by Christine Sine
I have just created a new contemplative garden. This one has an Australian theme and is surrounded by some of the photos and artwork that I have from Australia. It probably doesn’t surprise you, as, even though there has now been rain in many of the worst effected parts of the country, the consequences of the fires are still to be both evaluated and dealt with. There is much to do and so much that provides a focus for prayer, meditation and contemplation as I move through this season of Epiphany.
Evolution of A Contemplative Garden
It all started when a friend gave me a bunch of eucalyptus leaves as a gift of empathy when the fires were at their worst. Hmm I thought What a wonderful centerpiece for a new contemplative garden. Consequently this garden has some rare unique features to it. The vase, tea light and feather vase are all made from banksia pods, one of my favorite unique Australian flowers. One vase holds the eucalyptus leaves, the other some cockatoo feathers I brought back from Australia. Behind the vases are a couple of aboriginal paintings and behind those a painting of galahs one of my favourite Australian birds. In front is an untouched banksia pod, and a couple of rocks I picked up in Australia many years ago.
banksia flower and seed pod
The garden itself looks barren, though I am about to scatter seed which I will water each week with the hope that they will germinate and bring life to the garden.
The recovery of the Australian bush will take years, and the trees will always bear the black scars of fire. Some of the forests will regenerate. In fact the process has already started. One of the wonderful things about eucalyptus trees is that the outer bark may burn but the tree itself regrows after the fire. And some of the grasses seem to need the fire for their survival.
New life on burnt bark – photo by David Knox
Burnt grasses seem to thrive
Much of the forest will not regrow, and of course the people and the animals that have died will not return. But the forest will be renewed and as I pray, that is what I pray for.
Meditation on a Garden.
As I sit in my sacred space each morning these are the thoughts that have lodged in my mind and provided many minutes of prayer, contemplation and inspiration each morning.
The cycle of life, death and resurrection is embedded in the whole of creation. As I look at the photos of regeneration in the Australian bush I am inspired by the ways that God has imprinted the story of Christ – life, death and resurrection – into the whole of creation. It is truly amazing and hope giving.
When fire burns it leaves scars that never go away. If you walk through a eucalyptus forest five years after a bushfire has swept through it looks untouched on the surface but when you get close the blackened scars are evident. The tree has survived in spite of its traumatic past and is probably stronger because of it. Trauma can cause our lives to become stronger too. And it is often out of the scars that the new leaves and the new life grows. It reminds me of Leonard Cohen’s song Anthem and the post I wrote several years ago reminding us to stay close to the cracks because it is in the cracks, the broken places of our lives, where violence flares and pain cries out that healing also happens.
Catastrophe brings out the best in people. I am reading so many incredible and inspirational stories of how strangers worked tirelessly to help save lives and homes. Some gave their lives. Others gave up their jobs and their livelihood to help. It reminds me of when I read A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster. This I believe is the image of God deeply rooted within each human being. It wells up and bursts forth in the most awful situations.
In the midst of pain and suffering there is always sharing and caring. The outpouring of money from around the world for the firefighters, for those that have lost their homes and for the animals that have been injured is heartwarming. Like many of us I have been particularly touched by those who are knitting socks for koalas and pouches for kangaroos. Their efforts say I feel your pain and I want to do what I can to relieve it.
There are other beautiful forms of sharing too that have become apparent in the aftermath of the fire. I love the story of the wombat burrows that evidently stretch over long distances and probably provided shelter for a diverse array of animals during the fires.
Don’t Forget the Others. It was my birthday on Saturday and I had planned to do a Facebook fundraiser for the bushfire victims, but then I received a card from friends who work in Haiti, and I felt God say – don’t forget the victims of earthquakes and hurricanes in Puerto Rico, many of whom still lack housing, Don’t forget my friends in Haiti who have worked for 10 years to alleviate the suffering of that earthquake. And don’t forget the work my friends do in Juarez Mexico through Arrow Outreach to provide educational scholarships for young people to help move them out of poverty. (The latter is now my Facebook fundraising appeal so maybe you would like to respond.)
Haitian card
When we are in pain, or if someone we love is suffering it is hard for us to think about the suffering of others. Part of what I realized this week is that even when we are in pain or grieving for someone else who is, we need to stretch outside our comfort zones to remember and respond to the pain and suffering of others.
The promise of newness beckons even in the most challenging situations. It reminds me of the prayer I wrote for New Year’s Day 2019 which begins
The promise of newness beckons
like freshness after the rain.
Let it rise from the ashes of the past,
Hope where none seems possible.
When we have faith there is always hope and promise.
In the last couple of days I have been looking for images of hope and promise in the aftermath of the bushfires. I have relished the photos like those above posted on facebook by my friend David Knox of the regrowth that has already begun. I have also enjoyed articles like this that speak of the unexpected efforts that firefighters have gone through to save special parts of our creation heritage. More than anything I am deeply touched by this photo of a little boy who is rejoicing in the rain that he last saw six months ago. In many ways it says it all. Rain will come. Delight and joy in God will return to even the most damaged landscape and damaged person.
Photo by Emma Sewell on Facebook.
What Is Your Response.
Prayerfully spend a few minutes meditating on the image above.
When was the last time you felt a fire had swept through your life? What scars do you carry that indicate where God might want bring new growth?
Where has the rain fallen and the joy bubbled up from within?
As you think about this what is your response? Write a prayer, sing a song, draw a picture, get up and dance. Allow the loving presence of God to embrace you.
by Lilly Lewin
I’ve posted this before, but it’s a great practice for Epiphany, January, or even next year post Advent…Looking back at your year and doing some reflection before moving into the New Year. This Reflection/Practice can be done individually, with your family, roommates, small group, youth group, or your entire church community. I originally created this meditation/reflection for a Diocese of Southern Ohio gathering using a created center on each round table of ten people. Then I led the reflection verbally and people responded in silence. It is even more impactful when you invite people to take time to journal from the questions. You can always do a both/and where you lead the reflection and then have a written copy for folks to take home and continue to consider, pray with or journal from in the weeks ahead. We did this as a part of our thiniplaceNASHVILLE gathering last week, and I realized that there were lots more things I needed to be grateful for in 2019 than I’d thought! I sadly had been looking at all the trash on my path and not all the gifts! We each took home a star to remind us to look for the gifts along the way this year and to be thankful for these!
Know that even though it’s the middle of January, there is still time to reflect on last year and prepare for the year ahead with Jesus!
Supplies needed:
Round Tray, Large Pillar Candle, sand, stones or rocks, trash that reflects your location, ribbons, confetti, small packages, glow in the dark stars: things remind you of celebration. Enough stars for number of participants to take home.
Looking Back and Looking Forward….Look at the Center Piece.
Consider the Smooth Space
The Rough and Rocky Space
A Space filled with Trash
A Space filled with Celebration and Stars
Consider your Journey in the Past year…Consider the path you’ve been walking.
What were the smooth spots ? Take time to thank God for these.
What were the Rocky Spots? Talk to God about them. Did you feel God’s presence or did God feel absent? Tell God your heart.
Were there times when you felt like you were traveling through trash?
Were there people who threw trash on your path?
Take time to talk to God about this. This may be heavy. Feel what you need to feel, then
Allow God to help you begin to forgive.
Whose path did you throw trash on this year?
Allow God to forgive you for this.
What were the gifts of this past year?
What were the celebrations that you can be thankful for?
The People, the Places, the Opportunities…..
Take some time and remember.
Take time to feel the joy and the pleasure of those gifts.
Take time to be grateful.
What about the year ahead? How does your path look?
What things do you need for your Journey in 2020? Take time to consider this.
Know that God is with you in the smooth and in the rough places.
What path are you walking tonight?
Where are you with your walk with Jesus?
Are you following His Star…willing to go where He goes?
Are you stuck in the Palace afraid to leave it?
Are you stuck in old habits afraid you’ll never get out?
Are you willing to leave your comfort zone as the Magi did and go on an Adventure?
Are you walking with Jesus by your side?
Have you even invited Jesus along …is He chasing you?
Are you chasing Him? Have you left Him far behind?
Talk to Jesus about where you are today and where you want to go this New Year.
Take home a star to remind you to watch for the gifts along the way.
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
By Sue Duby —
I’m normally a “glass half full” kind of girl. I love trying to see the best in others and to give grace. Bad news just makes me jump to find the positive. I work my gratitude muscle hard, hoping it will become more automatic and natural in my daily. As I said, “normally. . .”
2020 entered with a bit of a whimper, rather than a bang. A head cold hit hard. For me that translates to LOTS of sleep, a fuzzy head and not so grateful heart. The glass begins to empty. I’m grumpy and quickly convinced I’ll never have energy again. The world looks more gray and small irritations simmer ready to erupt with vengeance. My actions are not to be trusted. Case in point… leaving the car in Drive with ignition on, while I shared tea with a friend!
Chuck and I look forward to our tradition of “pause and reflect” every New Years. Reminding ourselves of joys and challenges from the past year and then praying for insight and direction for the coming year. A simple time without a formula. No pressure. No specific ritual. Just giving ourselves time to be still and God time to whisper. Most often, we sense nuggets of encouragement to lead us with hope and excitement in to the months ahead.
Sitting on the couch together, I sighed, expecting no hope for any revelation through my brain fog. After a few minutes of quiet, we looked at each other hesitantly…”Well, anything?”. Chuck: “Nothing…except one word… Anticipation”. Me: “Nothing… except a list of words… Listen. Trust. With. Watch. Let Me. Stand By. Embrace.” I quickly scribbled in my journal to mark the not-so-momentous meeting and we headed out for a walk. No further pondering. Trying to shake off disappointment in lack of uncovering a big “game plan”.
A week later, still under the grip of my cold, I felt a nudge to go back to my notes. And it hit me. Sometimes road maps and next steps are so very simple and plain that I miss them! Simple words… packed with direction. Forcing a re-focus. Stirring hope. Anchoring faith in the midst of ______ (make your own list!).
Listen. A dear friend reminds us often, “Everybody has a story, but nobody is listening. Just listen!”. I’m working that muscle. Growing in grace when conversations don’t focus on me. Trying to hear hearts behind the words. My challenge for the year… doing the same for those closest to me. Chuck. Our kids and grandkids. Show me Lord how to listen to THEIR hearts well.
Trust. This one spooked me a bit. Right away, my thoughts went negative…”Lord, is something going to happen where I need to trust you more?”. Now, I know it’s just a whisper from Him saying, “Keep trusting Me… in all… at all times”. A reminder that He is Lord… in charge… all knowing… no matter what things look like. He’s there.
With. Simply…you ARE with me Lord. Always. Every moment. Present and with me.
Watch. Another reminder whisper… “Keep watching for Me… my presence and My hand”. Keep attentive. Expect to see Him in the midst of whatever is unfolding. Often, the simplest of moments. Even today, a lady at the checkout finishing with a “Have a blessed rest of your day”. Her genuine smile and twinkling eyes translated the message clearly …”He has you honey!”.
Let Me. Very simple. I get it. But actually doing it? Truly keeping my hands off. Remind me often Lord that you are able in all things. Your wisdom so far outshines all my crazy figuring and scheming to control, fix and change things. I can Let You!
Stand By. Often, God has things for us to do. Action to take. Hard steps to make. Plans to follow. That’s’ the easy part for me, as a “get ‘er done” girl. The challenge is to stand by… to trust in His work, timing and ways.
Embrace. This one confused me. Embrace what You bring Lord? Then, another whisper brought a smile… “Rest in My embrace”. In the midst of whatever a day brings, my desire is to do just that. Find deep refreshment in grabbing hold of His extraordinary love and affection for me.
With enough nudges and reminders to set my course for 2020, I can feel Anticipation bubbling up. I sense peace and confidence in His presence, plans and purposes. My heart says, “Yes, Lord… I will see Your goodness, grace and mercy unfolding in the months ahead. Have Your way Lord.”
By Hilary Horn —
Something that I really value about my denomination is as we step into each new year, we dedicate the first 21 days to prayer and fasting. I think it’s a beautiful way to set apart the first weeks of the new year to seek the Lord in a fresh way. To seek him for not only our personal devotion, but with our families, church, for our city and global community. Much like planting a seed in ready soil, we envision God will water this foundation we lay before him as 2020 unfolds. It’s also an incredible thing to reflect on the global body praying some of the same petitions to God together.
I took the following from our church website that I found insightful for briefly explaining the what and why of fasting:
WHAT IS A FAST?
Fasting is when someone or a group of people abstain from food either fully or partially for a specific period of time in order to seek God through prayer. Many people in Biblical times practiced fasting as a spiritual discipline or in response to a specific need. In the Old Testament, Israel was required by God to fast collectively at least once a year on the Day of Atonement as well as other occasions. In the New Testament we have records of the early church fasting and praying together for specific reasons and reliable church history tells us that Christians practiced fasting at least twice a week.
WHY DO WE FAST?
Knowing what a fast is doesn’t necessarily mean we understand its purpose. We can find many good Scriptural reasons for fasting and below you will find a short list that may be helpful. It’s important to remember that we not only fast and pray for ourselves, but also for those around us.
1. To humble ourselves to God through repentance – (Psalm 35:13, 1 Samuel 7:6, Ezra 9)
2. To draw closer to God – (James 4:8)
3. To receive revelation from God’s Word – (Ephesians 1:17-22)
4. To know God’s will or direction – (Acts 13:1-2)
5. To seek healing/deliverance – (Isaiah 58, Matthew 17:21)
6. To seek God’s intervention – (2 Samuel 12:16-23, 2 Chronicles 20:3)
7. To intercede for others – (Daniel 9:3)
DIFFERENT TYPES OF FASTS
There are many different ways to do a fast. The most important part of fasting is the time we spend with God in prayer. If we deny ourselves food and do not pray then we will accomplish nothing. The following types of fasts are simply references to what we can do as we seek the Lord in prayer.
1. Full Fast
A full fast is where you go completely without food for a specific amount of time. There are at least four references in the Bible where people fasted food and water; however we are only referencing food as a ‘full fast’ for obvious reasons. If you choose to do a full fast then we recommend you consult with others prior to doing so, especially if you take any kinds of medication.
2. Partial Fast
A partial fast is to simply go without a meal or two during the day of your fast. For example, you could fast from breakfast and lunch and spend an extended amount of time in prayer in place of that meal. There are no rules to this kind of fasting but you should decide beforehand what you will do and stick to it as with all fasts.
3. Daniel Fast
This kind of fast comes from Daniel chapter 10, where Daniel had a terrifying vision that caused him to abstain from all pleasant food and drink. If you choose to do this kind of fast then essentially you will be abstaining from all “meats, sweets, and treats.” Most people stick to fruits, vegetables and nuts or similar kinds of protein. There are many resources online that could provide healthy options with this fast.
4. Media Fast (Daniel 6:18)
Sometimes we are unable to participate in abstaining from food for various reasons, however, this does not mean we cannot fast and pray. We strongly encourage you to fast by replacing some forms of entertainment (TV, movies, internet surfing) with prayer and intentional time with family. God often uses this kind of fast to quiet the noise in our life and increase our ability to hear His voice.
Whatever you choose to fast – food, a lunch, social media, TV — whatever it is sometimes it can be jarring in many ways. What I am fasting from this month was disorienting at first. It kind of wakes you up to some of the time you waste or put energy into that isn’t always best. It also helps to reset your focus. Fasting took a while to fully get into the rhythms and practice to focus on God in deeper levels and in consecrated energy. Yet, once you get past the initial reaction (often a very hard thing to give up!) the deeper revelations and breakthroughs come. I am excited to continue this journey of 21 days of fasting and to press into more of what God has – even if I don’t see it right away, but trusting those seeds have been planted.
Maybe you want to consider a fast into the new year to get 2020 on the right foot. It’s not too late to begin. What else can be matched to start off your new year with set apart time with Jesus?
By Jeannie Kendall —
Like most of the Godspace writers, I suspect, I always await the new themes with interest. Is this one that particularly interests me, or will it need a little more thought or imagination? Have I something to contribute?
For the first time ever, the new theme, Starting the 2020s on the Right Foot, made me laugh out loud. It might seem a curious reaction. However, this month I am due an operation on my left foot, so for some weeks the right foot will be the only useable one I will possess! Hence my amusement.
Not that the prospect is a happy one. I am a do-er, and so a period of forced inactivity will most certainly be a significant challenge. It also coincides with the change of the seasons here in the UK, as winter turns to spring and I would normally continue the ongoing – and near impossible – task of taming the garden here – literally an uphill task as we are on a steep slope. To lie with my foot elevated when I could be outside cutting back dead growth and starting to battle the weeds with be very frustrating.
Some while ago I read something about the emergence of butterflies. The writer suggested that the confinement and restriction of the cocoon was necessary, and that in the same way, the limitations of our lives might be the key to something beautiful emerging. Those constraints might be temporary –such as the care of pre-school children or my approaching operation. Or they might be longer term, which is of course much more difficult. At such times we are called, I suspect, to hold on to hope, to trust that God can bring something out of that very confinement which he could not have done if life were smoother, even though, and perhaps especially because, he weeps with us. It is always his speciality to take the broken pieces of our lives and make the most beautiful stained glass window through which his light can shine.
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January is my dreaming month – not just for my life but also for my garden. This year I am really into the rhythm as I am not only planning a garden but am also thinking about a new book project on rhythms and seasons. I received a couple of wonderful books for Christmas, a few more in anticipation of my birthday next week and another few that I pulled off my shelves. So I have quite a stack of reading to keep me busy in the snowy weather we are expecting next week.
Rhythms and seasons – a lot of books to read.
My dreaming also encourages me to go outside and look at my garden and at the neighborhood with fresh eyes. This has been motivated by the book that is on the top of my pile Morning Altars by Day Schildkret. Talk about a treasure. Not only a feast of images but also of words, in many places language that had me wishing again that I read this book before writing The Gift of Wonder. No wonder I want to write another book. My initial foray into the life of children has left me thirsting for more and it is books like this that open my eyes even further to that wide eyed wonder we need to be rebirth into.
Schildkret describes a 7 step process for creating a morning altar that begins with exercising our capacity “to be enamored by the ordinary and to behold the insignificant”, a process that he explains begins with learning once more to recognize the wealth of beauty and wonder littered all around us by regaining the effortless seeing of childhood where everything is a playground and we can spend hours playing in the sand and chasing butterflies.
His steps are not only good for creating morning altars. They create a wonderful ritual of discovery, creativity and sharing and letting go that the seasons of the year also beckon us towards. So I have adapted Schildkret’s steps – leaving out some and changing others so that they are more flexible not just for creating art and ritual but for my exploration of the natural world in all its dimensions.
- Wander and Wonder: As Schildret suggests this is indeed a treasure hunt, a little like the gratitude scavenger hunt we examined last year. Yesterday, I walked around my wintery garden and noticed for the first time that all my hellebores are flowering. These are the queens of the winter garden here in Seattle. Such a delight and I almost missed them. Where is God calling you to wander today searching for hidden treasure?
- Place: “Practice listening to the place that calls you…witness the place come alive as it might have never before.” For me, this was a very profound step. Looking around my neighborhood in particular and the path that Tom and I walk 4 or 5 times a week up to and around the local reservoir park as though it were the first time I have ever walked, it is very special. I notice trees and gardens, mountain vistas and fellow walkers in ways that I have never noticed them before. Most special of all, I notice them as part of the unique landscape of this season, a special gift from God to me to be embraced for this short period of time. What special place calls to you as part of the unique landscape of this season?
- Create: Here, Schildkret talks about creating patterns and nature art but for me this creation step extends to whatever form of creative expression God is wanting to birth at this time. It might be an art form. It might just as easily be a song, a poem or a painted rock. What form of creative expression bubbles up from within you as a way to express the awe and wonder of your wandering?
- Share: As Schildkret suggests photographing and sharing your creations is a way of gifting it to the world. Obviously these days places like Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook make this form of sharing easy, but you might like to restrict your sharing to family and friends in more intimate ways. How could you share your creative work in order to bless those around you?
- Let Go. “Practice walking away”. This is such important advice. The impermanence of each day, season and moment is a reality we rarely like to face. But accepting and incorporating this impermanence in our rituals enables us to embrace change in a healthy and liberating way. At the end of each season, I like to think about the blessings it has brought and the joy it has created. Then I let go, turning towards the next season and the anticipation I have of the new perspectives, blessings and joys it could hold. What habits or rituals help you to walk away from the season that are past and anticipate the ones that are coming?
Hellebores in bloom – the queens of the winter garden
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