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