Calm Waters

Calm Waters

 

 

 

 

 

 Stepping out
on the calm surface,
reflect on the beauty of silence.

Anoint your weary soul
with the healing waters
of tranquility.

 



Roses from Rock

Roses from Rock

 

 

 

 

        As I looked at the wild rose bush in bloom I felt a bit like Moses standing in front of the burning bush.  How could it be? 

 

       The moss and grasses were surprising enough - a flowering rose bush was beyond anything I could imagine in this landscape of rugged rocks.  And yet, there it was; not only surviving, but thriving.

 

        We are often reminded that all things are possible with God; but like Moses, we can find it difficult to believe.  

     

        In those times when disappointment and despair  threaten to overwhelm us, it's important to remember that the rose bush did not spring fully formed from the rocks - it began with a bit of earth and a tiny seed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

Child-like Wonder

       We took care of our little granddaughters (ages 3 & 5) for a few days last week and were reminded once again that there's nothing like being in the presence of these little ones to awaken our sense of wonder.

       I had the honor of taking the 5 year old to kindergarten one day and the excitement in her face and the sparkle in her eyes as she showed me her room and introduced me to her teacher and friends was priceless. 

       The best part of all though, was when the school mascot (a large green dragon) came walking down the hallway. Her face lit up and she couldn't wait to tell her teacher and her friends that she had seen the dragon.  As I watched my little granddaughter I couldn't help but notice how this "wonder" was absent in the faces of the older students.  No doubt they had seen it all before; it wasn't new or exciting to them.

       After leaving the school, I thought about how easy it is to lose this sense of excitement and wonder as we grow older.  Each day can seem like the next - whether it's the sunshine, the blue sky, the traffic jam - we've seen it all before. The challenges and problems of our lives weigh us down and before long we are blind to the beauty and wonder that's right before our eyes. 

      The surprises have not left - each day is filled with its own unique gifts.  God is revealed to us through the people we meet and the world we live in.  Open your eyes and be prepared to be surprised!

 

Spider Web

 

Spider Web

 

     There are a number of lessons this simple spider web can teach us.

 

     Looking at the spider web, I admired its intricate design and the work of the single spider who had woven it.  I also realized that the spider, because it is so close to the web, will never see its full pattern; only someone at a distance can appreciate its beauty. 
    
     It can be the same for us.  How easy it is for us to dismiss the importance of a kind word or action as we go about our regular activities; we are tempted to believe that these small things "don't really make a difference."  And yet, a  simple word or action may have been exactly what was needed at that moment.

     The spider is also attentive to its web; continually maintaining it and aware of any disturbance.  
     
     Do we respond to the call to quiet and reflection; those times when God is trying to get our attention? 
    
     Do we recognize those times or places in our lives that need some repair?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Tree Branches in Autumn*

 

 

                                  Wrapped in black velvet;

                                     branches and trunks

                                     set off amber leaves,

                                     providing the

                                     framework for

                                     Autumn's spectacle.

 

                                  Do I remember

                                    it is Love's

                                    faithful Presence

                                    that supports and

                                    gives life

                                    to my efforts?

 

                                                                            *from Fields of Grace