Category: Nature

May 21st, 2022

5/21/2022

One of the challenges I face in being called to pray for people is that the need often comes from a difficult, sad, tragic, you name it, situation. Thus, I find myself unwittingly dwelling on the negative, and forgetting to give thanks for all the positive.
Case in point: climate change, which for sure can use some prayers. But gratitude is also part of intercessory prayer. We can also notice the beauty around us and give thanks. Balance the negative with the positive.

On my walk and in our yard

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Infinity of God's creations

3/22/2019

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What follows is the post on my cottagebythese.net blog the other day. I want to add a comment about de Waals comment about the gratitude we ‘should’ feel when we take the time to look at God’s creation. Every little piece of lichen brings wonder at the infinity of creations. When I realize that I am one of those individual creations, I am filled with unspeakable gratitude, wonder and humility.

From time to time I write about being in the NOW; it’s one of the ways that helps me be conscious of silence and solitude. I’m pretty HDHD, although such a diagnosis was not “invented” when I was in school (very grateful for that), so I need all these little helps to keep my mind and body quiet and attentive.
     Esther de Wall, in an article in Weavings (July/August 2002), gives a marvelous suggestion of how to stay attentive to the moment:
     i carry with me a magnifying glass—nothing elaborate—one that I can put in a pocket or carry on a string around my neck. Then, whenever I can, I walk slowly and stop and look at whatever it may be, and I find a whole other world—in a leaf, in a small stone, in a twig. But it need not be outside. In my kitchen I enjoy the texture of an orange or the grains of a bowl of sugar.
       What a marvelous time I had with my magnifying glass on my walk yesterday. In rereading her article on my return home, she told me more:
     This is the practice of seeing with detachment—seeing without wanting to own or to possess. It is seeing with total attentiveness, with delight, with wonder, with love, and with reverence. Such a mode of seeing brings with it gratitude for the amazing ingenuity and generosity of a creator God—a God who gives us a world that is rich and filled with wonder.
    I can’t wait to go out today. Or, I can stay in the kitchen.

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Spring walk with God~

4/23/2016

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I must admit how much easier it is to see God’s glorious creation when I am out in the country on a spring walk than when I’m in the city crossing the street on a winter’s day. Spring blossoms are God’s creation par excellence, with no intermediary other than perhaps a gardener. When I walk I clear my mind of the chatter, take in the beauty, and as I say, “Walk around with God.”

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Fall foliage, praise God~

10/15/2015

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Another post on my cottagebythesea blog, and then a few added comments.

“It’s beautiful.” Make the comment about fall foliage in New England and everyone agrees. Have you ever found someone who didn’t? I bet not. During my walks this past week I’ve been thinking about beauty and the idea that there is universal agreement that sun on the turning leaves is beautiful. 100%. Nobody neutral. There are other: sunrises and sunsets; sun on mountains. All from nature, all with sun. All exuding silence, solitude and simplicity.
Undisputed beauty generates from beyond the senses, beyond what my eyes see and what my mind can choose. It comes from deep inside where God (Truth, Soul, the Ineffable, our core, our essence, the Holy) is. Call it what you will, that place and part of us beyond the senses and intellect where the Good resides.

The universal beauty is from God. God’s creation without human meddling or fixing up. God’s creation is beyond judgment. “Be still and know that I am God.” Start with praise for God’s creation. Fall foliage reminds us to do just that. So do sunrises, which is maybe why I have over one thousand beautiful, unique sunrises on my computer and why I miss the cottage by the sea.
One more thought: sun…son..light…Jesus: I am the Light of the world.

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Earth Hour

3/29/2014

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Celebrate Earth Hour TODAY with millions of people around the globe by turning off your lights for one hour, beginning at 8:30pm. For more information, see www.earthhour.org/ AND www.worldwildlife.org/focusearthhour. Thousands of cities and towns in almost every country and territory in the world will participate. "Earth Hour is the single, largest, symbolic mass participation event in the world. Born out of a hope that we could mobilize people to take action on climate change."

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Walking along with St. Francis~

9/20/2013

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Here’s the prayer story behind the duck, cats, butterfly, chickens and lizard that I wrote about yesterday on my cottage blog. It all started along the Arno when I met a stunning duck parading up and down along the wall. Before I knew it I thinking about St. Francis: ‘Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.’

As I continued on across the Ponte Vecchio, spirits lifted by the presence of St. Francis, I knew that I’d see more animals, two at least, maybe three. But then they kept coming, St. Francis’ energy flowing between us. No fear, up close was safe.

Then to top it off, as I made my way to San Miniato, I noticed a church on the path. A simple church, the Church of San Salvatore al Monte, a Franciscan church, of course.

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June 02nd, 2013

6/2/2013

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Today while I was on the Isle of Mull being grateful for God’s creation, my suitcase was delivered to my hotel. I may write more about the experience of dealing with a lost bag for an entire week while on vacation, for now here are a few thoughts about it. First of all, I am very grateful to have the suitcase in my possession. Second, I found traveling light to be very freeing; part of me doesn’t want to open it up. Finally, it never occurred to me to pray that my bag would not be lost, nor even that I would even get it back. Um, much more to ponder.

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May 21st, 2022

On my walk and in our yard

Infinity of God's creations

Spring walk with God~

Fall foliage, praise God~

Earth Hour

Walking along with St. Francis~

June 02nd, 2013

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