Dear Corinne,
It was interesting to hear your account of your midday, mid flight munch! It was a ‘bonne idée’, to try the stillness exercise with the apple, on the flight to Paris. So glad you had a lovely weekend.
Today we are going to use a photo of lichens for our midday reflection. What are lichens I hear you say? Well here are a few facts to set the scene!
According to the countryside info website, “Lichens are an extremely successful partnership between a fungus and an alga.” (http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/fungi/lichens.htm) There are over 1700 species in Britain. Some colonies have been around for 8,000 years. They can be used for colourful dyes for clothes, as pollutant indicators, and the ancient Egyptians used to use them as stuffing for mummies!!
Take a few moments to let go of the things on your mind and to enter into stillness, in whichever way seems best for you for today.
Look carefully at the photo of the lichens below ………………………….
Notice as many details as you can………………………………………
The size, shape, colour, of the varieties of lichen……………
What thoughts, or memories spring to your mind……………
As you look, ask God what he is wanting to highlight to you through this picture……………………………………………….
take your time…………………………………….
There is a view that we can become like the people we spend time with.
Their views, behaviour, outlook can ‘rub off’ on us and impact us positively or negatively. Sometimes we can find ourselves shifting our own views, behaviour, outlook to suit the circle of people we are with. Those of us who are followers of Jesus need to remember that our identity is in him and not in the shifting trends and tenets of the spheres in which we find ourselves.
The Lichens in the picture are taking their nutrients from the tree to which they have attached themselves. Consider your social circles, and the people you spend time with and ponder on those relationships that are life giving and those that are possibly life draining……………………………..
Would any adjustments be in order?……………………………
Seek God’s wisdom and listen to his voice……………………..
Finally read the verse below and close this time of stillness with a moment of thanksgiving.
Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.
Proverbs 18:24 The Message
with love
