margaretreeson

Sunflowers

The sunflowers were planted with such hope. Children crowded around the small garden bed in the corner of the empty block, carefully lifting each sunflower seedling into its hole, patting the soil down around it and standing back while teenagers brought in the watering cans. A whole congregation of us gathered round and smiled. TheseContinue reading “Sunflowers”

Remembering our elders: stories of influence, love, faith and challenge.

At first glance, it looks like a colourful paper chain, the sort of thing children make as party decorations. Look closer. On each strip of bright paper are handwritten names, each in the hand of a different person. Each links to the next in a chain, each a clue to significant relationships. Behind each pairContinue reading “Remembering our elders: stories of influence, love, faith and challenge.”

Beautiful faces…beautiful eyes

A fragment of conversation was overheard recently in a meeting of many cultures. ‘They have such beautiful faces’. ‘No, but you have beautiful eyes.’ Who do we see when we look at those who are different? Not only those with different national origins but also those with different politics, biblical interpretations or priorities. We callContinue reading “Beautiful faces…beautiful eyes”

The beginning of things

A few blocks from our place on the northern edge of Canberra, all manner of earthmoving equipment is at work, turning a dusty paddock into blocks patterned with trenches and marking out streets for invisible houses and gardens. Soon people will live there. One day old people will attend some sort of anniversary of theContinue reading “The beginning of things”

‘No notice shall be taken of Christmas Day’

You find some curious things when you read documents from an earlier era. ‘25 December 1861. I wish all our friends a merrier Christmas than I am spending… the powers that be have ordained that no notice shall be taken of Christmas Day – no services held, why, we would not know that it isContinue reading “‘No notice shall be taken of Christmas Day’”