What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Thursday, February 23, 2023

The Secret Garden Chronicles ~ A Lenten Devotion - Updated for 2023

UPDATE:  In my last post HERE a couple of days ago, I asked the question "Do you practice Lent? What does it mean to you? Do you "give up something for Lent", or do you try to do something meaningful to observe the preparation for the Easter season?"  I got several varied and interesting responses to this question.  My thought was that perhaps there is a bit of a misconception out there about what "Lent" really means.   According to "Wikipedia", (a surprising resource for something in the religious realm), this is what it means: 

"Lent is the solemn Christian religious observance in the liturgical year commemorating the 40 days Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, before beginning his public ministry. Wikipedia"

 Traditionally, Lent is the 40 days prior to Easter, beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending on "Maundy Thursday", when we remember the 'Last Supper',  the night before Good Friday, the day we remember the great sacrifice of Christ for our sins on the cross.  I know that in some church traditions the season of Lent is a time of fasting and/or "giving up something for Lent"...and also the giving of "alms" for the needy.   Perhaps some have had negative experiences with Lent, when they were forced to give up something special for that time period without truly understanding the significance of why they should do so.  To me, if a person really doesn't understand the "why", then most likely the desired results of growing closer in their relationship with Christ probably won't happen. They will become resentful and possibly angry for having to give up something when they really didn't want to. 

I was not brought up in a tradition of "giving up something for Lent".  I really don't recall understanding anything about Lent at all as a child and even as a young adult.  But in recent years I have found that setting aside this time, much like the season of Advent in preparation for the birth of Christ and its deep significance, Lent is a time to prepare our hearts for a better understanding of the great sacrifice Christ made for me on the cross...when His precious blood was shed for me and for my sins...so that I could enjoy the great joy of being set free from my sins, and because of Christ's resurrection from the dead...I can also look forward to eternal life in heaven, forever with my Lord and those who also have died in faith believing in Him.  Certainly, I can do this anytime. I don't need to wait for "Lent", but so often we get caught up in the busyness of this life and world and we begin to get a bit off kilter...we need a "reset" and a time of reflection and renewal in our spiritual life.  This is a wonderful time to do that.  


Here is what I wrote a couple of years ago...interestingly these first couple of pictures were in February of 2020, and our bluebirds are here again now at the same time, and I think they are already pretty well settled in their house/nest.  


(February 17, 2021) The Bluebirds came back again to their home on Still Waters Pond. I hope they will stay this time. They keep coming and going and can't seem to make  up their minds if they like it here or not. 



This post was originally written in 2017 on the first day of Lent from my Secret Garden at our old house in Salt Springs. I then revisited it in 2019.  I wanted to write something fresh and new today, but as I re-read this I decided I couldn't really improve on this...and as it is too chilly this morning to go sit in our new "The Secret Garden" beside Still Waters Pond,  these thoughts and moments from the past experience will have to do for now.  I pray that your Lenten experience will be filled with moments of peace and "quietude", as you contemplate the riches of God's amazing grace and love for you.

Original Post 3/1/2017:

Today is the beginning of the season of Lent... click HERE for more information about the meaning of Lent (according to Wikipedia).   


As I have stated in my previous post linked above,
 "My approach to Lent is that it is not so much about making a "sacrifice", as it is about moving forward in the right direction, a new beginning; a clear resolve to obey rather than sacrifice."

So today as I sat in the Secret Garden
(This was in "The Secret Garden" at our previous home in Salt Springs)


contemplating how the Lord would have me approach this Lenten season this year, I was directed to look at a few different scriptures:



Joel 2
12.  "Now, therefore, says the Lord, 
Turn to Me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.

13.  So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.



Romans 12:1-2

1.  "I beseech you therefore brethren,
by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
HOLY, Acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service.

2.  And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable
will of God."

And then in verse 6 it says:

"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
let us use them..."

Instead of sacrificing some thing for Lent, my prayer is that I would turn to the Lord with ALL My heart...truly "rend" (tear open, look inside) my heart, and  be that "living sacrifice, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD; and that I would be more fully committed to using the gifts that God has given me for His honor and glory.  I pray also that the Lord would transform me, renew my mind, and create a clean heart within me.  (Psalm 51:10)


In the past few days I have been contemplating the word "Quietude".  Click HERE for a previous post about that.   I truly didn't realize that this was a real word that we use in our vocabulary. I thought it was a Latin word for quiet, and actually I believe that is where it originated.  But here is the definition of the word according to Dictionary.com"
qui·e·tude
ˈkwīəˌt(y)o͞od/
noun

  1. 1.
    the state of being quiet; tranquility; calmness; stillness; quiet.
My "One Word" for 2017 is "REST".  It would appear that "quietude" and "rest" go together quite nicely.    I'm wondering how the Lord is going to dovetail these two words as I approach His throne during this season of opening my heart before Him...

"For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
'In returning and REST you shall be saved;
In QUIETNESS and confidence
shall be your strength.'"
Isaiah 30:15

"The work of righteousness will be peace,
and the effect of righteousness,
quietness and assurance forever."
Isaiah 32:17

"You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You."
Isaiah 26:3

I believe that God is leading me into a place of "perfect peace", as I REST and TRUST in His Word, and in "quietness and confidence" be assured of God giving me the strength I need to face whatever challenges may lie ahead.
I look forward to experiencing what the Lord is going to show me during this time of "quietude", as He prepares my heart to remember Christ's great sacrifice for my sins...and the 
gift of eternal life that He gave to all of us who would believe, on His Resurrection Day!
Hold on friends, 
Easter is coming!

(All photos were taken as I sat in the Secret Garden today (in 2017) contemplating these thoughts and passages. I found it to be a very tranquil and serene setting watching the Cardinal and the Chickadees...as they watched me as well.  God is so good! Amen?!)


Back to the Present (2023).  I hope you enjoyed this journey back in time and that it was a quiet respite for your soul. May we truly appreciate this time of reflection and renewal during these next 40 days, on our journey to the cross and then thankfully, to the empty tomb!  Praise God!  Many of you may have already commented on this post in previous years. Sometimes it is interesting to go back and see where we were in our thoughts at that time.  May we continue in our growth in our relationship with Jesus. Amen.

38 comments:

  1. Love the pics of the cardinal. I've taken a few days off from my blog... not really intentionally, but I think I needed to rest myself. I believe that I will be taking more days away from the blog as God directs.

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    1. Oh Dear Debbie! I know we all need time to retreat, refresh, regroup, and rest...and especially when we feel the Lord prompting us to do so...we need to listen and obey. I know I started out gung-ho on the Secret Garden Chronicles, an then got busy again and have had to prioritize what I can and cannot do every day. God never meant this to be a "chore", but something to enjoy and treasure. When it becomes to much like "work", we start to resent the time taken...and then we need to pull back and let God redirect our thoughts. Take care of yourself...and trust the Lord to lead you in His path. You are such a blessing to all...rest up so you can come back refreshed!

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  2. Pam, thank you so much for this lenten devotion. I really like the idea of opening our heart to Him and to use the gifts He has given us that others might be blessed and that He might be glorified. Hugs to you, my friend.

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    1. Thank you Dianna, for your thoughts and affirmation of these words today. Yes, and now to wait on the Lord to show me how He might be more glorified through what I do with the gifts He has given. I guess it is just a matter of being obedient and letting Him do the rest!

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  3. Wonderful message on lent. Create in me a clean heart O Lord, yes, yes, yes!! Let me sacrifice myself to His glory.

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    1. Praying that the Lord will help me as I seek His face...that He will help me to do and be what He needs me to be for His honor and glory. I know I can't do this in my own strength...but God is already well aware of that...and I believe He has a plan! Thank you for stopping by today. Blessings.

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  4. A lovely devotion to begin lent and a beautiful setting in which to seek the Lord.

    Diana

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    1. Thank you Diana. I truly feel the Lord moving and shaking my spirit up to be ready for His action. I know I can't work it up in my own strength. Thank you for stopping by today. Blessings to you my friend across the sea!

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  5. Wonderful thoughts Pam! Being willing and obedient to whatever the Lord has for you is a beautiful place to be, so much He can do with that kind of an attitude and heart! And those lovely pictures of the birds who were with you there in your garden... I do believe animals are sensitive and know when the spirit of the Lord is moving around them! They feel the peace :) Hugs to you today dear friend, may the Lord mightily bless you today :)

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    1. Thank you for your thoughts and affirmation of what the Lord is saying to me and through this blog...and yes, I do sense His presence in the garden...and the birds seem to be getting quite used to me being there and are at peace as well. Blessings to you and your little "wild kingdom" in the frozen north!

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  6. Quiet and peace are such a blessing to me right now. Thank you for this Lenten devotion. I love the red cardinal.

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    1. I am so glad you could stop and visit here today. I am praying that the Lord is ministering to you in the quietness as you continue to prepare for your big move. I am so happy for you to have these things to look forward to.

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  7. Quietude is a word?? I have never heard it, but I like it!

    ""The work of righteousness will be peace,
    and the effect of righteousness,
    quietness and assurance forever."
    Isaiah 32:17"

    LOVE THIS.

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    1. It IS a word...just not one that we use in our every day conversation I guess...but I am finding it an attitude of my heart more and more each day as I practice these moments of "quietude" while contemplating God's Word to my heart. It's really been a game changer for me...one that I sorely needed. Thank you for joining in.

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  8. Pam: "Quietude," I like it. It relates to peace, my word for 2017. I like my home in the mornings because it is peaceful. I sometimes forget that, although we live on a fairly busy street, our back yard is quiet. I have found I work best when I have peace around me. I can't wait for the weather to get better for longer periods of time. Blessing as you observe Lent.

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    1. Yes, "peace" and "quietude" go hand in hand. I am glad that you are able to find little moments and places for a time of peace and quietude in your home and in your back yard...praying that the weather continues to cooperate! Blessings to you and your family during this time of preparation for the Holy season of Easter. I really appreciate spending this time of focusing my thoughts on the great sacrifice that Jesus made for me...and the promise of eternal life as a result. What joy is ours!!! Amazing Grace!!

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  9. Pam, I'm thinking that abiding goes along with quietude too. Fruit on the vine simply abides--it's not all that active, at least on the surface. However, I'm not sure how diligence goes with quietude? Hmm...being mindfully quiet while in the secret place, to pursue God with great passion. Just some random thoughts...

    Blessings!

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    1. Great thoughts, Kim....in reviewing this post from 2017 I discovered that I never responded to your comment back then. When we are diligently seeking God's peace and "quietude", He will bless us with the courage to face our current needs and issues with great diligence. We need to position ourselves into a place of quietly listening for His voice so that we can hear what He is asking us to do. This is something I have to work on frequently... Have a blessed day my friend.

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  10. I'm so glad you chose to repost this reflection, Pam, as somehow, I missed it the first time around. Were we blogging friends back then? I think so. Anyway, I love the idea of quietude during Lent, of "rending our hearts, not our garments," looking deeply at those parts of us for which we need forgiveness and a fresh start with God. Hoping the reading I've chosen for this 40 days will do just that.
    Blessings, my friend!

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    1. I'm sure we were friends in 2017, As I am sure I was reading your books in 2017.We both have stayed pretty busy over these past few years, so it's not surprising that we may have missed a blog post here and there. I pray that your Lent season will be a blessing to you. I know you've been going through quite a lot lately, and you may need this to be a season of peace and 'quietude" for sure. Thinking of you and your family. May God's peace be yours.

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  11. I agree with you, I think Lent has to be more about being quiet and a heart issue. How can we listen to the Lord if we don't find that quiet place? How can we hear amidst the noise of the world shouting so much junk to us. I did not grow up observing Lent. I like the idea of taking the 40 days to meditate upon what the Lord has done for us. I haven't cared for the Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras thing which I don't understand how that all got started and making the time before Resurrection such a fleshly thing. I don't mean to judge, but it just seems all wrong to me. Maybe someone can explain it to me someday.

    All your photos and scriptures are beautiful, as always.

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    1. I do not understand the "fat Tuesday" thing either, except that people have done that on the day before Ash Wednesday as a way of a kind of one last big party or binge of fat, sweet foods before they begin the period of fasting. That is the only thing I can see as to why they do it. I do not care to participate in that and it is not a part of my church's observance of the beginning of Lent. I do not believe in making this something of the "flesh" either...but a holy time of preparation, just as Christ was in the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by the devil, before He began is true ministry.

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  12. Pam, thank you for sharing this again. There's something special about those quiet moments with the Lord--just being in His presence. He truly does desire us--heart. Living sacrifices...to live this way...surrendered...must be amazing. I know I'm not quite there yet.

    Blessings!

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    1. Dear Kim, I didn't see this in 2019 when you posted it, but it is still appropriate for today...here we are again at another season of Lent, and I think we are all in need of those quite moments with the Lord even more. Blessings to you dear Kim. I don't know if you will see this reply after all these years, but I am thinking of you this morning and praying for you today.

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  13. I know I said this in 2019, Pamela, but once again, I enjoyed entering another season of Lent with you in quietude, seeking rest and solace from the Lord, and opening my heart even more that He would show me His purpose for my life.
    God bless you!

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    1. Oh yes, Martha...may the Lord open our hearts and reveal HIS plan for us in the here and now. I am in need of some "quietude" right now to hear His voice more clearly and to know His purpose more fully as well. Praying with you in this desire. Thank you so much, Martha, for your constant friendship.

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  14. Hi Pam, I had the best quiet time with the Lord today. Quiet in the sense that I watched no tv for most of the day. I went out side to do my daily Bible reading and work on my Bible study I a doing for lent. Our focus is on repentance. I was sad to hear about Ter's husband too. She doesn't visit my blog but I visit hers and I was glad to read she could be with her husband at the end. My friend lost her husband and her mom the same week. All are with our Lord now. I am going to read your post on Lent now.

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    1. Isn't it wonderful to spend some quiet time with the Lord? I know I am in need of some "quietude" right now. The noise of the world and the sorrow of our dear friend and others is causing me to want to run into my Savior's Arms and just rest my head on His shoulder for a while and let Him soothe my troubled heart. I am so sorry to hear of your friend who lost her husband and mother in the same week...that would be so terrible. Whispering a prayer for her right now. It has been a very sad year for so many. Thank you for your spirit and love of life, Susan. You are a dear person.

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  15. Wonderful thoughts and some of my very favorite verses. What you described sounds an awful lot like what the Lord took me through last year when my word was "abide." Though my word this year is "abundance" I find that I am still mindfully practicing the abiding in Him. These days I can spend as long as I want with the Lord first thing every day (unless of course I'm needed for babysitting) and I look forward to it so much. I will miss it so much when I return to work some day. Thank you for sharing your reflections and your beautiful birds. My Nana and her birds were very much on my mind today so it was sort of like getting a little nod from her. :) I hope the rest of your week is lovely and blessed.

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    1. Thank you, Stacy. I am glad that you enjoyed this little respite away from the noise of the world for a while. And yes, "abiding" in Him is something I think I need to do more of these days. I try to tune out the stresses of the world and the news, etc., and just spend more time focusing on God and His blessings and peace. Somehow though the sorrows of those around us (close and in the country) seep through and my heart breaks for them. It is good to see the beauty of God's creation going on about their lives as normal no matter what. I am glad you found some peace here today as well.

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  16. A really good post/message here today, Pam. And you know how I enjoy the bird pictures--that last cardinal picture he looks like he's looking right straight at you! ha ha LOL. Hope all is well there. Alot of rain here but i sure can't complain when I see what is going on in other parts of the Nation....all the snow/cold/ice/freeze and THEN POWER TURNED OFF. People are freezing and pipes are bursting and flooding their homes and homes are even burning down, it's just awful. Feel so sad for Teri, I don't know her but what a sad sad time for her, what a loss. So sad.

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  17. Hi Pamela, I enjoyed my visit here tonight. I grew up like you. Though Hispanic, I did not go to the Catholic church. I went to a Methodist church. I remember the cafeteria in grade school having Fish Fridays. Our church does not observe it. I learned about it more when I started Bible journaling back in 2016. I start a new study on March 1, called Return to Me. I better get to bed. Have a great weekend! Oh and I love your Be Still sign. That has come to me several times this week!

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    1. Oh, I also remember having "fish Fridays" in the school cafeteria! I'd forgotten about that! I also grew up in a Methodist church, and still attend one today (a very conservative one that is seeking to disaffiliate from the UMC). I think Lent is a very personal experience for each person. I like the "Return to Me" thought for a study. You should share more about it as you get into it. Thank you for visiting so late! It says it was 3:12 a.m., but that is probably my time, not yours in CA. LOL. Blessings to you my friend.

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  18. Happy Friday Pamela!
    I recall those fish Fridays at school too. But it was all year, I believe.
    Not being Catholic (but having friends who were), I never knew much about Lent. In my later adult years I've come to understand the season and appreciate it. I totally agree with your personal feelings about setting aside the time for reflection and renewal, in preparation for celebrating the Resurrection. (Although I don't fast, I have chosen to work on giving up a couple of habits I can live without!)
    I'm reading Corrie ten Boom's "I Stand at the Door and Knock" for a Lenten devotional, loaned to me by a coworker.
    It's been awhile since I've commented, but I always enjoy your faith filled posts, and all the wonderful pictures!
    Blessings, Linda

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  19. Hi Pamela. I love your bird pictures and also your ideas and philosophy about how to make the season of Lent a special and holy time. I am not Catholic and giving something up for Lent is not something that my church requires, but my plan is to fast one meal each Sabbath (Sunday) during the season of Lent. I hope you have a good weekend.

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  20. A beautiful post Pamela! I think it is wonderful to set aside something that you love for this season of remembering the time Jesus spent in the desert. I entered into a Daniel fast at the beginning of January, and have continued a no-sugar way of eating since. We feel so, so much better, it is amazing how much sugar we consume! Such wonderful thoughts you shared about Jesus, and I loved the pictures of your blue bird family! What a blessing to be able to watch them like that! Have a blessed and very special weekend!

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  21. I truly needed this reread here today, Pamela. Danny and I both have Covid - not severe, but enough to allow us to not be as mindful as we should be at this Lenten season. I'll explain more on my next blog which I'm hoping to publish tomorrow or Sunday at the latest.
    Let us fully embrace this season of quietude and peace once again.
    Blessings!

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  22. Lovely words of encouragement. This year, Lent sneaked up on me and I wasn't prepared. But. My friends and I decided to read The Practice of the Presence of God (Brother Lawrence) together this season and I am thankful that it will be just the right thing for me to place my focus during Lent.
    I love your bird photos!

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Thank you for visiting here today. I would love for you to sign my guestbook and let me know you stopped by. I always enjoy reading your comments and words of encouragement! May you be blessed as you go on your way. Please come back and visit again soon.