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Sanctuary…

 

Sanctuary:  sanc-tu-ar-y’ 1. Place of refuge, safety, shelter 2. a nature reserve, park,  forest 3. a holy place, sacred place, church, temple, shrine. Latin:  ‘sanct’:-sacred /’arium’- a container. That quiet calm refuge which holds our sacred treasure is most descriptive of sanctuary.

Our Sunday Inspiration begins with a quote from chapter 28 of ‘Four Days- the Lazarus Principle’ :

‘Noise can create a negative atmosphere; quiet stillness has power within our spirits. Muir Woods is a National Treasure near the San Francisco area. I recall vividly the silence of the coastal redwoods- the quiet of the massive forest was palpable- I could feel the silence. It is a sanctuary of stillness. To walk there is a meditative prayer.

We have some sanctuaries to share with you- the woodlands of Alabama, treasured sanctuaries of New York City, and Home.

‘Everybody needs beauty as well as bread. Places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.’ ‘Come to the woods, for here is rest. There is no repose like that of the deep green woods.’       quotes by naturalist- John Muir

‘I never saw a discontented tree. They grip the ground as though they liked it…They are earth born companions and our fellow mortals…join the trees in their hymns and prayers…few are altogether deaf to the preaching of pine trees…their sermons…go to our hearts…hear the trees speak for themselves.’          John Muir

Sacred Treasures of New York City

‘No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty…’     John Muir

Sanctuary: a place of refuge, safety, shelter. Everyone needs shelter, however, a house is not a home unless everyone inside is safe. Home should be the epitome of safe refuge.

Precious Lord, lead us to Your sanctuaries- be they woodland, marble or front porches. Grant to us that meditative walk, where we hear Your Voice in the stillness of the woodlands, in the hush of cathedrals or as crickets sing their happy songs beneath our shelters. How blessed we are, by Your Sacred Hands which formed the woodlands and seas, which prompted mankind to build and preserve places of worship and others who are keepers of safe homes where children play, friends are welcome and the weary return. May we never forget those who chose sacrificial duty and responsibility over rights and privileges so that we can live free in our homeland upon this earth, which spins like a blue marble through the vast star strewn universe. Ever and always we must return grateful, broken and melted down by the Cross of Christ and the Love that took Him to it. May we never forget Who bestowed upon us these beautiful earthly havens. Remind us often of our duty to act as worthy stewards- not as petulant messy children. Dress us now, in clean starched shirts and pinafores, fit for children of the King of Kings as You guide us safely through stillness to Your sanctuaries. Hear our prayers, as we seek to hear Your Voice. Amen.

We are so thankful to have the opportunity to share Camellia’s Cottage with you! We hope you find a sanctuary some place near you today-  have a blessed Lord’s Day! Now don’t forget- God loves you and…

I love y’all, Camellia

 

Of special note: St. Patrick’s Cathedral was opened on May 29, 1879- 137 years ago!

and Thank you to fellow blogger Snapshots in Cursive for her inspiring post ‘Gnarled Trees Speak Volumes- which inspired the shots of trees in this post! https://snapshotsincursive.com/2016/05/22/gnarled-old-trees-speak-volumes/ Go see the wonderful things she has been doing on her blog!

Quotes from John Muir are gleaned from The Sierra Club- https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/

Definition of Sanctuary was gleaned from Wikipedia- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary

Quote from ‘Four Days- the Lazarus Principle’ by Brenda Wyatt- http://amzn.to/1U4csYm

Photographs are from our personal collection with the exception of the wonderful gnarled tree by still water, which is by Jeremy Miniard (the first in the second section of tree images) and cannot be reproduced without permission.

I couldn’t resist adding one more- from Santa Fe NM where we are on vacation ! Loretto Chapel- can’t wait to tell you about this sanctuary!image

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Book Review…

 

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This Memorial Day if you are looking for a book to read- I can wholeheartedly recommend Pulitzer Prize Winning novel- ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ by Anthony Doerr. If you are a history buff and are looking for a way to honor the servicemen in your life; or those you have loved and lost; even folks whose lives are impacted by circumstances beyond their control- who soldier on despite limitations and live inquisitive lives in dire situations- this book is for you.

The way an author strings together words into images fascinates me as a reader. ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ – is masterful! The author spent 10 years writing it; and what the readers receive from Doerr’s masterful art- is amazing. The sentences are like photographs. They are formed using just the words needed to convey one of the most beautiful, heart rending, historically valuable books I have ever read. That is saying a lot since I have read dozens of books just this year. If you are looking for a book that will forever remain in your Top 10, this is it. It is not a light beach read- yet would be perfect at the beach since the chapters are spare, short and concise. The writing is so beautifully rendered- savor it, be absorbed in the content. The New York Times 10 Best Books in 2014, puts me behind a few years in reading it, however- I will be forever grateful that it has passed through my heart, mind and hands.

Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting For Stone reviews All the Light We Cannot See in this way- “This jewel of a story is put together like a vintage timepiece, its many threads coming together so perfectly. Doerr’s writing and imagery are stunning. It’s been a while since a novel had me under its spell in this fashion.”

I share his sentiment- and would add that even though the book deals with harsh realities of war and life- Anthony Doerr’s book does not rely on coarse and common language to convey hard times. I believe the author could take a common fork or spoon and elevate it to an object of great importance. It is not a romance novel- yet you, the reader will be romanced by it. Let me share a few sentences with you-

Imagine being a blind girl, you are alone in a house, in a city which is being bombed-

  •  ‘A stone drops into her palm. It’s cold. The size of a pigeon’s egg. The shape of a teardrop.’

A young orphaned boy listening to a ragtag radio finding a broadcast far away, which will forever change his prospective:

  • The brain is locked in total darkness…It floats in clear liquid inside the skull, never in the light. And yet the world it constructs in the mind is full of light. It brims with color and movement. So how, children, does the brain, which lives without a spark of light, build for us a world full of light?’….

And this line – in the same broadcast the child is listening to- becomes a question he returns to often as the novel progresses-

  • Open your eyes, concludes the man, and see what you can with them before they close forever.’

Doerr uses phrases like ‘the sleet fell like silver strings’- ‘Doubts: slipping like eels.’ ‘Everywhere mussels click and sigh…Galaxies of snails. A story of life immanent in each.’ ‘Statues smile down from ledges like kindly godparents.’

I hope I have whetted your appetite to read this book, ‘All the Light We Cannot See’.  It is unforgettable. I hope you will agree, let me know! For those of you who are wondering if my ‘war’ with mosquitos has been won? It appears, at least for now, that they’ve waved the white flag of surrender in this month’s battle! Have a wonderful weekend!

Love y’all, Camellia

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr- http://amzn.to/1ORJIR0