Experiencing God on a winter day ...

It has been quite some time since my last post. Next week I am beginning a continuing education course through Emmanuel College on photography and spirituality. I'm sure I'll have things to reflect on, write about and share through that.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to take a walk. It was a cold winter day with a clear blue sky. I don't usually enjoy the cold of winter, but that day I found a sense of peacefulness and contentment in being outside, walking, listening and looking for the wonderful signs of God's grace and presence.

One thing that struck me were the shadows from the sun. They really do add to the beauty of a stream or landscape. And they show the intricate beauty of God's creation. Reflections ... a surprising gift from God!

As well, with the snow covering the ground and trees, the hints of vibrant colour come even more alive than they usually are. These orange berries are always there on this tree, but the touch of snow highlights the orange and brings it into the forefront. The oranges, reds, purples and even brownish beige come alive with beauty.

I'm always drawn into the intricate detail of nature. It highlights for me the amazing creation that God has made and blessed us with. Tree trunks in particular show a pattern each of which is unique. The way the snow lands and settles on the trunk adds even more detail and beauty. And yet, it's so easy to miss if we're not looking for it. Isn't that true of life too; we miss the small details when we only look at the bigger picture of life and the world.

I was struck too by the lonely branches of trees that poked through the drifts of snow. They often seemed so fragile and vulnerable. But they were thriving in spite of the bitter cold and snow piled around them. A sign of profound and everlasting hope that is God's gift to us even in the winter exeriences of our lives.

As I have reflected, what came to mind was a Christmas carol I enjoy:

In the bleak mid winter, frosty wind made moan,

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

snow was falling snow on snow, snow on snow,

in the bleak mid winter, long ago.

Whether winter is your favorite time of year or not, take a walk; open your eyes and ears; you'll be amazed at the glorious beauty God has ready for you to enjoy and experience!!

"Spirituality in Focus" video

Recently for the parish I presented my "Sabbath Show and Tell". I showed a number of my photos and talked about how they said something about my spirituality as well.

I closed by sharing a video I'd put together. It has many of my photographs set to appropriate music about God's grace and glory revealed. It can be found at ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=265Jx-kitQs

I offer it to you as a way for you to reflect on the many ways God is revealed to you. May you be blessed in watching it as much as I was blessed in putting it together.

Phoenix rising from the ashes ...

Many of us will vividly remember where we were on September 11, 2001. This was a day of tragedy that affected the whole world wide community. As I travelled to New York City this past summer, I was particularly conscious of that reality and how we still live in the aftermath of those horrific events.

This was the image as we travelled by boat to "Liberty Island". These members of the Swat team were preparing to board the same boat we were on, heading to the same tourist attraction we were going to. That's where the similarities ended, though. They were going not as tourists to enjoy the Island but rather as armed police to protect. As I watched them board I couldn't help but think of the sad reality we now live with.

However, taking the time to travel to the former site of the World Trade Towers and the surrounding neighbourhood brought a new perspective. Our guide on the boat cruise emphatically said that "Ground Zero" doesn't exist anymore, and he's right! "Ground Zero" was used to describe the devestation and wasteland after a nuclear attack. That is exactly what the site of the World Trade Towers looked like on September 11, 2001. That is not an appropriate description for what is happening on that piece of land today. The clean up has been completed; the debris has been removed; and, the building of the new Trade Tower has begun. Out of the ruins is coming new life with new hope full of new promise. Thanks be to God!

I was profoundly struck, too, by the cross which was unearthed in the cleaning up following September 11. It became, and in fact remains, a poignant symbol of hope in the midst of despair. It was very faith affirming for me to stand in front of it and take a moment to pause and reflect on this symbol which is at the center of my own faith. I am so pleased that it has been preserved, blessed and will take it's place as part of the memorial when it is completed.

I was also struck by how the ministry of St. Pauls was shaped and moulded by the events of September 11. This chapel stands literally across the street from where the World Trade Towers stood. Here in this sacred and holy space, volunteers welcomed and ministered to those who were working to rescue any possible survivors and who were eventually clearing away the debris. An altar still stands in St. Pauls as a memorial to those who were missing, many of whom died on that day; banners still grace the walls proclaiming messages of hope and peace. There was so much need and the church responded. What an example of faithfulness and discipleship.

Having visited and taken photographs at the former site of "Ground Zero", the observance of this anniversary this year will hit a bit closer to home. I've been there; I stood there; I've prayed there. And to be sure, it is no longer only a place of despair and loss but also of hope and promise. This Saturday, the ninth anniversary of that tragic day, I'm sure I will again remember. But having visited there, I will remember differently ... with sadness for what has happened to our world, but equally with hope for the future. The rebuilding has begun! Thanks be to God!

"Spirituality in Focus" Workshop ... Saturday October 23

I am pleased to be offering the first "Spirituality in Focus" workshop. It will explore much of what I reflected on during my sabbath time.

If you know of others who might be interested, please pass this along to them.

As well, if you're interested but can't make this date, please let me know as I hope to hold similar workshops in the future.

For those who register, more information will be made available.

E-mail me at spiritualityinfocus@gmail.com or contact me by telephone at (905) 884-2227 ext. 22.

The Desert ... God's painting canvas!

It was so profound to see the amazing colours in the midst of this desert wilderness. Whether it was looking up into the sky or around at the mountains, there was the most beautiful colours in the gift of God's creation in this place. Here is some of what I mean ...


In my photography courses, we were taught to look up and see what was above us. I'm happy I did because there was much to see!

While at Ghost Ranch, many of the days brought clear blue skies with the odd cloud here and there. I enjoyed those moments I had to just look up into the literal blue sky. There were sunsets and sunrises too that were captivating in their beauty. Even when the dark clouds came in threatening a rain storm, there was beauty in the dark gray against the browns of the mountains.

Remember to look up from time to time; it's amazing the beauty you will see!

Then there was the experience of walking into what the ranch referred to as its "painted desert". Again such astounding colours in the different rock formations ... various shades of brown, red, and gray. Of course, there was the odd flowering cactus and green bushes too that added to the display of colour. Such awesome beauty in what nature has provided through God's creation.


God has painted a wonderful masterpiece in the gift of creation. Colours are everywhere around us; some vibrant and others more subtle. I am thankful for these opportunities to be touched by what God has painted on the canvas of the earth and sky. I want now to try and be more attentive wherever I may be to the artwork God has created for us to see, experience and enjoy!

Cross at Kanuga Conference Centre

During the week I spent at Kanuga Confererence Center in North Carolina, I was particularly drawn to this crucifix in one of the gardens: to the look on Jesus' eyes looking down from the suffering cross; the nails in the flesh of his hands and feet. I found it particularly profound and envisioned a composite photograph including all of these pieces in one.

In addition, the hymn which came to mind was the verse from

"When I survey the Wondrous Cross" ...

See from his head, his hands, his feet,

sorrow and love flow mingled down;

did e're such love and sorrow meet,

or thorns compose so rich a crown?

When I put all of this together, this is the photograph which emerged:

I feel blessed by this creative exercise (and I thank my son Nathaniel for assisting me with the editing). The cross comes to life and means even more as I look at the various elements together. This will hang on the wall of my office as a reminder of that sacred and holy time I spent at Kanuga as part of my sabbath leave.

Spirituality in the dry desert of New Mexico,

I've been back a while from a photography conference I attended at Ghost Ranch north of Sante Fe, New Mexico. It was spiritually enriching as I recognized God's presence and spirit alive and touching my soul. This is the first of two reflections that come out of my time there.

In our imagination we might see the desert as dry and barren with no life and very little to inspire. The truth is, there's no doubt that it is dry, but I found it to be anything but barren; I experienced life; I found inspiration. In fact, I experienced the desert around Ghost Ranch to be a beautiful place where I experienced God everywhere I went. Here are some of the examples of what I mean.

There are cactus everywhere in the desert. That's not untoward given that they need little water to survive. They are prickly, and in many ways not all that attractive to look at. And yet they produce some beautiful flowers. Pink, yellow and white buds form on the cactus plant; they open up to show such a display beauty and splendour.

One day I walked along one of the riverbed which ran through the property. Last year, it was flooded with water rising high along the bank. This year, it was dry and parched. And yet there was a beauty in the cracked clay bottom. And in places there was life growing too. Somewhere deep in the ground there was a water source that brought forth life.

Walking along the river bed there were animal foot prints. During the dark hours of the night, racoons, wolves and possibly other creatures walked along this same path.

Finally, we came to a point along our walk where there was a spring of water that moved downstream. In the midst of all that was dry and parched was life giving water that had made its way to the surface.

These are some of the ways I encountered God in the desert of New Mexico. God was present; God was visible.

There's a lesson there too for our lives when we encounters moments and experiences of the desert that come upon us in one form or another. We may feel like life is dry, desolate and barren; that in effect there is no life left in us. The reasons for that are many. Yet, especially in hindsight, we often realize that what we were going through wasn't totally dried up, desolate and barren. In fact, we realize that God was very present as a spiritual resource that gave us strength, peace, hope and comfort when we needed it most. That's the life we can and do encounter in our experiences of the desert.

In my next post I'll explore God's painting as I experienced it in the desert.