Every day I walked circles in the parking lot.
We sat a lot during the School for Spiritual Direction
and I needed the exercise.
So, I walked in circles,
round and round the lowest level of the parking lot.
And every day, I noticed a lovely garden just below me.
Twice each week, volunteers came to weed and water.
It took me two summers,
two weeks each summer,
to actually stroll down into that garden below me.
And I discovered something wonderful.
An historic garden,
filled with flowers and fruits and vines
that were in use during the late 18th and
early 19th centuries, during the era of the missions
and Spanish rule of Alta and Baja California.
A lovely small piece of summer serendipity in the middle of an intense time.
“Serendipity is the faculty of finding things we did not know we were looking for.”
Glauco Ortolano
Glauco Ortolano
“May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.
2 Thessalonians 2:15-16, The Message
2 Thessalonians 2:15-16, The Message
Joining with Michelle, Sandy and Deidra this beautiful summer weekend:
What a delightful find!
Blessings to you this weekend, Diana.
Thanks, Carol. And yes, it was a delightful find!
What a lovely garden. Beautiful photography. You took the path less traveled and that made all the difference (with apologies to Robert Frost).
Thanks, Donna. It was a lovely surprise.
this is like getting a massage
for my spirit:)
thank you for the beautiful share,Jennifer
Climb down and discover !
You’re welcome, Jennifer. Thank YOU for stopping by.
EXACTLY! Thanks for stopping by, Hazel.
I love how you take me there without leaving my chair. Serendipity indeed.
I could use a little surprise right now.
I’ll bet you could, Megan. Hope you find one around a corner you least expect. Maybe a drive somewhere you love?
Thank you, Sandy – and thanks for your Saturday invitation each week!
Stopping by for a visit from Jumping Tandem today!
How pretty.
You always seem to select such powerful verses.
Have a blessed week!
Hi, Diana!
Just found your post over at The Sunday Community blog hop. So much beauty in your photos! God is so creative and full of splendor!! And the verse is perfect! I really like your blog and am a new follower. Thanks for sharing!
In His Lo♥e, Ann @ http://christintheclouds.blogspot.com/
Thanks for your encouraging words, Ann – and thanks for the follow, too.
Thanks for coming by Rona – have a blessed Sunday afternoon!
What a treat to see this lovely historical flowery location and thank you for sharing those details. Loved it!
Thanks for coming by, Caryjo – always glad to see you here.
And thank you for taking us along with you on that beautiful walk!
I was writing at your place the very moment you were writing at mine. Thanks for coming by, Michelle – always happy to see your smiling face. :>)
School for spiritual direction? I am glad you found a distraction.
Only Jesus… and a walk with nature can bring truth.
A distraction was not needed, but exercise and time for prayer was. And Jesus was fully present in the learning and the worship as well as the walking and the prayer. Thanks be to God.