Arise, shine.

 It is you who lights my lamp ; the Lord my God Psalm 18:28

There are so many thoughts that cross my mind in the first experience of the morning. Its cold, its foggy, like a thick mist, and as I look out on the day the voice within me quotes the first line of a poem I wrote some time ago: 'Soft soft the morning mist did creep, across the land that lay asleep.' And despite the weather, my heart sings in this new day. I love the quote  by Kahlil Gibran which says: I arise at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.  I was asked yesterday  what motivates me to do what I do? What gets me up in the morning? and my response was : I see each day as  new opportunities. I see them and feel them when I go out into the early morning and there is an excitement about who I might see today and the conversations we might have, about who God will put in my path so I can be Christ to them and its that step in my soul and heart that is exciting and motivates in preparation to serve in every new day. That's what gets me up.  What is your approach to a new day? what gets you up in the morning.

Go well and enjoy all you do in the name of Christ. Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                And a new day dawns

And they became a prayer

 Your love to me was wonderful. 2 Samuel 1:26

The  autumn tree is almost spent of its summer dress and I love the way the last of the leaves are gathered up and swirled around on the path in a playful gust of wind, coming from all directions in small whirly winds. To sit in the sacred space and just look and listen and feel is, (as Macrina Wiederkehr says) like going to heaven for awhile' and as I contemplate these moments of beauty -  they become a prayer. 

Ralph S Cushman wrote: 'I met God in the morning, when the day was at its best, and his presence came like sunrise, a glory in my breast.'

Let the peace of Christ dwell within you.  Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                                Spent of its dress.

Deep Peace of the Aaronic blessing

 The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and give you peace. Numbers  6:24

This would have to be my favourite blessing. It has come down in time, in centuries, from Moses across all the faithful, to us, and it will go on forever and so many times I see this blessing come true during the day.  The beautiful crimson Rosellas quietly feeding in the birdfeeder, the sunrise, the unwrapping of the gift of a new day, a rainbow after the rain and the stranger walking down the path who pauses to look at the last summer rose in the garden and offers a greeting. Blessings - God's face shining on us - bringing peace and I haven't gone further into the day than to my sacred space. Treasure the blessings, they are the face of God.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                      A blessing. God's face shining on us.

Breath-taking God

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

I stood in awe of the beauty of the tree lined pathway to walk among the autumn leaves carpeting the ground, kicking through them with childhood memories. The trees were glorious in their shifting colours, dressed for autumn yet preparing themselves for  a winters  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.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                    Stunning

On the tree, covering the ground.

 Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee. (Christian Song)

I look at the glorious autumn trees all around with all the colours God could think of and the one that speaks to me the most are the leaves on the Crepe Myrtle just outside my door, gold and silvery  yellow glory, on the tree and covering the ground - what a picture - what an image - what love, and to mind comes the words of the song: 'silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I thee.' and its true, we don't have much but we give what we have in service to our God and one another becoming part of his story. I love this little poem by Rosalie Kuyvenhoven: Humble dazzle of autumn these leaves on the ground. Each one a page in a book, a poem  that says I lived. I was a small part of the whole story - this is my song, this is my glory.

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

This is my Glory

Peace abounds.

 Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven, like the first dew fall on the first grass. Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden, sprung from completeness where his feet pass. (V2 TIS 156. Morning has Broken)

There was a mystery in the morning as I looked from my sacred space, across the  lawn, thick with dew, to the green grassland just emerging through the morning mist, The garden lights were still on as the night hadn't quite given away to the emerging day. The trees, some naked of their leaves, others still undressing were still and empty, (the birds were still in bed!) Its quiet, ever so quiet and you could almost hear the bulging, bursting, pods of water drops falling from the bushes full of life giving water from the nights rain. Its a new day, a fresh day, a new beginning and what a way to begin it - with God - in silence, giving thanks for all he gives us, for all we have, Peace abounds in the sacred space. Do you find that in your sacred space? Peace abounds.

Peace to those who are far off. Peace to those who are near.    Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                    Peace

How good it is to know you Lord.

 Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear. Isaiah 50:4

There is something about putting your hand in God's each morning with words of thanks for the new day that is dawning. Some mornings just shout 'God' and today was one of those mornings - beautiful clear blue sky without a cloud in sight, a perfect dome, crisp, fresh air with a touch of frost and autumn leaves covering the ground, fallen, falling from the almost naked trees that I want to kick up as I walk by , letting the child in me loose. How good it is to know you Lord, I rejoice that I am so blessed, and I want at times to shout - go for a walk, be daring  and ski down a sparkling, crystal white slope, count the stars on a clear night, watch the trees change dress's for the autumn - you will see him there saying - 'I am God.'

Peace to those who are far off and peace to those who are near.      Anne, servant of the Lord.

God in the morning .

I held it in my clasped hand

 They were holding golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the people. Revelations 5:8

I held the flower of the golden yellow rose in my clasped hands and before I lowered my head towards its glorious formation I could smell the deep, rich perfume flowing from it and on its petals were droplets of dew ,  and all I saw and smelt was a prayer. Then, in the peace of my garden, at the sight of such a glorious creation my gaze fell lower down to a cluster of forget-me-nots still flowering and why I don't know, my thoughts went to Ukraine. I think it was the combination of the yellow and blue colours and my thoughts then wondered to the sanctuary at church, where across the front of the Alter we are constantly reminded to pray for Ukraine, by a long strip of intwined yellow and blue cloth and  again my thoughts were as prayers.

I love the thought that we, here in a quiet country, can send our prayers up like incense to God, for those in desperate need and that a humble rose and a tiny forget-me-not have the power to remind me of that.

Peace to those who are far off and peace to those who are near.  Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                        For Ukraine.

What's a prayer?

 Glorious things of thee are spoken. (Taken from psalm 87)

I think when the glorious colours of the autumn leaves take your breath away and you gaze in awe at such beauty, that's a prayer. The variety, the richness, the depth of colour shows God dressed in all his glory. Its God's touch lighting the world with colour and it renews our hearts with life. Its so wonderful when we can see that all of life is full of God be it the beauty of the autumn or in some dark place - God is in it.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                            The Glory of the Lord

Anzac day

 Jesus stood among them and said: Peace be with you.' John 20: 19

I needed to spend some time in my sacred space yesterday after coming home from the Ukraine Orthodox Church in North Canberra. There, in the church grounds, among the dying, fallen leaves of  the autumn trees were a multitude of wooden crosses draped in children's t-shirts splashed with red paint.  It was confronting, it sent images through my mind and a pain deep in my heart that was like a sharp dagger, I was stricken with a deep sadness.  As I reflected on the crucifixion of Christ, his suffering and death and then his rising again I though 'the Ukraine country and its people are  in the midst of their Easter Saturday.'  I wondered would humanity ever see that the way of peace is love. I pray God will change the heart and mind of the Russian leadership and Ukraine will have its day of resurrection.  The Sunday Collect makes this a possibility as we read: Living God, from whom no door is closed, no heart is locked: draw us beyond our doubts, till we see your Christ and touch his wounds where they bleed in others. This we ask through Christ our Saviour.

Peace to them who are far off and peace to those who are near.  Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                Ukraine Orthodox Church North Canberra.

The eye of God

 W love thy house O God, wherein thine honour dwells. The joy of thine abode, all earthly joy excels.(Hymn)

The night sky has  been a place of deeper beauty these last few nights when the moon was full and its light shone so bright through the darkness . As  I looked at the dome of sky above me with bright moon and sparkling, winking stars by the thousands I am in awe of our God.  The silence is profound, almost beautiful, creating a sacred space,  - but the moon, it was holding there above me like an eye looking down on our world.  This light in the darkness reminded me vividly of God's light shining in the darkness and was a clear visual of those words.  As my eyes stayed on the moon I also thought of how God described himself as 'I am'   I am is love, is peace, is serenity, is present and as I turned in for the night I heard the words within me: Sleep in peace - God is awake - he has his eye on you.

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

                                                The eye of God

.

Surprise me God.

For the joy of the Lord is your strength. Neh 8:10

I was caught by surprise by an unexpected visitor walking pigeon toed along the garden fence, a beautiful parrot, red and blue feathers glistening in the morning sun from a quick dip in the bird bath. It was close enough for me to see the perfect round shapes of the water drops on its feathers. I love the unexpected surprises that bring joy and delight especially in the morning when the mind is uncluttered. Its like fuel for the day when we catch a morning joy.  Samuel Longfellow said: Into our lives, in many simple, familiar homely ways God infuses this element of joy from surprises of life, which unexpectantly brighten our days and fill out eyes with light.

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

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                    Joy in the morning

Sky blue with a yellow dot.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name; you are mine isaiah:43:1-3

I was reflecting  on the freshness of the rain washed morning and over the steam rising from my hot cup of tea in my hand my  eyes rested on a beautiful single flowering for-get-me-not in the garden,  sky blue with a tiny yellow dot on the middle like the sun shining in a blue sky and I recall the story of how God was walking in the garden of Eden and saw a blue flower and asked its name. the flower was a shy flower and whispered he has forgotten my name. God renamed the flower forget-me-not saying he will never forget it. (Christian folk lore)  Its a bit like the story of the sparrows who Jesus said he valued so much, but you even more so, or the fact that he can count the number of hairs on our head and his love is greater than that. His love for us who he has claimed as his, by name is vast, wide, immeasurable and like the tiny for-get-me not in the garden, he will never forget us. 

Jehovah - shalom. The Lord is peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord

For-get-me-not

A revolution of joy

Jesus said: Come  to me, all you who are  weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28

What I often say, what is happening to our world, the beautiful world that God created for us to love and enjoy and care for. So much pain and suffering and destruction, so much love and peace destroyed. The human side of me wants to take up arm, arms of climate change protesting, up a massive gum tree with a koala on my back, arms of anti war demonstrations shouting with my loudest voice, and literally arms but you know, in reality I am just one small person in a big picture so I instead try to sprinkle peace and joy around in my patch, where I am, to try and bring a smile to the faces of others such as those from the nursing home with their dementia who pass my place on their walk and admire the flowers in the garden and my  very special one eyed little dog and hand the problems of the world to God in deep prayer from my sacred space.( Now that's a powerful weapon!!) Max Lucado says: If you brighten your corner of the world and I do the same in mine, a quiet revelation of JOY might break out.

Peace to those who are far off and peace to those who are near.  Anne, servant of the Lord.

A garden of delight.

A burning bush experience

 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Phil 1:3

God has done it again!  On Sunday I preached the sermon at church and I unusually felt less confident and anxious about it. I felt things were not right in my preparation and content but it was too late to do anything about that as I stood at the pulpit, except of course, to ask God to bring his peace and I thought of Julian of Norwich …..'All will be well, all manner of things will be well.' And, as Julian would say, 'it was so'' and as I got into my car to come home the bush in front of me was full of blue wrens. Sometimes our human anxiety crowds out God's peace, a thing he constantly reminds me of in the presence of these darling little feathered blessings of God's presence.

Jehovah - shalom.   The Lord is peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                A blessing.

Handclasps of prayer

 There the Lord bestows his blessings. Psalm 133:3

Once I took my hands of the steaming cup of tea I held them in a handclasp of prayer with God, still warm and comforting, clasped together and reflected a moment on the rose bush with in my sight as if it displayed itself there so it would be seen and it was drinking in the morning dew, damp, moist, refreshing on its leaves, its that refreshment that will sustain it through the day and ah, we know all about such refreshment, that drink of living water that sustains us and once filled with morning blessings God whispers: 'Go to your place, dispatch your abilities and unfurl my goodness.' (Gariepy)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                            Covered in thousands of drops of life giving water

Where I am God is.

 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his promises  and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13

So much surrounds me from my garden that are memories. The very large pots of maiden hair ferns that belonged to my great grandfather, a Jew who worshiped faithfully in the synagogue, a Mr Lincoln rose that is in memory of my mother, the Princess Elizabeth rose, beautiful pink buds, in memory of my sister Elizabeth, a glorious rose that's a deep orange, called Desert Dust. reminding me of my years mission nursing in the outback but they are more than just plants of memories, they speak to me of more than that for in each and every person they represent is a deep connection with God for each and everyone played their part in my faith formation. These surround me in my sacred space and bring the sacred presence with them. I pick the roses to put in a vase inside, a bunch of beautiful flowers, given to myself. I wonder do you have a garden of memories that is full of love - God's love?

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                4 generations old.

A spontaneous response.

 O God, you are my God: eagerly will I seek you. Psalm 63:1

As I sat to talk to God I asked him may his thoughts be my thoughts (Isaiah) May he have the desire to sit with me in the sacred space on a  chair that is always empty and ready for him and may he show me the wonders about me and may he fill my day with blessings. His response was almost spontaneous for here they came, a flock of Zebra Finches and Yellow Rump  Finches landing in the cool, clear refreshment of the waters in the bird bath, dancing on spindly, twig like little legs all around the rim of the bird bath and some hanging onto the leaves of the glorious rose bush in its second flush(  Are the roses looking brighter and more beautiful than yesterday?) And I thought how wondaful God is to let us have a taste of heaven on earth, enough to believe in it

Jehovah - shalom. The Lord is peace

Anne, servant of the Lord

Zebra Finches on a twig!

Stay awhile with me.

 Turn your eyes upon Jesus. (Christian song)

I had a passage of scripture running through my mind and it was something like this, 'Where ever you are I am' and I thought of the war in Ukraine, the earthquake in Japan, the unprecedented flooding in our country, the suffering of so many and then I thought of the beautiful time with God captured on my recent silent retreat. O how one has to draw aside and take the grief and pain of the world into undistracted prayer and from my sacred place this morning  I thought of the deep love of God and saw that reflected in the creation and beauty around me. I sat staring at this love, manifested before me in the bright 'ballerina' flowers of the Fuchsia bush and I sat holding onto that love. In all the turmoil of our world, peace only abides in this love. May our prayers from our sacred spaces hold the world in that love. May we continually turn our eyes upon Jesus.

Let the peace of Christ dwell in your heart.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

'Ballerinas'   

A dab of green, a touch of yellow.

 Mary - she sat at the Lord's feet and listened. Luke 10:39

The morning is such a moment of wonder as the dark fades into the morning light and everything begins to take shape more clearly. The silhouette   of the trees begin to take their fuller form as if God has taken out his paints and coloured them in, a dab of green here a touch of yellow there and the big and small of the bird life shake their feathered bodies into  wakening and launch into morning praise. (perhaps we could learn something from them?) I love to hold these images and wonders in my heart as they are so richly untouched by the coming bustle and rush of the new day. From the sacred space come sacred images and thoughts, sustaining food and I realise that God is all about me and in my heart - everywhere- yet in me -  and as I prepare to launch into the day I hear God say - go- go into your day and live as me.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                The morning taking shape.