by Christine Sine
This week’s gratitude scavenger hunt has taken me in directions I never expected.
I started by walking around our beautiful home thanking God for the many blessings it provides for us –
For office space that has become sacred space – big enough for a desk, an altar, shelves for lots of plants and to display my prayers.
For space to do hospitality and the appliances that make it easy – stove, microwave, electric kettle, crockpot, a spare room, a big living room and dining room for entertaining.
For plenty of light that keeps us all cheerful in the winter dark and helps my houseplants grow;
For private space for Tom and I where we can relax away from the pressures of community.
For a big backyard to grow vegetables in and lots of flowers to make us all smile.
Gratitude for home
The list seemed to go on forever but as we talked about this at our community meal on Tuesday Lisa reminded us that her family in Northern California is without power and I was brought up short by the reminder of so many who lack the privileges I take for granted. Flush toilets and electricity and warm showers. There is a whole realm of thanksgivings that I need to add to my list. Without these life is harsh and unsanitary. My thanksgivings need to elicit a response. What can I do to make it easier for some of those who are houseless and without sanitation to find a safe and secure place to live?
So as I bask in the joy and gratitude of a home when so many do not have one I am reminded to pray and to commit to a response.
I read through Isaiah 65:21-22 here quoted in The Voice and claim it as God’s promise for all those who are without shelter today.
People will confidently build houses and make them their homes;
they will plant vineyards and enjoy their fruit for years to come.
22 They won’t worry that someone else will come along, drive them out,
and take it all away.
For My people will live as long as these age-old trees;
My chosen will use up and wear out whatever they make.
Photo collage of those who have lost homes
I am reminded of those who have lost their homes because of hurricanes and fires and war. Spent quite a bit of time praying for those in the Bahamas who still do not have homes and for so many others in Puerto Rico who even after so many years are still without shelter. And that is only the tip of the iceberg. People in California and Australia who have lost their homes to wildfires, and most devastating of all the impact of war, the devastation of bombing and the need to flee with little hope of a secure place to land.
I was reminded too of those who have been pushed out of their homes because of injustice, economic pressure, and greed. We love Camano Island Coffee partly because this company partners with Agros to help people in Central America build houses and form community.
My gratitude for what I have needs to spill over into compassionate action. As I say in The Gift of Wonder:
Gratitude is about changing our perspectives not our circumstances. We can all reframe what happens to us with gratitude not resentment recognizing the richness of our lives in comparison to others. I am grateful for flush toilets, but millions in our world don’t have them. It is an added delight to think about how I could I make someone else’s life better by making this luxury available to them.
My reflections this week led to the creation of 2 collages – one of photos of our house and another of photos of those who lack housing. It is a good reminder for me to ensure my gratitude rolls over into action.
By Lilly Lewin
photo by Paul DeGraaf
Recently, I’ve found that I need new vision, new eyes to see Jesus with again. I realized that I’ve gotten blinded to the amazing uniqueness of His great love. The culture of anger and division has hurt my heart. The hardness and harshness of politics has shut down my ability to see and caused my heart to harden a bit. Here is a poem/prayer that I wrote in response.
What layers do you need Jesus to peel back in your life today? Where do you need new vision of Jesus and his great love for you? Spend some time this weekend with these questions.
Today if you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.
by Christine Sine
Inspired this morning by the story of Jesus healing the lepers – and only one came to thank him and shouted praise with a loud voice. So this is my prayer of praise today – shouted with a loud voice.
Lord Jesus Christ
Precious saviour, eternal companion,
The one who was and is and will always be.
I breathe in the fragrance of you love
And sing thank you.
I breathe in the sweetness of your grace,
And shout thank you.
I breathe in the wonder of your mercy
And cry thank you.
That you, thank you, thank you,
For love and grace and mercy
Poured out every day
Into my life.
For friends and family and companions,
Thank you.
For earth and sea and living things,
Thank you.
For fulfillment and creativity and joy,
Thank you.
For all that is in me, round me, above and beyond,
Thank you.
Thank you for giving me life.
(c) Christine Sine October 2019
At this time of the year a lot of people are faced with the challenge of what to do with all their green tomatoes and I can tell you I have quite a stack of them. Some I hope will ripen but others will not but there is lots I can do with them.
Some of us don’t like fried green tomatoes but there are actually lots of alternatives out there. My favorite is green tomato chutney and these recipes adapted from the Australian Women’s Weekly Tomato Cookbook are the ones I like best. I like the flavor and the simplicity of the recipes.
Green tomato chutney
Green Tomato Chutney
1.5 kg green tomatoes, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large apples (we have melrose from our apple trees but Granny Smith would be the standard for me), chopped
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup malt vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon hot curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
If you want this recipe fiery hot like the one below add:
3 hot red chillies 3 hot red chillies. I used serrano peppers but you could use jalapeños or other hotter peppers if you like the heat.
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, stir over heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer uncovered stirring occasionally for about 50 minutes or until mixture thickens. Spoon hot chutney into sterilized jars, seal and process in a water bath for about 20 minutes.
Makes about 5 cups.
NOTE: This recipe is moderately hot. If you want to increase the heat add 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder.
The is great with cheese ( a very English way to eat chutney), or as a burger sauce especially with vegetarian burgers.
Fiery Chili Tomato Chutney
2 kg green tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar depending on how sweet you like your chutney
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup sultanas (golden raisins). These are hard to find in the US but you can substitute raisins if you cannot find them
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 hot red chillies. I used serrano peppers but you could use jalapeños or other hotter peppers if you like the heat.
2 teaspoons of chilli powder. Use mild if you don’t want your chutney too fiery hot.
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour, until mixture thickens
Spoon hot chutney into sterilized jars. Seal and process in water bath for 20 minutes.
Makes about 6 cups. Store in a cool dark place for 6-12 months Refrigerate after opening.
NOTE: This recipe is indeed fiery but I love it with cheese or cold meat on a sandwich.
By Jeannie Kendall —
One of the joys, for me at least, of writing for GodSpaceLight is looking to see what the next theme is. This time however, I have to confess my heart sunk a little.
Gratitude. Oh no, not again. Sometimes it seems I am surrounded by those sharing on social media their reasons to be grateful, or telling me to do so. Am I the only one out there who finds it all rather difficult?
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m generally a cheerful person, though life experiences have taught me to sometimes see the proverbial glass half empty, not full. There are however many things I am grateful for, particularly my family, my friends, and the love of God. But for me the incessant call to be grateful can feel like another demand, a burden rather than an encouragement. Something else I must do when after a lifetime of ‘shoulds’ I am learning to lean on grace.
The theme comes at a time when I am starting to write my second book, which is about tears in the Bible and in our lives – which has to be finished by next May. One friend when I emailed him to tell him replied that he had to check the date to make sure it was not April 1st! Not least as I work 6 days as a church minister, lecture at a Bible college and interview prospective ministers – all things I hugely enjoy – and yes, am grateful for.
The first chapter I chose to write, for various reasons, is a chapter on Tears of Gratitude. In it I had to confess that I particularly don’t like the phrase “attitude of gratitude” which is so popular now on posters and social media. In Christian bookshops you can even buy gratitude journals to list each day what we are grateful for.
The reality is that it can be hard to be grateful in our current society in the West. Much of the media presents the rich, the famous, the super-fit and healthy, or those who have reached the top of their profession. If we are not careful, that can leave us very aware of the things we don’t have, rather than what we do. Sometimes our life circumstances make gratitude difficult. If there are tough things happening in our families, in our health, or in our circumstances, grateful may be the last thing we feel we want to be.
In the church I serve in here in the UK we have just finished going through the book of Acts. As we have followed the story through it is clear that Paul had a really rough time. He was beaten, starved and shipwrecked. He spent the last five years of his life restricted and awaiting trial. While he was in prison in Rome, chained to a guard for two years, he wrote four letters to the churches that he had visited, and we might expect that he would be deeply unhappy. Yet these letters – Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon – exude joy. Listen to these words, written during those two years in chains: “Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19-20, The Message) In the midweek service which we have, we have been looking at 1 Peter, a letter written to people having a tough time, and Peter himself was to be martyred for his faith. Yet among the early words in that letter are these: “What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!” (1 Peter 1:3-5 The Message)
Sometimes life is really tough and we need to be able to say so – to share with trusted friends and most of all with God what we really feel. To cry, yes. We are not called to say we are fine through gritted teeth when it is simply not true. Paul in other parts of his letters is honest that it is difficult. We hold all of our difficulties in one hand, as it were, but Paul would encourage us to hold gratitude in the other. So I will keep wrestling, and bless those of you to whom it come easily. Maybe let me know if I am not alone in my struggle!
by Christine Sine.
Last year I created a gratitude garden (amongst others) and have had a number of enquiries about how I do this. It looks as though I never wrote about it on Godspace so I thought that some of you would appreciate learning about the process I went though and seeing the garden I ended up with.
Creating contemplative gardens has become a very important spiritual practice for me and I love the way that this then provides focus for other spiritual practices throughout the following season.
Choose a Theme.
I didn’t really decide to create a gratitude garden. However, over the summer last year I spent a lot of time thinking about 2 phrases “say yes to what is life giving” and “say no to what is life draining”. I blogged about it here. Out of that sprang the word “gratitude” and as we headed into October my meditation grew into “my cup overflows”. That’s it, I thought. I want to make a gratitude garden to guide me through the season, using the theme “my cup overflows with gratitude.”
Do some planning
I went on Pinterest looking for gardens that might give me some ideas. I was particularly attracted by the gardens that used a fruit bowl with a banana hook usually with a small teapot hanging from them. So I started to imagine in my mind what that could look like. Not a teapot but a cup I thought – “My cup overflows with gratitude” was my mantra after all.
Gather supplies
Gratitude garden
1 fruit bowl with banana hook
1 bowl that fits inside the fruit bowl
1 tea cup
A bag of organic cactus soil
3 succulents for the bowl and one more that will drape into the bowl from the cup
A couple of rocks or a bag of decorative rocks 2-3″
Paint pens
Small colorful decorative rock chips
Acrylic sealer
I always have an endless supply of small succulent plants available so that wasn’t hard. And I seem to have an abundant supply of tea cups too because my friends know I love tea and are always giving me cups. I now have 65 of them and can’t use them all but I love incorporating them in my contemplative gardens.
The container was a little more challenging. I visited the local Goodwill, St Vincent De Paul (Vinnys as we always called it in Australia) or other thrift store is a good option.
My local Goodwill store had all I needed a fruit bowl with a hook and down the next aisle a bowl that fitted it perfectly. And if I had needed it they had plenty of teacups for me to choose from too. Most people tell you that you need a bowl with a drainage hole but I have found that as long as I don’t overwater the plants this is not really necessary and my gratitude garden is now in its second year with the original plants in it.
A bag of cactus soil. I like this one because it is organic, and one bag goes a long way. However if you have time you can make it cheaper by purchasing a bag of organic soil at Home Depot, adding some coarse sand and perlite or pumice to the mix. 3 parts soil to 2 parts sand and one part perlite. Don’t use soil that has vermiculite as it retains moisture that succulents don’t want in it. Don’t use sand from the garden, the beach, or that is already in the sandbox as it might contain ingredients harmful to your plants.
Home Depot also has a good supply of small succulents (though I do prefer our local nursery).
I found a couple of rocks in the garden that seemed to be the right size and shape, washed them and got to work. (If you don’t have the luxury of a garden with rocks get a bag of decorative rocks. I like the 2-3″ size though if you are making a really small garden and have fine paint pens to decorate with and the skill to work with them, then smaller rocks may work.
I also like to decorate with small colorful rock chips afterwards. I have also used broken chips of china, pine cones and shells to decorate my gardens. Just make sure you have washed them first to get any salt water or other contaminants out of them.
As you can imagine this supply list will provide sufficient supplies for you to make many succulent gardens in the future and are probably only worth purchasing if you anticipate becoming as addicted to the art as I am.
Have Some Fun Creating
Fruit bowl and garden
This really was a fun process.
First I painted my rocks. This is where those paint pens I love to play with are so handy. They make it easy to paint with a minimum of mess. And I am messy enough without my creative projects adding to the mess. I wrote “gratitude on one” and “my cup overflows” on the other and did some small decorations around my words to make them stand out more. I gave them a half hour to dry and then I sprayed them with Mod Podge Acrylic sealer. You don’t need to use the sealer but the designs look better for longer if you do. And don’t forget you are not making this garden so that it looks perfect but rather for your enjoyment. As you can see my rocks are far from perfect but I love them and thoroughly enjoy my garden
Painted rock
Now fill your bowl with soil.
Arrange your plants and rocks so that you are sure there is enough space for all of them.
Plant your plants. I used three in this arrangement as my bowl was fairly small. I then filled the teacup half full with soil and planted the hanging plant in it. This was the hardest part – getting the soil to remain in the teacup without it coming out and dumping the plant on top of the rest of the garden when it got a little dry was challenging at first. Then I realized that if I took the cup off the hook when I watered it and gently pressed the soil back in place, it would remain more easily.
Decorate around the plants with small rock chips or broken pottery.
Place it on your desk and enjoy.
This garden becomes my focus during my gratitude season then gets moved out onto our front porch to be replaced by the next contemplative garden (probably Advent). I use it every morning to ask “What are three things I am grateful for” As the mornings got darker I added a couple of candles to it last year as well. This year I am not sure that there is space but it did add to my enjoyment.
Gratitude garden at night
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Tomorrow is the your last chance to preorder our beautiful Advent cards at a reduced price – and they are absolutely stunning so I hope you won’t miss out. Most of these cards have a stained glass theme, drawn from photos I have taken around the world as well as a stunning Advent photo taken by my good friend Tom Balke at Taize in France.
First you may wonder why we are advertising these so early in the year. It is because Celtic Advent begins November 15th and these cards provide 6 Advent cards so that those who practice Celtic Advent have enough to start November 15th
Wednesday prices increase to $12 for one set and $30 for 3 sets. So why the increase you may ask? Well blame it on printing costs which have gone up since the last set we produced. There are 13 cards in this set (one more than our previous sets) with color imprints on both sides and unfortunately that does not come cheap! But as I said they do look stunning!!!
Also the pdf is now available – still at the original $4.99 Enjoy.
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