God's Gifts

The visitors who come to my flowers bring me joy.

Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds flit from flower to flower.

They search for the sweet nectar.

Like these creatures, people go from one thing to another 

looking for the next best thing.

That's natural for the bugs and birds, but for people, it's exhausting.

Take time to stop and experience God's gifts.

Seek to be satisfied by His love and grace.

 

Always Find a Song

 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, 
O Most High. -Psalm 9:2

During the time we were cloistered in our homes due to COVID, the goldfinches and house finches kept us company, outside our window.
I heard them sing every morning. 
They had no idea our world had turned upside down.

I'm thankful for those little birds and their songs. 
They taught me to keep singing. 

My daughter painted this beautiful picture of the goldfinch, 
and it's a wonderful reminder to me to rejoice and be glad. 

Soul Care

I see lots of commercials and products that encourage me 

to take care of my body. 

Eat right, exercise, watch cholesterol, go for checkups. 

What about taking care of my soul? 

When my soul is weary or hurting, I'm drained.

Where do I find soul care?

From my heavenly Father, his words in the Bible, prayer, worship, nature,

His love, and the love of my family and friends.

Thank you God for restoring my soul.

 

If the Birds

God created birds to sing—

I love to hear the birds sing in the morning,

What a glorious song they sing.

If the birds can sing praises to God—so will I.

 

And God Created Egrets

On one of our trips to Lake Erie, we stopped by the Port Clinton Lighthouse. 

We walked along the beach and searched for lake glass,

 then sat on a bench and watched the waves.

We were preparing to leave when I turned and 

looked toward the two ponds that sit in front of the lighthouse. 

A speck of white caught my attention. 

As I moved closer to the water, an egret stood. 

What a beauty. I am partial to these remarkable birds, with their graceful movements. 

As with any of God's creation, I love to watch them and learn their ways. 

Fun fact: they build their stick nests near the water, but high in the trees. 

Fortunately, this bird was photogenic!  

He Made Them

Spring brings much needed color and beauty to the world.

God has created the most incredible creatures and blooms.

I love watching the birds at my feeder and seeing the flowers shine in their glory.

Sometimes we just need to stop, look around, and witness God's artistry.

The World is God's

Like the Birds

Psalm 91:1-2

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

A baby barred owl nestled into the roots of a tall oak tree. He sat as still as a statue— until my youngest daughter and I approached. We stood about three feet from him when we heard his mama hooting. He clacked his beak and flapped his wings to scare us off and she kept hooting. The next day, on a field trip with my oldest daughter's first grade class, we spied a killdeer. She flapped her wings, swelled her chest out, and ran around trying to shoo us away from her eggs. Both mama birds went into protector mode when their babies felt threatened.

Like the birds, I have a protector. One who knows my enemy. I love the verse in Psalm that reminds me I rest in the shadow of the almighty. Can you imagine the enormity of God's shadow? Neither can I. Yet what I do know—in his shadow I'm surrounded by God and his army of angels; I have God's word that pours truth into my weary soul; I have the Holy Spirit who walks with me every day; and I have Jesus promise of new life. Praise God for his love and protection.

Oh, to be a Bird

Matthew 6:25-27
 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

The gold finches and house finches visit the feeder beside our porch. We hung it at the beginning of spring and have been blessed with fluttery visitors ever since. After work, I often sit in my Adirondack chair, camera in hand, hoping to catch a photo of these sweet beauties. If you're a fan of gold finches, you've noticed that the male bird's feathers dull with winter. This mechanism of molting hides him from predators. With spring, his plumage returns to a bright yellow to attract his mate. I am amazed how God takes care of the tiniest details of his creation.

Finches love to eat thistle and milkweed. Even though I enjoy having them at my feeder, they don't depend on me for food. God takes care of them. He supplies their need. How much more does he do for me? And why do I worry? I read the other day that worry causes stress and anxiety, but concern results in action/prayer. Worry blows circumstances up to ridiculous proportion. While prayer offers peace and guidance. Jesus is telling us to stop worrying about the basics and keep our minds on the spiritual. Eat what we have, wear what we have and be more concerned about our souls. Feed on spiritual food and grow in him. Praise God he values us!

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.