Cleansing and life giving

If anyone is thirsty let them come to me and drink. John 7:37

The beautiful metallic, clear, single bell like call of the Mountain Lowry greeted me as I sat in reflection, hot cup of tea hugged by my hands and the first rays of the new day warming my skin. Then down he flew  for his morning bath in the bird bath, ahead of the finches, the silver eyes, the sparrows ( I just love them!) and the pigeons all waiting for their morning bath,  It is with sheer joy and happiness that the Mountain Lowry splashes, wets his wings, his face and under his wings totally washed with the pool of cool clear water and am I imagining it or  does he seem more joyful, more 'alive' after his experience with the refreshing  water? My thoughts then went to Jesus words: 'I am the living water.' What a gift, water that cleanses and gives life and what a gift to be reminded of that by the beautiful birds that come to the sacred space to enjoy the life giving water.

                                                        What a beauty!

A rose is just a rose, or is it?

 The great love of God O how lavishly given. (TIS 164) 

I counted at least seven roses from my sacred space, scattered across the garden surrounding me and if I had to choose my favourite I don't think I could though my favourite perfumed rose is not difficult. Its one that changes colour as it matures from amber to apricot blooms  and is called 'Outback Angel' a rose commemorating the work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service which in itself evokes past memories. When I look at it I see something soaked with love, the love of its creator and its perfume sets my heart singing. I heard this beautiful, captivating saying the other day: 'The perfume of a rose is the breath of angels.' Oh yes, indeed this one is the breath of angels!  Do you see a rose, or do you see what a rose is? God our wonderful creator, how much joy and love he has bestowed on us with his creations and isn't it wonderful to be able to pick a rose and pass it on in love. Next time you see a rose pause, and not only admire its beauty but think of the love it was created with and smell the breath of angels.

Jehovah - shalom. The Lord is peace.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                    Filled with love.

Hello little ones.

 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love. Psalm 143:8

I had a real sense that I was living heaven on earth this morning when I was blessed, and blessed and blessed again by the gifts of this new day, gifts of happy, joyful, playful twittering and chatter, little balls of brown and blue feathers on spindly legs, with long upright tails all sounding ever so happy AND, they came into the sacred space. Yes, you know I am talking about the blue wrens and as Macrina Wiederkehr would say, ' heaven and earth became friends and I felt totally claimed by your love.'  At that point into my heart came the words of that lovely hymn: 'Where the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far to small, love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life my all.'  What is it that speaks to you of God's unfailing love and faithfulness? And what might we miss if we don't have a sacred space? 

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                    Hello you!

Things of beauty

O, taste and see, that the Lord is good......for he tastes like honey on the rock. (Christian Hymn) 

It is so quiet in the sacred space this morning and I looked over to the Grevilia bush and thought how glorious it looked clothed  in its new red covering and pondering the thought that yesterday they were just buds, pearl like strings of tight buds full of potential yet to be revealed and there they are today simply glowing, in their glory, and inviting, inviting to be admired, inviting for the bees to gather the nectar, for the birds to come and taste and see.( and I can see one has already  been as there is a tell tale feather hanging off the flowers, a message left of appreciation maybe?) 

The buzz of the bees was a delightful, happy, contented sound that filled my head with increasing joy and again I reflect on the words of Susan-Joy, 'not only has God given you beautiful colour but also a beautiful voice.' Those blooms were a beauty that has sprung out of naught, new born and that so reminded me of how God sees us, how we can become things of beauty springing out of naught.

Jehovah-shalom. The Lord is peace. 

 Anne, servant of the Lord

A tell tale feather.

Song notes bigger than themselves

 Oh, the love of my lord is the essence of all that I love here on earth. all the beauty I see he has given to me and his giving is gentle and silent. (White)

The little flock of  yellow rump finches were having the time of their life in the birdbath. You could tell by watching them that they were happy and full of joy as they splashed, flittered and sang, their little beaks open wide letting out song notes bigger than themselves. It was such a delight to watch and I thought how content they were in their life, how happy and I like to think, so loved by God their creator. I paused, I breathed lightly, a broad smile crossed my face as I thought of our God who gives us such moments for our enjoyment, why? because he loves us. That deep sense of his love not only makes me feel a 'fire within,'   but drives me to love others. Susan-Joy wrote in her book, Sacred in the Sharing:  God is present, always thinking, I love you, I love you, I love you. Let us love each other from now on and forever.

Let the peace of Christ dwell in your heart.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                 Ah what joy!

Admiring their 'skirts'

 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like this. Matthew 6:28

God does that, he clothes, not just the lilies but  all of his creation with their own unique covering, not one the same. I was looking at a eucalyptus tree today and admiring its 'skirts', a full cover of special clothing to be admired, wrapped around its trunk  and marvelled at its uniqueness  and  I took that image to the sacred space and pondered the great love of God who gives us such a variety in his creation  to enjoy and in reality its only visible to us if we have eyes open to see.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                            'skirts'

All earthly joy excels

 We love thy place O God, wherein thine  honour dwells; the joy of thine abode all earthly joy excels. (hymn by William Bullock 1854)

That's how I think of the sacred space where I go to be, just to be, and open  the door of my heart and mind and love to the waiting God. With my cup of tea in hand I was just sitting quietly thinking just you and me God, just you and me, and then  God gave me a little nudge and said what about the sparrow, what about the butterfly, what about the ladybird and all my messages they hold, to say nothing of all of God's creation about me.(and blow me down yesterday if it wasn't  a very large possum scurrying past)   I wonder do they pray to God also in this special place? I know the birds do for they are the first to call in the new day with song (what a lesson we can learn from them!)  I wonder how you see your sacred space? Is it just you and God or are others sharing it with you as gifts and insights into the wonder of God? 

 I love thy place O God where in thine honour dwells; the joy of thine abode and all earthly joy excels.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Anne, servant of the Lord

                                                Hello there!

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.