Last week I was captivated by chickens. We'd headed out to Bates Nut Farm for a bit of Fall, myself and a friend, with our 8 year old daughter and 3 year old godson along for a treat to see the animals. Little did I know. I have never seen nor imagined such beautiful diversity in a chicken coup. I hope my dear friend got some photos I can add later so that you can see for yourself. Such personality. Though it was midday, a persistent rooster kept up his cock-a-doodle-doing the entire time. Determined to put his talents to use I imagine. Chickens covered with feathers from head to foot fluffed constantly to catch our eye. The kids threw corn they found off the ground until they were digging them out of the mud, and we relented and bought a bag of feed to share. It was so fun to watch them, forgetting the world...just feeding chickens that shook their fancy feathers and fought for each kernel, scattering about as if it was the last they'd ever see. I so fully enjoyed the moment, and found myself accompanied by recollections of visits in days gone by when my older ones were small and we'd head out here for some adventure. God is good, all the time, I know...but today I am thanking the good Lord for such easy happiness, pure grace. Simcha!
“The earth is the only road that can lead us to heaven. There is no other. And the earth is not an idea, an argument, an abstraction, or a concept. It is not even a law. It is a thing, a gigantic thing, a great tangled swarming mass of things; it is a universe.
And because we must be led to God by things, they have therefore within them everything that is needed for the divine fulfillment of this task. It is, strictly speaking, their main role.
All around us, Providence has placed hosts of silent messengers who can lead us without effort by paths of love to the holy springs of peace.
Water, wood, fishes, the morning dew, the cock crowing at dawn, should all be able to inspire our prayer. Clothes and flowers, perfumes and pearls, the wind whistling past, the bread on the table, the jug, chair and roof… all these things have been sanctified, all these things have been loaded with blessings and divine inspiration by the Word.”
Pierre Charles
The Prayer of All Things
1 comment:
Love the prayer by Pierre Charles. The seemingly everywhere bumper sticker, NOTW, has got it wrong. Pierre has it right. Jesus is here, now.
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