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SALTASH AREA CHURCHES

A holy place in Saltash, a holy place for Saltash, and a place
to encounter the holiness of God in Jesus Christ our Lord

Thursday 16 April

Thursday 16 April

My last three readings in my Celtic prayer book can basically be summed up in the beautiful phrase ‘Be still and know that I am God’ found, of course, in the psalms.

Yesterday I enjoyed the peace and quiet of our garden while I managed to weed a small area. I could hear birds, not many small ones alas, but squabbling rooks mainly and wood pigeons, and the occasional noise of a neighbouring family enjoying their garden in the sunshine. It felt good to be touching the soil even through gloves. The sun was on my back and brought great warmth and comfort throughout my short stint of trying to keep the lawn within its limits. I could observe insects flying and moving through the earth and notice the plants in more detail than a glimpse through the window allows.

In this stillness and quiet I did feel a sense of peace, a sense of belonging to something much larger than me, what some would call Life in its fullest sense. Some plants were past their best, and were dying back ready to regrow next year. Others were beginning to bud again. Many of my gardening friends have talked of planting seeds and potatoes and other vegetables. In all of these the seed or first planted ‘bit’ has to die, to let new growth come. Birth and death are part of the great circle of Life and our Lord experienced both.

Our world is being given an enforced time to be still, whether we come to know God or come to know Him more will be different for all of us.

The following comes from my book and I use it as a thought to ponder while people are deeply relaxing in a yoga session:

Make me attentive to the lap of the waves.
Make me attentive to the movements of the sky.
Make me attentive to the grasses that grow.
Make me attentive to the soul’s every sigh.
Make me aware of the landscapes that must pass.
Make me aware of the new scape coming in.
Make me aware of the universe within.
Make me aware of the beatings of your heart.
Celtic Daily Light

Lesley