For those feeling discouraged in this season…
The Murmuring Sky
My frame of reference these days is much smaller than it has been in the past. Most days the patch of outdoors I see is the back garden and the sky above the back fence. It could feel claustrophobic, but usually there’s a comforting consistency.
I’ve travelled in my past life, and seen beautiful views and magnificent natural weather patterns – from storms to snow to crashing seas. One day, I will again.
I believe there is a Creator, and that He is ever present and always listening, ready to answer our prayers. It can be much easier to see His presence in the wildness of the storms, but I also see the quiet whispers in my own little patch of sky.
“God’s splendor is a tale that is told;
his testament is written in the stars.
Space itself speaks his story every day
through the marvels of the heavens.
His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky,
showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship.
2 Each day gushes out its message to the next,
night with night whispering its knowledge to all.”
Psalm 19:1-2 (Passion translation)
Here’s a taste of my personal skies over the last week or so…
…and another psalm, to sing.
What I Am Thankful For
So, the isolation period is still ongoing, with a quick side trip to pick up groceries from time to time (although I don’t usually go on those). We’re doing fine – we’re used to being at home together, anyway!
I got to thinking about gratitude, and what I have to be thankful for. There’s been times in my life that were hard, and it was easy to complain. I’ve had to learn over the years that thankfulness is often a matter of choice – of choosing to capture the moments of grace, to see the good things in the ones you love, and to remember the everyday privileges of living in a developed country where basic needs are provided without much thought or worry. Life is an opportunity to find the good, and pass it on!
Today I’m taking it easy, sorting out some stuff, finishing some things. I’m a bit achy – somehow I managed to pull something in my back/shoulderblade last night, apparently just by picking up a cup of tea… I never knew I was so talented! After an application of heat and a good night’s sleep it’s not too bad, but I’m moving slowly.
So, what is there to be thankful for?
The rain right now – it’s so beautiful. Bit chilly, but peaceful.
Lots and lots of books! And the ability to read them. I’ve had a good education, which has helped in my life in more ways than I can think of.
Having the leisure at this time to read/blog/chill out on YouTube.
The use of the internet, which helps me to stay connected with the world.
Friends to stay connected with!
Our little garden which, though tiny and ragged, is visited by beautiful wildlife – butterflies, dragonflies, bees and the occasional inquisitive cat.
My beautiful family, who are the best people for me to be spending isolation with. I rarely see Biggest Boy (he’s in his room, mostly) but when he emerges he pats me on the head affectionately and has a chat. And Sweet Bean always opens the back door for me when I’m taking the washing basket out, because he’s sweet and kind! My Babe goes out of his way to get nice things while shopping, and always makes sure we’re doing well.
All in all, they’re the Best Ever ❤ !
A connection and relationship with God, which has always helped me through difficult times, especially when there was no other help near.
Here’s a clip of a song doing the rounds, which I’ve been seeing on people’s feeds, but have only just got around to watching. It’s a whole list of UK churches getting together (virtually) to sing a blessing.
I was unprepared for the wave of homesickness that washed over me as I listened. The words are a version of a blessing from the earliest books of the Bible, and which I’ve heard many times in my life.
I’ve been to a couple of these churches, and gone to the concerts of a couple of the individuals in the clip. This virus has separated us in a lot of ways, but I think it’s also helped us see how close we can be, and how much we are connected.
Be blessed.
It’s a new day!
Still Loved
My heart for the day – a random piece of crystallised ginger!
…and a visitor to the garden – the nectar seems to be irresistible to the wildlife lately.
In case you need a “heart” for today –
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19
Smile (In The Shadow)
Another day in isolation, and time keeps dragging on… I was thinking yesterday – it’s like a long haul flight. Eventually time ceases to have meaning, and all there is, and all there ever Was. Is. Now.
I’ve been making my way through the library haul I picked up before it all shut down. Turns out even I can’t read endlessly!
I really don’t have anything to complain about – we’re well fed and rich enough to be entertained in comfort. We get along well as a family, and are generally healthy. But…
sometimes, things boil over. Yesterday was such a day – one little stressor to the everyday, and I spilled out into over-reaction, ending up crying on the bed with remorse (and yes, annoyance!). All good now 😀
There’s always time to remember to smile, and to think about the good things (even if you need a good cry first!). Here’s some of mine from yesterday and today.
My beautiful family, who still love me even when I’m ridiculous.
Friends to talk to via Zoom.
Opening up a new bag of coffee beans.
Sunshine.
Finding books in a series I like that I never knew existed.
Chocolate. Always a plus, although you can have too much.
The sound of birds, in a clear blue sky.
A friend mentioned this song to me this morning, so I looked it up. That led me to the second song, so I’ll include that as well.
And here’s the Psalm written on that guitar –
“Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!”
Psalm 150
And another passage, from a devotional I just watched :
“I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator, your King.”
This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:15-19
In The House
Just been to an evening service, in the comfort of my home.
Good to be reminded, though, that even if I’m not in a church building, I can still be in the Father’s house…
As another week starts up, may you feel Him close to you, and know that you are held safe, by the One Who is
faithful to the end,
extravagant,
forever!
Waking To A New Day
Easter morning, and we’re off to a (virtual) service soon. There’ll be communion, and we will reflect on Jesus’ resurrection – so long ago, and yet echoing throughout the ages.
As a Christian, I believe many things that fit within the traditional Christian framework. I probably also believe many things that may not fit – there’s a lot on the periphery that’s been debated over the years, and perceptions of what scriptures mean can vary according to our understanding.
There’s one thing that we all can agree on, though –
Jesus Christ, and Him crucified!
It’s the basis of our faith, wherever we land on other issues.
Why? What happened then?
“9 For he is the complete fullness of deity living in human form. 10 And our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe!
11 Through our union with him we have experienced circumcision of heart. All of the guilt and power of sin has been cut away and is now extinct because of what Christ, the Anointed One, has accomplished for us.
12 For we’ve been buried with him into his death. Our “baptism into death” also means we were raised with him when we believed in God’s resurrection power, the power that raised him from death’s realm. 13 This “realm of death” describes our former state, for we were held in sin’s grasp. But now, we’ve been resurrected out of that “realm of death” never to return, for we are forever alive and forgiven of all our sins!
14 He canceled out every legal violation we had on our record and the old arrest warrant that stood to indict us. He erased it all—our sins, our stained soul—he deleted it all and they cannot be retrieved! Everything we once were in Adam has been placed onto his cross and nailed permanently there as a public display of cancellation.
15 Then Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were his!”
That’s from Colossians 2 🙂
…and here’s the beginning of the next chapter!
“Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! 2 Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.
3 Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. 4 And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!”
And from Galatians 3 –
13-14″Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham’s blessing is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God’s life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it.”
In chaos, in trouble, in uncertainty, He is still in control.
And His Name is power!
Hush
The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday can often feel like a waiting room – it’s not a day of commemoration, and the shops are open normal hours.
At the moment, it’s even more of an “in between” day. There’s nowhere really to go, and nothing much to do… Have you noticed that the world (at least round our way) seems so much quieter lately? Like the earth is holding its breath for a bit. Waiting to exhale when time starts again.
Here’s a snapshot of my day. Listening to some music, in the quiet of the morning. There’s even a heart in the clouds for me, which I didn’t notice until I took the photo!
The wind was picking up from time to time during the day, and the trees and grasses looked like they were dancing to an unheard song…
When I think about the first Easter, I realise the disciples didn’t know how it was going to turn out. They were caught in a breathless pause, grieving what they thought was a new hope in their lives, not yet understanding what was to come. Of course, we know now that there was a resurrection coming, but they didn’t. They met together, and tried to understand what they had missed…
This is our pause, our time to stop and wonder what comes next. It’s not easy; it’s not comfortable. We’re having to reassess what’s important, and decide what to do without. I don’t know what I can say to make things feel better, or to make sense of the unknowable.
All I know is – Sunday’s coming.
And the light will dawn again!
Entering
Another day entering in to worship – in our living room, but in the company of many. We had an early church service at 8.30am, then I logged on to an evening service at 5pm – I’m loving the feeling of connection I get from these online services.
In the meantime I was finishing some submissions for a couple of projects I’m participating in. The first was recording videos of a couple of choir parts for an online choir – it was originally a pub choir, but because of restrictions is now a couch choir. I had until 7pm tonight to submit, and managed to get them done this afternoon. They’re not great quality (my cough made it hard to hold notes or get any power into them) but I’m excited about being part of it!
There are quite a few videos of past collaborations on their Facebook page, but here’s my favourite at the moment – it makes me smile!
I also wrote an entry for Furious Fiction – every month there’s an email with prompts, and you have just over a weekend to write a 500 word story. I’ve only done a few, but I’ll keep on and get better as I go.
It’ll probably be an early night tonight. Last night I was kept awake by a fast moving, flying cockroach that seemed impossible to kill. Thankfully, it has been disposed of now.
Sleep will be sweeter knowing I’ve finished what I set out to do today!
1000 Fields of Roses 