A first time.........

This morning, I sat on our deck overlooking our back yard, for an hour of prayer. I'm not a nature lover per se. I enjoy nature from the view of my office window mostly. But this day, I was participating in a world wide hour of prayer to connect with and heal the earth. It was called Fire the Grid. As I anticipated this event, I wondered how I would ever fill an hour with prayer in nature?

My prayers were of connection. Claiming the one who empowers me, Jesus the Christ, and respectfully acknowledging all how join this time of prayer from whatever tradition they pray from. Prayers of unity, of earth love, of respect for the Source of Life who creates all.

It was a powerful and joyful experience. Truly. Wow. Who knew?

At first, it was about watching the playful birds: a swoop of red from the cardinal, calling back and forth, silence when the cat strolled through.......

Then it was about thoughts of love. Not random romantic notions, but love...deep and purposeful and earth shattering.....like that between parent and child, lovers, friends.........

At some point, my body and spirit began to lighten and relax, deepen and wait. And then the oddest thing happened.

An old prayer language that I used way back in college days (during my charismatic exploration days) bubbled right up and overflowed from my mouth. This language has always struck me as being similar to a Native American or Hawaiian tribal tone. As always, I vocalized the word glyphs rising from inside/outside.......until it was done. Then, as always, sitting until interpretation comes. Like the oily warmth of a massage therapists hands moving from lower back to upper shoulders, the understanding that I had just spoken these words ebbed over me, "Holy holy holy. Holy Jesus."

Now, I am not a "Jesus thumper". I most often use the term "Christ" to depict something more cosmic than "Jesus" which is too solid and point-in-time-ish. But this was the interpretation and I'm sticking with it. Great peace followed.

Then, the words to a familiar hymn rose from within and I sang:

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.
Source of all to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

What a morning.

amysgr