Atlantic Puffin – The Deep Sea-Diver – by A J Mithra

Dubbed “sea parrots” as well as “clowns of the sea,”
Atlantic puffins sport large, brightly-colored beaks on their substantially-sized heads.

Crisp black and white markings on their plumage, as well as superior diving capabilities, have led people to compare the northern seabirds to penguins. It is brilliant in coloration during the summer months, but tends to fade to a deep or olive colored gray during the winter, and bloom like a flower to the same bright colors in the spring. Scientists believe that it might be part of the mating attraction, and helps them to get a mate, since it changes with the seasons.

The bright beaked Atlantic Puffin stay at sea most of their life, and when they are not swimming they ride the waves like a surfboard. They are excellent swimmers, using their wings to stroke the water with a flying motion to propel them along. They have large feet that they use to steer, rather like the rudders on a boat

GOD had created these Birds to surf over the waves…
But, GOD has called us to walk over storm and walk through fire…
We have a GOD who can steer us troubled waters….

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)

They can dive down to depths of 200 feet or more usually stay underwater for only 20 or 30 seconds to get a meal of small fishes like herring or sand eels. Puffins primarily eat fish, particularly female Capelin, but will also eat crustaceans and squid.

These birds have to dive deep; else they may have starve, because, their favorite food is deep below the sea… Most of us love to pick up shells rather than go deep into the sea and collect pearls,

Is that the reason why, we always prefer to stand by the Living Water, instead of diving deep down?
The treasures lie deep down the sea and not by the beach…. Isn’t it?

He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. (Psalm 33:7)

Puffins, although they prefer to ride the waves are incredibly fast fliers, and can flap their wings up to 400 times a minute and reach speeds of about 55-60 miles per hours in the air.

Puffins land on the coasts of North America, and in islands to breed every spring and summer.

Iceland is the place where about 60% of all Puffins breed. They choose rocky cliffs or tops of rocky hills to build the nests which are lined with soft feathers and grass. Puffin burrows are 1 to 2 meters deep, often turning at sharp angles to the right, left, up, and down.

How deep have we burrowed to lay the foundation of lives?

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Luke 6:48)

Puffins lay a single egg and rear a single chick each year. The parents take turns sitting on the egg for about 40 days before it hatches. When a chick hatches, its parents take turns feeding it by carrying small fish back to the nest in their bills. Once the chick hatches, the mother and father will take turns bringing it fish to eat several times a day.  To wean their chicks, puffins simply scale back the amount of food they bring them. Once hunger wins out, the chick will journey to the ocean during the night to avoid predators.

Sometimes, GOD will just not answer our prayers, you know why?
HE wants us to conquer new horizons.
GOD could have saved Daniel before he entered the lion’s den.
But, GOD preferred something different and taught the whole mankind, what perseverance is all about…

When you feel that, GOD is not answering your prayers, just know, that you’re going to do what you haven’t done before like Daniel..
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going…

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4: 13)

Puffin couples often reunite at the same burrow site each year and mate again although it is unknown how they know where to go. Some believe they use visual reference points, others the moon or stars for navigation.
Broken marriages, broken relationships and broken families, where are we heading to?
Who navigates out lives? Whom do we consider as our guiding star?

NO JESUS NO PEACE…. KNOW JESUS KNOW PEACE….

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Atlantic puffins have the ability to carry several fish in their beaks at one time. They push the fish to the back of their mouth with their tongue, where ridges at the top of their bill secure the fish in place. This allows puffins to keep their mouth open to catch more fish without losing any in the process. In general, they can hold around ten fishes in their beak at once by holding them in an alternating end to end pattern.

GOD has given us Ten Commandments; how many can be seen in our lives?
Though we don’t carry all those Ten Commandments, are we carrying at least the one that JESUS gave us?

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 22:39)

Some pairs exhibit a special behavior known as “billing” where the two birds rub their beaks together.
This often draws an excited crowd of other puffins to watch..
What sort of testimony do we have among our friends and family?
Does our life attract people towards CHRIST?

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16)

The chick stays in the burrow until it is able to fly. The young puffin uses a toilet area towards the front of the burrow away from the nest to stay clean. It cannot risk getting its feathers soiled and ruining the waterproof protection they provide.

How clean are we in spirit? What sort of life do we lead on week days?
Most of us come for a spiritual bath to church on Sundays.
Do we consider Church as a spiritual bathroom?

7 DAYS without JESUS makes 1 WEAK…

And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you. (Joshua 3:5)

After 45 days, the chick leaves the burrow and spends 3-5 years at sea learning about feeding places and choosing a mate. In the wild, puffins can live around 20 years. Their main predator is the great black-backed gull, which can capture a puffin mid-flight  or swoop in on a puffin on the ground. Herring gulls are also a threat because they steal puffins’ fish…

Puffins spend their first three years of life out at sea.  They return to land once they reach maturity. Puffins are insulated from the cold by an oily coating on their feathers. Without this coating, they would never survive Atlantic winters..

Are we insulated by the blood of JESUS?
How to get insulated by the blood of JESUS?
Unless one dies for sins and lives with CHRIST and for CHRIST…

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.(John3:4,5)

Your’s in YESHUA,

A J Mithra

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Puffins are in the Alcidae – Auks Family of the Charadriiformes Order