#1 What do you see? What speaks to you?

Beginning today I will be posting a photo once a month (usually on a Friday) and inviting you to join me in  "finding the sacred in the ordinary."

The photo will be from my collection and one that I have not previously written about.  Together, we will discover lessons in the world around us.  I'll come back to the photo in two weeks' time, and publish my thoughts on it.

I invite your comments and insights during this time, whether in poetry or prose. (fieldsofgrace.cathy@gmail.com)
There are no "right" or "wrong" insights - we are individuals with unique experiences.

Here are some suggestions as you begin this exercise:

1.  Just look at the photo and let it fill you - notice the details of the scene.

2.  Place yourself in the scene, allowing yourself to imagine being physically present.

3.  Write down what you see, hear, smell, etc., as if you are describing the scene to someone.

4.  Is there something in your own experience that is triggered by this description? (appreciation, beauty, celebration, loneliness, faithfulness, etc.)

5.  If you find yourself struggling for words or insights, leave the photo for a bit.  Allow yourself time to think about it, come back later and begin again.  Sometimes the message is loud and clear, and other times it may take some time for it to surface.

I have found that the photo may not take me where I expected to go, but it always leads me where I need to be.

Here's the first photo:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unexpected Grace

Not everything is serious in the world of the Sacred.  In fact, I often think of God watching our world & smiling (even chuckling). 

 

I came across this sign and it made me stop and look around - which is exactly what it was meant to do. 

 

Be ready for unexpected graces crossing your path!

 

 

 

Frog Crossing

(from Fields of Grace (c) Cathy Scherer Stubbs)

 

 

 

                                  Sometimes it takes

                                   an official sign

                                   to slow us down,

                                   to see the life

                                   beneath our feet.

 

                                  We're so busy

                                   looking up

                                   we forget

                                   to watch

                                   where we're going.

 

                                  Moments of

                                   unexpected grace

                                   intersect

                                   our path every day.

 

                                  Watch for the signs!

 



 

 

After the Frost

The colors in my garden have been particularly vibrant these past weeks, with the bright red salvia standing next to the golden marigolds.  But I know it won't last much longer - the frost has begun to gradually dim their colors, and soon they will have faded completely.

When that happens, it will be time to prepare the garden for winter; pulling up dead plants and mulching others.  Before I begin that task, however, I say a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts of the garden - for the flowers that fed my spirit, and the fruits and vegetables that fed my body.

Finding the Sacred in the Ordinary involves taking time to be aware of the present moment.  Cleaning out the garden can be seen as just another chore on our "to do list" for fall, but it can be much more than that.  It can offer us the opportunity to pause and remember our connection to the Divine through the simple things around us.

Fields of Grace - Benches by the River



 Here is a poem with its photo from my book, Fields of Grace, Everyday Encounters with the Holy [(c) cathy scherer stubbs, 2011].

 

The photos in the book are in black & white, however.  

(I'm hoping at some point to have them available in color, whether online or in print.)

 

 



 

 

                                     

Benches by the River

 

 

The trees have come

                              to take it in -
                              water for their thirst
                              and beauty
                              for their growth.

                              An invitation
                              extended to all:
                              "Stop,
                              rest awhile,
                              refresh yourself."

                              But we hurry by:
                              "Not today,
                              perhaps tomorrow."

                              The invitation
                              will be there tomorrow,
                              but the river of today
                              will be gone
                              forever.



 

 

 





Roses & Weeds

"When I have trouble writing, I step outside my studio into the garden and pull weeds until my mind clears - I find weeding to be the best therapy there is for writer's block."  Irving Stone



Spending time in my garden usually provides some interesting insights, and working around the rose bushes recently was no exception.

It had been quite a while since I'd weeded, and it was getting difficult to see the roses, so I headed to the garden.  I had a sense of satisfaction as I pulled the weeds and grasses that had grown up around the bushes.  As I got closer to the roses however, things got a bit more difficult.  The thorns on the bushes poked me as I tried to free them from these invaders who were robbing them of sunlight and nutrients.  It seemed that the roses had not only learned to live with these intruders, but were now actually defending them.  The closer I got to the roses, the more difficult the task became until it seemed they were actually attacking me.

All of this started me thinking about how we recognize and deal with the "weeds" in our life - the habits/behaviors which are not life-giving and keep us from becoming all we are called to be.

Reflection Questions:
What are the "sunlight & nutrients that I need to flourish?

What are the things that deprive me of these?

What steps can I take to ensure I get the "sunlight & nutrients" I need? (start with 1 or 2 things)

Prayer:
All loving God, thank you for the gift of life.  Help me recognize those things that keep me from becoming all you have created me to be.  May my life give you praise.  Amen

Wind Chimes

As I sat outside saying my morning prayer recently, I couldn't help but stop and just look and listen to the world around me.

The sun was shining in a bright blue sky and there was a light breeze blowing through the trees.  I gradually became aware of the sound of the wind chimes playing softly in the background.  Sometimes there was only a single note that seemed to hover in the air, and other times there were several notes harmonizing with each other.

This set of wind chimes has been hanging outside our house for nearly 25 years and I've never tired of hearing it.  The metal pipes are tuned to each other so that it truly plays music when the wooden clapper strikes them. 

After all this time, it's not particularly lovely to look at, but I think its music has grown more melodic through the years.  I began to think of the many kinds of wind chimes - some are beautiful, some are noisy, and some are seasoned. 

The beautiful wind chimes hang inside.  More like objects of art, they are protected from the breeze, and away from the whims of nature. 

The noisy wind chimes hang outside, but their sound can be more like noise - their pieces of clanging metal or clinking glass competing with each other for attention.

The seasoned wind chimes hang outside and are open to the breeze.  They aren't particularly beautiful, but their pipes are tuned to each other and provide a gentle melody. 


My reflection led me to ask the question, "What kind of wind chime am I?"


Am I the beautiful wind chime; content with the safety of the familiar, and unwilling to discover my own song?


Am I the noisy wind chime, forgetting to invite your Spirit into my life to bring balance - focused only on "getting things done" at any cost?


Am I the seasoned wind chime, open to the movement of your Spirit; accepting the risks, willing to discover and share my unique song and presenting a melody that plays out in times of gentle movement or moments of conflict? 


Prayer:
Good and gracious God, may I be open to your Spirit moving through my life; calling forth my song, and providing a gentle reminder of your Presence.


 

















 

Welcome

"You will find something more in woods than in books.   Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters."

This quote from St. Bernard summarizes what this blog is about.

Using present-day happenings or reflections collected in my journals over the past 20 years, I'll be writing about how ordinary images can lead to a new level of awareness and understanding about life, love, and the movement of God's spirit. 

Whether through words alone or with photos, we will discover together the richness in the world around us.