Waiting for the Blooming

I come to Tucson fairly often- my brother and his lovely wife live here and are generous with their lives and home.  And I've always want to see the desert bloom.  In 2013 it snowed and while that was lovely in its own way, it wasn't the same as the fields of deserts flowers shown in the Arizona Highways magazine.  Everyone says, "You just can't know for sure, depends on water and temperature." The short season of desert bloom is like a southwest secret and you just have to be here at the right time and place.  So far I haven't.

I'm using a wonderful Lent prayer guide from Way Makers-  http://waymakers.org/pray/   One of this week's examples for praying for my "city" is based on Ezekiel 37 and the valley of dry bones in the Old Testament. Here's a pretty dramatic video of an interpretation of the text of Ezekiel.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dafYxu8cQQ

In the dry desert, I long for water.
Water is the sound of life to me. 

Written in my prayer guide—"We pray today for those who are physically alive but are spiritually dead. Breathe life into them, as You did at creation. Infuse them with Your Spirit. As Ezekiel did so long ago, we declare our prayer: "Come to life!"... Resuscitate... Renew... Surprise... Raise up great throngs of people throughout out the earth to stand before You, filled with life and eager to serve."

Resuscitate means re-awaken.  

 As I eagerly watch the desert for its re-awakening, its blooming;

 I also see Lent as a season of our re-awakening, 

through Christ's re-awakening, 

through His Resurrection.  

We watch for signs of spring, 

we wait for the Spirit to breathe His renewing life again and again.  

  

 And sometimes we are surprised. 

For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms, 

So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom

 and puts praise on display before the nations.   Isaiah 61:10-11 The Message







For now we wait, in the dark.  I may miss the full blooming of the desert- again.  Or I may be surprised.  But we can know with the assurance of those who believe—Lent leads to Easter, and Easter leads to the Resurrection, and Resurrection leads to life, again and again and again.

Resuscitate... Renew... Surprise... 

Raise up great throngs of people throughout out the earth to stand before You, filled with life.

More Easter meditations- these from Steve Bell

I so appreciate Steve Bell, a singer/songwriter from Canada. I met him at a very small concert in the Chicago suburbs years ago on a college visiting trip with my son.  There were just a handful of us it seemed, and he told great stories and played great guitar and sang great songs.  I've followed his music since that time and it just gets richer and richer.
This winter and early spring as I drove across the American Southwest, I played his music. I gave away most of my CDs when I moved and then bought a car with a CD player. So I have two CDs, both are Steve's.  And I still love them both! I seriously considered driving nine hours, ONE way, to a concert "near" me. But it's still winter in North Dakota by the Canadian border and I decided it wasn't the best idea I've had.

Today I opened my email after a brief hiatus from electronics and there was an email from Steve. It has links to Steve's Easter weekend blogs with music (one of my absolute favorite songs)  and even a lovely sonnet from Malcolm Guite. Malcolm is an English poet and friend of Steve's.
http://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/a-sonnet-for-easter-dawn/

The story of their meeting and collaboration on an Advent album is worth digging up.  It's a story of true Christian hearts meeting and creating worship. OK- here it is! http://stevebell.com/2012/10/story-of-keening-for-the-dawn/



So... without further ado, I shall copy and paste Steve's Easter email. Be blessed. I hope you ca look each one up and enjoy great theology, great songs and a great sonnet.  God is great- that's the word for this Easter afternoon.

Hi All - 

I thought I'd send you all a few songs and blogs related to the Easter weekend. Each includes a reflection and a song. If they help to focus your weekend, I'd be most pleased:

• This is Love: A Race to the Bottom (for Maundy Thursday)  - a reflection on the counter intuitive nature of Christ's witness. Includes the song, This is Love

• Gone is the Light (for Good Friday) - a reflection about our reticence to wait in the darkness. Includes the song Gone is the Light

• A Sonnet and a Song for Easter Dawn  (for Easter Sunday) - a reflection on God's "Yes!!" resounding throughout the cosmos on this very day. Includes the song "Was it a Morning Like This" and a link to a brilliant sonnet composed by Malcolm Guite

If you missed my previous Lenten blog see:

• From Lent to Love - reflects on the disaster of infidelity and God's response. Includes the song "Hosea, Come Back to Me."

Peace to you all,

Steve Bell

http://stevebell.com/

Christ is Risen!

1. He is risen indeed!

1. Low in the grave He lay,
   Jesus, my Savior,
   Waiting the coming day,
   Jesus, my Lord!
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2. Vainly they watch His bed,Jesus, my Savior;
3. 
   
   Vainly they seal the dead,
   Jesus, my Lord!
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6. Death cannot keep his Prey,
   Jesus, my Savior;
   He tore the bars away,
   Jesus, my Lord!

Refrain:
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

He arose! He arose!

Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Light of the world,
This is why the Babe came 

1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
   Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
   Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
   God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Christ is RISEN!
He is risen indeed. 

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