A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness. (Proverbs 12:23 NKJV)
Here are two more photos from Gatorland, FL:
Smart Snowy Egrets
Dumb Great Blue Heron
Dumb Great Blue Heron standing on Gator’s Back
by James J. S. Johnson
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) ©WikiC
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. (Proverbs 3:13)
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. (Proverbs 16:20)
Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 144:15)
In honor of the so-called “bluebird of happiness” (with apologies to song lyricist Edward Heyman and vocalist Jan Peerce), we can think for a moment about being “happy”. (In fact, nowadays, isn’t it just “ducky” to appreciate being “happy, happy, happy”?)
Years ago someone told me that the Bible only promises “joy” to godly people, never “happiness”. The idea was that “joy” is a gladness that is content in the Lord, regardless whether the surrounding circumstances are pleasant or unpleasant. (“Happiness depends on what is happening to you”, I was told, “but joy is only dependent upon your appreciation for God Himself — glorifying Him and enjoying Him forever.”)
Wise-sounding sound bites, right? But is that Biblically sound advice? Not quite.
While it is certainly true that our joy should be anchored in the Lord, as we appreciate belonging to Him (Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm 100:1; Luke 10:20 & 15:6-7; Philippians 1:3-6 & 1:25-26 & 4:4; etc.), — it is also Biblically proper to enjoy being happy — glad — as we enjoy appreciating and experiencing the many blessings that God gives to us, here and there, from time to time (Proverbs 3:13 & 16:20; Job 5:17; Psalm 146:5-9; Esther 8:16-17 & 9:17-19 & 9:22; John 13:17; Romans 14:21; 1st Peter 3:14 & 4:14)!
In fact, if a happy occasion is honoring to God, surely it will blend joy with happiness (compare holiday happiness in Esther 9:17-19 with the “joy” mentioned in Esther 9:22).
Fair Use credit: Norwegian Society of Texas, including Steve Ogden, toasting at Cranfills Gap Lutefisk Supper
[ Fair Use credit: Norwegian Society of Texas, including Steve Ogden, toasting at Cranfills Gap Lutefisk Supper]
So, it’s not unbiblical to be happy about being happy (being compassionately sensitive to context, of course – see Romans 12:15). In fact, we should enjoy being happy with gladness, living life with a song in our heart — and laughter should not be a stranger!
Accordingly, with those happy thoughts in mind, let us now consider the famous “bluebird of happiness”. (By the way, that popular phrase caused my own mother, who recently left Earth for glory, to especially appreciate Eastern Bluebirds — she was known to greet family and friends with the words, “welcome to the happy home!”) And all bluebirds need “homes” to nest in.
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) by J Fenton
So what kind of bluebirds (“of happiness”, presumably) do we have in America?
There are three bluebirds in America: Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis – bright blue above, orange underneath, ranging mostly east of the Rocky Mountains), Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucides – bright blue above and light-blue underneath, ranging mostly in and west of the Rocky Mountains); and Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana – bright blue above, with underside blue at the “bib” and orange on the lower underside, ranging mostly in and west of the Rocky Mountains).
Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) juvenile by Quy Tran
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Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) by Daves BirdingPix
Since last Saturday I saw a brilliant blue-backed Eastern Bluebird, flying in the Texas “hill country” (where they often winter), I will now limit my comments to the Eastern Bluebird.
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) by S Slayton
Roger Tory Peterson gives the following description of the Eastern Bluebird:
“A bit larger than a sparrow, a blue bird with a rusty red breast; appears round-shouldered when perched. Female duller than male [no jokes, please!]; young bird is speckle-breasted, grayish, devoid of red, but always with the same telltale blue in wings and tail. … Habitat: Open country with scattered trees; farms, roadsides.”
[Quoting from Roger Tory Peterson, A FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America, 4th ed. (Houghton Mifflin, 1980; abbreviated title: EASTERN BIRDS), page 220 & Map 301.]
[another picture of an Eastern Bluebird, or 2 or more]
In fact, the Eastern Bluebird is the official state bird for both Missouri (since AD1927) and New York (since AD1970), where it is often found, especially in summer months (according the Peterson’s EASTERN BIRDS, at Map 266). In America, the Eastern Bluebird is the most common of the three bluebirds, and it is the only one that is commonly found east of the Great Plains.
Eastern_Bluebird-rangemap rangemap Y-Sum B-win G-yr rnd ©WikiC
Just a couple of generations ago, colorful bluebirds frequently (and happily) displayed their brilliant blue plumage plentifully in Texas, – ranging from the Piney Woods of East Texas, westward into the Hill Country (east of where West Texas touches the Rocky Mountains). However, their numbers have declined, as their nesting range habitats have shrunk (and as competitive avian “demographics” have changed their nesting-dependent procreative opportunities).
At one point Eastern Bluebird populations were so depressed (due to nesting challenges, especially as bluebird-friendly cavity trees disappeared), that efforts (by local Audubon Society chapters and other bird-lovers) were exerted to expand their nesting opportunities, by providing birdhouses equipped with ingress-egress holes tailored to suit these birds (and thus to deter their nests from invading competitors or predators).
Eastern Bluebird (by http://www.portal.state.pa.us)
Specifically, birdhouse openings were sized to be no larger than 1.5 inches in diameter, in places where bluebirds habituate (such as along roadsides and in open fields), and bluebird populations have improved — happily! So the population trend, for America’s bluebirds, appears to be headed for a “happy ending”.
Now I return to why I was traveling in the Texas Hill Country, when I saw a bright blue Eastern Bluebird – flying from one rural field over to another – on a cool winter morning.
Eastern Bluebird postage PD
In fact, my wife and I were driving through Bosque County, into Clifton and later onto Cranfills Gap, to celebrate Norwegian Christmas festivities.
And, for the brave at heart (and stomach), the highlight of that Saturday was a Lutefisk Supper, a tradition (in that area) originally sponsored by St. Olaf Lutheran Church (of Cranfills Gap), now provided as a feast-fundraiser for Cranfills Gap High School. Of course, Norwegian-American Christmas festivities are happy activities, which is only proper — because holiday happiness has a Biblical precedent from the Old Testament (see, e.g., Esther 8:17-19).
Cranfills Gap Lutefisk Supper road-sign photograph by James J. S. Johnson
So what is a “lutefisk supper”? Why do some regard it as a holiday festivity?
For many of Nordic heritage, especially those who are unusually brave in their cuisine adventures, a unique and historic preparation of codfish, called LUTEFISK, is an unforgettable Christmas tradition:
LUTEFISK SUPPER
‘The Lutefisk Supper is one of the most interesting events in Cranfills Gap [a town in Bosque County, Texas] and is centered round a dried fish imported from Norway. The tradition began many years ago sponsored by the Ladies’ Aid [Society] of the St. Olaf Lutheran Church. After several years of time-consuming preparations, organizing, cooking, and serving, the crowds attending the supper became so large that the ladies of the church felt they could no longer carry on this custom so it was discontinued.
In 1965, Oliver Hanson had an idea for a way to financially help the [Cranfills Gap] school’s athletic programs. To do this, the Lions’ Booster Club of Cranfills Gap High School revived the tradition of serving the Lutefisk Supper.
This group took on the arduous task of preparing the fish. The fish comes from Norway in 100-pound bales [i.e., stacks of dried codfish]. The weight of each dry fish is from one and a half to two pounds and has already been split in half. Volunteers saw each dried fish into chunks [note: nowadays the hard-dried codfish is usually cut by a woodshop’s power jigsaw] about four inches long, and then skin the fish of its dry, parchment-like skin. This is a slow and difficult job. Next, the fish is soaked in a solution of lye [a strongly alkaline solution, usually dominated by potassium hydroxide] and water for 72 hours. At the end of these three days, the [now softened] fish is taken out and rinsed and cleaned of any excess skin or any brown spots. Most of the fins are removed. Next, the fish is soaked in a solution of lime [limewater is an alkaline solution of calcium hydroxide] and water for a period of 72 hours. The fish are taken out at the end of that time and carefully cleaned again. After this cleansing, the fish are then soaked in clear water for 96 hours, changing the water every twelve hours [culminating ten days of various soakings of the no-longer-stiff stockfish!]. By this time the chunks have swelled to four and a half to five times the beginning size and are white. At cooking time, the fish are placed into a cheesecloth bag, put into a pot of salted, boiling water and boiled about five to ten minutes. The boiled fish is served with melted butter, white sauce, and boiled Irish potatoes. Plenty of salt and pepper is a necessity!
Lutefisk serves to bring the [Bosque County] community together as an all out effort probably not seen anywhere else. On the first Saturday of December almost every able-bodied person in the Gap community begins his or her assigned task[s]—some bake turkeys, some peel potatoes, some bake pies [one favorite being a combined cherry-and-apple pie!], others donate coffee, tea, or sugar. The person in charge of organizing the dinner assigned duties and food preparation. Tickets are usually sold in advance, but also at the door [of the Cranfills Gap High School gymnasium]. By 4:00 pm the guests begin to arrive. The [high school] cafetorium will seat about 200 people at one time. The food is served family style and high school girls are the waitresses. The boys wash the dishes. Through the years, each December as many as 900—1,000 guests have eaten a very delicious meal.
If a diner is not so certain about lutefisk…[!] turkey, dressing, green beans, [cranberry sauce, in lieu of lingonberries] and pie complete the menu. The cost of the fish has increased from $500 for a 100# bale to $2000 for an 80# box. An adult ticket in 1965 cost $4.50, but today the ticket is $18. In the fifty years the Booster Club has sponsored this traditional supper, $250,000 has been donated to the school towards various projects and improvements.
Betty Carlson Smith added more interest in this event when she began teaching elementary age kids several Norwegian [folk] dances. These dances are performed in the gym for those waiting for their time to be served. Betty has since retired but the dance tradition [in the gymnasium ‘waiting room’] continues. For a very reasonable price there is good food, great service, friendly hospitality, and fun.”
Quoting from Darla Kinney, Charlene Tergerson, Rita Hanson, & Laverne Smith, CRANFILLS GAP, TEXAS: LOKING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD, November 2015 edition (Cranfills Gap, Texas: Cranfills Gap Chamber of Commerce Historical Committee, 2015), page 56-58.
Students Skinning Codfish, in preparation for Cranfills Gap Lutefisk Supper
So there you have it! Lutefisk banquets, to Nordic-Americans, are often part of Christmas tradition, — and if you are anywhere near Cranfills Gap (Texas), for the first weekend in December, you might want to check out the annual Lutefisk Supper (Saturday evening), and enjoy watching young children dance, as you wait to be called to the banquet table!
Norwegian folk dancing by children at Cranfills Gap: entertainment before lutefisk supper
Some of us are happy as bluebirds when feasting on lutefisk. (And some, for various reasons, prefer to abstain!)
But regardless of how you celebrate the Savior’s birth at Bethlehem (fulfilling the Messianic prophecy of Micah 5:2), — whether by eating lutefisk, lefse, and lingonberries – or whether you rejoice in Christ’s historic arrival, by observing some other cultural custom, – the key is to joyously and gratefully appreciate that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Reason for the season! JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!
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[Fair Use image credit:
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Lee’s Addition:
[Even the migratory birds are punctual to their seasons.] Yes, the stork [excelling in the great height of her flight] in the heavens knows her appointed times [of migration], and the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their return. But My people do not know the law of the Lord [which the lower animals instinctively recognize in so far as it applies to them]. (Jeremiah 8:7 AMP)
Wow! If you looked at all the links Ian shared, he has really been busy updating his Birdway website. I’m impressed! The Oriental Plover is also very interesting.
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Charadriidae – Plovers Family
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Black-capped Chickadee by Dave’s BirdingPix
Thought you might enjoy watching Black-capped Chickadees being fed by hand. Video from LesleytheBirdNerd. It is one of the YouTube birders I follow. I like the music also.
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26 KJV)
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him? (Isaiah 40:12-13 NKJV)
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Black-capped Chickadee – All About Birds
Black-capped Chickadee – Audubon
Black-capped Chickadee – Wikipedia
Black-capped Chickadee – National Geographic
Black-capped Chickadee – What Bird
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Eastern Rosella Gatorland by Dan
“I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13 NKJV)
What a delight for me to find two Eastern Rosellas in the little free-flight aviary at Gatorland last week. We have been there two other times, but not when the aviary was open.
Because of Ian’s Bird of the Week articles about the Rosella, these two caught my eye. Never did get a decent photo of them, but never the less, we enjoyed seeing them in person. Dan’s photos were better, of course. They seem quite pale compared to Ian’s photo of one in the wild.
Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) by Ian
“The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:16 NKJV)
This Rosella reminds me of the colors of a rainbow. Maybe the Lord gave us this beautiful bird to remind us of his promise, even on a non-rainy day.
Here are just a few photos from the aviary:
Ian’s Eastern Rosella photos at Birdway
Psittaculidae – Old World Parrots
Enjoy seeing the really good photos and newsletters from Ian Montgomery:
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Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) by Robert Scanlon
I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. (Psalms 50:11 NKJV)
This weeks Sturnidae Family is rather large with 123 species presently. (Twenty-three are Mynas; three are Rhabdornis; one Coleto and the rest are Starlings.) Here in the U. S., when we think of a Starling it is a very the plain Common (European) Starling. Yet other Starlings are very colorful and beautiful creations from our Lord.
Golden-breasted Starling at National Aviary by Lee
The name “Sturnidae” comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent plumage. Starlings are native to the Old World, from Europe, Asia and Africa, to northern Australia and the islands of the tropical Pacific. Several European and Asian species have been introduced to these areas as well as North America, Hawaii and New Zealand, where they generally compete for habitats with native birds and are considered to be invasive species. The starling species familiar to most people in Europe and North America is the common starling, and throughout much of Asia and the Pacific, the common myna is indeed common.
Bali Myna (Leucopsar rothschildi Palm Beach Zoo by Lee
Starlings have strong feet, their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Several species live around human habitation and are effectively omnivores. Many species search for prey such as grubs by “open-bill probing”, that is, forcefully opening the bill after inserting it into a crevice, thus expanding the hole and exposing the prey; this behaviour is referred to by the German verb zirkeln (pronounced [ˈtsɪʁkəln]).
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Eggs ©WikiC
Plumage of many species is typically dark with a metallic sheen. Most species nest in holes and lay blue or white eggs.
Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) by Ian
Starlings have diverse and complex vocalizations and have been known to embed sounds from their surroundings into their own calls, including car alarms and human speech patterns. The birds can recognize particular individuals by their calls and are currently the subject of research into the evolution of human language.
Stripe-headed Rhabdornis (Rhabdornis mystacalis) ©©
James J. S. Johnson just wrote about the murmuration of the Starlings in Choreographed Choir on the Wing: Birds of a Feather Flock Together. “The starlings are generally a highly social family. Most species associate in flocks of varying sizes throughout the year. A flock of starlings is called a murmuration. These flocks may include other species of starlings and sometimes species from other families. This sociality is particularly evident in their roosting behavior; in the non-breeding season some roosts can number in the thousands of birds.” (Most information from Wikipedia)
Starling Murmuration
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Many of the family members in random order:
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“Once Upon A Tree” ~ Choir – and – “Sing To Jesus” ~ Angel Long & Jessie Padgett
Sturnidae – Starlings, Rhabdornis
Ian’s Bird of the Week – Metallic Starling
Starling – Wikipedia
Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) by Lee
Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. (Psalms 119:127 KJV)
On Tuesday, Dan and I took a ride over to Gatorland in Orlando. Just wanted to share a sequence of photos of some Blue-and-yellow Macaws (Ara ararauna) I took. One allowed me to get a nice view of him (or her) and then walked over to its friend. (Click on photos to enlarge)
Blue-and-yellow Macaws are also known as Blue-and-golds.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. (Proverbs 8:9-11 KJV)
Psittacidae – African and New World Parrots
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Bad Feather Day at Gatorland by Lee
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalms 91:4 KJV)
Bad Feather Day at Gatorland by Lee
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.(1 Peter 2:19 KJV)
Bad Feather Day at Gatorland by Lee
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. (1 Corinthians 6:7-8 KJV)
Bad Feather Day at Gatorland by Dan
Click on photos to enlarge them.
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Sometimes there are pictures that I’d like to share, but don’t really have much to say. The photos say it all. This new category is called Lord’s Avian Wonders to just post a picture or pictures. They are all the Lord’s Avian Creations.
So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
(Genesis 1:21-23 NKJV)
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House Sparrows visiting National Aviary by Lee
The Life Project by Don Merritt is a blog I follow. Here is an interesting quote from Jesus and His relationship with the Disciples:
Jesus wraps up this thought with the example of a sparrow. Who watches out for sparrows? Actually, we could ask something like: Who cares at all about sparrows?
Jesus gives us an answer: His Father in heaven cares about each and every single insignificant sparrow on the planet, and nothing happens to a single little sparrow that He doesn’t know about.
That is a staggering thought…
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Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. (Matthew 10:29 KJV)
Jesus and His relationship with the Disciples
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Turkey Vulture Tree at Saddle Creek by Lee
Once, in a small town, there lived a dozen or so turkey vultures. Every day, they would all gather on high places like totem poles or electrical wires and look around for food. But it was during Thanksgiving break that all of the vultures that lived in the town gathered together to decide what to do for all of the people who didn’t have anything to eat for Thanksgiving.
They all gathered on top of a church steeple to discuss what they should do; people passing by thought all of the vultures on top of the church steeple were somewhat disturbing, especially since it was a Sunday.
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) by Ray
Because there was a shortage of turkeys that year in the town (Reginald the Commander Turkey had been doing his job very well), the vultures all decided they would fly to another state to get the turkeys to bring to those who did not have much for Thanksgiving.
On Monday morning, the vultures woke up early and started flying east to Mississippi from Louisiana to another small town.
They all flew to a Wal-Mart in Mississippi and sneaked into the back room by a skylight. Of course, turkey vultures thought that good food was the kind that was dead. Each vulture picked up a turkey from the freezer to take home.
Turkey Vulture by Ian Montgomery
It was a bit difficult to fly home with a giant frozen turkey, but one by one the vultures flew out of Wal-Mart and began to fly back to Louisiana. It took them a long time to fly back from Mississippi, so by the time the vultures returned to Louisiana, it was Thanksgiving Eve.
Each of the vultures flew in different directions to different houses in several neighborhoods. They each set a turkey by the front door of the houses and rang the doorbell. Whenever someone opened the door, they would find a turkey with a little card attached to it that said “Happy Thanksgiving.” from TV.
The End
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5:20 NKJV)
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
(Colossians 3:17 NKJV)
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Endemic Treasures of the Cook Islands:
Atiu Swiftlet and ‘Gospel Day’ Holidays
James J. S. Johnson
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He Who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:3-6)
Atiu Swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli, a/k/a Kopeka) ©WikiC
The Atiu Swiftlet (Aerodramus sawtelli, a/k/a Sawtelli’s Swift), known locally as the “Kopeka”, is a small member of the swift family, only known to dwell on the Pacific island of Atiu, one of the Cook Islands.
Like other swifts it is sooty-brown in color, with its upper side being darker than its lower side. Those who have studied the Atiu Swiftlet report that it nests in limestone caves, yet ranges over farmed lands and areas dominated by ferns.
Because it appears to only reside in one place, in the wild, it is said to be “endemic”, i.e., endemic to the island of Atiu. However, some taxonomists think the Atiu Swiftlet is only an inbred variety of swift that is conspecific with the Polynesian Swiftlet (Aerodramus leucophaeus, a/k/a Tahitian Swiftlet), the White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius), and maybe even the Australian Swiftlet (Aerodramus terraereginae). Regardless of taxonomic “lumping” or “splitting”, the Atiu Swiftlet is mainly distinguished from other swifts by its troglodyte nesting habits and its limited range.) But for now we may assume that the Atiu Swiftlet, as a separate “species” or as an endemic “subspecies”, is unique to the Cook Islands. Most who read these sentences, before today, had never heard of an “Atiu Swiftlet” – but the Atiu Swiftlets are not worried about their relative obscurity, because God’s caring providence is what they need (Matthew 5:26), not acclaim or fame from folks around the world.
In fact, the Cook Islands host another unusual, not-so-famous, “endemic” treasure – a set of “Gospel Day” holidays, commemorating how God provided the Gospel of Christ (via British missionaries) unto that group of islands in the South Pacific.
In particular, the Cook Islands – for many years – have officially celebrated, with pageantry and gratitude to God, the arrival of Bible-based Christianity (in the early AD1800s), with the various component islands having specific days for recognizing “Gospel Day” as a memorial of the British missionary outreach that blessed their respective islands.
Here are the days that have been (historically) celebrated as “Gospel Day” in the Cook Islands archipelago: March 13th (Penrhyn Gospel Day); May 25th (Palmerston Gospel Day); June 15th (Mangaia Gospel Day); July 19th (Atiu Gospel Day, Mitiaro Gospel Day, and Mauke Gospel Day); August 8th (Manihiki Gospel Day), August 15th (Rakahanga Gospel Day); October 26th (Aitutaki Gospel Day); December 6th (Pukapuka Gospel Day); — plus there is a “National Gospel Day” collectively celebrated in the Cook Islands on October 27th.
Wow! What godly tradition! What other nations show such respect for Christ?
As part of celebrating Gospel Day, in the Cook Islands, elaborate and expressive “nuku” dramas are acted out, by actors wearing colorful costumes who dramatize mankind’s opportunity to be redeemed, in Christ, from sin (sometimes even enacting New York City’s 9/11 Twin Towers disaster, to illustrate the global war between good and evil). Hymn singing – and lots of it! – and dancing and music-making dominate much of the day, as well as feasting (coconut, arrowroot, pawpaw fruit, chicken, salt-meat, etc.), prayer, and interactive Bible-based worship activities.
The missionary efforts of John Williams (“Apostle of the South Seas”, born near London), an English missionary to the Pacific, is recalled with thanksgiving, as well as the historic themes of Christianity. John Williams (of the London Missionary Society) was murdered (and cannibalized) in AD1839 on the beach at Erromango, in Vanuatu, after a fruitful season of faithful missionary outreach to South Pacific islanders.
[For more details on how Gospel Day is celebrated in the Cook Islands, see http://www.cookislands.org.uk/gospelday.html and, especially for diary-like details, see youtube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN9S9m1pNes .]
The tradition continues, although the calendaring aspects of this multi-island tradition have changed, in recent times, due to a governmental effort to standardize the holiday (for the Sunday closest to the original Gospel Day, for each island), and to coordinate with a new public holiday called “Ra O Te Ui Airki” (on July 6th), according to a news report (dated October 19, 2011) saying:
“From next year, October 26 will be the only public holiday to celebrate Gospel Day as all individual outer island gospel days, including that of Rarotonga, will be celebrated on the closest Sunday to the date of Christianity arriving to the respective islands. The change in the public holiday status of the island Gospel Days is due to a new public holiday on July 6 to be known as the Ra O Te Ui Ariki out of respect for the countrys aronga mana, its ui ariki, ui mataiapo, ui rantagira and taunga [whatever that means!]. Next year churches will have the opportunity once again put their Bible story telling skills on display again when the nuku is organised to commemorate the national Gospel Day.” [Quoting from http://www.cookislandsnews.com/item/32483-no-nuku-on-gospel-day/32483-no-nuku-on-gospel-day ].
Regardless of whatever day the arrival of the Christian Gospel is celebrated in each of the Cook Islands (as well as the historic day when each one of us, individually, received the Gospel), every day should be a day of appreciating the precious Gospel truth — and a time of joy (Luke 10:20) in knowing that God cares to reach and to forgive us, in His Son, the Lord Jesus (Philippians 1:3-6), if we willingly receive Him (John 1:12). ><> JJSJ
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Photo Credits:
[ Fair Use photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atiu_swiftlet#/media/File:Kopeka_bird.jpg ]
[Fair Use credit: http://www.pacificresort.com/Images/WhatsOn/national-gospel-day-public-holiday-pacific-resort-rarotonga.jpeg]
[Fair Use image credit: http://www.cookislands.org.uk/image/gospeldays-CORRECTED.jpg]
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More:
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Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) by Quy Tran
We will continue on with the Birds of the Bible – Foundation series.
If you have not read the previous blogs:
Foundation #1 Updated
Foundation #2 Updated
In the last blog the “Fall” of Adam and Eve was mentioned and because of that, the “Curse” is now on them and all of God’s creation. Death comes on the scene, mankind now has sinned and now each person is born as a sinner. The ground is cursed and thorns and thistle now appear.
By Genesis Chapter 6, God has had it with the sins of man.
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 6:5-7 KJV)
The Ark by Elfred Lee
All is not lost because, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8 KJV) Because of the grace found by Noah, the LORD gives him instructions about how to build an ark including the size, materials to use, who and what will be on board, and why the ark will be needed. God makes a covenant with Noah and tells him to come in with his wife and his sons and his son’s wives.
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. (Genesis 6:19-20 KJV)
He was also to provide food for all of them. And Noah obeyed all that he was told. Noah spent over 100 years preparing the ark and trying to warn others of the coming judgment. There was plenty of room on the ark for more than the 8 people who boarded the ark. The others refused to repent.
Noah’s Ark ©©Flickr elmada
When we get to Chapter 7, the boarding of the ark takes place and the rain and flood begins. “And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.” (Genesis 7:1-5)
Noah did not have to round up the animals, they came to him. Because not every animal we see today came on board but the main kinds (for instance the “bird kinds” may have had a “warbler kind” but not have black and white warblers, yellow-rumped warblers, hooded warbler, etc.), which ever ones they were, there was plenty of room for them. I have an idea that because the LORD sent the animals, birds, and critters, that their DNA’s were of the highest quality. (That is my opinion)
Doves in Israel
If you read the rest of Genesis 7, you will see that the global flood came and covered everything and only those who were in the ark survived, plus some of those that live in the water.
And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. (Genesis 7:21-23)
In Foundation #4 we will find out about what the birds go through as they come off the ark and after.
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Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 