I am working with two themes this Lenten season 1. Experiencing Beauty instead of Ashes (Isaiah 61) and 2. Experiencing the Love of God
Daily, I am watching for signs of BEAUTY… new leaves on the shrubs and trees, daffodils on the roadside, the laughter and giggles of a one-year-old. This truly takes some practice as the news in Ukraine gets worse by the day and there is mass flooding in Australia, etc. In order to find beauty we have to practice looking for it!
sunset out of ” ashes”
I am also taking the time to acknowledge all the ashes of the last few years…writing them down, journaling about them, and then ripping the papers into pieces to create something beautiful in art. As I created the piece above, I realized that the sunsets are more beautiful when there is smoke in the air….the only positive of the wildfires.
wrapped in love
This week I’ve been setting the timer on my phone and sitting wrapped in a blanket as a symbol of the love of Jesus being wrapped around me. I talked about this as a practice in last week’s freerangefriday. I have discovered I tend to pray for others rather than just BEING present to Jesus and his love. I grab a heart-shaped rock with the word gratitude on it and hold it in my hand to help me focus. I breathe in I AM LOVED. I breathe out my fear. I picture Jesus smiling at me and the tears flow. I write this down…
In the middle of my ashes, YOU are there.
In the middle of my ashes, YOU still love me!
Right Here, as I am.
Ashes and Tears
Surrounded by Light, YOUR Light
Surrounded by YOU
God of LOVE!
I need this reminder every day!
How would our life be lived differently if we truly believed we are loved by God? And that God knows us inside & out…
God knows the good, the bad and the ugly pieces of who we are and God loves us still and longs to be with us!
Julian of Norwich said that “we are not just made by God, we are made of God.” And “For we are so preciously loved by God that we cannot even comprehend”
I long to live in this love!
Take time this weekend to watch for beauty. Take time to create something from the ashes, take some photos of a sunset, bake some cookies, play outside. Take time to laugh! Laughter is healing and beautiful! Take time to sit in the love of Jesus!
#beautyheals
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
If you’d like help processing the ashes of the last few years, take time to do the on line retreat, or the healing course Both involve hands-on activities and art.
Now available as an online course, this virtual retreat will help you to lay out your garment of lament and put on your garment of praise. Gather your joys and release your grief with Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin! Click here for more info!