The light of Christ

An angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. Luke 22:43
Sometimes  we sense a void, an empty space within, that is usually filled with the warmth and love of God yet he seems to have left us. I was reading about St Ignatius and his struggle with this just when he was about to give his life to Christ. He described  the experience of his 'spiritual feeling suddenly disappearing like the sun behind a cloud, and all was dark.' He could not find God and the dark within was leaping about like shadows. I think of others who  experiences  this darkness, for example at the death of someone close to them they can sense that things spiritual and the love of God is not with them and I quote psalm 23 - 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me.'  That word shadow is interesting because to have a shadow there must be a light and we know, we truly know that Christ is always with us even though at times it may seem there is nothing there but shadows. Ruth Renkie says: Never fear the shadows. They simply mean there's a light nearby.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

and all was dark

God is here. God is there.

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 second, 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. The leaf of 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. Cary these thoughts in your heart as we move into another day, and all the nights and days that follow knowing that  God is with you, everywhere, in everything.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

every flower, every leaf , there is God

See his fingerprints

For your steadfast love  is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you. Ps 26:3
What a magnificent moon there has been in the night sky these last few days. Perfectly round, its mountains visible and its shine sneaking in an out of grey thin clouds. To look up and see it is a wow factor. Then in the light of day, as if caught unawares of the coming change of seasons, there was a tree covered in thick green foliage and from a closer look there were some branches of changing colour, bright red leaves. A faithful God who night after night brings out the moon and season after season brings out his glory. Patsy Clairmont wrote these words: ' Experience God in many different ways - I could see his handiwork. The bible says  that the heavens declare his glory and I see the glorious things about God. I could see his fingerprints of creation and I feel these fingerprints inside my own heart.' 
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Autumn coming.......ever faithful God.

Wow, God is awesome.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. John 14:27
We know what it is to have God's peace but I am often aware of  many in the community who do not know what it is to have  peace, let alone God's peace. I am a gardener and I love to be in the garden planting, pruning, pottering about and enjoying. Its one of my favorite places to meet with God among his handiwork and an abundance of  biblical imagery. You know the ones I mean; 'I am  the true vine,you are  the branches(John 15:1) - unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground. (John 12:24) - I have given you every plant yielding seed.(Gen 1:29)  The garden is such a place of peace and an awareness of the magnitude of the  love of God who blesses us with so much beauty and awe.  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 think for a moment. If you need peace, think of a seed, think of the magnitude of God, wait for the miracle, and be at peace.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

The miracle of a seed.

God's created world

He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Acts 17:24
I still marvel at the mysteries of God. Those things that set our mind in motion like the acorn on the tree with their  caps on and how they become a full blown oak tree covered in acorns, a feast for the parrots, a delight for children to crunch the dried ones underfoot and mysteries like why do the eucalyptus trees shed their bark, reveling a smooth,  white trunk. How do they know when the time is right to do that, let alone when a tree knows its time to change into their autumn dress. So many mysteries that speak to us of God and his created world.
I read these lovely words by  M.D.Bascock. 'This is my fathers world; he shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass I hear him pass: he speaks to me everywhere.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

How does the eucalyptus tree know when to shed its bark.

dark and light

The Lord is my light. Psalm 27:1
During a wild storm a few days ago there was a blackout and all of a sudden homes were in darkness. Its rather a scary place to be in, that total darkness. Even when the lights came back on again the pathway to my home was still in darkness. I couldn't help thinking what it would be like to not have  the light of Christ in our lives. It must be something like that darkness that we experience in a blackout. ' At the  Oxford University,  that  great seat of learning,  their motto is  inscribed in Latin with these words:  Dominos illemi-natio mea. The Lord is my light.  May it also be the theme of our lives, inscribed upon our hearts.heart.' (Gariepy)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The light shines in the darkness

Oh, this is joy

Oh Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides. Psalm 26.8
It couldn't be a more perfect day making. The sky is blue with a few white clouds about. The white cockatoos are on the lawn looking for seed and the magpie warbles in the background calling in the day.The deep purple  rose bud that opens bit by bit over the day offering a rich perfume of memories. The deep green and red of the king parrots, The busy pee-wee gathering worms for the family and after recent rain the earth is fresh and green.  I  reflect on the presence of God in all I see and feel that 'warmth' that 'love' within my heart..
(anon) Oh, this is life! Oh, this is joy! My God to find thee so; thy face to see, thy voice to hear and all thy love to know.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The white cockatoo looking for seed in the grass.

the highway to Zion

Happy are those, whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. Ps. 84:5
I am often fascinated by a bridge, especially old ones that have such character. They say so much about access and stand as a symbol of hope, reaching from one place to another. They have a strength that endures. When thinking of our own lives, a bridge from Christ to us,us to Christ, and us to others, it carries the same feeling of bringing life, of having access and presenting as symbols of hope.. There is such opportunity for us all to be bridges.One of the images of a deacon is that of a bridge builder, building a way for people to cross and connect from community to church. I recall a time when I had several funerals over a few weeks of people on the edge of faith, just needing help to cross the bridge to Jesus that brought hope and access and  life.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

The  old bridge at Gundagai

God and me and top knot pigeons

The Lord is good to those who  wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. Lamentations 3:25
Sitting outside in the cool of the evening just God and me,when two topknot pigeons came to join us. and a little poem came into my mind as I watched them.
Pluck the grass, pull at the seed
scratching around for a feed  - the immaculately groomed top knot pigeons.
nestling down in the grass, another stops - he doesn't pass
Ah, the cool evening blessing  in the grass - nestling
O bother, now they have been disturbed, by another pair of another bird
and off they go - all in flight, flying off into the night.
And I was left with a fullness of joy, a pleasure that will never fade and again I was reminded of the power that is in silence.
(F.B.Mayer said )' O for the grace to wait and watch with God.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Showering and nestling in the grass

What a gift - what a joy.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first  in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure, lives in you.. 2 Timothy 1:5
God blesses us in so many ways that some days the blessings resound within our being like a very warm and fuzzy feeling deep inside our soul. I had a phone call from my youngest grandson all of six years old but very wise and his words were: 'Nan, you know the bible you gave me when you baptised me? Well Mum found it when she was cleaning out a cupboard and  I have been sitting on the lounge reading it and looking at the pictures and now I know the story of  how God made the world.'  I think there is no greater blessing than when we see the fruits of a seed planted. It may have been planted with caution. It may have been planted with hope. It may have been planted with love and prayers and someday that gift to a child will emerge and set them on a path for life.  Often these seeds are sown by a grandmother with a longing in her heart to see that the child will come to know and walk with Jesus and a longing to know that whatever life throws at you, with Jesus by your side you will be alright. That, I think, is the greatest gift a child can be given.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Blessed assurance Jesus is mine.

stormy weather

The voice of the Lord is over the waters: the God of Glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. Psalm 29:3
Lately there seems to be a lot of thunder storms about us and sometimes I hear people saying there has not been enough warning about the severity of an approaching storm and they are caught out with flash flooding rain and damaging hail. Their immediate reaction seems to want to blame someone. We can read in Luke's gospel (12:54-46) 'when you see a cloud coming up in the west, at once you know it is going to rain....and it does. And when you feel the south wind blowing you know it is going to be hot....and it is....you can look at the earth and the sky and predict the weather. Somehow we have strayed away from straight out education and teaching about life as the Lord has taught us  through the words of the bible. I wonder do we just read such good advice and not take it to heart?  I was out for a short walk and saw the thunder clouds building and headed for home to prepare my place in case it came down with vengeance. It makes me also wonder what will happen at the end of time, at the second coming. Will peoples response be 'we didn't get enough warning?'
May our lives be such that they are pointers to God so those who see the signs can be prepared.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord

You, God and peace

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 7
A profound and deepening peace with God often comes after a major life changing event that takes you to such a place within yourself that there is nowhere else to go but to God.
That's my understanding of that peace that surpasses all understanding and at times I 'see' this peace in the face of the elderly in the nursing home. I was given a book called 'The Mission Walker' by Edie Littlefield Sundby who had been given 3 months to live and she said this: I came to realize we are held in the arms of God and are utterly completely safe - in life and in death;whether walking alone or with others.' The only thing I would add  is words of Max Lucardo,  when he says, 'Get the word out. God is with us; we are not alone.
Grace to you and peace from God the father.
Anne, servant of the Lord

God's peace

Morning Glory

Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me.' (TIS 233)
I woke up singing this  morning. I marvel at why that happens. I was singing 'I will sing the wondrous story  of the Christ who died for me.'  And at the same time I looked out the window to see dry grass in the heat wave yet there was a tiny pink flower surviving. It's called 'Morning Glory' and I thought in an instance how its glowing pink colour stood out above the dry grass and as the hymn continued to flow I thought of the words of Helen Keller: 'I am only one, but still I am one. I can not do everything, but still I can do something: I will not refuse to do something I can do. '  One little flower shining its joy in the world and now I know why I woke up singing because you and I all daily sing of the Christ who died for us as we go out in the world.
I read a Celtic prayer which said: May every task be done with joy and every word that we employ show the Lord in heaven above that all we do we do for love.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Not morning glory but the same symbolism.

What a friend!

O come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Psalm 95:1
There is something refreshing about a New Year. Its a great opportunity to reflect on the past one and set some goals for the new one.  In the 'rush' of life so often the most important things get pushed to the bottom of the 'to do list.'  We so much like time out with our friends, catching up, chatting, sharing story but lets not forget the greatest friend of all: Jesus. Waste time with him, hang out with him. Lie down with him in green pastures and be guided by his rod and staff. I think its called 'holy loitering.'
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

In pastures green he leadeth me

Christmas past and present

My soul does magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior. Luke 1:47
Christmas as a child was an event I wont forget.. We were poor like others in the immediate post war era and presents were a luxury. Never the less memories of Christmas were very much about the 'reason for the season' and that was to celebrate the birth of Jesus. That was the focus. All the preparation for His arrival were carried out with  excitement and a feeling of expectation. The church was clean and polished and the flowers  were the familiar ones of Christmas, white chaster daises, lavender stems and hydrangeas and the hot days were filled  with the smell of dry eucalyptus trees, back yard cricket, noisy cicadas and noisy baby galas waiting  to be fed. Christmas doesn't have to be what it has become.......one great rush to get the presents. Large debt  on credit cards and a sense of rush and business. It doesn't have to be a grand  event that leaves us exhausted and relieved it is over for another year! Look at Jesus, born in a stable... that's no luxury yet he was the best gift we will ever receive, not wrapped in glittering paper and tied in a bow...... but open and ready to be given and received and always available to us all. In the quiet spaces of Christmas reflect on the  most precious gift of all....the wonderful gift of Jesus.

O come let us adore him. Christ the Lord.

love and more love.

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:1.
I heard a song on the radio and one line in particular has stayed  in my mind and shifted to my heart and the line goes like this: 'Your love goes on forever' Just days out from Christmas and I think of the great love of God to us when he came down from heaven and rested in the manger in Bethlehem that first Christmas. A love that goes on and on through the 'God of life and Lord of love.'  A love that draws a response from us to love  back. In this song the verse goes on to say: (God) All I have I'll give you, everything you see. (me) What have I to give  you? All I have is me.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

God of life and love

Remembering Jesus

O what a gift what a wonderful gift...(TIS 278)
Have you been wrapping gifts in readiness for Christmas day or are you still shopping? It is so easy to get caught up in the hype of the last minute rush to prepare for our Christmas day and how easy it is for the pendulum to swing wide from the full focus of what Christmas is about and that is the most precious gift of all, the gift of life. I heard a conversation about this among some small children who were looking in the manger. One of them picked the 'baby Jesus' up and had a nurse. As she looked into the eyes of the 'baby Jesus' she passed him to the boy next to her. 'See, you can pick baby Jesus up and pass him around. ' She said. ' Here,you take him and pass him onto someone else.'
Grace and peace this Christmas as you celebrate with family and friends and in your heart and don't forget to pass Jesus around.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

Giving to those in need.

A still pond or raging waters.

There is a river  whose streams make glad Ps 46:4
Rain ,rain and more rain and how blessed we are to have had such life giving water on a drought stricken country. Its such a gift of life and always my mind goes to  what Jesus said, ' I am the living water. Whoever comes to me will not be thirsty.'
Then through us can come life giving water for others who God puts in our path.  I read this lovely reflection: (Jesus) 'Release through me, as rivers of living waters, your goodness, your truth, your love. Take my heart and fill it,take my hands and  use them, take my feet and guide them and may  your glory be the signature over all I do today.'(Lessin)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Living waters.

O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemers praise. (TIS 210)
I watched it, a tiny river of water running down the gum leaf until it reached the tip and there it formed a bubble of life giving water ready to drop on the parched dry land. And the incense buds of the flowering gardenia filled the air with love and all around is quiet, is silence, and God is here. Yes God is here.
Horatius Bonar said: Oh this is life! Oh this is joy! my God to find thee so. Thy face to see, thy voice to hear and all thy love to know.

Rose buds, gardenias, whatever perfumed flowers are incense buds of God's love

The epic journey

Emmanuel. God is with us. (Matthew 1:23)
End of the year is looming. Christmas is on the horizon and I suspect the wise men might be getting ready for an epic journey of discovery and as for the shepherds they are going about their daily business of minding the flock unaware that their lives are about to change. We too are getting ready for the Christmas event, pausing in Advent and waiting for the coming of Christ. It can be a time of letting down and ramping up as some things come to a closure for the year and  other things demand our undivided attention to prepare for celebrating Christ's birth.  Tanks running a bit on empty? then try this for a mantra:
Breathe on me breath of God, fill me with life anew, that I may love what thou dost love,and do what thou wouldst do. (TIS 407)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Shepherds field chapel door