Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Nature’ Category

Happy Summer Solstice

Posted in Devotional, Nature, tagged , , , , , on June 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

dreamstimefree_257490Today is the longest day of the year. It is the official beginning of summer. (Coulda fooled me. Here in my part of Texas, it’s been in the 90sF for several weeks already. That’s summer in my book!)

On Sunday will be the super moon-  the time the full moon is the closest to the earth all year so it looks super-sized.

Many ancient pagan rituals evolve around these two events. Those cultures felt as if the gods were especially close during this time  of the year, so it was the best time to summon them. Maybe they would listen.

But Christians have the Son year round, and for eternity.  He’s the creator of the sun and the moon. Everyday is the longest day and every  night is dispelled by the brightness of His love.  We don’t have to wait for a certain time of year when He draws near.  We have God’s attention whenever we lift our prayers and hearts to Him, and even when we forget to do so.

The Lord is your keeper;???????????????????????????????????????

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.       Psalm 121:5-6

Read Full Post »

A Swell of Swallows

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , , on June 7, 2013| 2 Comments »

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Every morning when I drive to work, a flock of swallows huddles together under one of the highway overpasses. You can barely see them as they cling together for safety, companionship and warmth. But when cars whiz by, they immediately scatter willy-nilly, flying in a  chaotic waltz. They swell into swirls going a thousand different directions. Then one by one they return to the underpass. This happens over and over, every morning. Silly birds. After a while, you’d think  they’d be immune to the disruptive engine noise and vibrating whoosh of the wind as tons of metal and rubber zip by underneath them.

Are we immune to disruptions? As Christians we huddle together and cling to our traditions. But when something disruptive happens  often we let it ruffle our feathers. I have seen congregations burst into chaos when someone suggest a new way of doing things. People fly off the handle, as the saying goes. Everyone scrambles to take sides, often bumping into each other’s feelings.  But, eventually, we all remember to whom we should cling and peacefully return one by one to our knees before His throne … until the next disruption whooshes by to unnerve us.

It may be that many church goers cling to the wrong things such as traditions and customs, mistaking them for faith. “But we have always done it this way.”  “We have never allowed children at the early service.” “The minister should always preach for 20 minutes, no more.”  “The women have always held Bible study at 10 am on Thursdays. We can’t possibly move it to the evening just because some women work nowadays.”  The theology behind why we do what we do gets lost in the routine.

Perhaps, God’s spirit shakes us up a bit now and then to see how we will react. Will we cling to our faith, or scatter in a swell of chaotic fluttering like the swallows, seeking security in our steadfast routines and customs?

Read Full Post »

Two Dogs

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature on June 4, 2013| 1 Comment »

A friend got a puppy because she was living by herself for the first time in a very long time.  Even though she is on a fixed income, she paid hundreds of dollars for it, then even more in obedience classes which didn’t work, neutering and  accessories. But the dog is not the cuddly little apartment dog she wanted. It is high strung, barks all the time, chews everything in sight and is almost impossible to discipline. Because she cannot trust it to not tear up her stuff, it stays in a dog crate in her bedroom.  She tried it for months in the living room but found she couldn’t watch TV or work on the computer because the dog was constantly being disruptive. She has tried walking the dog four times a day to get its energy out. She’s tried and tried.

Then she thought maybe the dog would like a friend. She found a rescue dog- cute, soft, cuddly and well mannered. The exact type of dog she wanted.  Now she is in a dilemma.  The contrast between the two is making the first dog even less desirable. But she says she has invested so much time and money in the dog she feels a duty to keep it.

Okay- to be fair – it is not the little dog’s fault. It is just not the dog for her. The dog would be happier and have a better life with someone else who didn’t want to try and make it into what it will never be – a sedate, cuddly animal.   Sometimes, you just have to let go and realize you made a mistake. And that may be the toughest part of all.

Is this not true of our habits? We have a disruptive one, and then Christ comes into our lives and shows us a better way. Yet, we still want to cling to what was before. So we try to justify keeping it.

It is hard to give up some things that we have been doing for so long. You may have friends that are a poor influence on us, or music that is not uplifting and wholesome. Yes, but. . . . What about the TV show we’ve watched for several years that has some morally loose characters – well, that’s okay because the plots are good.  Then there is that author we like. Even though their language gets a bit much – it is still a page turner. That doesn’t mean we will talk like that, right?  Watch out for your mistakes. You can justify yourself all you want, but the fact remains if you are justifying then you know they are not the right thing for you.

What are you investing your time and money in?  Does it fit your Christian lifestyle, or is it fraying the edges of it?  Is it disrupting your time with God and influencing your thoughts more than you think? Are you trying to justify the reasons to cling to it, or will you let go?

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

In a Nest

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , on May 22, 2013| 1 Comment »

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????The church where I work is built in a square with an inner meditation and memorial garden called a Garth. There are wonderful trees, flowering bushes, benches and a trickling fountain.

It’s almost like a mini ecosystem with all sorts of life. Lizards scurry the columns, birds flit in and enchant us with their songs. Butterflies flit amongst the flowers.

Yesterday, I noticed a small nest in the crook of a tree limb. A young male cardinal had been singing like crazy the past few days, and now I knew why. He was trying to get a female to come see his handiwork.

Then the clouds darkened and the sky rumbled. The phone rang with the emergency announcement that we were under a severe storm warning and tornado watch. The trees bent. The rain gushed. The rampage lasted about thirty minutes. When it was over, I looked out and there was the little nest.

In the past few days tornadoes have devastated communities here in North Texas and in Oklahoma. Houses have been reduced to piles of rumble and lives lost. The landscape looks as if a Paul Bunyan sized bulldozer blazed through it, living little unscathed.  And yet, a little nest was safe.

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young– a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Psalm 84:3

In the storms of life, is your nest safe? I am talking about your spiritual one–the one where you can find love, refuge and security. The one that will help you survive, no matter what. The one built on faith. If it is interwoven with Scripture and padded with God’s mercy, it can be. No matter what horrible, unexplained things happen, there is a place you can nestle. It is in the arms of our Savior.

Please continue to pray for those whose lives have been ravished by the spring storms. Pray for the parents who lost children in Moore, OK and for the communities of Granbury and Cleburne, Tx.

Read Full Post »

In the Waddle of Doves

Posted in Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , on April 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I hung a bird feeder on the little tree outside my apartment patio. The landscape beyond it slopes down towards the next unit of apartments below. Today, while my coffee is dripping, I watch as doves waddle up the knoll towards the feeder. No hurry. No worry.

Did they know the squirrel had been there picking through for the sunflower seeds, and in the process, had scattered enough seed on the ground for them to fill their little bellies?

Even though it was a cold, wet morning– up they came. I imagined them smacking their lips in anticipation, if they had lips. They were that sure there would be seed waiting for them.  Quietly and calmly they approached, as if knowing just what they needed to stave off the chill of the day lay on the ground–waiting only for them.

Am I that way with God’s blessings? Do I patiently approach the throne, trusting He has cast them in His perfect timing? Do I have the faith of the turtle doves, and the wisdom, to detect His favor towards me? Or am I rushing up the hill, panting, out of breath. Do I get there at the wrong time, become anxious, then ask God, “Where are You? Why haven’t You answered my prayer?”

He has – it may be in process, as a squirrel who has just leapt out of my sight to scatter the seeds of faith and hope I need to make it through the chill of the day. Manna to sustain me through whatever comes my way. God always provides.

Take a lesson from the doves. Watch today with calm anticipation to  see how He acts in your life. Then in faith, waddle peacefully towards it, confident it is there, especially for you.

Read Full Post »

Where Did You Find God Today?

Posted in Nature on October 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Enough said?

Read Full Post »

Where Did You See God Today?

Posted in Biblical, Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , on September 5, 2012| 1 Comment »

I believe God reveals Himself in many ways –

through His Word,

a hymn,

nature,

something out of the ordinary,

or in the daily routine when something catches our eye. It may be a squirrel freely dancing across the park, a mother hugging a child, an old woman with an age of wisdom in her eyes, or an ant dragging a leaf three times its size.

Little things that make us suck in our breath and whisper  – OH! Suddenly, warmth like a bath towel fresh from the dryer envelops us. We can almost feel His Smile.

It is as if God placed that event there just for us like a tap on our shoulder to remind us He is there and He cares. . .more than we can ever know. And perhaps, it is the answer our souls were seeking  – even the one we had  yet to verbalize in prayer.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts