by Christine Sine
When the Bible declares that we are made in the “image and likeness” of the Creator, it is affirming that creativity is at our core just as it lies at the core of the Creator of all things. (Creativity – Matthew Fox)
This week has overflowed with awe and wonder for me because in the appreciation of creativity, I have encountered my Creator in a very special and intimate way. Creativity is not just all around us. It is also in us. It is a gift from God, and a gift that wells up and flows out of each of us, drawing us into intimate relationship with God. It is indeed” at our core”, meant not just to be acknowledged, but to be savoured, admired and expressed, enriching us, and those around us in the process.
Creativity – and with it creation – is still very much in process. There is a river of creativity running through all things, all relationships, all beings, all corners and centers of this universe. We are here to join in, to get wet, to jump in to ride these rapids, wild and sacred as they be (Creativity: Matthew Fox 66)
This week has emphasized this for me in many ways. The creativity of God, seen in the beauty of spring blossoms, unfurling leaves, even the changing light and shade of shadows sweeps us into a breathtaking display of awe and wonder, stirring us into our own expressions of creativity. This week as enjoyed my awe and wonder walks, my gaze shifted towards other aspects of life that instilled awe in me, and now I am surrounded on all sides with a spectacular array of awe inspiring stimuli and creativity.
More than anything it has been peoples’ creativity, this gift from God that also reveals God to us, that has caught my attention.
Colorful kōlams, such as this one by Godavari Krishnamurthy, are drawn during festivals. R. KRISHNAMURTHY/COURTESY OF KAVERI PURANDHAR
My eyes were riveted by this article that talked about the incredible artistic creativity of millions of women in India who use rice flour and geometric design to create pictorial prayers.
BEFORE THE FIRST RAYS OF sunlight stream across the rice fields and mud roads in the Nilgiri Mountains, before they force their way through the high-rises in the urban jungle of Chennai and Madurai, the women of Tamil Nadu are up for the day. In the dark, they clean the threshold to their home, and, following a centuries-long tradition, painstakingly draw beautiful, ritualistic designs called kōlam, using rice flour. Read the entire article here
Closer to home, I have been admiring this beautiful piece of art painted by Lara Cooper in Australia who used a photo I posted on Facebook last year for her inspiration.
Tom with Goldie – artwork by Lara Cooper.
Then there is this hymn that Carol Dixon sent me from the UK.
Signs of God ‘s glory (Tune: Bard of Armargh/Streets of Laredo)
What signs of God’s glory are seen in the city,
hemmed in by the buildings of concrete and ore?
For we cannot tread the rich earth on hard pavements,
or hear the sheep bleating above the cars’ roar.
Yet still we can scour the sky for God’s patterns,
or notice a flower blooming on some waste ground;
and glimpse in a spider web shimmering dewdrops,
for in the unnoticed our Creator is found.
We see God behind the sad eyes of a vagrant,
hear God in the cry of a child who’s afraid;
and in work worn features of stressed city slickers,
our God reaches out to the world that he made.
So help us to notice, great God of Creation,
your handiwork traces in country and town,
in city or wilderness, may we discover
that your living presence is always around.
© Carol Dixon July 2009
What is Your Response?
Where have you expressed your creativity this week?
What creativity of others has caught your attention?
In what ways have you been drawn into a more intimate relationship with God through this creativity?
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I have a passion to see people learn how to REST. As a recovering workaholic, I want to help people see the gift that is REST and that this is a gift from God. REST is actually a commandment, smack in the middle of the BIG TEN! and one we forget because it comes with lots of baggage and more rules, depending upon where you grew up. But what if we really believed that REST is a gift and not a curse? What would that look like to you? To your family? To our culture? If we all actually had REST in our lives? If we all actually had margin and space, rather than over filled days and to do lists. We sadly don’t get points for resting! We get points for doing and having more on our calendars than someone else. I believe it’s God’s desire to give us the gift of REST because God loves us and knows we need to stop, pause and recover. God wants us to have margin in our lives so we don’t burn out and so we can actually have space to love other people. I’ve started leading retreats and workshops on practicing REST and Sabbath called #RESTisHoly. Here are some of the questions I ask that might help you get started in your practice of REST.
What does the word REST mean to you? When you hear it, do you think of taking a nap in a hammock, taking a walk, falling asleep on the couch, or getting to sleep in later than your normal alarm setting ? Or does the word REST make you nervous? Does it cause you to become anxious about what you might not be doing or about how much you haven’t done yet? There was an old book call Tim Hansel wrote a book in the early 80’s called When I Relax I feel Guilty. Maybe that’s how you feel too.
Why is it hard for you to rest? to pause, to take time to recover from the week, or from the busy season of your life? What things block you from REST? Take some time to think about this and talk to Jesus about where you are with REST.
What does REST look like in your life? What could REST look like in your life? What do you want REST to look like in your life? Your REST practice will look different from mine because everyone is different. You get to choose how you receive refreshment and how you will practice REST.
What practices feed your soul? What things bring you life and help you REST?
What if you actually gave yourself permission to REST rather than perform?
What is a symbol of REST or a visual reminder of REST for you? I actually bought a chair to sit in to remind me to stop and rest. And today, I started a painting of a porch with a rocking chair to remind me to take time to rest. The painting of the chair at the beginning of the article was done in 2015. 
Find a REST PARTNER, a person to help you actually practice REST. An accountability person to help and encourage you to REST. Especially if you don’t even know what rest really is or how to begin you’ll need a friend to help you. Plan to do something together, like take a walk or sit on the porch and drink tea together. All you need to do is give yourself permission to stop, to put down THE LIST, LET JESUS HAVE THE LIST! and BREATHE IN PEACE. We have to practice receiving the gift of REST!
People who like to tell you all the things they’ve done in their day or their week, won’t understand. And that’s ok. We are human beings, not human doings! We have to remember that REST is counter cultural AND #RESTisHoly
What if you choose REST as a thing to do this weekend? 
©lillylewin freerangeworship.com
Today (May 16th) is St Brendan’s feast day and as he is one of my favourite Celtic saints (maybe because I lived on a ship for so many years) I wanted to repost this for today.
Brendan’s voyage via http://www.puzzlewarehouse.com/St-Brendan-the-Navigator-pur357.html
The Prayer of St. Brendan
Listen too to this rendition of St Brendan’s Voyage
Here are the lyrics:
St. Brendan’s Voyage
Christy Moore
A boat sailed out of Brandon in the year of 501
’twas a damp and dirty mornin’ Brendan’s voyage it began.
Tired of thinnin’ turnips and cuttin’ curley kale
When he got back from the creamery he hoisted up the sail.
He ploughed a lonely furrow to the north, south, east and west
Of all the navigators, St. Brendan was the best.
When he ran out of candles he was forced to make a stop,
He tied up in Long Island and put America on the map.
Did you know that Honolulu was found by a Kerryman,
Who went on to find Australia then China and Japan.
When he was touchin’ 70, he began to miss the crack,
Turnin’ to his albatross he sez “I’m headin’ back”.
To make it fast he bent the mast and built up mighty steam.
Around Terra del Fuego and up the warm Gulf Stream,
He crossed the last horizon, Mt. Brandon came in sight
And when he cleared the customs into Dingle for the night.
When he got the Cordon Bleu he went to douse the drought,
He headed west to Kruger’s* to murder pints of stout
Around by Ballyferriter and up the Conor Pass
He freewheeled into Brandon, the saint was home at last.
The entire population came (281) the place was chock-a-block
Love nor money wouldn’t get your nose inside the shop.
The fishermen hauled up their nets, the farmers left their hay,
Kerry people know that saints don’t turn up every day.
Everythin’ was goin’ great ’til Brendan did announce
His reason for returnin’ was to try and set up house.
The girls were flabbergasted at St. Bredan’s neck
To seek a wife so late in life and him a total wreck.
Worn down by rejection that pierced his humble pride,
“Begod”, sez Brendan “If I run I’ll surely catch the tide”
Turnin’ on his sandals he made straight for the docks
And haulin’ up his anchor he cast off from the rocks.
As he sailed past Inishvickallaun there stood the albatross
“I knew you’d never stick it out, ’tis great to see you boss”
“I’m bailin’ out” sez Brendan, “I badly need a break
A fortnight is about as much as any aul saint could take.”
CHORUS
“Is it right or left for Gibraltar”
“What tack do I take for Mizen Head?”
“I’d love to settle down near Ventry Harbour”,
St. Brendan to his albatross he said.
And a beautiful animated version of Brendan’s voyage as related by children
by Christine Sine
The day of Pentecost is May 23rd this year and it is rapidly approaching. Each year I like to update my resource list with new and fresh ideas. I also like to write a new prayer periodically that captures something of my own response to the day. The prayer above is from 2015 but has been the most popular of my Pentecost prayers. Here is my prayer from 2016.
As you can imagine my resource list grows longer each year. Enjoy this year’s update, share it with your friends and let me know if you have other creative ideas that should be added to the list.
What We Celebrate:
- The coming of the Holy Spirit and the infilling of Jesus’ disciples with the power to go out and change the world
- The great multi cultural gathering that we catch a glimpse of as we watch the spirit fall and suddenly everyone is able to understand each other – not all speaking the same language but able to understand each other in their own languages. Acts 2:11.
- Pentecost is traditionally the time that many churches pray for the peace of our world in which at times there seems to be so little cross cultural understanding.
Pentecost by Chinese artist He Qi
So what kinds of resources do we need?
- First, I think we need to provide our congregations with resources that help them see Jesus from other cultural perspectives. In a visual society like ours, art is one very powerful way to do this. The image by the Chinese artist He Qi is one of my favorites though I have included a number of images by different artists throughout this post to help you catch a glimpse of different cultural perspectives, too.
- Liturgy is another powerful tool because as we read the words aloud that resonate deep within our souls and take root. Here is one I wrote several years ago that is still my favorite.
- Creativity should also be a large part of our observances – this is a time to think out of the box, to stir our imaginations and get inspired with ideas that can change the world. Last year I posted some of the most creative ideas I have come across in Let’s Get Creative with Pentecost. I particularly love the chili cookout!
Pentecost Artist: CANZIANI, Estelle Louisa
This festival is known by several names in the Old Testament: the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16), which represents the first fruits (Numbers 28:26) gathered as the result of the labour of those who completed the spring grain harvests in ancient Israel (Exodus 23:16).
It is also called the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22), derived from the seven weeks plus one day (50 days in all) counted to determine when to celebrate this festival (Leviticus 23:16). Similarly, in the New Testament, which was written in Greek, this festival is known as Pentecost (Pentekostos in the original), which means “fiftieth” (W.E. Vine, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words , 1985, “Pentecost”). See The Feast of Pentecost for more information.
One practice for the feast of Pentecost was for the priest to wave two loaves of bread in the temple before God in thanksgiving for the early harvest. Though the Jews did not see the symbolism, the two loaves represented two groups of people God planned to harvest for His kingdom: His chosen people the Jews and everyone else called the Gentiles. This Sunday, for lunch after church or for dinner that night, you might buy two loaves of bread to imitate the original practice. Give thanks that God’s gift of redemption is for all who are willing to receive it. (From Ideas for Celebrating Pentecost)
Pentecost – Giotti
Paul Neeley at Global Christian Worship has an excellent array of articles, liturgies and songs for pentecost. Here are some of my favorites:
- Pentecost: True Spiritual Unity and Fellowship in The Holy Spirit
- 10 Global Pictures & Prayers for Pentecost
- Pictures & Prayers of Pentecost
- Women at Pentecost
- ‘Pentecost’ by Shadow Play Puppets
- African Pentekoste by Frombach & Lantz
- Gina Tuck – ‘Hymn to the Holy Spirit
- Pentecost Songs: An Entire Album! from Cardiphonia
Pentecost – Jesus Mafa
Celebrating Pentecost at Home/with Kids
- The United Methodist Church shares a list of possible ways to celebrate at home.
- Catholic Culture offers an activity for celebrating the “Birthday of the Church” as well as “personal Pentecost” at Confirmation.
- Make Pentecost fire sticks: instructions found here.
- Celebrating with kids? Check out these ideas from EverThineHome.com and GrowChristians.org
- Busted Halo shares other ideas that can be done at home!
- “You Shall Be My Witnesses” – Pentecost Service by Reformed Worship
- More clever at home ways to celebrate from Celebrating Holidays.
- Engageworship put together this music playlist of ideas for your service at home.
Visual Tools
Another of Paul Neeley’s links was to this beautiful song by Keith and Kristyn Getty but I loved it so much I wanted to incorporate it in the list.
I also a produced a video several years ago to help myself catch a glimpse of this multicultural image of Jesus.
From Australia & New Zealand
- The Billabong has a great list of ideas for Pentecost. I particularly love this suggestion Kites for Pentecost.
- Laughing Bird Liturgical Resources offers prayers and affirmations.
- STRANDZ has a great resource list for Pentecost for kids and adults alike – great for at home!
- From Bosco Peters in New Zealand – a reflection and service.
- Matt Stone at Curious Christian still has the best collection of art from different cultural contexts.
- And one of my favourites from Steve Taylor – a kiwi who now lives in Australia.
From South Africa
- Sacredise.com always produces wonderful resources.
From U.K
- Jonny Baker always provides great resources in his worship tricks. You check out the general list for pentecost here.
- I particularly like this link to a Pentecost meditation by Mark Berry.
- And if you are looking for some fun food ideas for the day check these out.
From Canada
- Christine Longhurst at re:Worship also lists hymns, readings, prayers and liturgies for the season.
From U.S.
- The Text This Week has some of the most comprehensive resource lists around. Their Pentecost list is well worth visiting.
- From Lent and Beyond is an Episcopal site with more great resources. I was particularly appreciative of their link to this site for celebrating Pentecost with kids.
- And a great Pentecost liturgy from Work of the People.
- Another good list is Resources from the Calvin Institute.
- And for a short meditation I enjoyed this video by Franklyn Shaefer:
Or, if you are looking for an introduction to the season for kids this is hard to beat:
Or, this from Busted Halo:
Godspace Resources:
I have written several other pentecost prayers in the past but the following litany is probably my favourite:
God, the light of your Spirit has fallen upon us,
The seal of your ownership is on us,
You have placed the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Like tongues of fire it has renewed and restored.
In our rising and our sleeping,
In our working and our playing,
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Your Spirit’s brightness has dispelled the darkness,
In our loving and caring,
In our touching and our listening,
In our thoughts and in our actions,
God’s Spirit has brought life out of death.
Read the entire prayer here: A Prayer for Pentecost:
- I have also been uploading Pentecost images on Pinterest.
By Corrine Lund —
Sometimes I think that awe and wonder are similar in the eyes and mind of a seven year old as they must have been with our Creator God when our home planet began to take shape. Awe and Wonder. For the amazing mind of my seven year old grandson, they two words occupy much of his observing and thinking time.
Early in his young life he named me “Da”, for no reason other than that was to be my name. He once told me that he will always call me by that name. So, a conversation might go something like this:
Da, if you hurry we can get to that open space where we can see the crazy colors in the sunset. It is so beautiful!
Da, look at the colors on the wings of this little bug. It’s like a rainbow!
Da, this worm is huge. Does God tell it how far down to burrow so it lives through the winter?
Da, I wonder how we could live on another planet…we need trees and water. And how long would it take to get there. If we got there, I wonder if we could ever get back to earth?
My world has become filled with the awe and wonder seen through the eyes of a young child. A child who loves the creatures and the dirt and the night sky….and is filled with the awesome world in which he lives but has so many questions about ‘I wonder” or “Why?’
“Da!” he will say as though I need to see something spectacular right now or that he has a question to share so that we can ‘wonder’ together. Both usually begin with “Da” and I know I must listen.
My favorite Psalm…139:
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
God shares some awesome stuff with us. And do you know what else God tells me? I even know you by your name. And God continues to share some awesome things with me and then…I wonder – how could that be?
And adventure will soon provide our family with an overload of Awe and Wonder as we travel to Yellowstone National Park. Again my thoughts are pulled back to Creation. Volcanoes, geysers, pools of boiling mud, mountains and wild animals How much more awe and wonder can a person manage!
But through the eyes of a little boy, earth worms, sunsets and bugs carry just as much weight in the awesomeness department. What an amazing God to provide for us such a world. “Da, come look at this bug. Right now before it gets away!”
He always calls my name.
God always calls me by my name.
Awesome
Totally filled with wonder.
CORRINE LUND: I am a mixture of so many things…a wife, mother, grandmother – an art educator for students of all ages and abilities, from very young to college classes. My husband and I have been married for 53 years and are enjoying retirement immensely. He was a clergyperson who was Director of Chaplaincy Services in southern Ohio which provided opportunities to meet so many and varied individuals. We are blessed in our retirement to be living close to our family…and that means close to our grandson who fills our hearts to overflowing.
I began to understand the importance of my creative interests when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age fifty. I began to write and make art…all kinds of art. There is no question in my mind that both experiences made the journey with significant cancer a journey of learning and growing…and surviving.
Because of that experience I reviewed all my writing and put the words together into a book entitled “God Blessed Them for the Journey” After it was published it became my gift to others traveling through their own challenging journeys. It was recently republished with new visual images that add to my story.
I have been a most ordinary person all my life with some extraordinary experiences…blessed in so many ways. My creative passion right now is working with wood and batik. And watercolor and drawing. It’s difficult to get the laundry done. We love to travel and so enjoy the outdoors. Our home is nestled in the woods near a lake which also fills my soul. My faith is sometimes filled with questions but then I ponder the simple things of just one ordinary day and I know that my journey has been in the company of an amazing Creator God, a God who have been patient with me. Life is good. God is good.
By June Friesen —
Reflection awe has seized my spirit recently during the Lenten season. The sunrise reflection was on my morning walk Saturday and the other about 4 weeks ago on a get away day to a preservation area. Here is a great meditation on the awe & wonder challenge.
GOD’S PRESENCE IS REAL
The water may be murky and dirty –
Filled with vegetation that appears dead and lifeless –
Yet……yet………
Pausing and pondering I see
A perfect reflection of the world
Around, as well as above.
How is it I marvel
That what seems so imperfect and marred
Can yet reflect such beauty seemingly unmarred?
And then I am reminded –
My life is also an imperfect vessel –
One that is marred because of humanity –
Yet …….. yet…..
When I embrace the opportunity given
I too can be a reflection of God my Creator –
I can be in His presence and allow His presence in me
To be what others see, feel and experience –
God’s presence…..I choose to let it be reflected through me.
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