Garden, as the song goes, 'while the dew was still on the roses .'

I wandered amongst the mysteries of God

amongst the incense of new roses and the brilliant coloured sweetpeas

and new mown grass

to the melody of the garden birds

and I thought of this verse by Jane Armitage:

'O thou who gave us eyes to see

And love the sight so fair

Give us the grace to seek out thee

And see thee everywhere.'

Grace and peace from the lord Jesus Christ

Anne

I am with you always

' I am with you always.' Matthew 28:20

Imigery can be so strong .

Every time I see a flower growing in the crack of a path or out of a stone wall thoughts such as this come to mind:

'May you always notice

the (dazzling white) flowers

growing up between the cracks

and may your life be full

of little resurrections.' (Neil Paynter)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Prepare the way of the Lord

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ Mark 1:3

I was touched by the early morning, so still, so quiet, with a blackbird breaking into the dawn, softly singing a solo with perfection on every note and I just sat and engaged ....... God and me..........a oneness.

It’s like the whole start of the day is on pause before it lunges into its business and strife.

As I sat, over and over in my mind roll the word from psalm 46:

‘ Vocate et videte quoniam ego-somdeus’
‘Be still and know that I am God.’

Did you know this is called the war psalm, said before engaging in battle?

I don’t think there is any better way of entering a new day than to be wrapped up in the love, protection and peace of God, prepared for anything...

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

The lost sheep

‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? Luke 15:4

Yesterday I was preaching about the Diaconate and mentioning stories of God’s love ..................................stories of the children from school.

After the service a man came to me, tears in his eyes and said, ‘You have made me cry.’

Immediately I apologised and sought to console him. ‘No, ‘ he said,’ it’s alright, it’s just that you have been one of only a few people who have said out openly from the pulpit, for all to hear, that there is a special place in God’s heart for people like my disabled son. ‘Today,’ he said,’ others now know I bring my son to church because God loves him.’

How often are we ‘welcoming and nice ‘but never so inclusive that we do not give hope? How often do we talk openly about those with less ability than ourselves, openly in the context of giving hope and affirming the loving and care of the parent.... as a very special gift from God, only given to special people? Ministry in our daily lives is about giving life to others.......we hold the treasure of the knowledge of life. Let us use it to be life givers.

‘This is just a wheelchair,’ says a seven year old girl with spina bifida. ‘God made us in his likeness, so I guess at one time God was in a wheelchair.’ (Creating an Inclusive Worship Community)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

my mouth is filled with your praise

‘My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendour all day long.’ Psalm 71:8

I am always stunned and in awe of the wonder of God’s creation.

Today I heard on the radio that scientists were able to look through a telescope and see a very distant planet for the first time.......it was so big that 1 million planets the size of earth could fit into it. What a mighty God!
And then
A few days ago I spend a glorious day with friends at the tulip farm wandering, sitting and relaxing amongst the glorious flower beds of beautiful colour and we were doubly blessed by a flock of red rump finches who settled on the grass near us.

What is this God that he can make universes, massive planets, beautiful coloured flowers and birds of every variety?

Alice Chapin wrote: ‘Blue skies with white clouds on summer days. A myriad of stars on a clear moonlit night. Tulips and roses and violets and dandelions and daises......bluebirds and .........
...................See how he loves us!

Look about you today and marvel at the glorious splendour and magnitude of our God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

A time to keep silent

‘A time to keep silence and a time to speak.’ Eccl 3:7

Listening.....intently.....listening.
Sometimes I listen deeply,
So deeply that the silence is loud,
So deeply that out of the silence
comes the still small voice
or more profound
a beautiful, richly coloured bird lands within inches of my sight......and God speaks.

Mother Teresa said: ‘God is the friend of silence. See how nature.....trees, flowers, grass.....grow in silence’

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

I will bow down toward your holy temple

‘I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and faithfulness.’ Psalm 138:2

Often I am lost for words when I walk in the morning.

.......There is just me,

.......and those I take along in my prayers

.......and God.

And as the last of the night stars fade into the day,

the rising sun comes over the mountain top and colours the day in almost indescribable beauty, draping itself across the valley and paddocks.

.......It warms my heart

.......It stills me

.......It takes my breath away and

.......It takes my words

Leavening me in awe and I want to take my shoes off

.......and slowly

.......quietly

.......beautifully

A song comes into my heart.

The new day is created , new opportunities are opening up ....... I have sung, I have prayed, I have been in the presence of God ....... I am prepared to ‘be’ the gospel ....... and God knows my heart is blessed and I call it my Morning Prayer.

What is your experience of Morning Prayer?

Remember, any place is a good place to pray to God

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne