Guacamole Girl

Back to (God’s) Nature

These days, I am trying to get back to nature a wee bit – avoiding processed food as much as possible & cooking fresh when I can. I love cooking, although the outcome can be a bit random (last week's special was leek, spinach & brie filo parcels for example). I had a trip to Queen's Park farmers market last weekend for some inspiration and enjoyed the sight of all the fresh fruit and vegetables from around Scotland. We picked up some lovely strawberries from Blairgowrie and a feast of veggies for the soup pot.

All very yummy, but that's not the end of the story. When I was praying this morning, waiting and listening to God, I had a mental picture of baskets of vegetables (a little bit like this picture). There were shiny red tomatoes, dark purple aubergines, and leafy green herbs. I asked God if he had something to tell me about this, or was it just my imagination running riot?

What I felt God saying was firstly that he made all these wonderful things to enrich our lives and health, and that it's good to respect & enjoy His creation. Also, I felt this can be applied on a spiritual level – eating natural, rather than artificial reflects how we need to take in God's word, and let that nourish us, rather than absorbing the human wisdom and worldview we are often surrounded by. Although we need to, and hopefully want to, interact with the world around us, I am reminded of the need to be a bit critical of the "tolerant" society we live in. (Is this analogous to reading the labels on stuff in the supermarket??) The concepts of dependence on, and interaction with a loving Father God are foreign to most of our neighbours and colleagues.

However, what came out of this picture most overwhelmingly was God's goodness. The richness of His grace and provision for us. Seeking God is not a bland, boring spiritual exercise. It's in His presence that we find the bright colours, strong flavours and aromatic aromas to enrich our lives. Despite what is all around in the media and "mainstream" thinking, it's important to hang on to this reality – this life is "real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (John 10v10, the Message)

Mourning

Yesterday, someone shot & killed 33 people at a college in Virginia. What a waste - 33 people with so much to look forward to, lives snuffed out so suddenly. 33 families today bewildered, shocked, bereft and mourning.

God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matt 5v4)

This morning there have been "experts" on the BBC saying that gun control laws wouldn't stop incidents like this. I disagree - I think it's part of US culture, as enshrined in their constitution. However, that constitution was written for a very different society - 200 years ago, settling in a lawless land - and I can't understand the need to bear arms in modern, urban America. The culture needs to change, although I know its easy to say this from the distance of not being American. Our culture in Britain is becoming more violent. We need people to stand up against this and start a change of heart.

God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. (Matt 5v9)

wonderfully complex

Has it really been over a month since I last had time to post anything? I'm not really a natural blogger. My thoughts move fast & move on to the next thing before I have time to write it down, far less get a chance at using the computer. But in the last month, God has been incredibly good & that deserves to be documented.....

I always knew God could speak to people, and that he often speaks through the Bible, but I have never heard Him speak so directly to me as He has in the last few weeks.

Since Spring Harvest last year, I have been discovering more about worshipping God by dancing. Not just as an absract idea, but actually trying out stuff at home & a bit in church. Last weekend I had the chance to go to a workshop/seminar run by Movement in Worship, which was quite a step of faith, but I was sure God was with me each step of the way (especially when my overnight accomodation fell through & another participant offered me much appreciated hospitality).

It turned out so brilliantly. we were studying Psalm 139 & expressing it in movement. This probably sounds totally bizarre, but the idea is to incarnate the Word i.e. make it part of us, let it sink deeper than it could just by reading it. I had chosen - no, sorrry - God had chosen v14 to be my verse: "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous - how well I know it" The result was mindblowing! Like most women, I have often struggled with insecurity & self-image etc etc, but as this truth sank into my mind, I was lifted out of doubt, into certainty. God didn't make a mistake when He made me. He knew what he was doing! Yes, I know I'm not finished and that I'm marred by sin, but God's love sees past that to who He made me to be. And whatever he wants me to do in life will flow out of who he made me to be - out of love, not duty.

I felt liberated enough by this to do a lot more dancing! I am so priveleged to be in a church where creativity & self-expression are encouraged - another step directed by a wonderful God!

This is a very personal experience, and I'm partly writing it because I know I will not always feel this "upbeat", so I can look back to give me strength to look forward again. I hope anyone else reading this can also take heart, that God's workmanship is truly marvellous. Next time you put yourself down - STOP! God has made you wonderfully complex. His plan for you is good, perhaps stretching, but never going aginst the grain.