Transformation

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

I love those unexpected moments of surprise that have the power to bless us and linger into the day and its only if we have our eyes open that we truly see them.  One such surprise came today in the silent beautiful little fairy like butterfly, a delicate, fragile creature, so pretty. Not a sound can be heard as it flies among the blossoms on the Buddleia bush investigating what might be on its breakfast menu.  Watching it I fell into meditation and reflection thinking how such a beautiful creature can immerge from a dark cocoon, how such a thing can be transformed out of darkness into the light. Then I thought of us, of you and of me and our life cycle that is full of transformation and shades of dark and light. I  think this quote speaks to that: Perhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness yet become something beautiful.

The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord. 

                                                    A delicate fragile creature.

 He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Acts 17:24

My joy and delight was complete when I was asking God what will I see of him today and I had hardly finished my question when  I heard the busy twittering of the blue wrens in the garden, more so perhaps because since living where I now live l have only seen my much loved birds two or three times in as many years  and there they were, busy running up and down the fence and daring to almost come into my sacred space! As I watched them my heart was filled with love and  joy as they are so special and so God given and I thought of the words' where love reigns, the very joy of heaven is felt.' Oh how true.

I like these thoughts by Dr Hugh Ross: Wherever we look in the realms of nature we see evidence of God's design and exquisite care for his creatures, Whether we examine the cosmos in its largest scale or its tiniest ( and I want to add or in his little Blue Wrens) his handiwork is evident. God's fingerprints are visible.

May joy and delight be yours today.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                My joy and delight.

A rugged cross

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true...… I will cling to the old rugged cross. (Hymn The Old Rugged Cross)

Its such a blessing to have trees around my garden that bring  shade,  the colours of the seasons and   are  the homes of  the chattering  and nesting of my feathered friends that are the chorus background to my sacred space and the joy they bring when they strike up the chorus, bath in the birdbath and sunbake on the lawn. As I looked at the eucalyptus tree this morning in its self decorated trunk of countless markings and cross like branches I thought of the old hymn 'The Old Rugged Cross' and was reminded of that line in this hymn that reads....where the dearest and best for a world of sinners was slain. With my hands warming around  my cup of tea my heart too was warming around my love of Jesus  and all he did for me and for you.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                            self decorated trunk.

God is all in all

 Come and take a look at God's wonders, they will take your breath away. Psalm 66:5 (MSG)

There is something about coming across a feather on the ground, its like a message has been left for me and I find myself picking it up, admiring it and taking it home to add to the collection of 'feather messages' in the jar in my sacred space. So many times I come home from my walk, feather in hand. I marvel at the colours, the bird that owned it AND the God that made it. I never cease to be amazed at the creation of God, the detail, the beauty, the 'tidiness' of a feather. Today I didn't have to go far to receive a feathered message, it was right there on the garden table, in my space, left for me by a tiny bird, a winged angel. As I noticed it there  I said to God, Let's have a look at this together and a quietness fell all around me.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

Where the felt and the unseen is waiting

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. Genesis 3:8-9 

There was a visitor waiting for me at the sacred space this morning, just sitting quietly and patiently on the bright coloured flower that hung over the edge of the garden table. A beautiful bright red ladybird with black spots. As I looked with wonder I thought 'how many more creatures come to this sacred place besides me and do they come for the same reason?  I know when I come here I have a sense of 'all will be well' and I know its a place where the felt, unseen is waiting for my visit! 

As I looked at this tiny creature, a creation of God's imagination, I thought of this prayer by Macrina Wiederkehr: O frail and glorious creature, whoever you are, cherish this truth - there are hints of glory in your being - seeds of splendour and traces of holiness.'

I just love seeing the holy in the ordinary. One doesn't have to go looking for it, one just has to sit and sit and be quiet.

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

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                A visitor in the sacred space

Is it a unity or a knowing?

 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them falls to the ground without  your Father knowing it. Matthew 10: 29 

There seemed to be a unity between us or was it a knowing? I pondered that as with love I watched the way the little sparrows flit between the rails of the fence and run about the garden as if they owned it. One was so bold as to sit on the rim of my tea cup  as I shared tea with God. Happy, happy little feathered balls of grey, brown and white on spindly legs. I sat longer than I had intended in a moment of wonder as I pondered how God loves all his creation even the seemingly worthless sparrow, sold so cheaply in the market places of Jerusalem as food for the poor. And, I though, how much poorer are we if we cannot see God's worth in all of his creation that feeds our body and our soul. These little sparrows are known and cared about by God, as he knows and cares for you and me.

Let the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts.               Anne, servant of the Lord     

                                  

                                        God loves me too!                                                                               

To ponder.

 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me  because he  has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. Luke 4: 18

From within my sacred space I was looking at the 'love' embedded in the beautiful rose, its formation, its colour, its perfume, only love that could come from God.  As I gazed into this love a gentle breeze touched my face  like a breath of fresh air on a hot day. It seemed to just pass  across my face leaving a sense of what I could only call a deep peace and inner warmth. I just wanted to sit and stay in my sacred space where God felt so close and my prayer for this New Year was  : 'Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me in 2022.' 

What are your thoughts? What is the Spirit saying to you about this New Year?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                    Emanating love.

Christmas is coming.

 And may the God of love be with you. 2 Cor 13:11

I look at the tinsel and baubles hanging on the garden gate and ponder the meaning of Christmas and then my gaze rests on the nativity scene set on a table by the fence for those walking past to see and reflect on and  I just sit in the mystery of it all in the quietness.   Two words fall into my mind: Christmas and Shalom.  I like to break the word Christmas up holding onto the Christ within it, Christ-mas for with out Christ there is no Christmas. As Christ came into  the world that Christmas nigh to live among us  I pray he will come  and live within us. Then the word Shalom - peace. This is a far deeper meaning than just a sense of peace, its a deep indescribable peace presence not just within our self but within the way we lead our lives and regard our neighbours and all living things.  I have a different feel about Christmas this year. Its a feeling of a deep love for Jesus and the gratefulness that he is in my life, no, that he is my way of live. So be it for you also.

Blessings, love and peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                While shepherds watched their flocks by night

Storms of life.

Hide me under the shadow of your wings. Psalm17:18

Here we are watching, waiting, preparing, embracing the coming of Christmas and I was reflecting on these matters from the sacred space when I saw a baby bird that had been thrown out of the tree along with its nest in the storm that had just been. It was  stunned and anxious as was its mother watching from close by. I picked up the little one and it stood on its feet but was too young to fly.  It hopped off into the bushes where it was comforted by its mother and though still in the storm was feeling safe under her wings. I thought of the storms in our lives and how we flounder and fall away from home.  God is the father/mother that can calm the storms for us and bring peace when caught in the storms of life. What a great feeling it is to know we can run to him and hide under the shelter of his wings. What imagery!

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ. Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                Storms of life.
 

Your maker and your God.

 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Song of Songs 2:1

I don't have to go beyond the garden fence to see the beauty of the Lord and everywhere I look is a place of prayer because the imagery reminds me of something of God. I wonder do you find that you cast your gaze on something and immediately and from know where comes God thoughts? I stooped to smell the rich perfume of the deep red rose and immediately thought of an elderly friend and Christ's love we have shared over so many years and I give thanks. I often wonder when our heart is touched how can we pray because sometimes the 'touch' leaves us speechless, then I think of the words of a poem  where it says: 'In sweetest, smiling bloom, declare your maker and your God.' and that's the prayer.

Grace, peace and hope this Advent season

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                        The red, red rose.

Beckoning - come!

 The sun comes up its a new day dawning. Its time to sing your song again. Bless the Lord Oh my soul worship his holy name (1000 reasons by Matt Redman)

A quiet fell all around in the morning stillness as I visited the sacred space, amerced in welcome, beckoning - come - and I came and I saw God everywhere as my gaze fell on the garden about me and rested on the pale yellow and pink aquilegia, or grandma's bonnet as we call them,  and I thought how I had come here, not to seek God's help but to seek him, and as always happens he was there, everywhere, and as I pondered on the Aquilegia, the grandma's bonnet, I thought about and elderly lady who I don't know but who I came to know about through a book I brought in a second hand book shop. Inside the front cover was a note in a  shaky hand which said, ' its me again God, I am here, you are here, you are everywhere. Let us pray together the prayer your Father gave us.' How blessed are we by the simple gifts others leave for us to discover.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                            How blessed are we.

A touched heart

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see their God. Matthew 5:8

My gaze rested on a spent rose, visible from my sacred space. It had  come to bud, flourished in its life and  brought awe and wonder to many a passer by but now it was fading. It had run the race of life and rested quietly on the bush dropping its petals one by one. As my gaze deepened into meditation I reflected on an elderly lady in our church service in the nursing home, a beautiful Christian lady who faithfully attended and even in her dementia, participated. Since seeing her last time she had deteriorated in health and was now in a day bed seemingly asleep. I looked at her and thought, she is on her way to God . As communion was distributed she was gently tapped on the shoulder to see if she was conscious and her eyes opened wide and in a strong voice said. 'I am still here.'  and received her communion before succumbing to sleep again. It was a wonderful God moment that truly touched my heart. I read a quote  which said: A touched heart means that in some way God has come.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                I am still here!

A smell that is heavenly

 O what a gift, what a wonderful gift - who can tell the wonders of the Lord? Let us open our eyes, our ears and our hearts; it is Christ the Lord it is he! TIS 278

It was the sweet smell, a smell that is heavenly coming from the deep crimson Buddleia bush  which drew me into my contemplation today in my sacred spot and it reminded me of the words of an elderly lady who visited the chapel in the nursing home when her husband was dying , and left me a note, written in a shaky hand, on a small torn off piece of paper  which said. 'Rev'd Anne, can you smell God? When I came to the chapel today it was filled with this beautiful perfume yet there were no flowers in the chapel. So lovely was it that I just wanted to sit awhile and be. Was this God?  she asked.

Be enriched by the  things that come to us when we see in the light. (of God)

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

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                    Made by God.

Stay awhile with me

My beloved has gone down to the garden, to the beds of spices, to browse in the garden and gather lilies. Song of Songs 6:2

I have come to my sacred space with no shoes on today as I feel God is there before me, waiting, waiting for me to sit and just be. As I do that my eyes fall on the garden and on a flower in front of me, a glorious fuchsia and for several minutes I contemplate on what I am seeing: I look deep into its colours and envisage the creator with his palate of paints deciding which colours to use. 'This one? no, this one -  perhaps that one  - and I think of all the flowers in the garden with their different shapes and colours and sizes, intrinsic detail,  and marvel at the joy God must have had in making them and painting them just for me, just for you, his beloved. It seemed a long time that I sat with God in no hurry to go anywhere. Macrina  Wiederkehr says contemplation is like going to heaven for awhile.

Jehovah - Shalom the  Lord is peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                Heads bowed in prayer.

Come Lord Jesus

O you who answers prayer. Psalm 65:2

The invitation is there in my sacred space in the garden, for God to join me for a cup of tea, or was it him who invited me there?

However, as we sat I pondered on a cluster of sticks, seemingly dead in a pot at my feet and thought, ' It's time I threw that out' but then I saw a tiny bud, a sign of hope, swelling on a fragile stick and I was curious. I must tend to that and nurture it I thought. (Unbeknown at the time, that bud was to turn into a beautiful Fuchsia of pink and purple flowers with their heads bent as if in prayer.)  This seemingly dead stick was to me a symbol, a reminded for me  to watch for the green shoots, new life, and reflect that with God the end is never the end but the beginning of new things.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                Resurection

Tea with God

 Jesus said: 'Come a way with me. Let us go to a quiet place and rest awhile.' Mark 6:31-33

I have a sacred space outside surrounded by my garden and signs of work in progress with pots being filled with dirt for planting,   a shovel leaning on the fence and a little dog exploring and there I sit having invited God to join me with a cup of tea.  In this space the birds are splashing in the birdbath and looking for breakfast among the clusters of colourful flowers whose perfume fills the air and there is silence and there is peace and there is God. Today as I was reflecting and chatting with God he drew my attention to a tree fully washed from overnight rain and it was aglow with raindrops just like someone had flung a multitude of fairy lights over it or as Macrina  Wiederkehr would say its a tree full of angels  and look, see the holiness  wrapped in the ordinary. What do you see from your sacred space as you have tea with God?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                Fairy lights or angels.

The Lord is here.

 I am with you always. Matthew 28:20

Imagery can be so strong!

Every time I see a flower growing through a crack of the 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)

May the Peace of Christ dwell in your heart.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

                                                We grow through the cracks in our lives.

Yes, it is I

In your presence there is fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures forever more.  Psalm 16:11

Some mornings are just magnificent.........one almighty 'Hello' from God expressed in the sky of deep red, orange and the  fading black of the night. 'Here I am ' it was saying, 'Here I am right here with you. What you are looking at , what you are in awe of, is me.

Meister Eckhart said: Who ever possess God in their being, has him in a divine manner, and he shines out of them in all things: for them all things taste of God and in all things it is God's image that they see.'  So very very true.

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

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Your blessing only

Hearts burning within us. Luke 24. ( and so they saw Christ) 

Sometimes the presence of God's blessings takes your breath away. Sometimes  the blessing is meant to be just yours and it turns into a prayer on your breath. Such blessings often catch you unawares and last a life time. One such blessing came when my ear rested on the merry trilling  song of the Blue Wren and my eyes fell on it brilliant metallic blue feathers. The first blessing this little bird gave me has impacted my life and bonded with me. God's blessings come in many forms, often sighted or heard by just you at that particular time. That is your blessing, God sent.

 Jehovah - Shalom. The Lord is peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                              Darling little things of God.

Caught off guard

The Lord bless you and keep you. Numbers 6:24

How lovely are the spring flowers. It's like God opened a window in heaven and poured out his blessings. Joyce Rupp says: The loveliness of a single flower in radiant bloom can sing my drooping spirit into joy. How true. How very true. I cant look at a rose bud, or poppy capsule, or pending daffodil and not sense the blessing to come and as for the sweet peas, how can such a glorious perfume fill that small pod?  I read this prayer by Frederick  Buechner: Lord, catch me off guard today, surprise me with some moment of beauty  so that at least for the moment I may be startled into seeing that you are here in all your splendour, always and everywhere, barely hidden, beneath, beyond, within this life I breathe.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                The great Love of God O how lavishly given.