Sunday Inspiration – Emberizidae Family Allies I

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Arremon brunneinucha) ©WikiC

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Arremon brunneinucha) ©WikiC

Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalms 84:3 KJV)

Sunday is here again, and it’s time to continue with the Emberizidae Family of Buntings, New World Sparrows and their allies.  First, aren’t we thankful that the Lord has created the world and set up a seven day week. He set the pattern for us to rest after six days of work. He was tired, nor has he stopped working, He was just setting an example, because the human body needs rest. He ought to know, He created us.

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (Genesis 2:1-3 KJV) (emphasis mine)

I for one look forward to Sundays. We rest and attend church, eat and fellowship with our friends, and attend the evening service and rest some more. These Sunday Inspirations, which have been going on for some time now, take several hours to put together, and then are scheduled for 1 or 2 minutes after midnight Sunday morning. When WordPress puts them up, I will already be resting in bed and enjoying the start of my Day of Rest. Enough of the personal information, let’s see what these birds are up to this week.

The first Sunday, we showed the Buntings in this family, last week, we showed most of the New World Sparrows in this Emberizidae family, so, let’s see who these “allies” are.

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) by Ray

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) by Ray

Towhees typically have longer tails than other emberizids. Most species tend to avoid humans, so they are not well known, though the eastern towhee P. erythrophthalmus is bolder. This species, and some others, may be seen in urban parks and gardens. Also, in with the Melozone genus are four Ground Sparrows.

Prevost's Ground Sparrow (Melozone biarcuata) ©Flickr Richard Gibbons

Prevost’s Ground Sparrow (Melozone biarcuata) ©Flickr Richard Gibbons

Arremon is a genus of neotropical birds in the Emberizidae family. With the exception of the green-striped brush finch, which is endemic to Mexico, all species are found in South America, with a few reaching Central America.

Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Arremon brunneinucha) ©Flickr Amy McAndrews

  • (Wikipedia with editing)

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“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)

“Be Thou My Vision” ~ by Ladies and Girls Choir on Mother’s Day

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More Sunday Inspirations

Sunday Inspiration – Emberizidae’s – Buntings

Sunday Inspiration – Emberizidae – Part II

Emberizidae –  Buntings, New World Sparrows & Allies

Gospel Message

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“School Calls Sheriff to Stop 7-Year-Old From Handing Out Bible Verses”

Sheriff Sent to Warn Seven Year Old about Bible Verses

Sheriff Sent to Warn Seven Year Old about Bible Verses

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32 KJV)

I receive an email today and was shocked to read what is going on in California. This is supposed to be America! You can do any sinful act and get by with it, but when a seven-year old boy is treated like the following story, it is outrageous. This country was founded on the Bible and Christianity and now, we are not allowed to say anything? Lord help America. We are headed for collapse. Read this article:

“School Calls Sheriff to Stop 7-Year-Old From Handing Out Bible Verses”
Jun 2, 2016 From Liberty Council

Liberty Counsel has demanded that Desert Rose Elementary School correct an outrageous violation of a first grader’s constitutional rights. The situation started with an encouraging note and Bible verse from mom Christina Zavala, tucked into a packed lunch for her little boy (“C”). The seven-year-old boy read the note and verse, and showed them to his friends during lunch time at school.

Mrs. Zavala’s daily note for her son soon turned into an expectation by the other children during lunch, who excitedly begged C for copies of the notes, which grew to include short stories from the Bible to provide context for the verses.

However, when one little girl said “teacher – this is the most beautiful story I’ve ever seen,” “separation of church and state” was the response, and the notes were banned from lunchtime distribution. C was told that the school gate was the only location at which he could give the Bible verses to his friends, and only after the bell rang.

On April 19, 2016, Mrs. Zavala wrote the school to correct its misinformation, but the only response was that C was reprimanded again, in front of the whole class, and again told to stop talking about religion or sharing his mother’s notes. C returned home in tears.

The Zavalas and C complied with the school gate directive, and soon, as many as 15 fellow students looked forward to the after-school Bible notes. However, on May 9, 2016, Principal Melanie Pagliaro approached Mr. Zavala at that location, and demanded that C only hand out the notes on a public sidewalk, far from the exit, off school property. The family immediately complied.

Later that day, however, a Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff knocked at the door of C’s home, demanding that C’s note sharing cease altogether because “someone might be offended.” C’s family then asked Liberty Counsel to help protect their child’s constitutional freedoms.

This is a clear, gross violation of the rights of a child. That the school district enlisted a police officer to intimidate C and his family makes this case even more outrageous. “I would expect something like this to happen in Communist Romania, where I went to elementary school, but cops don’t bully 7-year-olds who want to talk about Jesus in the Land of the Free”said Horatio “Harry” Mihet, Esq., Vice President of Legal Affairs & Chief Litigation Counsel of Liberty Counsel.

Desert Rose Elementary School

Desert Rose Elementary School

***  I went on-line to see if it is true and here are some of the other links to this outrageous story: ***

Fox News Opinion – School sends sheriff to order child to stop sharing Bible verses

Liberty Counsel – School Calls Sheriff to Stop 7-Year-Old From Handing Out Bible Verses

WND – School sends deputy to warn 7-year-old about Bible verses

Santa Monica Observer – School Calls Sheriff to Stop 7-Year-Old From Handing Out Bible Verses

Canada Free Press – Desert Rose Elementary School – School Calls Sheriff to Stop 7-Year-Old From Handing Out Bible Verses

Washington Times – Elementary school sends deputy to boy’s home to warn him about sharing Bible verses: Report

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Just last evening, while reading from Taking Back The Good Book, by Woodrow Kroll, I yellow highlighted the following:

“America had a splendid heritage in the Word of God. We built our government on it. We built our laws on it. We built our lives on it. But when we began to put the Bible on the back burner, a New America was formed. It’s an America that is not friendly toward the Bible, an America that doesn’t read the Bible or respect it. It’s an America in which Bible illiteracy is rampant.

Sadly, it’s our America. We gave it life. And now we are reaping what we have sown.”

Shame on that teacher, shame on the principal, shame on the school district, shame on California courts and legislatures, and shame on the U. S. Government – all of them for allowing all kinds of sinful acts, which I won’t innumerable, yet not allowing the Word of God to be read at lunch, when this country, government, and schools were based on the Word of God. You can only turn your back on the truth for only so long. Lord help us!

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32 KJV)

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:11-15 KJV)

Birds of the Bible – Wayside Sower Birds

Lee’s Six Word Saturday – 6/4/16

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Gathering Her Chicks Under Her Wings ©Flickr Jorge Elias

GATHERETH HER CHICKENS UNDER HER WINGS

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“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37 KJV)

Gathering Her Chicks Under Her Wings ©Flickr Jorge Elias

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Five Word Friday – 6/3/16

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Lord Derby's Parakeet (Psittacula derbiana) ©WikiC

WHITE, GREEN, AND BLUE, HANGINGS

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“Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.” (Esther 1:6 KJV)

Lord Derby’s Parakeet (Psittacula derbiana) ©WikiC

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 6/2/16

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Northern Long-eared Owl by DavesBP

BE SWIFT TO HEAR

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“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” (James 1:19 KJV)

Northern Long-eared Owl by DavesBP

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Three Word Wednesday – 6/1/16

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Steller's Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) with Man ©WikiC

STRETCHED OUT ARM

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“With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalms 136:12 KJV)

Steller’s Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) with Man ©WikiC

 

More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Two Word Tuesday – 5/31/16

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Scarlet Myzomela (Myzomela sanguinolenta) by Ian

AS SCARLET

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“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 KJV)

Scarlet Myzomela (Myzomela sanguinolenta) by Ian Montgomery

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More Daily Devotionals

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Cher Ami’s Story for Memorial Day

Thought I would repost Cher Ami’s story in honor of Memorial Day. Thank all of you who have served our country or your country to help preserve peace.

To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, (Luke 1:74 NKJV)

Cher Ami - Homing Pigeon Hero

Cher Ami – Homing Pigeon Hero

Cher Ami – WW1 Hero

While researching for a hero for an article on our church blog, I tried to find out about my father, who was in WW1. Being as he died when I was four years old, it is hard to find out a lot of details. All I knew is that he was in the trenches where they were poisoned with mustard gas and that it took years, but he died as a result of that gassing. Talking to my family, I also found out that he was at the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Argonne Forrest) in which 117,000 of our American troops gave their lives and that he was in a company that had few survivors. Also found that he had fought hand-to-hand with bayonets. But the actual details are still a mystery. So, my dad and all of our men that fought in WW1 are my heroes.What I did find is a hero of the avian kind. His name was Cher Ami and he was a homing pigeonc which had been donated by the pigeon fanciers of Britain for use by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I and had been trained by American pigeoneers. He helped save the Lost Battalion of the 77th Division in the battle of the Argonne, October 1918.

On October 3, 1918, Charles Whittlesey and more than 500 men were trapped in a small depression on the side of the hill behind enemy lines without food or ammunition. They were also beginning to receive friendly fire from allied troops who did not know their location. Surrounded by the Germans, many were killed and wounded in the first day and by the second day, only a little more than 200 men were still alive. Whittlesey dispatched messages by pigeon. The pigeon carrying the first message (“Many wounded. We cannot evacuate.”) was shot down. A second bird was sent with the message, “Men are suffering. Can support be sent?” That pigeon also was shot down. Only one homing pigeon was left: ‘Cher Ami’. He was dispatched with a note in a canister on his left leg,

“We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it!”

Actual Message Sent

Actual Message Sent

As Cher Ami tried to fly back home, the Germans saw him rising out of the brush and opened fire and for several minutes, bullets zipped through the air all around him.The men of the Lost Battalion saw Cher Ami tragically shot down, but miraculously, he was airborne again soon. He managed to arrive back at his loft at division headquarters 25 miles to the rear in just 25 minutes, helping to save the lives of the 194 survivors. In this last mission, Cher Ami had delivered the message despite having been shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, covered in blood and with a leg hanging only by a tendon.

Cher Ami had become the hero of the 77th Infantry Division, so army medics worked long and hard to save his life. They were unable to save his leg, so they carved a small wooden one for him. When he recovered enough to travel, the little one-legged hero was put on a boat to the United States, with General John J. Pershing personally seeing Cher Ami off as he departed France.

Upon return to America, Cher Ami became the mascot of the Department of Service. The pigeon was awarded the Croix de Guerre Medal with a palm Oak Leaf Cluster for his heroic service in delivering 12 important messages in Verdun. He died at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, on June 13, 1919 from the wounds he received in battle and was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931. He also received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Racing Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of his extraordinary service during World War I.

Cher Ami - WWI Homing Pigeon Hero

Cher Ami – WWI Homing Pigeon Hero – WikiC

Cher Ami was as well-known as any human World War I heroes. Cher Ami was later mounted by a taxidermist and donated to the Smithsonian where he is enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution, and is currently on display with Sergeant Stubby in the National Museum of American History’s “Price of Freedom” exhibit.

Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts? (Isa 60:8)

Pigeons and Doves are in the Columbidae Family of the Columbiformes Order.

(Wikipedia and other internet sources)

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Lee’s One Word Monday – 5/30/16

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Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) ©Flickr Stan Lupo

TEMPERANCE

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) ©Flickr Stan Lupo

Temperance means “self-control” * The Blue Jay is “not hogging it all.”

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Seven Word Sunday – 5/29/16

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Blood Pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus) ©WikiC

CLOTHED WITH A VESTURE DIPPED IN BLOOD

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“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:13 KJV)

Blood Pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus) ©WikiC

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More Daily Devotionals

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Sunday Inspiration – Emberizidae Family II

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) ©WikiC

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) ©WikiC

“Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.” (Psalms 84:3 KJV)

This week, as we continue in the Emberizidae – Buntings, New World Sparrows and allies Family, the next 50 or so will be highlighted. That will leave us with the last of the Emberizidae Family III and/or IV to finish up this family. Last week’s Sunday Inspiration had most of the Buntings from this Family.

Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus) ©WikiC

Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus) ©WikiC

American sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming part of the family Emberizidae. American sparrows are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns.

Although they share the name sparrow, American sparrows are more closely related to Old World buntings (which are also in the family Emberizidae) than they are to the Old World sparrows (family Passeridae). American sparrows are also similar in both appearance and habit to finches, with which they sometimes used to be classified. (Wikipedia)

Many of the sparrows are just called “Little Brown Jobs” or LBJs. They are very numerous and common, yet they are special to the Lord. Matthew 10 quotes the Lord with these verses:

Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) (Dusky-extinct) ©WikiC

Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) (Dusky-extinct) ©WikiC

“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)

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) by Daves BirdingPix

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) by Daves BirdingPix

“Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31 KJV)

When a person knows the Lord he needs not to fear.

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” (Psalms 37:3 KJV)

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“His Eye Is On The Sparrow” ~ Kathy Lisby – Special at Faith Baptist

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Sunday Inspiration

Emberizidae –  Buntings, New World Sparrows & Allies

Birds of the Bible – Little Brown Jobs

Birds of the Bible – Sparrows

Fear: Breaking Every Chain

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Designed For Flight – Creation Moments YouTube

Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) by Lee

Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) by Lee

“Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” (Proverbs 23:5 KJV)

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.” (Isaiah 40:28 KJV)

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)II at Bok Tower By Dan'sPix

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)II at Bok Tower By Dan’sPix

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Interesting Things

Creation Moments

Wordless Toucan

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