moments of stillness

Be still for the presence of the Lord is moving in this place. (Hymn)
'That stopped me in my tracks 'is a common saying among us  when we see something that takes our eye and catches our attention suddenly; that something that causes our soul to smile. Its often a sudden moment where stillness find us.
Sister Kennedy says: Such moments are in the smile of a child on a train, the budding of the cherry blossom at the gate, the sweet scent of the clematis in the garden, the look behind forgiving eyes, the fresh eggs left on the door step. But for me yesterday , it was the beautiful Robin Redbreast sitting on the Pickett fence just outside my study window; a moment when stillness found me.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

A winter visitor

God of all faithfulness

O perfect love. (TIS 603)
I was looking at the bare trees outside the window and noticing  the full ripe buds getting ready to burst open as spring approaches and yesterday when driving in the suburb I  noticed a tree dressed in pink blossoms, its buds impatient giving way to full bloom. What a faithful loving God who without fail produces the seasons of our year as he produces the seasons of our lives. I love the quote which I have used a few times now that  says: 'I said to the almond tree show me the things of God' and the almond tree blossomed. Sister Stan says: Gazing at the pale yellow buds of the camellia opened, I knew I was unconditionally loved.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

Encouragement for the day.

Its a glorious feeling to be able to unload my heart,to spill out my gratitude in thanks to you O God. Morning noon and night I want the whole world to know of your love. Psalm 92:1-2 (Psalms Now)
 A lady I visit in the community is constantly searching for Jesus. She has a hard life, a lonely life and longs to walk with Jesus as her companion. 'I use to know him' she said 'as a child I knew him but then he went away.I know I have you to help me now but where is Jesus?'  I told her about the story in the bible of the two who were walking on the road to Emmaus after Jesus had left them and how this stranger came alongside and through conversation and journey and an invitation to supper  Jesus was revealed. This psalm ends by saying: help us, those of us who love you O God to prove to our disjointed world that you are in our midst. Marcina Wiederkehr  would say: May your work this day be your love made visible;may you breathe upon the wounds of those with whom you work;may your voice this day be a voice of encouragement;may your life be an answer to someones prayer;may the lamp of your life  shine upon all you meet  this day;may the Spirit touch your spirit in this morning pause and your day be blessed.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

earthly treasures

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies. for the love which from our birth, over and around us lies. Christ our God to you we raise, this our sacrifice of praise.(Tis 137)
These words came to me as I was looking at the very full buds on the Japonica bush 'bursting' in readiness to go on display and visible here and there are the jonquil bulbs with fat buds also in readiness in a bed of very highly perfumed violets and there, hidden on the north side of a fallen log is the moss growing in its own rugged and earthy bed. So much beauty at a glance, a treasury of expectation, of hope, of love, of surprise, of God.
(Sister Stan says ) The treasures of the earth are free and full of surprises.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

mossy log,earthly beauty

Holy delight

God himself is present (TIS 121)
 I loved to walk through the fallen autumn leaves kicking them with great delight  and there is something special and thought provoking about 'hearing' the leaves as they fall from the trees. Its like a kaleidoscope of soft gentle music. Early morning  has so many points of connection with God  that bring delight, refreshment and preparation for the day and the birds add their voice to that as the little Pee-wee dances on the ice in the birdbath. There is something of 'holy delight' in creation and the creator. (Sister Stanizlow says) Creation speaks to those who hear with their hearts..
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Cathedral grounds Goulburn

God's daily blessings

Morning by morning new mercies I see. ( Hymn: Morning has Broken)
Its that time of the year where God's beauty shines in a different way with crisp frost and the haunting beauty of trees shrouded in fog and a beauty in the sunrise and sunset that is rich in deep colours .We often hear complaints about the frost and fog and cold but I say rug up more and enjoy. See God 's beauty and creation in all things and greet God in all things.
This little prayer by Norman Grubb is a morning inspiration:
Good morning Lord.
I love you!
what are you up to today?
I want to be part of it!
Thank you God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

vineyards in the morning morning fog and frost

The soul is on its knees

He was praying in a certain place and one of the disciples said to him. 'Lord, teach us to pray.'  Luke 11:1
There is something about winter: The bare trees in the morning fog
The deep red of the sunrise on a cold winters morning, The white as white crisp frost crunching underfoot and the transparent cobwebs washed with dew drops hanging on a fence, glistening  like a string of diamonds and among it all the last of the brilliance of colour of the passing autumn.
There is one thing I have learnt in my day to day life that where ever you are, whatever you see, Whatever you do, is all prayer on the breath. Victor Hugo said: Certain thoughts are prayers. They are moments when, whatever the attitude of the body the soul is on its knees.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Your love, O God

The great love of God O how lavishly given. (Hymn)
God's love comes in so many ways. In sight, in sound, in smell and it is indeed lavishly given. It is everywhere you look, IF you look, in so many shapes and forms. Have you seen God's love lately?
In the beauty and detail and colour of the birds.
In the perfume and detailed beauty of the flowers
In the glistening dew drops on a leaf
In the full detail of a butterfly
An elderly lady at the nursing home once asked me.'Can you smell God?' My answer might have been simple but it was genuine. 'Yes,' I replied, 'you only have to bend your knee to smell the perfume of a rose, or a tiny violet and there is the smell of God.'
What a wonderful God we have who lavishly gives his love, his great love, in so many ways.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,
Anne, servant of the Lord.

A bouquet of God's love

Peace that only God can give

My peace I give to you. John 14:27
There is a peace in us, 'God's peace' that allows us to jump hurdles and ward off anxiety and sing a song even in hard times. Its a peace that carries us. A peace that sings in our soul.  A peace that says 'all is well or all will be well.'  It reminds me of the little bird that sat on a fragile twig that hung out over a great waterfall and despite the fragility of the twig, the chasm below and the roar of the waterfall he sat there and he sang and he sang. As we approach Pentecost we remember the words of Jesus: Peace  I leave with you;my peace I give to you. John 14:27

wings to soar

They will soar on wings like eagles. Isaiah 40:31
 I was watching a man flying overhead in a single seat machine being held up by a rainbow shaped canopy like an umbrella and as I stopped to watch a moment I thought, what a grand view he must have of the entire region he was flying over. He could see far to his left, far to his right, far ahead and certainly far below and I thought of the eagle that Isaiah refers to and how it soars with a vision that captures all about it.A vision that is clear and big. Sometimes, if we want to see things in proportion, if we want to see them more clearly,  we need to soar above them and we can do that through our growing and strengthening relationship with our Savior Jesus. He will 'give us wings' to soar above anything  so we have a clearer view of it, so it comes into perspective.
Grace an peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Filled to overflowing

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing My Great Redeemers Praise (Hymn)
Even after years of early rising I am  still 'filled to overflowing' with the blessings of the mornings . The awaking of the morning with the night blind in the sky  going up and the daylight creeping in under it. The blessing of stillness and quiet: of fog and mist hovering in the valley: of a pastel sky wearing fringes of pink and blue: of a fading moon and a rising sun, and the peace and the quiet almost puts me on my knees as  I am riveted onto one spot in the presence God. ( Mary Oliver said: I look:  morning to night I am never done with looking. Looking I mean. Not just standing around, but standing around as though with your arms wide open.
May you feel the overwhelming blessings of God wherever it is that you stand with arms open wide.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Hills, lights and chickens.

' Hide me in the shadow of your wings.' Psalm 17:8b
Its interesting how some things in life have an impact that  remains with you forever. I am so glad I grew up in an age where it was the norm for children to go to Sunday School and it was expected that you would learn to quote scripture verses that became embedded in your memory and journeyed with you through life. So many times over the years those embedded scripture verses have been  my salvation, my peace,my encouragement, my strength. Verses like ' I lift up my eyes unto the hills from where comes my strength.' (Ps 121)  'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Ps 119:105)'  and another favorite 'hide me in the shadow of your wings.' Every verse came to me with a picture attached to it in my mind and this one in particular always reminded me of God's love and his protection like a mother hen who shelters her chicks under her wings.  As a child when  I fed my hens and chickens in the home yard I would see this lovely image of little chickens running to hide under their mothers wings and somehow I felt  safe, I felt warm and fuzzy inside. And  throughout  life when I see a hen or chicken this verse comes into my mind.  What are the verses that have embedded themselves into your mind and life?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

God calling

Fill my whole life, O Lord my God. TIS 596
As a child I grew more and more fascinated in people who worked and devoted their life for God. I loved to see pictures in mission magazines of missionaries working for God and when they visited our parish I was in awe of them. As I grew up this fascination  grew with me and people like Mother Teresa became my hero who I admired, respected and saw as one who gave her life totally in service to Christ. (Of course my father was a priest and was well up in my books also) What an inspiration these people were and so many more keep coming into my life. I read in a little book called 'God Calling' a simple phrase that said. 'God's calling......FOR ME.' We can always draw inspiration from people around us  who live extraordinary lives of love and service, who spark the best in us. When we hear of Christians exemplifying God's best in their love for others,their service and their character.......learn their song.......and sing it, calling out to God,Lord, let me leave a legacy of love.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

strong upholding hands

Hold thou me up and I shall be safe Psalm 119:117
I woke up this morning amidst  God's love in what the local radio would call a 10-10 sunrise brought into beauty even more by the clear crisp frosty air. It was glorious in colour and peace but I think the thing that actually called me into the day was the tiny prayer bell that hangs outside my window. Its soft metallic tinkling in the gentle breeze draws me to thoughts of God. I recall reading a very old pocket book called 'morning bells' and in it I read: 'the path is not easy, there are rough stones and we can stumble. How do we walk safely over such a rough path?' My response to that reflection was: Its not my grip of Christs hand but Christ's grip on me. That's what stops us stumbling and keeps us on the path. I hear the tinkle of the metallic bell and immediately I say, 'may today be in your strength Lord even though at times the path may be rough. Hold me up.
(unknown)  Yes, I will uphold you with my own right hand. You are called and chosen in my sight to stand.
Grace and peace and strength from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

hidden things revealed

Look at what is before your eyes. 2 Corinthians 10:7
Outside a window that looks onto my garden are two tall trees that are shedding their leaves for winter.  There is not much room in that space but they conceal the wall behind them. Now, as they shed their leaves I can see the pattern of the brick work in the wall and hanging there in the sight of my eye is a wall decoration of a family of blue wrens and something inside me says, Ah, yes!. I quote Mary Oliver who also sees beyond the obvious. She says: 'The woods are acres of sticks - when the leaves fall the striptease is over, things stand mute and revealed. Everywhere skies extend, vistas deepen, walls become windows, doors open.'  It reminds me of our  relationship with God. It is so wonderful to be able to see  beyond the word, that word 'God'  and see what he has to reveal to us. As I look beyond the falling leaves to the family of blue wrens I see beyond what is in front of me.
Take the journey, look beyond the obvious and be blessed.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

I saw them as through the veil

He leads me by still waters. Psalm 23
The tree outside my window is again momentarily full of delightful flashing, moving colours of the Red Rump Finches, the Willy Wagtails, and the bright Rosellas all playfully chatting among the yellow glory of the autumn leaves and I recall having seen the Red Robin there when the snow is on the mountains. Such brief moments, moments that cause me to take a breath and hold it, moments  that  I call pauses with God.  These pauses are all around us. God moments that take away our breath and leave us with a sense of knowing, of having connected, of having experienced something deep. Mary Oliver puts it this way after she had seen a flock of Snow Geese flying overhead: I held my breath, as we do sometimes to stop time when something wonderful has touched us. She goes on later in her poem to say: Maybe I will see them again one day, somewhere, maybe I wont. It doesn't matter. What matters is that, when I saw them, I saw them as through the veil, secretly, joyfully, clearly.
Grace and peace be with you.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

An Echidna passing by my door step.

your making stuff, O Father

What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. Phil. 1:12
How lovely it is to be able to look back on life and say that God has refined us in such a way that we have advanced the gospel, his work here on earth. Though nowhere fully refined yet its is a work in progress. I remember in Turkey looking at a very large pottery pot with a crack in its side and  flowers in it, old dying flowers and new growth at its base. I  was profoundly touched by the thought of  the one who molds our lives. I like this prayer (anon) Here, O my father, is your making stuff. Set your wheel going, let it whir and play the chips in me, the stones in me, the straw, the sand. Cast them out with fine separating hand and make a vessel of your yielding clay.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

Yet we believe.

Blessed are those who have not seen yet believe. John 20::29
What is it that causes us to believe in the risen Christ though we have not seen him? Some of the disciples saw the risen Christ and went to tell Thomas but he didn't believe because he hadn't seen him for himself. It can only be described as a mystery this faith we hold.   Paul says.' Its no longer I who live but Christ lives in me.' (Galatians 2:20) That's the key. Christ lives in me.  Lucardo says:  'The mystery in a nut shell is just this: Christ is in you.' Its like he moves into us and then we become like him and little by little a new us begins to emerge. By the grace of God he claimed us as his.  To be able to see through the eyes of Christ, the need to care for the poor, the lonely and the unwanted, to see them like us. To be able to see through the eyes of Christ where the world needs 'the Christian standards.' To be able to see through the eyes of Christ the beauty his Father created in the making of the world and all it holds.To be able to see through the eyes of Christ that what it is all about is love, unconditional love then we know that Jesus has 'moved in' and we are no longer the same.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Ephesus where Paul preached the risen Christ.

He is risen. Alleluia

He is not here: for he has been raised. Matthew 28:6 (and also above the empty tomb in the garden in Jerusalem)
God has done what he promised. He said I will never leave you, I will rise again, and he said that this promise was for you and your children.
So much of the Easter story recorded in Matthew jumps out at me. Lines like, 'he is going ahead of you' and this one, 'suddenly Jesus met them and said greetings!'
So many times in life and ministry I realise, often  in hind sight that Jesus has gone before me. He has either smoothed the waters or prepared the path way and I only have to see a stunning view, a beautiful flower, a breath taking sun rise, or sun set, a needy person or an elderly face and I hear the words of Jesus, 'greetings!' Ask yourself today, 'have you seen the risen Lord? and when did he last go before you? In a very troubled world may we see the risen Christ more and more.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

written on the wall inside the tomb

heavenly things

...........can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things. John 3:12b
When I glimpsed the autumn trees in passing I found myself going back to look again. Something touched my soul. Something put me momentarily on sacred ground. Though rather ordinary trees the passing of autumn tones is what touched me.Masses of green leaves.Masses of changing leaves and then those in full colour.
 It spoke to me of our journey of faith.It spoke to me of the journey of our lives.It spoke to me of God's glory and it took my breath away. It gave me a glimpse of God, a window to God, a flash in a moment, in a day. We can behold the Glory of the Lord in so many ways if we take that second look. Larson says: May countless blessings chase and overtake you and may you notice when they do.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord