Lent Great Outdoors + Thru the Window challenge, wk3

 Wk 3 - SOIL AND SEEDS/

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food. Genesis 2:9

Active Meditation/
1/ Plant some cress seeds on a damp tissue. Look at them every day to see how they are growing. (they should be ready to eat in a couple of weeks time.)
2/ If you have a garden, take a handful of soil, feel it, and smell it. What words would you use to describe it?
3/ Go for a walk and notice all the things that are growing around you, both wild and in people’s gardens.
4/ One spoonful of good soil has more living organisms in it than there are people on the Earth. Dig up a spoonful of soil and imagine all those tiny life forms that are in it.
5/ Many plants simply drop their seeds around them in the autumn. See if you can still find a seed on the ground. the flower fits onto the stem.
6/ If you have a garden, is there something that you could plant now and take care of? Perhaps something that you could eat later...

Find a place where there is soil visible if possible. Be quiet for a moment or two (as long as works for you) to reflect on the importance of good soil and seeds to our world.

A prayer/
Creator God, thank you for seeds and good soil in which to grow them.
Thank you for the food that they provide, as well as beauty and enjoyment.
Silence
Please help people in those places where growing food is difficult
because soil and growing conditions are poor,
and forgive us for the times when we have forgotten to remember them.
Silence
Help us to value soil and seeds as part of your creation;
not just for what they can give us, but simply because you made them and you love them.
Silence -
Take a moment to look at the soil...and seeds... and let them point your thoughts towards God.

Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...

place them into God's hands...
Amen

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Thru the window - connecting with creation through Lent, even when you can't get outside...

from this week on, we diverge in theme from 'Great Outdoors'

Birds/ 

 those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Have a look and see if you can see any birds from your window. Perhaps on a bird feeder or flying over. If you can, stay and watch for a while. If you can’t see any feel free to use the picture at the top of this blog post, or look for a picture in a book or on the internet, or simply close your eyes and imagine. 

Meditation
Birds are everywhere whether you live in the country or a city. You don’t usually have to watch for long before one flies over going freely wherever it pleases or drops in to look for food. And they can be noisy. Some chatter all the time: one call when they are flying, another when they are looking for a mate, and yet another when they sense danger.
It is said that listening to birdsong can reduce stress - perhaps you could open your window for a minute and see what you can hear, and how it makes you feel, or find some birdsong on the internet, close your eyes, and relax. 

Something to think about
How do you feel when you watch the birds?
Is there anything that you need to be free from?
What helps you to relax? 

A prayer

O God, we gather under the shelter of your wings,

nurtured by your motherly love,

and encouraged, then, to fly by faith on the wind of your spirit.

You have spoken to us, saying

"They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up with wings as eagles."

Teach us how to wait, then, that we may learn how to fly.

And strengthen us with the assurance that we do not fly alone.

This we pray, in Jesus' name.
Amen.