Jesus refered to himself in comparisons to so many elements of his creation ~ light, wind, water for example.  He refered to life as being like a flower, and fig trees.  He spoke of harvests and shepherding. He was able to make his points by making reference to the things in the everyday lives of the people he ministered to.  I have always loved that he prayed in a garden.  I am always taken to a place of feeling the oneness I have with him, when I am doing something gardeny.  We are taking down the old things in our yard.  Helped along by circumstances, my swing was leaning, my arbor was sagging, my vines are overtaking everything, and the stepping stones are  hidden under the overgrowth somewhere.  I had already pulled the little figurines and decorations from the garden last fall, and stored them.  But what we were facing, this year, was a complete clean up and start over...or so I thought. 
We had already removed the old swing set which had belonged to Dakota.  But my wooden swing, had to be taken apart. I dragged the timbers as Jimmy deconstructed it, to where the children's swing had been. I made a back drop for what was about to become my new Bird feeder station, and outdoor photo studio.  Wanting to use what we had as much as possible, I began to place the broken tree limbs which were beginning to be covered with mushrooms in strategic places, as if they had been laying there all along.  I took the concrete urns from MOM's, which I will fill with flowers in her memory this year, and placed them like she would have.  I pulled the table I had made from wood recycled from the old deck repair to one end.  I rearraged the stepping stones we rescued from other old paths no longer used in the yard.  Jimmy made me a flat surface feeder and raised it a few inches off the ground. I lay a limb in front to camoflouge the edges of the board and make it more natural.  I placed the statuary around in nooks that had been created with the arrangement.  Then I placed seed in the crevaces of knot holes in the logs, and anywhere that I thought birds would feel sucure enough to come and feed.  I stood a long limb against the tree and hung one of the wind chimes and a little bird house that Dakota gave me on it.  I put up two logs, standing them on end, on the table, and set the birdhouse, that had come off a standing peice of decor my sister had made years ago, on top. The stand had rotted away, but the birdhouse still was solid.
When I though it was acceptable, I went to my hiding place and pulled up my camera to see if the angles of things were photo ready.  And then....I got up before dawn to be in hiding before the birds awakened.  I adjusted cameras to the best picture I could take in minimal light that would be easy to adjust as the light became brighter, and I sat and waited.
At first, there was nothing but a bold Robin and a stubborn squirrel.  My favorite birds sung in the edges of the yard, nestled safely in the bushes.  And then it happened. Daylight approached and they began to cautiously emmerge.  I struggled to get focused on the birds in time to take clear shots. But I kept at it. The birds came to the seed and when the camera made sounds, they flew. Uggh.  So I moved back into the darkness of my hiding place a little further and readjusted the camera focal lengths, and then it happened.  First one shot, then two, then several.  Please help them not be afraid of me, I prayed.  Then silence. I searched about and found a cat sitting on the steps to the deck.  After shooing him off..I waited again....Finally, Brown Thrashers, Dark-Eyed Juncos, Song Sparrows, White-throated sparrows, Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Finches, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Mourning Doves, Towhees and Robins.  Much to my surprise, I was getting nice shots even in though it had begun to rain. 
All the while, I recalled that Jesus chose this atmosphere in which to pray.  I don't know if there were birds about.  In an olive grove they probably had ways to disuade birds from coming there. But He chose a place where he could hide away, close to his creation.  As I am able, there will be a couple of places where I can sit or kneel in my new garden spot.  I can imagine having little bits of inspiration dotted about. But for all the nostalgia of such places...we must always come away, able to face the world where we actually live.  Having this place gives my mind a resting spot.  But as Jesus often did, we arise from the place of prayer and we go live.  I have known of people who just felt like the more and longer they prayed the closer they might come to getting an answer from God.  I watched the little birds going about life, searching for food, selecting mates, guarding territories, and I knew that all of God's creation does not stress over whether God will answer their prayer for provision and care. They just attack life with their whole being. 
Jesus himself explained that God never forgets the sparrow, so how much more he will take care of me.  So I came away from my experience of being in the garden with him and his little birds, knowing how much he cared for me. As if he were there...
Oh yes, he still comes to the Garden to pray, with me. He IS always there.
When the scarey things of life come sneaking up on me, Lord, help me wisely fly away, until all is clear. But help me be about living life, and loving it.  With gusto, and purpose. Help me not to tarry too long in the garden...Life is for living. Thank you for that. AMEN