Welcome: An Introduction

Sharing the insights I discover as I explore and experience the mystery that is our reality. Join me in my journey and share yours.




Saturday, April 9, 2011

Simple Proclamations

"There is not a flower that opens, not a seed that falls into the ground, and not an ear of wheat that nods on the end of its stalk in the wind that does not preach and proclaim the greatness and the mercy of God to the whole world.

There is not an act of kindness or generosity, not an act of sacrifice done, or a word of peace and gentleness spoken, not a child's prayer uttered, that does not sing hymns to God before His throne, and in the eyes of men, and before their faces."
                         ~ Thomas Merton, Seven Storey Mountain p. 129






I came across this passage in Merton's autobiography that I am reading, Seven Storey Mountain,  a book that I highly recommend, especially to those who are inspired by Merton's writings. I thought they were such beautiful thoughts that I'd share them with everyone here.

It also compels me to ask this question to all of you:



In what ways have you seen God's mercy and greatness proclaimed today?



My family and I were blessed to have the morning and early afternoon together, in which we took no time at all to set out to one of our favorite places to go as a family-the state forest not very far from our home.

Along the river's edge my son skipped with joy while throwing stones into its shallow depths. My daughter sitting, criss-cross apple sauce, broke open rocks that she had found. The tiny fragments that glittered like jewels were her "treasures" she was to take home, the bounty of her hard work! My husband tossed sticks that had been washed ashore into the river where our dog eagerly sought them out bringing them back to the carpet of stones that lined the river's curves, but not quite to my husband, forcing him to pick up new sticks while the old were forgotten in her new pursuit.

While everyone was engaged in their activities I breathed deep, feeling the gift that is air fill my lungs. Exhaling I looked around, centered in the moment and all around me life inundated my senses with a beautiful awareness of the greatness and wonder of God. All around me creation was singing into existence a song declaring the amazing  miracle of life God so effortlessly authors into our reality.

These are the things that I noticed, there beside the river, that reminded me of God's greatness and mercy:

...The tender buds appearing on branches that stretched over moss and root, rock and crabgrass. Later they will open up to the world and form countless numbers of leaves, providing abundant shade and coolness, promising us the mercy of protection from the sun's harsh and unrelenting rays in summer...

...The sounds of an infinite number of beginnings and endings, as the clear water rushed down the riverbed. 

...The warm rays of the sun gently caressing my bare skin as the soft breeze danced across it, making me feel amazingly alive.                       

...The wonder in my children's eyes at new, simple discoveries. The skipping of a rock along the water's surface, the glitter and seemingly warm glow of rose quartz. That despite the harsh realities that plague this world from one end to the other: disease, war,  poverty, and an infinite array of others: that despite all of that my beautiful children can sit at the edge of a river on a warm spring afternoon and delight in the richness of nature's simplicities is a great mercy and gift of God indeed!


Please share your experiences and reflections of how you saw God's greatness and mercy proclaimed in your day in the comments section. All thoughts are appreciated and welcome! Thank you. :)

19 comments:

  1. I am no writer or critic but just offering you my thoughts!
    Jessica your writing has matured.It has become captivating and it connects within.
    Being here where there are extremes has given rise to many internal questions. Along side beauty there is ugliness but that too is his doing......
    A country where the energy is mysterious yet blatant but has a deep spiritual power along side the two is amazing!

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  2. Thank you Savira :) May you find on the mountains and valleys of your upcoming journey many beautiful examples of God's mercy, beauty, and grace.
    ~many blessings

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  3. Jessica, this post took me to a place that was calm, peaceful, and full of His wonderful gifts to us. If only to spend a small amount of time there is a blessing. Thank you for sharing your thoughts today. It was a delightful read:)

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  4. Mary, I'm so glad you enjoyed this post :) May peace find you everywhere you go. ~blessings

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  5. Jessica,reading your posts fills me with a certain kind of tranquility..my Mom has come back home after a long time,I lost my sister on the the 24th of Feb...and everyone has been in a state of shock...mainly because it was due to a major medical negligence.I have read a few of your posts to my Mom..and she has asked me to pass on her love and blessings to you...she says,that I am blessed to have come across you..Thanks a lot....Alpana Jaiswal

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  6. Jessica, reading this, I felt that I was right there with you and the family in the midst of nature’s beauty.
    I saw God today at Sam’s first baseball game. When I sat and watched the boys on the field, all giving it their best shot… When the younger siblings ran around playing and just enjoying childhood, free from pressure, I saw God.

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  7. Alpana...your comment really touched and blessed me. I will pray for you and your mother and the rest of your family...I am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you, I can't imagine your pain. I will pray for God to send his healing warmth and light into your souls so that you are filled with a peace that transcends all understanding. ~blessings and love

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  8. Beautiful and well written post Jessica. Just one thing, were you naked? Bare skin and all LOL
    A

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  9. Jessica - You took us along with you, truly. I always feel a sense of peace at your blog and today was indeed special as I imagined all you wrote about...Nature and the sheer joy of family being themselves - is there any wonder you felt the presence of God there.
    You are a special woman, Jess and I'm blessed to know you.

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  10. Debra..thank you for sharing your moment today where you saw God...How precious the innocence of childhood is! :) ~blessings

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  11. lolol....you are so funny A ;) Nope..I wasn't naked..it is a public state forest after all! ;) It was the first time all season we were all wearing t-shirts...so our arms were bare :)
    ~blessings to you and yours

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  12. Thank you so much Corinne for your kind words :) It blesses me to know that others come here and feel peace and maybe, hopefully, take something away with them and return. I always feel so inspired and encouraged by your words..the ones you leave here and those on yor blog...I am blessed to know you too! :) ...thank you for being you :)
    ~ love and light

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  14. I see blessings EVERY day, Jessica. All of life is a blessing. The biggest and best blessing I have are all of my friends.
    A man is not rich by his accumulation of things.
    A man is rich when he has friends.

    A man is wealthy beyond compare if he can say he has had at LEAST one BEST friend during his lifetime.

    I've had two. And the one I have now is the MOST important person in my life. I'm grateful every day that she is in my life!

    Your blog is an amazing gift, Jessica! So happy that I found it. What I find really fascinating, is how much I've grown in the past few years. My spiritual growth has been another blessing. I'd be very uncomfortable reading this and hearing these words several years ago. Now though, all that has changed. My eyes, my heart and my mind have been opened. It's been a long road I've traveled to get here, and I've met several new people while traveling. You and my friend Carla Goddard are two such people I hold in high regard. I think we're all on the same path and I'm blessed to know the two of you, even if only through the wires.

    Be Happy! Be Well! Be Positive!
    Blessings to you.
    --
    Chris
    http://www.cjpwisdomandlife.com

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  15. Thank you so much for your comment Chris :)

    What is life without the fruitfulness and experience of relationships? They give us so much meaning and depth. Love is truly the greatest gift and it reflects the glory of God because God, Himself is Love.

    I'm so glad you enjoy my blog...I enjoy yours too! It always makes me think, ponder and reflect...and not many blogs do that in that way!

    I'm excited for you and feel I can relate much to what you said about having your eyes, heart and mind open the last few years. The last couple of years I've experienced many changes to my faith as I've started to experience God spiritually rather than just know about him by means of intellectual knowledge. When the eyes of our souls are open, allowing the light, the richness of the senses, to flood in it and experience it in new ways, we are transformed, continually transformed if we allow the process to continue. It's a true spiritual journey...and I feel like we have so much to learn from one another. I look forward to reading about your journey as you come along and read about mine :)
    ~blessings

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  16. Hi Jessica, we are 300m from a beautiful river. I always go down there and sit quietly and soak up my surroundings. It is autumn here and all the leaves are turning a golden-yellow. The autumn colours are so vibrant and beautiful. God is such a creative painter and the world His canvas!

    Glad you could spend some quality time with your family.

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  17. What a sweet family moment! I remember breaking rocks like that when I was quite young. I still have them somewhere, I think. :)

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  18. i have reflected on this for several days and i had to be honest that i need to refocus and fix my gaze on the Lord on the cross...

    His mercy's proclaimed each day... i feel His love and patience growing within me...as i see myself less before others...

    not answering back when i feel hurt at my work place... this sense of letting go and understanding others when they speak ill of their bosses...

    the courage to listen to people in their sufferings and need...

    but if i speak of one particular day, it would be a time when i spoke with extreme happiness the whole day to every people i meet...

    and i sense that radiation of love as they respond with eagerness and gratefulness for a word of gentleness spoken to them...

    oh I love the Lord... oh but only if I let Him love me too...

    when i walk under the sun and the warmth of its rays touch my skin... i feel Him embracing me...

    thanks for this wonderful post jessica... it helps me to be more honest with my dealings with the Lord :P...

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  19. Wonderful reminder! Thank you so much.

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