He Knows Every Bird

I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. Psalm 50: 11

The mountains are teeming with an abundance of birds, and our Heavenly Father knows them all. It's quite an amazing fact when you stop and reflect upon it considering how many mountains and birds are in the world, yet he knows every single one of them. He knows every winged creature that shows up at my feeders, even the tiny hummingbirds! How easily we forget just how awesome our Heavenly Father really is. How often do we stop and reflect on His greatness?

Life is hard and it's easy to get caught up in the "woe is me" syndrome that has spread like a contagious epidemic. Christians are not immune from this disease. It is so common in our churches that most of us don't even realize we are infected with it. At times it can become a competition to see whose life is worse. Grumbling and complaining is rampant in our society today among believers and non-believers, and I'm just as guilty of it as anyone else. How easy it is to complain about gas prices, the weather, and the high cost of living. How easy it is to join in and add our two cents when we hear others complaining. I'm saddened as I think about how much easier it is to complain than it is to be thankful and share something uplifting and positive. Do you ever stop and wonder how God feels when He hears our grumbling amidst all the blessings He has poured out upon us?

The "woe is me" syndrome is a product of self-focus rather than God-focus. The only cure for the disease is to focus on God and how awesome He truly is. Regardless of our life circumstances, we have so much to be thankful for. God has showered us with blessings too numerous to count. When we consider His ways and count all the ways He has blessed us, thankfulness will spring forth from our lips in praise of the One who knows every bird of the mountains.

Eagle Wings

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

I’ve been battling some health issues and personal struggles recently that often leave me feeling weak and weary. At times depression creeps in, hovering over me like a dark cloud. Feelings of hopelessness seem to besiege me, taking me captive in the dark pit of despair and the agony of worry. Rather than a soaring eagle, I often feel like a helpless bird, desperately flapping its wings in a frantic attempt to fly.

God’s word says if we wait upon Him our strength will be renewed. We will soar on wings like an eagle. I’ve found comfort in these words, but wondered what does it really mean to wait upon the Lord? What is the significance of soaring on wings like an eagle? Why the eagle imagery?

The eagle has superior aerial skills and has been seen as a symbol of strength and courage since ancient times. An eagle’s wingspan can reach up to eight feet across. Its feathers are designed to reduce turbulence. When its wings catch a thermal wind, it can soar for significant distances with minimal movement, making it possible for the eagle to conserve precious energy. Eagles don’t flap their wings frantically to stay aloft. Unlike other birds, they fly high above the lowlands making use of the wind currents to gain height almost effortlessly.

If we trust in our own strength, we will be like a helpless bird flapping its wings furiously; zapping our strength and resulting in weariness, depression, and despair. If we trust in the Lord we will soar on wings as a eagle. It doesn’t require great effort to soar like an eagle! God’s word tells us we simply must wait upon Him. To wait upon Him means keeping our thoughts and focus on Him in expectant anticipation of things to come. Our mind is fixed on Him and eternity rather than on our everyday problems. When we depend on the Lord’s strength, we can fly above the turbulence, rising above the challenges and difficulties of everyday life.

My Writing Nest

I've often been asked where I write and what my writing space looks like, and I've always enjoyed seeing the unique writing spaces of other writers. I decided I would share my little space for those who have asked. My writing room is humble, nothing fancy, but it is mine. I don't have to share it with anyone! It took me a long time to get a room of my own. While raising 4 children, finding any place to be alone was a rare luxury. When the children were little, I never dreamed I would have my own room one day. I thought it was only wishful thinking.

As we all know, time moves on and life changes. Children grow up and eventually move out and start lives of their own, ushering in new seasons and stages of life. When the children started moving out, I decided to convert one of the upstairs bedrooms into my home office. I could not believe I was finally going to have my own space to work and write in. I do medical transcription from home, so having an acutal room with a door that shuts is vital to my sanity. We didn't have a lot of money to spare, so I kept things simple. I finally had a place to put my bookshelves and the many books I had collected over the years. I plan to paint the walls a soft yellow this fall to add some warmth to the room. There is nothing like yellow to brighten up a room.

The room has a small offset at one end, which I turned into my quiet-time corner. It contains a rocking chair, small stand with a lamp, small bookcase to keep my CD player and devotional books within reach. A bouquet of my favorite silk flowers and a tea set add a "homey feeling." I'm quite content writing in my humble little nest and feel blessed to have a room to call my own.

Squawking Crows

While out on my morning walk this morning, the singing of the finches and cardinals seemed to be drowned out by the squawking and hollering of the crows. It brought to mind one of my favorite quotes:

"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except for the best." Henry Van Dyke

How often do we feel inadequate and feel as if we will never measure up to others who seem to possess more talent than we do? God has given each of us unique gifts and talents to be used for His glory. We will each have to give an account one day for how we used our gifts. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25: 14-30 helps us to see why we need to use our talents wisely. Two of the servants in this passage of scripture invest their talents wisely and are rewarded, but the third servant hides his talent and is rebuked as lazy and wicked. He allowed fear to stop him. How often do we allow fear to keep us from using our talents and investing wisely into the kingdom of heaven? Just as the noisy crows squawk loudly amidst the pretty songs of the finches and cardinals, we also must step out of our comfort zones and use our talents for the glory of our Heavenly Father. We all have different "songs" to sing, and each one is unique and has a purpose. When use our talents wisely, we will one day here these wonderful words:

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25: 23

Reflections From The Clothesline

Call me crazy, but I love hanging out laundry! There is just something therapeutic about being outside, surrounded by God's awesome creation. I woke up to beautiful weather complete with an abundance of sunshine, bright blue skies, and a warm breeze blowing; a perfect laundry day. I was treated to a beautiful symphony of bird songs as I hung out the wash. Did you ever notice how the birds seem to sing more on bright sunny days? Then again, perhaps it's just my imagination! Birds were everywhere this morning. God not only provided a beautiful day complete with a bird song symphony, he also provided my comedy for the day. I smiled as I watched two Pileated Woodpeckers busy at work. God does have a sense of humor! Every time I see one of these woodpeckers, I have to smile. What was God thinking when he created them? They are rather odd looking creatures. Talk about a bad hair day. They were born with one!

As I sat down at the picnic table after hanging out the laundry, I thought about all the things we miss when we toss a load of laundry in the dryer. This is something I find myself doing more often than usual since I'm working more. Modern appliances are great, but I wonder how much we are missing out on when we rely on them. Are we missing a blessing? The blessing of being surrounded by God's creation; seeing the flowers blooming, feeling the warmth of the sun on our backs, the caress of a soft breeze on our face, and the singing of the birds. I'm so thankful for clothesline therapy and for the blessings God provides in the simple things of life.

Blog Makeover, Fresh Start

Thanks to Trista from Pumkin Patch Creations, my blog has a new look. I'm very pleased with the outcome and highly recommend her services!

My blog sat idle for quite some time, partly because I am new to the blogging world and wasn't really sure what to do next. In addition, I was praying about what direction to go with blogging. I also wanted to have my blog designed by someone who actually knew what they were doing before I started sharing it with people.

Now that the design issue is resolved and I'm happy with the new look, I'm still not sure what direction God wants me to take with blogging. I've spent a lot of time looking at other people's blogs over the past few weeks, and I decided what I don't want my blog to become: an addiction! I don't want it to take over my life and take the place of actually living life. So with that being said, I am going to try to post on a regular basis, but not necessarily every day. More than anything, I want my words to bless others and glorify God. What I post here will be what I feel God placed on my heart to share. I've always enjoyed writing and feel I need to use my writing for God's glory, but yet I'm so fearful of putting stuff I write "out there." I've resided in my comfort zone for many years and have written a lot of things that I've never shared because of fear. I feel blogging is one way for me to step out of my comfort zone.

Please bear with me as I continue the learning process of blogging. I'm looking forward to the adventure!