Saturday was one of the most beautiful days of my life. Surrounded by friends and colleagues, Tom and I were honoured by the people of Circlewood, as we celebrated the dedication of the almost completed first building of Circlewood village on Camano Island. Tom and I poured a lot of time, energy and resource into this land over the last 30 years, meeting regularly on the land for Celtic retreats, digging a well and getting planning permission for this building. Some of you may remember that 7 years ago the building was vandalized and the windows smashed. The death of a dream that took the stuffing out of our sails.
It was very emotional to visit the building now with new windows installed, electricity and water connected and an almost completed interior, the beginning of the realization of a new dream rising from the ashes of the old. We did not expect however that this first building would be named after us. It is now The Sine Center for Ecological Learning and will become a place dedicated to the greening of faith. It is our strong belief that in the future we will need more such sites at which people of faith can learn more about an eco-centered theology and a sustainable way of life. We are privileged to be a part of this movement.
On Monday Circlewood published a podcast response to the elections and our growing concerns for earth care. In this urgent no-frills episode, James and Forrest offer thoughts on how we might care for ourselves AND how we can persist and persevere in our calling as earthkeepers.
Change is in the air. You don’t need me to tell you this, but I am sure that like me you need help on negotiating that change. There is no better way to prepare for change than to begin Advent early this year and join with me and groups all around the world who are celebrating Celtic Advent together. Rest, relax, refocus are some of the words I read as I look around social media this week and I think that celebrating Celtic Advent is a great way to experience all three. This week I am reconfiguring my sacred space to help me focus throughout the season. I have pulled out my Celtic Advent wreath, some of my Celtic crosses and other Advent symbols and am busy tidying my desk and arrange the new objects. I am also using Mary Fleeson’s Inspired: How To Manual for Creating Scrap Weavings as inspiration for a project that I can embark on throughout Advent. And of course, I will be reading Celtic Advent: Following An Unfamiliar Path each day, because to be honest when one is writing a book it has a totally different impact from when one uses it as a devotional. I also plan to post a special series of spiritual reflections and practices prompted by the ideas in the book and others that I read in conjunction with it. This special series will be available to paid subscribers only so I hope you will consider supporting this venture in this way. I really appreciate those who continue to contribute to my ongoing work. It makes a huge difference and I am excited about the new endeavours it will make possible next year as well, including another year of Liturgical Rebels podcast episodes.
In Meditation Monday: – Tips for Navigating Change, I posted some other suggestions on how to cope with the upcoming changes we will face, and for all of us, whether we are pleased or despondent about the U.S. election results will face changes, and most of us like to resist change. Negotiating those changes will be challenging. I hope these suggestions help.
On Godspacelight, in Freerange Friday Lilly Lewin posted an inspiring post Freerange Friday: When All Else Fails Bake Cookies in which she shares her experiences of baking cookies and then sharing them around her neighbourhood. On Wednesday we posted the 20th Episode of Liturgical Rebels and the last in our series on Celtic Spirituality, a delightful interview with David Cassian Cole who inspired my own journey into Celtic Christian Spirituality. I hope you have enjoyed this series which is a great preparation for Celtic Advent and a lead up to our celebration which begins on Friday.
As Celtic Advent begins, my Gratitude season is ending, culminating in American Thanksgiving next week. If you are looking for prayer and ideas for the season you may like to check out the following posts:
My favourite Thanksgiving Prayers
As I mentioned last week we are rapidly approaching the end of the liturgical year too and the last Sunday of the year (November 24th this year) is Christ the King Sunday is well worth checking out.
As we walk through this very challenging season I was reminded of this prayer from a couple of years ago that keeps revolving in my mind. I feel is even more important today:
Love is God’s language,
May we learn to speak it fluently.
Love is God’s culture,
May we learn to live it joyfully.
Love is God’s image,
May we learn to mirror it faithfully.
Many blessings
Christine Sine
by Christine Sine
This last week was a challenging one for many of us. For some it meant rejoicing and affirmation of deeply held beliefs, for others despair and grief over unwelcome changes. Whatever our beliefs, these next few months will be a time of transition and transitions mean change. They are always challenging, sometimes painful. They can turn our world upside down and often help us clarify what is important and of value to us. Underneath it all, we crave stability and tend to resist change. We want to hold onto the familiar and the comforting. The leeks and garlic of Egypt, all that sustained us in our past lives, beckon us.
Ironically, change is one of the few constants in our world. Like the sunset above, there is little constancy in the world around us. It changes from moment to moment, day to day, season to season. In this context we embrace and welcome it. Yet in our lives it unsettles and often disturbs us.
The changes in our lives are usually marked by deliberate steps we take that say life is going to be different this is how I will step into it. Sometimes these are voluntary steps, at other times we feel they are forced upon us. Jesus marked transition times with unexpected and sometimes radical actions. He heralded his move into adulthood (at the age of 12) by staying behind in Jerusalem to ask questions of the religious leaders (Luke 3:46). He inaugurated his ministry with 40 days in the desert (Luke 4:2) and he marked his transition towards the cross by a deliberate and determined walk towards Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). Jesus knew when it was time to say “life is going to be different in the future” and he knew how to prepare for those changes.
We are about to transition into a new season – in the church calendar from ordinary time to a new church year – Advent is coming fast, for those of us who celebrate Celtic Advent that begins at the end of this week. I am getting ready for that change by redecorating my desk and of course preparing to read Celtic Advent: Following An Unfamiliar Path
Many are also transitioning into new stages in their lives. Some are leaving school to start new jobs. Others are moving across the country or even across the world.
We are also getting ready for the changes that a new presidency will bring not just to the U.S. but to the world. Some face these changes with fear and trepidation, others with rejoicing and delight. Whatever the changes we face transitions often make us feel insecure, uncertain, anxious about circumstances we cannot control. They are never easy. How do we prepare? How do we make the most of this new season and the impact it has on our lives and those we care about?
Transitions require us to identify the stability points that will not change.
The place to start as we face transition is not with what is changing but what is not changing. What are the stability points that provide anchors and keep me strong throughout change?
Part of what I have reflected on over the last few weeks is the foundations of my faith in the goodness of a loving God who cares for all creation not just the humans on our planet. I believe God has a tend heart towards the marginalized and abandoned. This is the bedrock of my life that I know should not change. I need the security of knowing that not everything will change. I need to be able to stand firm in my faith as well as in my important relationships.
Question: What do I need to hold onto that will strengthen my faith and beckon me towards God’s love?
Transitions require deliberate steps towards change.
It is easy to settle into the familiar patterns of the past and not consciously work towards the changes God wants us to make. Routines provide comfort for us and when they change we are often disoriented and destabilized. Suddenly there are lots of new options out there for us. We don’t know what we should be doing. Some of the new options look scary. Their unfamiliarity might be intimidating. It is easier to look back and criticize or grieve over what we are forced to leave behind than to look forward and live in expectation of the new. Deliberately working towards change is a very important and at times painful journey for us.
Question: What do I long for that I should be letting go of? What is God challenging me to grab hold of that I am reluctant to grasp?
Transitions require the creation of new boundaries and new rituals.
When Tom and I stepped down from the leadership of Mustard Seed Associates we embarked on a major remodel in our house. As part of that remodel I moved the desk in my office so that it is not longer the focal point of my space. My corner became primarily a sacred space and only secondarily a work space. It was part of the transition, part of the establishing of new boundaries and new rituals. It provided a new environment for both of us to work in and encouraged us to establish new practices and new priorities. Over the seven years since then my refocused space has become a haven for me a place that reflects both change and stability.
Then we went on a major trip for our 25th wedding anniversary, taking 6 weeks off to travel Europe, visit some of our favourite people and places and set boundaries around what had been and what was to come. We both came back refreshed, renewed and ready to start on new things.
Question: What changes may be necessary in your physical environment to prepare for the spiritual changes ahead?
Transitions require space and time for dreaming new dreams.
Transition time is busy time. It is easy to fill our days without really thinking about the future. Sometimes the dreams that moved us towards transition seem to get lost in the process.
We need to take to time to breathe, to sit still and reflect. Clearing our calendars for a season, going on retreat, taking time to allow God to renew and refocus us is essential. Tom and I will be going on retreat just after Christmas to reflect on the past year and look forward to the coming year. As many of you know this is something we do every six months. It helps keep us oriented on what really matters and equips us to weather change in the best ways possible.
Question: What space is necessary for dreaming new dreams for the future?
Transitions require companions for the journey.
As part of my transition away from Mustard seed Associates, I engaged with a new spiritual director and a life coach to help me move into this new season of my life. I also read a lot and sort the counsel of a broad array of friends and wise counsellors. I had lots of ideas that I thought were from God but realized I could move into the journey God had for me without help. Some of those ideas were lost and will never be fulfilled, others slowly came to fruition. I am at a similar transition place now, not just because of the U.S. election but because of other changes in my life and family. One of my friends told me very bluntly recently “Don’t take on another project without seeking my advice.”
We all need companions who can walk beside us, as well as those who can guide and help direct us into new seasons of life.
Question: Who are the companions and advisors that help you through transition?
Transitions cannot be rushed.
When I go through major transition season I always hope for a brief, sometimes painful phase and then pray everything will settle down again without too much hassle. However I know from experience that transitions usually take months if not years. It is easy to get impatient, to try to redirect what is happening, to give birth prematurely. This is not a season to hurry through. The season between conception and birth is essential and even after that there is a long and sometimes slow season of growth until maturity.
Question: How have we tried to hurry or redirect the transition process and tried to give birth prematurely?
What is your response?
Maybe you are not in a major transition time, maybe it is only the brief transition of changing seasons, but I am sure that the next few months holds some form of minor transition that require the same kinds of questions I am asking. Perhaps you are starting a new school year. Or you may be preparing for a new liturgical season. Or, preparing for the coming of winter or summer depending on which hemisphere you live in.
Sit and reflect on the transitions in your own life. What is God saying to you at this time that could help you through the days ahead?
By Lilly Lewin
The presidential election of 2024 is over. It’s’ been a week. A heavy week. I have had anxiety and dread about this election since January.The tense division, the us verses them mentality, the anger, the verbal hatred and the threats of violence have kept many of us on edge and living in the land of anxiety. I’ve been envious of my Canadian friends as they only have to endure 50 days of an election season. Thanks to our process here in America, we don’t seem to ever get a break. And I detest how much money is spent on adverts and promotions for a campaign. I think often how we could solve so many problems here…hunger, homeless, etc with the amounts of money raised for campaigning. When one short commercial on TV has a 3 million dollar price tag, I know we have lost our way.
Last week I was truly dreading the election. I didn’t have anything to say for freerangefriday…I just felt numb. But over the weekend God changed my heart and I realized I needed to change through action. I realized that regardless of who won, I was called to love my neighbors so I decided that I would put some love and light out into the world in the form of Chocolate Chip Cookies. We have had several new people move into our neighborhood and I hadn’t met them or welcomed them yet. In Pre-covid times I did this a lot, but I’ve been out of practice making cookies and meeting the neighbors. So on Sunday I made a double batch of chocolate chip cookies with dark, milk, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. I walked next door and met the new family who just moved in with their 5 month old little girl. I met the new neighbors who moved in behind us who have young adult daughters. I reintroduced myself to the young woman who moved in a couple of doors down who was dog sitting for her parents. Then I headed down the hill.
Last week we had an altercation in our neighborhood whatsapp group that worried me. One person made a snide remark about the new family that moved into the old duplex at the bottom of the hill. This made me really interested in meeting them. I had noticed that they shared both sides of the duplex as the kids went in and out. I had noticed while walking the dog that they had laundry hanging outside. Not usually a normal thing in our neighborhood as everyone has a clothes dryer. The new family in the duplex is amazing! They are refugees being resettled by the UN. They have only been in Nashville for three weeks. And only two weeks in our neighborhood. They accepted my cookies and welcomed me into their home and served me tea. I got to meet the kids and we had a fun time figuring out words and translation together. I asked the kids if they liked art because it didn’t look like they had much to play with yet. They said yes so I returned later in the day with a basket filled with art supplies, bubbles and books.( Having a garage filled with experiential worship gear is a real plus! ) We talked about their need for jobs and for a washer and dryer. I called a couple of neighbors and we are going to see if we can get them some appliances. This was all on the day of the election! Meeting these wonderful people who have been through so much brought me both hope and joy.
On Election night our thinplace house church met and shared communion together. We shared poems, scripture and songs that are bringing us peace and hope right now. We have people who vote differently but we are able to love each other deeply. We prayed Psalm 146 together and listened to (lectio diva) Mark 12:28-34 . Take some time to read through the passages and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
Psalm 146
146:1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
146:2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
146:4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.
146:5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God,
146:6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
146:7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
146:8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
146:9 The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
146:10 The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD!
MARK 12: 28-34 ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
MARK 12: 28-34 FIRST NATIONS TRANSLATION
28One of the scroll keepers overheard Creator Sets Free (Jesus) opposing the Upright Ones. When he heard the good answer he had given, he asked him, “Which instruction in our tribal law stands first?”
29“The first and greatest instruction is this,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered. “‘Hear me, O tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel), there is only one Great Spirit and Maker of us all. 30You must love the Great Spirit with your whole being—with the strength of your arms, the thoughts of your mind, and the courage of your heart.’
31“The second instruction is like the first,” he added. “You must love your fellow human beings in the same way you love yourselves. There is no other instruction greater than these.”
32“Wisdomkeeper,” said the scroll keeper with a smile, “you have answered well and spoken the truth, for the Great Spirit is One and there is none other except him. 33To love him with your whole being—with the strength of your arms, the thoughts of your mind, and the courage of your heart, and to love your fellow human beings in the same way you love yourselves—is far greater than all ceremonies and offerings we make to the Great Spirit.”
34When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) heard the scroll keeper’s wise answer, he said, “You are not far from Creator’s good road.”
After that, no one dared to ask him any other questions.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
What are you feeling today? Talk to Jesus about where you are. There are no wrong answers or emotions.
Consider you neighborhood, work, school, etc. Do these places change according to who won the election? Why or why not?
What about the people in your neighborhood, work etc? Do you change how you love them according to who won the election?
Sit with the Gospel and the Psalm and the other scriptures that have been shared and let Jesus speak to you. What do you notice? What does the Holy Spirit Highlight for you?
A Prayer of Confession. From The Book of Common Prayer, Seabury Press, 1979
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
How can you get to know your neighbors? Who might need some cookies to brighten their day? How can you practice loving God and Loving your neighbors …even the ones who don’t look or think like you in the days ahead?
PRAY FOR AMERICA
We are in need of healing as a Nation.
Our country is divided and there is much pain & fear.
There is much anger and hostility.
And too much Us vs Them.
There are layers of brokenness and systems of evil and oppression that have deep roots.
How do we bring the Love of Jesus into all of this?
How can we be people who bring HEALING, who bring LOVE ? As Followers, Disciples of Jesus, who are about BLESSING how do we bring HOPE to our neighbors and our neighborhoods?
ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU
Hear this Benediction and Prayer of Protection for your spirit , for you to hold above all things your identity as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Rev Jes Kast
When others hate, may you love.
When others curse, may you bless.
When others hurt, may you heal.
When others divide, may you unite,
When others rage, may you calm.
When others deny, may you affirm.
You are a servant of the Light
You need not to be afraid of the darkness.
God strengthen you to carry on with your work and faithfully live who you are in Christ:
Love for the stranger, Love for enemy, Love for neighbor. AMEN
Based on a prayer by Steven Charleston, Native American Theologian and former Episcopal Bishop of Alaska
Seek joy in God and peace within; seek to rest in the good, the true, and the beautiful. It’s the only resting place that also allows us to hear and bear the darkness. RICHARD ROHR
What a day November 5th was.
In Australia it was Melbourne Cup Day. This is an annual course race held in Melbourne, on the first Tuesday of November and is known as “the race that stops the nation”. It has been run every year since 1861 except during WW I & II and has been a public holiday in much of Victoria since 1876. And it really does stop the nation, and much of New Zealand as well. I remember as a high school student how the teachers would mysteriously disappear at 3 pm, leaving us students to listen on our own radios to what was happening. And everyone gambled on the race. Even my mother, a teacher, who would never think of gambling always entered the school sweepstakes and inevitably won the prize. This year, one of my brothers entered in memory of my mother, and laughingly bet on Knight’s Choice at 100 to 1. True to form, Mum won with one of the biggest upsets in the race’s history.
Why am I telling this story? Well as all of you know, here in the U.S. November 5th is election day, and even though I do not know the results at the time I am writing this, I do know that whoever wins, it will be a huge upset to many. It will certainly go down in history as one of the most divisive and chaotic campaigns ever and whatever the outcome my prayer is that love will win over hate and peace over violence and that in spite of our disagreements we will reach for reconciliation and unity rather than division and disunity.
This week has been a rather disorienting one for me as I flew home to Seattle from Australia on Friday and still feel as though I am halfway across the Pacific. It was a wonderful trip, and part of what is helping me to adjust is wandering round the neighbourhood and my garden soaking in the beauty of autumn with the brilliantly coloured leaves still hanging on to the trees. In Meditation Monday – Jet Lagged, I talked about this and about the contrast between the season I entered in Australia and the season I returned to in Seattle. An amazing gift God gave us, this ability to adapt to such changes.
Friday, in my Substack Spiritual Practice post, I focused not on the usual All Saints Day, Halloween or Day of the Dead, but on Looking for Circles Day. And I didn’t have to look further than my fingerprints for my inspiration. I hope that you too will use this post to inspire you to both examine and reflect on your fingerprints and the wonder of this unique gift God gives to each of us.
My next big news is that it is time to get ready for Advent, at least for Celtic Advent. If you have not yet purchased your copy of Celtic Advent: Following An Unfamiliar Path, now is a good time to do so. I am delighted to see how many plan to use this as a group study book for the season. People as far away as Bangkok, London and Sydney will gather on zoom or in person to reflect on the daily readings and its impact on their lives. I too plan to contribute additional thoughts, ideas and activities for the season. I hope that you will join this celebration and let us know what you plan and how you will use Celtic Advent.
In conjunction with the launch of my book, as you know, I have been conducting a series on Celtic Christian Spirituality on my podcast Liturgical Rebels. Today, we publish the last in this series, an interview with David Cole or Brother Cassian Cole who was one of my inspirations for joining the Celtic way of Advent. David is the Founder and executive director of Waymark Ministries and an international spiritual teacher and retreat leader. He is the author of 8 books including Celtic Advent. He is a certified Reiki practitioner with a Masters’ degree in ‘Christian Spirituality’, specialising in the Christian mystics. He wrote his thesis on how historic Celtic Christianity can inform New Monastic ideas of Discipleship.
You might have noticed that traffic on godspacelight has ground to a halt. Lilly Lewin was unable to post her Freerange Friday and in my jet lagged state I forgot to post as well. However there are a number of resources available on Godspacelight that you might like to check out. Last week I highlighted the Advent in A Jar resource, but there are a couple of other free downloads you might like to check out – Colour Your Way Through Advent and Christmas and Waiting – A Collection of Poems by Jeannie Kendall. We are rapidly approaching the end of the liturgical year too and the last Sunday of the year (November 24th this year) is Christ the King Sunday. And for those who are skeptical about this celebration, let me assure you that the resources I tend to favour are a little out of the ordinary. As I say: Jesus knew the popular images of kings and lords and redefined them. In God’s resurrection world, in order to be a ruler of all, Jesus must become a servant of all. Jesus demonstrated this servanthood in his life and miracles. Even the Incarnation is an example of this: God the Son, King of all creation, humbled himself to become human, even sharing the ultimate fate of his captive subjects: death.
Many blessings on all of you in this trying season. Let me end with a prayer that is based on a prayer by Steven Charleston, Native American Theological and former Episcopal Bishop of Alaska.
When others hate, may you love,
When others curse, may you bless.
When others hurt, may you heal.
When others divide, may you unite.
When others rage, may you calm.
When others deny, may you affirm.
You are a servant of the light.
You need not be afraid of the darkness.
God strengthen you to carry on with your work
And faithfully live who you are in Christ:
Love for stranger, love for enemy, love for neighbour.
Amen
Many blessings
Christine Sine
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In this conversation, David Cassian shares his journey into Celtic spirituality, detailing his early experiences and the accidental yet transformative encounters that shaped his spiritual path. He discusses the founding of Waymark Ministries, which focuses on sharing insights from Celtic Christianity and mysticism. The conversation also delves into the significance of Celtic Advent, its unique structure which includes three sets of 40 days, and the reception of Cassian’s book on the subject. Additionally, the role of women in Celtic leadership is highlighted, along with practical advice for celebrating Celtic Advent amidst the busyness of the season.
David Cassian Cole is the Founder and Executive Director of Waymark Ministries; he is an international Spiritual Teacher and Retreat Leader; he has lectured in Christian & Bible Colleges; has appeared in numerous television programs; is an award winning author of 8 books, including ‘Celtic Advent’, as well as being part of collaborative published writings; and was Deputy Guardian of The Community of Aidan & Hilda, a Celtic-inspired New Monastic Order that he was a member of for 20 years.
He has been a full time Church Minister and Teaching Pastor in different churches and is qualified in ‘Spiritual Care’ (holistic care and pastoral counselling); as well as being a certified Reiki practitioner; he holds a Masters’ degree in ‘Christian Spirituality’, specializing in the Christian mystics, and writing his thesis on how historic Celtic Christianity can inform New Monastic ideas of Discipleship.
More about David Cassian’s work can be found at Waymark Ministries
In this conversation, Christine Sine interviews Mary Fleeson, an artist inspired by Celtic spirituality and the natural beauty of Lindisfarne. Mary shares her artistic journey, the influence of ancient manuscripts, and how her faith shapes her work. The discussion also explores the meditative process of creating art, the evolution of materials used in her craft, and the inspiration she draws from music and nature. Mary highlights her current projects and aspirations, emphasizing the importance of making art accessible and meaningful.
Mary Fleeson has lived on Holy Island, just off the coast of Northumberland, UK since 1997. She studied textiles at college then gained an honours degree in Three-Dimensional Design in 1992. About her work Mary thinks that her style originates from doodling in lessons at school (!) combined with opportunities during her education to experiment with many different types of media and techniques.
Together with her Christian faith, living on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and being surrounded by its natural beauty and visible history, is the greatest inspiration for Mary’s work; a feeling of being part of a rich cycle of life which began in pre-history and encompasses extremes of peace and violence, poverty and prosperity. She also studies early manuscripts and ancient calligraphy from around the world to gain an insight into how calligraphy and illumination have enhanced works, both religious and secular, throughout the ages.
Over the last 25 years Mary has created over 120 pieces of artwork that sell as prints and greeting cards and has written and designed over 75 books including devotional, prayer, poetry and colouring books. Alongside creating illuminated art and writing Mary creates meditational weaving made from found scraps and yarn and enjoys teaching people how to create celtic knots.
Mary Fleeson and her work can be found on the Lindisfarne Scriptorium facebook page and website.
Another wonderful week to soak up the beauty of my favourite world city. I have delighted in ferry trips on the harbour, watched whales breaching off the coast, been awakened by the kookaburras, and drunk in the wonder of the Australian bush with its blue gums, Waratahs and banksias. It has been a special time of visits with friends and family gatherings laughing and crying together as we mourned my brother Nick.
It is hard to believe that my time in Australia is almost over and on Friday I will wing my way back to Seattle. I am longing to see Tom again, but am not looking forward to the cold and rainy weather or to the last days of hype before the American elections. There is much to ponder as I travel. As usual when homeward bound, I will journal about my trip and seek to discern lessons that God wants to teach me through it. I took a lot of photos, and looking back over them as I fly is a great way to not just remind myself of all I experienced but also to stir reflection, insight and connection to God’s presence within my trip.
My Meditation Monday – The Circle of Seasons is an indication of some of the direction my thoughts are taking. As I pause after the completion of Celtic Advent – Following An Unfamiliar Path. I am not just pondering what the next project might be but also what new practices might help me continue to move towards a faith that is intertwined with every aspect of life. The place I like to start, as I discussed in my post is with the liturgical calendar and the insights it brings to my faith. I hope you enjoy the links to resources and books that I provided in the post. My apologies to those of you who usually access this through godspacelight.com. Because of my travels I did not have time to publish it on the blog.
Lilly Lewin with her Freerange Friday: Jesus Heals the Blind Man did not disappoint. However, like her, I want to choose to follow Jesus on the pilgrimage of love. You might also like to check out her Freerange Friday: Halloween Candy Prayers in which she gives some wonderful examples of ways to pray using Halloween candy and its wrappers.
In the midst of the challenging season we face, I find myself reaching for prayers and psalms to strengthen me. This week it was Psalm 86. I read it over several times today, relishing the words written millennia ago. They remind me of the constancy of our God and as often happens, today too, out of a time of deep prayer and reflection God spoke to me.
First I was reminded of the image above – a powerful image from one of the Wild Goose Festivals I attended many years ago.
Then as I reflected on the image, my words too were crafted into prayer and praise.
God almighty, creator of the universe
Holy and righteous One, loving and caring One
Into your hands I commit my life.
My body, my soul and my spirit belong to you.
Guide me to the wholeness hidden deep within,
The light in dark and broken places
That flickers and shines with hope and promise of renewal.
God ever present, Architect of all that is, all that was and all that will be,
Faithful and true One, gracious and merciful One,
Weave the wonder of your love
Into the tapestry of my life.
I will stir the dawn with praise and thanksgiving.
I will brighten the day with joyful shouts.
I will delight in your eternal presence.
Your greatness is beyond compare.
Your truth is a canopy in the heavens.
Your mercy stands firm around the earth.
Holy One, Sacred Three,
Your glory fills the universe,
I give myself to you.
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Christine Sine
Substack: Walking In Wonder
Author of The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices for Delighting In God
Host of The Liturgical Rebels Podcast
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