#nature

seeing: viewing nature soothes our souls

/ Joy Lenton / 9 Comments 

Act of seeing 

Today I sat
communing with nature,
cup of tea in hand,
a book in my lap,
noticing the scenic backdrop 
like a beauty curator.

I caught sight
of a bright brimstone butterfly
that danced across my eyes 
with nimble precision,
as she filled my heart 
with unexpected delight. 

I was surprised 
by two small, black-dotted,
cabbage white butterflies 
which fluttered like tiny flags, 
swiftly following one another 
to the scented, brightly coloured plants. 

Today I watched,
entranced by the papillons,
while I failed to capture 
their flight with a camera’s
eye, but held them, instead,
with deep gratitude—in my sight. 
© joylenton


Here’s an interesting article about the potential spiritual symbolism of yellow butterflies: https://www.spiritualposts.com/yellow-butterfly-spiritual-meanings/

Want to enhance your sacred noticing opportunities? This book will help encourage you in that quest. Just click here or on the image below to find out more. 🌺🦋🌸💜🌼🦋

lift: how life’s small mercies encourage our hearts

/ Joy Lenton / 3 Comments

It’s the smallest things of life that can make or break our days. **Mini mercies and moments of grace.** An unexpected visit, call, text, email or snail mail, perhaps. A bouquet of flowers. A delicious meal we eat. A friend to greet. A great book to read. A new place to see.

A cup of aromatic coffee or a pot of tea to savour. Photos of our family to take and share. A loved one to hug and hold. Music and sounds which delight or give us pause for thought. And the pleasure of enjoying nature’s abundance outdoors.


Having M.E and chronic illness has taught me not to despise the tiny, mundane things of life. When I yield to my body’s need to rest and pause, I often get a soul lift when I slow down.

God’s presence seems closer. Prayer arises spontaneously. Creative ideas begin to emerge. Life’s small mercies bless me enormously.

Birdsong reaches to the depths of my soul because each throaty call is a reminder to stay in joy, to live this life by keeping the flame of hope alive.

It doesn’t take much to sense a heavenly touch. Life’s little things become magnified as we pay greater attention to them. 

Lifted

I attempt to dust my bedroom,
just the easier parts I can 
reach, of course, but it leaves 
me exhausted, so I acquiesce,
rest on the bed. And I hear—
a susurration of traffic 

sounds, a background hum
interrupted by an intermittent 
trill of bright birdsong—
sharp, sweet, soft, solo, duet,
each one knowing their place 
in the divine orchestra.

It’s a river rolling through
my head, leaping like salmon
into my thoughts. I am stirred,
calmed, inspired, touched
to the core by the beauty
of it all. Such a simple

activity that rarely ceases
during summer or spring,
but it has the power
to lift our lives higher,
to add meaning to everything.
© joylenton

“A birdsong can even, for a moment, make the whole world into a sky within us, because we feel that the bird does not distinguish between its heart and the world’s.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

If you’d like to hear what some common British birds sound like when they’re singing, this little video will give you a clue. I learnt a few things from it, too!

Are you in a season of needing to slow? Seeking to recover a measure of strength, energy and health after a setback, perhaps? I would love to hear what helps lift and encourage your soul. Feel free to share below. Unsure what M.E is or how it affects people? This article will help. 😉❤️💜 Xx

dawn: the emergence of light gives us hope

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments 

Splash of glory

Sunlight laps at the edges
of fading night,
lifts its concealing cloak

by slow increments 
as dawn begins to break
and a sleepy world awakes.

Petals unfurl themselves 
to welcome sun,
spread wide their fragrant arms

like a benediction 
quivering in the breeze
as they bless who they please.

Birds announce their presence—
morning chorus 
resounds into skeined sky

as orchestrated 
hymns of grateful praise
rise, fill the airways.

It’s new every morning,
old as the hills,
this bright splash of glory

freely fills and spills,
lifts our hearts heavenward
in reverence and awe.
© joylenton

Dawn blessing

Bless the dawn—
the dawn of creation,
the dawn of sentience,
the dawn of creatures
great and small,
the dawn of gardens and plants,
of flowers and waterfalls.

Bless the dawn—
the dawn of mankind,
the dawn of hope
to encourage our hearts,
the dawn of new life,
the dawn of embracing it
with joy, wonder, and love.

Bless the dawn—
the dawn of invention,
the dawn of innovation
through the centuries,
the dawn of creativity,
the dawn of great ideas,
of light igniting for you and me.

— joylenton

garden: a place where God meets with us

/ Joy Lenton / 10 Comments

“I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day.” — Frank Frankfort Moore

In the garden

Christ walks in the garden,
yes, this spring-fresh orchard 
where gaudy peacocks strut,

where incipient apples grow
and the trees speak
to me of bearing his weight,

while bluebells shoot
their vivid heads skyward
to match the now droopy tulips,
and green plants emerge

blinking into the sun
like newly startled birds
before the heavy,
drenching rainstorm comes.

Christ walks in the garden
of my soul — he comes 
barefoot and vulnerable,

with a steady tread
firm and purposeful,
as he hopes I will notice

his presence, fragrant 
as the morning dew
I prepare to dip my toes

into, and rise refreshed
as if I’ve experienced 
peerless peace and rest.
© joylenton

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” — George Washington Carver

Cascades: observe all the blossoming

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

“Attention is the beginning of devotion.” — Mary Oliver

Experiences flow through our lives, our days, resembling a gushing waterfall that cascades. They arrive as moments of quiet reflectiveness, an exuberant drowning in sound sometimes, or a sudden stir of the heart that takes our breath away.

We experience a snapshot of seconds, a microcosm of inhabited moments, and a movie reel of minutes that pass all too fleetingly.

We all have occasions when we long to turn back time. Wouldn’t it be great to freeze-frame the highlights and press pause on the best moments of our lives?

Perhaps we could try to pay greater attention to it all, especially the golden glimpses that warm our souls.


Observing our lives is a lot like prayer. It’s gratitude in motion. A sacred act of appreciation and devotion.

We see more when we look with deliberate intent, seek to record with our eyes, and store away in our minds.

I’ve attempted to do that here as I view a pear tree releasing its blossom, listen to birdsong in the trees and the midday hymn singing.

Cascades

Cascades of confetti 
carpet the grass, veil the trees,
drape the garden 
plants, line the pathways,
as soft white blossom
drifts silently, 
detaches itself 
from its original home
on the pyrus communis
where it belongs.

Cascades of birdsong 
trill through the trees,
be they walnut, pear,
apple or oak
or magnificent magnolia,
as it lilts through the leaves,
threads its way
between the boughs, and arches
across the divide
where bony branches stretch.

Cascades of voices
sing out their praise,
whether wobbly and weak
or with vigour and strength
as the notes 
signal a hymn, unknown 
or familiar, 
for each one stems from
a grateful heart 
tuned into hope and love.
© joylenton

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” — Henry Ward Beecher

childhood: when summers were magical for us

/ Joy Lenton / 9 Comments

“Blessed be childhood, which brings down something of heaven into the midst of our rough earthliness.” — Henri Frederic Amiel

Noticing

Scrambling on my stone-scratched 
and soil-stained knees,
falling further beneath this canopy,
all feels covert, mysterious,
hidden, concealed

from indifferent adult eyes, 
which tend to skim and skirt
the surface of things
and miss the obvious,
because they fail to look
hard enough.

But now, as my breath breaks free
in tiny gasps, I notice
how the earthworm burrows,
where the snail trail slithers,

how the ants scurry fast,
bees warningly buzz
and soft butterflies flit around,
seeking a fresh place to land.

I note where sharp thorns sit
waiting to pierce us 
unawares, elicit shrieks,
for they know how vulnerable
human skin can be,

how easily a barrier 
can be broken,
and a raw wound gape 
and bleed, like slitting 
open an envelope sleeve.

And I'm learning how a girl like me 
can hide away, close to a veiled, 
unseeing parental gaze.

This bushy undergrowth is like 
a world within a world,
one I long to lose myself in, 
to press into darkness

while my heart seeks out the tiny, 
flickering pinpricks of light
found glittering in the gaps as stars,
gently pointing the way 
forward—like a litany of psalms.
© joylenton

“There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.” — Graham Greene

The poem above has been extracted from my latest book ‘Sacred Noticing: Seasonal Glimpses of the Infinite’ which is available on Amazon. UK readers can access it by clicking on the link above and readers who live elsewhere can find the book by clicking on the image below. Xx 🙂 ❤

mirror: seeing ourselves as we really are

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

It’s no secret that nature and wildlife have things to teach us as they quietly go about their lives. The poem below was written after observing a bluetit’s antics as she circled around our car’s wing mirror for a few minutes.

We were too entranced watching her to think of recording the moment. But oh joy, she returned the next day and I caught it briefly with these blurred, smudgy photos out of the kitchen window! 😉

Birdwatching 

She flits
back and forth
admiring herself in glass,
enraptured 
by the way her image
is captured 
so vividly in the wing
mirror, where she can’t resist 
such a view of loveliness.

It’s as if
she cannot quite 
believe that this tiny bird 
has anything 
whatsoever to do with her,
or is more than a passing 
resemblance, perhaps—
does this sight signify, imply
what she might really look like?

So she shifts
her gaze here 
and there, hopping keenly
once more over
the bonnet of the car,
then back again
to preen, to marvel,
to check she does exist 
in this world, in this space.

And she twists 
her perspective 
as she turns upside 
down, and almost inside
out in her eagerness 
to believe she is
just as sweet, just as
lovely, just as glorious
as the mirror suggests.
© joylenton

“But we Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.” — 2 Corinthians 3:18 TLB

This sweet incident made me wonder how we might respond when we catch a glimpse of ourselves in a mirror. Are we enchanted, curious, disinterested or disappointed? Does it matter if we’re less than thrilled with our outer appearance?

Because we are so much more than the sum of our parts. Though having a balanced love for ourselves and a healthy self-acceptance is to be encouraged. We need to transform our wounded minds and hearts by believing we are who the Bible says we are.

I can attest that it’s been damaging for me to have low self-esteem for years due to painful childhood experiences that seared my soul and induced decades of brokenness. God longs for us to see ourselves the way He does: beautiful, beloved, healed and whole, a joy to behold.

Maybe looking in the mirror might cause us to seek the kind of mirror that truly reflects our God-given beauty, grace and loveliness, especially if we’ve failed to fully notice or appreciate it.

Do we return, time and again, to check our reflection in Scripture as it holds up a mirror to our souls and gives us insight into the close, loving relationship we can have with God? Perhaps we should… 🙂 ❤

rootedness: rooted deep in faith just like the trees

/ Joy Lenton / 2 Comments

“To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.” — Simone Weil

Rootedness

A sweep of trees sway 
above me, with a deep rustling 
reverberating through each leaf, 

murmuring a message 
of presence, of being, 
of hidden strength and timely

wisdom encircling each trunk, 
as ageing rings mark out
the seasons, and bark folds 

itself into gnarled whorls
that speak of mysteries 
only trees can see and know.
Standing still beneath 
a canopy of branches, arching 
protectively above 

my head, I am entranced 
and given over to awe, 
marvelling in their statuesque 

beauty and grace, 
their manner of connectivity 
in this dark and sheltered place, 

where I am but a visitor, 
awed by their centuries’ 
old stability, peace, 
and lofty splendour.
There is a stillness here, 
a sense of timelessness, where
breezes stir the structure
 
of each tree yet cannot affect
their invincibility, their very 
rootedness into the ground,

which spreads much further 
than eyes can see, making
channels through this forest 

that help to keep them all
alive and vigorous, sturdily 
enduring as our lives unfold.
© joylenton

“If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence we could rise up rooted like trees.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

“And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.” — Colossians 2:6-7 TLB

I close with a few forest sights and sounds to help soothe the stress away and bring you a few moments of relaxation and peace…. Enjoy. 🙂 ❤

change: on yearnings, adaptation, and gratitude for where we are now

/ Joy Lenton / Leave a comment

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” — Henry David Thoreau

Yearning for change

These naked limbs, 
licked and warmed 
by sun’s soft caress,
have their arms open 

for an early entry 
of spring, longing deep
at the heart 
for sap to rise again 

and the blooming
of buds to start
to burst forth, giving them
a new dress, new chorus.

Each branch,
every stem 
and arthritic twig reaches
up to the heavens,

like a prayer, a plea
to be noticed,
to be spared the worst
of winter’s onslaught,
and to have a fresh
covering of leaves
as chill winds blow,
leaving them drawn taut. 

But even so,
they might forget just how
majestic they are 
in their pared back 

barrenness, their state 
of cold undress,
which has its own perfect 
beauty we observe, its own

form of sculptural loveliness,
as we stop and pause
from our labours
to watch nature at work. 
© joylenton

“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” — Rachel Carson

This poem arose when I paid attention to the apple tree outside our living room window. The more I studied it throughout the day, the more my sympathies were engaged and my gratitude enhanced for simply being here, acting as a silent observer of its wintry state and potential future growth. Because immersing ourselves in nature, in small ways and large, is a great way to stir creativity and bring us a deeper measure of soul peace.

“Change” happens to be my #oneword365 for Poetry Joy this year. Where are you receiving reflective thoughts from the created world as it beds down for winter yet retains a new kind of beauty in its structure, its place of peace and quiet repose? Do share below. 🙂 ❤

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” — Eckhart Tolle

anticipating: the holy art of noticing

/ Joy Lenton / 10 Comments

“Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

My mostly sedentary, housebound life has, rather surprisingly, greatly enhanced whatever ability I might have for noticing. Observation pays dividends of hope and contentment whenever I look closely at living creatures, trees, flowers, and plants.

Nature lures me like a siren call, and I respond with joy, knowing how it lifts my spirit to engage with it all.

Anticipation builds as the seasons change because they all have different aspects that charm us. Life goes on without our full attentiveness, of course, but when we do pause to pay attention we are rewarded with wonderful scenic views, deeper appreciation, participation with the created world, spiritual insights, and maybe a poem to share..

Anticipating

Holiness seeps 
from each breath of wind,
whispering your majesty
because the still, 
small voice speaks 
louder than anything.

The land anticipates
your glorious presence 
as it waits to receive
each day’s instruction 
to shine your glory
and signal your peace.

Yes, even now,
with dripping trees bowed
low against each movement
of blustery wind and rain,
while a watery sun
licks the flowers again.

Even here, as the pigeon 
pokes her beak
into saturated soil,
expectant of finding 
seed, and the blackbirds
stoop to gather worms
as their daily spoil.

Nature might appear 
casually indifferent 
to holy breath 
but it shouts out the loudest
words of praise
to its Maker, always.

Earth has learnt
how to keep you
as its primary focus,
remaining sensitive 
to all the shifts
in its rhythmic pulse,
its seasonal chorus.

Oh may we be stirred 
to listen to its vibrant 
words, and give our own 
response, as our hearts rejoice 
in also being seen and heard.

May your peace rule
and reign 
in the midst of chaos 
because answers 
will flow, even if we think
no one can hear us.
© joylenton

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” ~ George Washington Carver

For those of you who might have been anticipating just when I would return and write here again, I’m glad to be back! But I have to say that I’m not sure as yet how regular my posts will be for a while, as this post explains. Keep noticing my friends. It will reward you more than you know to develop and heighten your awareness of God at work in the world. Xx 🙂 ❤