Spring is here and life and promise really do swirl around us.  Image if we would allow ourselves
to be open to breath of God's goodness.

Whispers of Life and Hope

The trees are Old Growth Douglas Fir and they tower high and stand protectively over this spot along the water. The ferns abound, gathering here and there in orchestrated welcome. This spring the creek is full but not engorged as sometimes it can be as the snow in the higher hills journeys down, through this sanctuary. Rich, clear, clean water pours through a channel carved in the stone creek-bed. It pools around a large rock with room for 10 or more to sit upon it, but today there is only one.

I come here to sit and think. Really I come here to drink in the peace and faithful murmur of this place. I don’t know how it comes to be here or why this land hasn't been “cut and cleared” but I love that it is here. It gives me strength to be here. It gives me hope to know this place exists. I could fish here, but I enjoy sitting silently. I have to hike to get in to this spot but when I arrive, I want nothing more than to be still and listen to the water, the air in the trees, the echo of my thoughts – the whole of the place. The reassurance of this spot speaks to me.

If I were omnipotent and wise, I might love my people with places like this. To meet them quietly and eagerly with such a tender active voice as this setting speaks would be a great delight.

Perhaps in the grandest scheme of things this was build for me, or I was built to yearn for such places and moments as this. When I am here, I simply cannot but pray. Perhaps that is why I journey here, when prayer eludes me. For everything here is alive in prayer and curiously gives life to me. I can only nod my head in grateful thanks of this grace.

God of all that is living, is this the language which you give that, perchance you speak with me? I pray it is so.

Mitch Watney

Psalm 23:1-3a

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

³ he refreshes my soul.

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When it is time to pray, It is also time to ask, "Where is God in the circumstance?"

It is time to invite God to work in this circumstance, to bring loving and creative

life to this event and the lives touched by it. To pray is to ask, what part we can play

in God's touching human lives in a particular place in a unique way, and to open ourselves

to just what that creative act just might be. To watch for it and bear witness to its coming.

To pray, is to be open. To be open, is a great adventure in faith.

Two Watch Together

One of the greatest adventures in faith I have ever embarked upon is the sharing of my life with the one whom I have chosen, who has chosen me. Daily we repeat the vows we have made, with or eyes and with our hearts.

Every day I try to see the world as from her eyes:

To see what she sees, to appreciate her view -- upon the world.

It is a wonder to simply enjoy looking together, at the world before us.

Curiously, there are great moments in life to be had in simply, stopping together, to drink in the last dancing rays of light given off by the sun as it continues on, behind the horizon, away from our view, but not from our appreciation. The warmth of its last few rays rain sweet upon our embrace, and we are one; in our watching and receiving and enjoying.

Seeing a Sunset together is the best way to live it.

Share the light, love the moment and soak it in.

Happy Anniversary my Love; my partner, my flower, my friend.

…and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one.’

Mark 10:8

Listen for when things "Click."

I was lost in my mid twenties, too much education and not enough “out in the world” life experience. As a part of my searching I remembered being a teacher’s assistant for 5^th grade Sunday school when I was in High School. It wasn’t a great experience but I made a few connections with a couple of the kids and with the teacher. I wondered if teaching on my own would be meaningful, so I volunteered. I was quite unsure of how it would all go. The only opening was in the 4,5 and 6 year old class, so I volunteered for that.

As I got into the class a few weeks I discovered that I wasn’t thrilled with the curriculum. So I began to experiment with what was working with the kids. Things like sharing time were fun. Turns out not many people had time to listen to the kids, so when I did, they loved it. We built upon that and began to pray together after sharing time. We prayed like God was a big brother or sister we idolized, who looked after us.

We would play games that explored the lesson for that class; we had snack time and show and tell. It was a great experience. Parents began talking to me about their children’s sharing about class. Turns out our playing and sharing in class was opening the children up to sharing with their parents. “Click” I thought to myself. I still hear from the parents of two of those children. The kids are married and have kids of their own these days but they still remember that Sunday morning time together.

Mark 10:13-16

¹³People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." ¹⁶And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Prayer:

In each of us O Lord, you have given the gift of reaching and touching a few special ones that you wish to draw near to you. Allow us to be the heart and hope thorough which others will draw near to you. Let us offer ourselves to your service until where hear the “click” of your unlocking our lives. Because of the life of Jesus and in his name we pray. Amen.