Carol to the Creator

My aunt was a poet. She was also much, much more ~ but she was a poet. I am lucky to have copies of many of her poems. I will read them slowly, savoring her words. Recently I was privileged to fill in and lead my contemplative prayer group. I used one of her poems as a meditation piece for us:

Creator of the universe vast, 
Of worlds that dance in space 

These are the first lines of her poem and the words that spoke to me were universe vast. The photo below was the sky the morning as I prepared ~ the horizon glowing with the sun that was about to rise, and the sky brightened by the moon and the stars about to disappear (of course I had to run for my camera).

The moon and stars seem so far - how can there be more of the universe beyond them? The universe is the seen and unseen existing alongside each other. God has given us this place - "sun-kissed earth, fruitful garden;" given us life, given us love. Given freely to us - in grace & love through Jesus. 

And I am mindful of my smallness in this, God's world. Yet God knows my name, knows & cares for me, even loves me among all of His creation, all of the universe vast. How small, yet great I am if He knows me.

His arms extend to me & beckon me to come, come home. To live in the garden again, to feel the sun, to know love and offer love. To wonder. To believe.

Pray with me: Lord Jesus, Creator God, Spirit of life & love - open my heart to the vast beauty of your world and the vast expanse of your love. Let me live in you for all my days. Amen.

A CAROL TO THE CREATOR

Creator of the universe vast, 

Of worlds that dance in space, 

To us you gave this sun-kissed earth, 

This fruitful garden place, 

Bright token of your grace, 

Bright token of heavenly grace.

Creator of the spark of life,

In elephant, bee, and dove, 

To us you give more radiant flames, 

Of thought, and joy, and love, 

Enkindled from above, 

Enkindled by heavenly love. 

Margaret A. Weber

May 28, 1981

in-between moments

This week between Christmas and the new year always leaves me a little bit unsettled and anxious. I  celebrate the birth of Jesus, the baby in a manger who will somehow save us all. I reflect on the year that is just about gone ~ what did I accomplish, where did I fall short, and what is left undone. And I look forward to a new year, a time for new beginnings, and I ask, "Lord, what will you have me do*?" Goals and resolutions and vision and planning anyone? I'm raising my hand here, just in case you can't see. But what about right now, today, this moment? It feels a little in-between. Between what has been and what is to come. It feels a little like holding my breath.

I wonder about Mary, in those in-between moments after Jesus' birth and before the world knew who he was. Did she feel anxiety about her little boy and what would come for him? I'm sure she did. Yet, in her faith and grace, she did this very difficult thing. She carried him as a baby and she cared for him and loved him. In the good moments, the not so good moments, and the in-between moments.

Looking at the past can bring insight, clarity, and self-knowledge. Looking to the future can bring hope and inspiration. But I cannot forget the in-between moments. Because those moments are the foundation of our lives. It is here; it is now; it is present to us. The in-between moments are the only ones we have to live. 

So today, reflect on the past, hope in the future, and
live, really live in-between.
May we find faith and grace like Mary to say "Yes, Lord."


*taken from For His Sake, a prayer of The Order of the Daughters of the King

Little Stings

Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them.
   -From For Today prayer by Phillips Brooks, taken from Forward Day by Day

I read this prayer every morning, and for the last month or so this line has jumped out at me and taken root in my soul. Making me pay attention even when I really didn't want to. I was focused on the not "minding little stings," more than the "giving them." Trying not to listen to little stings aimed at me; to forgive when I felt them. I didn't really think about my giving them. Because I'm a nice person right? I try not to do or say those little stings that could hurt someone. This surely didn't mean me. But then something happened to make me look at this a little differently.

I was driving along, minding my own business, when the car in front of me suddenly slowed and turned right, causing me to hit my brakes rather hard and yell out, "Well, I guess that fancy, expensive BMW didn't come with turn signals." Rather benign, and they couldn't even hear me. So that's OK, right? I didn't give them a little sting. Agreed? And I'll admit here, between you and me... this wasn't the first time I've yelled this (or other snarky remarks) in my car. Or the first time I've muttered less than good things under my breath.

But this line kept coming into my head and I had a big realization. Yes, this is about giving little stings to others, in ways that cause them hurt. AND it is about the hurt and damage done to ourselves when we think them (or yell them inside our car). It is about the little stings we think about ourselves to ourselves.

It isn't just in the aloudness that hurt is done to others or to us. It is how we disrespect ourselves when we let that little sting into our hearts at all. It's how that seed of darkness and negativity takes root and then can run away with us - much more than we realize. Little stings can, well, sting. Little stings can grow big. Whether directed at others or at ourselves; by others or ourselves.

I pray, Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them. Yet, I am only human and in my humanity I will, in all likelihood, sling that little sting again. Being mindful is the first step in changing my heart. Repenting and asking for forgiveness is essential. Becoming the person God intends me to be means paying attention to my thoughts, as well as my words and actions - no matter which direction they are aimed.

So, to God, and the driver of the BMW, I ask for your Grace.

Faith to sustain

I used this quote from Bishop Edmond Lee Browning's book A Year of Days with the Book of Common Prayer for the Daily Inspiration on November 16, 2018:

"What we need is a faith that will sustain us when all evidence is to the contrary."

After the recent tragedies in Southern California - more violence/shootings, catastrophic wildfires & the ensuing loss of life and property, and all the other devastating events, it is easy for our faith to waver. To question where God is in the midst of all this. To feel hopeless.

But that is the wrong course. We cannot know the mind of God, nor know the "why" of any events that occur. It is in these times in our lives that we need to remember the goodness of God. And to look for it wherever we can. Always, always, after these terrible events there comes to light the stories of hope. Those people who give of themselves to help others, who risk themselves to save others, the miraculous survival. The media call these "human interest" stories and cover them almost as an afterthought. But they are so much more. They are found in every disaster. They are the best of us. They are the light in the darkness.

We cannot stop suffering in the world. We cannot heal this world. Yet we can be kind to one another, look out for one another, take time to really listen to one another, we can pray for one another. We can hold fast to our faith in a God that gave his own son for us. We can let our faith sustain us.

Bishop Browning closes the meditation with this,

Do we always feel our faith running briskly through our hearts? Maybe not. But like those holy women [the first at the tomb after Jesus had risen], we can keep right on walking and trusting in our God, and God will reward our trust."

Wise words for these times.

Walk with me. Walk in love. Walk in faith. Walk with God.


Note: I haven't written in a long time, letting the Daily Inspiration do all the talking & inspiring (see tab 2018 Daily Inspiration to the right). I'm drawn to write again, to share thoughts about God's presence in our lives and will be writing more regularly here. If you'd like to follow this blog, please sign up on the right. Please visit the God Speaks in the little things Facebook page also - link on the right. 

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A New Year - a new web address

Thank you all for your support in 2017 with God Speaks in the little things! There is now a new web address for this blog

www.godspeaksinthelittlethings.com

The web address you have will direct you here, but please make note of the new one - and it's a little easier to remember!!

There is also a Facebook page (facebook.com/GodSpeaksinthelittlethings). The Daily Inspiration started in mid-2017 - sharing scripture, quotes, prayers, etc. with a photograph (almost) every day. The inspiration pages can be found just under the large photograph, as well as on the FB page. And, late in 2017, an email list for the Daily Inpsiration was created. There has been growth and encouragement happening here. Thanks be to God!!

Looking forward to seeing what wonders God will work in our lives - especially in the little things, the little moments, as the ordinary becomes the extraordinary!! Many, many blessings to you on this start of a New Year.

WEDDING FUN & a message for the world

A couple of weeks ago I was so happy to attend pre-wedding festivities, the wedding, and the reception for a friend and colleague. She's Indian, and her culture really celebrates weddings! She invited me to share in all the different ceremonies and fun times so I could learn about her culture and experience something new.

One of the most personally moving of these experiences came at the wedding. While all the family and friends had been gracious, I still felt a bit like a fish out of water. Especially at the temple. I had no idea of where to go or what to do. I only knew from my friend that I had to cover my head, take off my shoes and sit on the floor. I didn't want to do anything to offend anyone. So I was hanging out on the fringes, by myself. I was approached by a woman with her husband and daughter who thought I looked very familiar and couldn't figure out where she knew me from. I knew we hadn't met before because I was so far from home. She asked me why I was standing there by myself. I related I just didn't really want to get in the way and wasn't quite sure of where to go. She took me by the hand and said, "Oh no, you come with me," and off we went. Yasmine took me under her wing and helped me feel a part of the wedding. She made sure I could see when the Groom/Bride families met outside the temple, I sat with her family for tea (and lunch after the wedding), and she continued to watch over me and sit with me once we went inside the temple for the wedding. I'm so sorry I didn't get a photo of her and her family.

A peek of Yasmine in the lavender, just in front of the woman in magenta

One of my friends, when I told her this story, said, "God sent an angel to guide you!"
Yes, indeed. And here's the truly amazing part of this story - you see,

Yasmine is a Muslim, who befriended this Christian, at a wedding at the Sikh Gurdwara temple.

Graciousness, hospitality, love of family and friends - isn't that what the world needs more of?

This post excerpted from the full version - more of the festivities and more photographs, available on Dawn Switzer Photography. Link at top right.