Sabbath in a Sanctuary of the Oaks

"Faith sees a beautiful blossom in a bulb, 

a lovely garden in a seed, and a giant oak in an acorn."

William Arthur Ward

Photograph by Lisa Moreland

Today's Sabbath was experienced 

in the sanctuary of the Oaks.

Paths lace the curvature of a creek and its pooling ponds that flow through the neighborhood. Decades of consistent water has populated the shoreline with a variety of stately Oak trees. Their diversity is never more apparent than in autumn, as acorns of every size, various patterns, and a range of color cascade from leafy canopies, down through the limbs, to cover the ground with an abundance of uniquely capped nuts. 

Photograph by Lisa Moreland

Their scattered presence speaks boldly to the soul.  Boldly, as evidence of the Creator's mandate for diversity in all species.  Boldly, as examples of His sustaining provision in all seasons. Boldly, according to St. Bonaventure, as an inscription of God's "footprint", along with all things that cover the earth. 

"God writes the Gospel, 
not in the Bible alone, 
but also on trees, 
and in the flowers and clouds and stars."

Martin Luther

~

May your Sabbath be filled with God's tender presence and reassurance,

Lisa

Linking with these faith writers: Spiritual Sundays, Scripture & a Snapshot,  & Coffee for the Heart. Click on the links to read more posts. 

Morning's Stillness

In early spring wind off the waves brushed gently against our faces with soft touches of warmth and great moist whiffs of the sea. Pants legs rolled up to sink feet in the white bounty of coastal sand and surf. We walked. The wind swept through the mind, carrying the burdens of living far out to sea. I point out the scurrying Sand Pipers and he scours the beds of washed up shells for beauty.

Sand glistens in the way of gems, reflecting light from facets of uncountable grains, all broken, polished, and scattered across the beach. Treasures of the sea cast onto the shore, sourced from rock, shells, and marine life, mingled in tidal deposits washed up by waves. 

As I recall myself bowing over the sand, scanning the collection tumbled onto the beach, I ponder how similar this image could be to holy God gazing down from celestial heights onto the minute beings of humanity. Certainly, the diverse bits of shells, rock, driftwood, the occasional gull’s feather, or dried sand dollar ~ certainly, such a collection is loosely symbolic of humankind’s wide range of color and form in varying stages of wave tossed brokenness. I ponder the scriptures that assure us that our Creator follows the journey of each remnant of life and gathers it all for redeemed purpose.

And I walked, 

heart full to bursting, 

contemplating the divinely guided galaxies in the cosmos 

replicated in small earthly microcosms 

for human eyes to witness 

the magnitude 

and detail 

of God’s power.

The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and has founded His vaulted dome over the earth,

He who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth,

The Lord is His name.

Amos 9:6

~

Linking to Still Saturday, Sunday Stillness, Weekend Brew, Tell His Story. Click on their buttons below to join the community of posts.

Art & Spiritual Vitality

Faith filled living, for some of us, includes the visual arts. 

Images in every medium speak deeply to the soul, often in surprising ways 

as understandings are revealed to the conscious mind that might have been inaccessible through any other exploration.

Whether it includes enjoying the breathtaking beauty of church sanctuaries, gazing intently at creation’s many majesties, studying the composition of stunning art forms, or numerous other modalities; vision and visual art forms have long been a means of spiritual  contemplation. For myself, in recent years, that inclination has been expanded to embrace creating visual images through photography, painting, and visual journaling as a faith practice. In tandem with a slow progression into the arts I searched for writings about this realm of contemplative practice, arriving, in part, to the works of those quoted here.

“In an aesthetic experience, in the creation or the contemplation of a work of art, the psychological conscience is able to attain some of its highest and most perfect fulfillments. Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. The mind  that responds to the intellectual and spiritual values that lie hidden in a poem, a painting, or a piece of music, discovers a spiritual vitality that lifts it above itself, takes it out of itself, and makes it present to itself on a level of being that it did not know it could ever achieve.” p. 34, No Man Is an Island written by Thomas Merton, Trappist Monk.

Merton so aptly describes what I have so often experienced myself, how an experience with art, in a multitude of formats, can lead one to a heightened sense of faith and closeness to God. Photography too, offers precious opportunities for walking more intimately with God, as writer Christine Valters Paintner describes in Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice …

“… one of the wonders of photography [is] to be able to frame a moment in time and, within my gazing absolute presence in that particular moment, discover holiness.” (p.5)… Photography can be an act of silent worship. When we see the world with “eyes of the heart”, we can engage in an act of both reverence and self-expression. We can discover how the living Spirit is being revealed in the world.” p.8

Paintner borrows the lyrical phrase “eyes of the heart” from Ephesians 1:18. It is a phrase that Paul uses in his letter to the people of Ephesus. Paul tells the people that he prays for them, in part, so that they will “have the eyes of their hearts enlightened” by the wisdom of the Spirit and the power of God. 

Working with inks, papers, paints, digital photography 

and the printed Word; 

is practicing the spiritual discipline of seeking enlightenment 

through God’s power and the Spirit’s sacred wisdom.

*  *  *  *  *

This post is linked with the online communities of Still Saturday, Weekend Brew, and Playdates With God. Join us for more thoughts on the pursuit of Sabbath and the experience of God moments in daily living. 

Seek Peace

Consider the blameless,

observe the upright;

a future awaits those who seek peace.

Psalm 37:37 NIV

Look at those who are honest and good,

for a wonderful future awaits 

those who love peace.

Psalm 37:37 NLT

~

Fall Fresh On Me

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

Daniel Iverson

~

Eyes seek the canopy overhead.

It shimmers with transparent green.

Branching limbs reach heavenward, 

botanical veins silhouetted against the sky.

Airy currents softly brush leaves and skin,

both uplifted to face the light.

The unique brilliance of overcast skies

intermingles with layers of deep shade.

In the whispers of His forest sanctuary

a grateful voice praises,

a longing soul listens,

a believers heart worships.

~

Hoping you find His Spirit 

in your quiet places this weekend.

Lisa

Savor the Wonder

"We book our days from morning to evening 

and then wonder why they lack succulence and savor... 

I do better being here when I try to be here consciously. 

To see the same world with a stranger’s eyes. 

To walk my neighborhood streets as a visitor might, with a sense of wonder." 

The Sound of Paper by Julia Cameron  

~ 

A six point, white ruffled collar surrounds the yellow face of these early spring risers. Persistent crowds of cheerful petals punctuate the earth all across our region, even though they’re met with freezing rain and crisp wind chill. I marvel at the strength in seemingly fragile stems and velvety blossoms. Their emerging growth joins the smallest hint of buds on our trees. There is the promise of nature’s gathering force for the coming wild splurge of full fledged spring. Intent not to miss the season’s birth, not to miss the closing of winter’s rest, I walk against the freezing wind to allow my soul to savor the wonder of God’s ways.

In Faith,

Lisa

Faithfulness Reaches the Skies

Storms had raged beyond the streaming windows. 

A blanket of grey veiled earth, spreading heavy across rooftops and hillsides. 

Muting color. Muffling sound for days. Each gazing

search from the windows found more rain darkened scenes. 

Until the hour that the blanket began to unravel, becoming loosely pieced cloud patches. 

Still densely grey yet visibly drifting, breaking apart, revealing glimpses of azure blue above. 

Ultimately, on the eastern horizon light rays boldly burst amid the drifting grey.

Similarly, in the darkest of life I search the storm for the Lord , 

knowing that His faithfulness remains and His power will break 

through the darkness.

“Your faithfulness, O Lord, reaches to the skies.” 

Psalm 36:5

Search your storms for God’s faithfulness. 

The more diligent your gaze, the more likely the darkness will unravel.

Lisa

Sing Out

The splendor of winter color in burnt orange berries and graying brown bark is striking against crisp blue skies. I marvel at the Creator's multi-purposed plan to offer His people a cold weather visual feast as well as one of real sustenance. May your weekend provide opportunities that reveal the feast that is His creation.

  

Momentary Pause

Photographically, here's what I love about these shots 

[aside from the fact that the boys are my adored grand-twins]. 

I deliberately sat among their evolving play, interacting less and less, to be less obtrusive in the ebb and flow of their choices and imagination. The outcome of which is that in each photo I sense that I caught the boys thinking... musing... over something other than me or the camera. I relish their expressions and the notion that they were absorbed in their own thoughts and activities of imaginary play when the shutter clicked. Each youngster's pose suggests only the momentary pause in their play as they passed in front of the camera's frame.

The light, that also pleased me no end! Catching each toddler when the light is on their face is an ongoing challenge. The soft, still baby-like roundness of their faces was portrayed nicely in each photo. The other two light sources within each shot also pleased me. They illuminated the boys' environment, hinting at the character of their home, serving as a suggestion of their family life. Additionally the light created three stages or layers within the photos. The softly lit foreground which highlights the boys in their blue striped shirts. The darkened center of the room. Then the spotlighted sections in the background. All of which, for me, gives an interesting depth to the composition. 

Granted there is much to improve and more to learn about photographing these little guys. Yet occasionally, even at this novice stage, I'm lucky to capture the essence of the moment. That, offers much joy.

I'm s t r e t c h ing myself to link up with more expert photo buffs over at the Sweet Shot.