Category Archives: Guest Writer

STAY UNDER HIS WINGS

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Baby Chick Peeping Out From Under His Mom's Wing - CC

Baby Chick Peeping Out From Under His Mom’s Wing – CC

STAY UNDER HIS WINGS

“Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4, 5 King James Version)

Pastor William Orcutt Cushing wrote a beautiful hymn “UNDER HIS WINGS”.  I love the words in this hymn.  “Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!  How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!  Often when earth has no balm for my healing, There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.”  We have a loving Saviour!

A mother bird will push her baby out of the nest so it will learn to fly.  It is just the opposite with Jesus.  He wants us to stay with Him not only so He can protect us, but also because we can’t do anything without Him.  I can’t even get out of bed without Him.  If I can’t serve Him, there is no reason to live.

Someone said “I can’t wait until I’m old enough to move out and leave home”. When Jesus is our Saviour, we don’t want to leave Him.  Not only is Jesus our Saviour, He is also the dearest Friend we will ever have.  He will never leave us, not even for one minute.  What a Saviour, this Jesus of Nazareth!

For those who are trying to make it in this world without Jesus, it hasn’t worked and it will never work.  We need Jesus every minute of every day.  Stay under His wings and allow Him to protect you, comfort you and encourage you.  Don’t try to make it without Jesus.  You will hurt Him and break His heart.

Joanne Lowe

September 25, 2015

To see more of Joanne’s  devotionals go to her blog at  He Loves You And Died For You.

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Joanne Lowe is a guest author and I trust you will be blessed by this and her other devotionals.

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Tattered Survivor Bandaged

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Michael Powell loves to take photographs of Dragonflies and other neat things – up close. This one caught my attention because it reminds me of a great promise from the Lord.

“Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.” (Hosea 6:1 NASB)

Thanks, Michael for great photos.

Visit – Source: Tattered survivor

Michael Q. Powell for more of his articles.

Why Should We Remember 9/11?

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Firemen at 9/11

Why Should We Remember 9/11?

By Stephen on Sep 11, 2015 01:00 am

Today is 9/11.

Read that sentence again.  It is very short.  But, It is a sentence filled with intense emotion and pain.  I hope you never forget where you were on September 11th, 2001.  I was in chapel at Bob Jones University when an announcement was made informing us all of what was happening.  I still remember seeing a girl clutching her cell phone and crying.  It was as if she was desperately trying to reach someone just so that she could hear their voice.

It has been 14 years since our country was attacked.  Today we must pause and remember what happened on 9/11. There are certain events in the history of America that every American must remember.  9/11 is one of those events.  Countless events have long been forgotten.  9/11 must never be forgotten.  Today, I want to give you four reasons why we must remember 9/11.

  1. The truth must not be re-written.  On 9/11, our country was attacked.  Islamic extremists murdered thousands of people.  These attackers were not Christian.  They were not Catholic.  They were not Mormon.  They were not Jehovah’s Witnesses.  They were not atheists.  They were Muslim.  They believed they were obeying Allah by murdering thousands of people.  They believed their actions were a holy act of worship.  We must remember 9/11 so that the truth is not changed.  It is possible that others will attempt to re-write the story of 9/11.  They may twist or alter the truth.  We must remember so that the truth will survive.
  2. The truth must be re-told.  The only reason I know about the attack on Pearl Harbor is because someone told me.  I was not there.  I was not alive in 1941.  But, I have been taught.  I have seen the pictures.  I have read the stories.  We must remember 9/11 so that we can tell the generations to come.  My children need to learn about 9/11.  They need to hear the stories.  They need to see pictures and watch the videos.  It is important for future generations to know what happened on 9/11.
  3. We must honor those who died.  Nearly 3,000 people died on 9/11.  Most were civilians – just like me.  Many were firefighters, policemen, and other emergency responders who were trying to help.  If we forget, we will fail to honor them.  We must remember that thousands of men, women, and children were murdered.  Their lives matter.  Every life matters.  We must honor their memory by remembering what happened.
  4. Our turn may come.  Remembering 9/11 will help us prepare for the future.  You may find yourself on a hijacked airplane one day.  If that’s me, I hope I will have the courage (like the men on Flight 93) to stand up to the hijackers.  Perhaps one day, the terrorist attack will come to your neighborhood.  If so, I hope you will jump into action to help the injured and the hurting.  Thousands of Americans responded on 9/11 and on the days immediately following.  They disregarded their own personal safety to run to the aid of others.  There may come a day when it is our turn.  When that day comes, we must remember 9/11.  We must respond.  We must help.

Today is 9/11.  Always remember.  Never forget.

Stephen

Lee’s Addition:

“Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; Your elders, and they will tell you: (Deuteronomy 32:7 NKJV)

(Re-posted from the Window from Faith Baptist Church.) http://www.faithbaptistwh.org/2015/09/11/why-should-we-remember-911/

Twin Towers As Second Plane Hit

Twin Towers As Second Plane Hit

Twin Tower as it Collapsed

Twin Tower as it Collapsed

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Logan, Morgan, and Their Historical Nest

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Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) ©WikiC

Logan, Morgan, and Their Historical Nest ~ by Emma Foster

It was 1769 when a distinguished man came to a small plain with a few trees on a mountain and began building a house. In one of the trees, two bluebirds watched as the man oversaw the building of his house. This house was big and built with stone masons who were people who built and cut stone.

The house had white stone pillars and large stone steps in front of a long backyard. Farther down the hill was the plantation where the slaves worked.

The house would not be competed for a long time, and while it was being built, Logan and Morgan decided they would build their nest just like the house was being built.

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Eggs ©WikiC

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Eggs ©WikiC

Logan and Morgan started looking for long, thick sticks to stack together. They started building their nest in one of the trees near the slave’s kitchen. However, this was difficult because of how hard it was to keep the sticks standing straight up in the branches. Logan and Morgan took turns holding the sticks with their beaks while the other looked for more sticks.

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) by S Slayton

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) by S Slayton

Eventually, Logan and Morgan finally completed their nest. It wasn’t as grand as the house that was still being built, but the two bluebirds decided that the nest was perfect.

They raised their children in that nest and their children raised their children, until long after the house, called Monticello, was completed.

Montecello. House of Thomas Jefferson

Montecello. House of Thomas Jefferson

Eventually the distinguished man who had built the house died, but Logan and Morgan’s children and grandchildren still lived there. And every year hundreds of people would come to take a tour of that house because it belonged to one of the Presidents of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. Of course, Logan and Morgan never knew that fact.

The End

Lee’s Addition:

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matthew 13:31-32 KJV)

Emma has now produced her first historical birdwatching tale. Thanks, Emma. Our young writer just turned 16 recently and has grown quite tall (5’11”) like her parents. We used to compare heights when she was shorter than me (4’10”), but now I have to look up at her. Not only has her height increased, but also her writing ability.

As a side note, her family visited Monticello this summer and actually watched some Eastern Bluebirds for some time in the trees there.

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Other stories by Emma Foster

Eastern Bluebird – Wikipedia

Wordless Birds

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The Hawk on the Washington Monument

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Hawk Nest On A Building ©©Flickr

Hawk Nest On A Building ©©Flickr

The Hawk on the Washington Monument

by Emma Foster

Once there were two hawks named Jerry and Jemima. They were looking for a place to live. They both needed just the right place if they wanted to watch some fireworks launch for the Fourth of July in Washington, D.C. The Fourth was almost here and Jerry and Jemima wanted to get the best view.

Capital Dome at Night ©WikiC

Capital Dome at Night ©WikiC

There were a lot of interesting monuments to nest in, but none of them seemed quite right. First, Jerry decided to make a nest on top of the capital building, but many construction workers were working on the dome of the building. He tried the Lincoln memorial next, but there were so many people, even more the night when the fireworks went off.

Jefferson Memorial at Dusk - ©©Fact Monster

Jefferson Memorial at Dusk – ©©Fact Monster

Jerry and Jemima tried the Jefferson memorial because there were many birds and geese since it was close to a lake and people fed them. But it seemed to Jerry that there were too many birds.

All this time there was another monument taking up their view. It was the Washington monument and it was the tallest out of all of them.

The Reflecting Pool from the Washington Monument from window ©WikiC

The Reflecting Pool from the Washington Monument from window ©WikiC

Jerry and Jemima flew up to the top of the Washington monument. There, on all four sides, were small windows. Jerry and Jemima flew up right past one of the windows and landed above it. They both scared some people who were looking out at that very moment.

Jerry and Jemima had a good view of everything, and Jerry decided this was the perfect place to build a nest.

By that night, they both had collected a bunch of sticks and twigs to make the nest. They finished just in time to see the bright fireworks go off for the Fourth of July celebration.

Fireworks behind Washington Monument ©©

Fireworks behind Washington Monument ©©

The End

“Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, And spread its wings toward the south? Does the eagle mount up at your command, And make its nest on high? On the rock it dwells and resides, On the crag of the rock and the stronghold.” (Job 39:26-28 NKJV)

Lee’s Addition:

Emma has given us another great story and part of it is true. She and her father were recently in Washington DC and a hawk flew at the window they were looking out of. Both were startled and stepped back. Tried to find a photo with the windows, but couldn’t find one that wasn’t copyrighted.

More of Emma’s Bird Tales

Wordless Birds

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A Pet Flamingo Named Mandy

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A Pet Flamingo Named Mandy

by Emma Foster

Once there was a girl who owned a pet flamingo named Mandy. The girl’s name was Sarah and she lived in a big house with the rest of her family. One day her parents took her to a pet store across town where she saw a flamingo sitting in a bird-cage. Sarah was allowed to pick out one pet and she decided to pick out this flamingo. She named it Mandy. Mandy had one feather on her wing that was black and Sarah thought that was one of the reasons why Mandy was so special.

Today Mandy was sitting on Sarah’s father’s favorite recliner in the middle of the big family room. Mandy always loved sitting there because she had a good view out of one of the big windows. Sarah didn’t have any idea why she was sitting in the chair, but it was funny to see the cleaning lady come in with her duster and faint when she saw Mandy.

On this day the biggest window in the family room was wide open because it was a nice day outside and a small wind was blowing.

Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) ©Wiki

Mandy was sitting in Sarah’s father’s favorite recliner watching the sky when she saw birds fly by. Mandy decided to follow them and before Sarah could stop her, Mandy flew out of the window and out of sight. Sarah had never been sadder.

Sarah and her parents put up fliers around town looking for Mandy.

It was a week before Sarah passed by the zoo putting out fliers when she saw the flamingo exhibit. Inside the exhibit was Mandy! Sarah could tell because she had one black feather.

American Flamingos Many With Foot Up by Lee at Gatorland

Sarah was happy to see Mandy again, but she noticed that Mandy looked really happy with all the other flamingos. Sarah decided that Mandy should stay at the zoo with her new friends.

So, from then on, Sarah was sure to see Mandy the flamingo every day at the zoo.

The End

Lee’s Addition:

Thanks, Emma, for another bird tale. Mandy sounds like a nice pet, but sure she is enjoying being back with her friends. I could see why the cleaning lady would be shocked. Not many people have Flamingo as pets. But the Bible says:

For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:7-10 NKJV)

Check out Emma Foster’s other tales:

Kids, You Are Special
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Alexander And The Fishing Contest

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Brown Pelican and Laughing Gull by Dan MacDill Shore 2014

Brown Pelican and Laughing Gull by Dan MacDill Shore 2014

Alexander and the Fishing Contest ~ by Emma Foster

Once there was a pelican named Alexander who lived near the beach. Every day, he would go fishing and he would always bring his favorite fishing pole. One day, as he was flying to the shore, he landed on a huge rock and noticed a sign on the beach. Alexander read the sign. The sign said in big, red letters:

FISHING CONTEST TODAY,

FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL AGES.

FIRST PRIZE FOR THE BIGGEST FISH IS A NEW BOAT.

Alexander decided he would join the fishing contest to see if he could catch the biggest fish. All day he practiced his fishing Every now and then Alexander would catch a fish, but he knew there was a bigger fish somewhere in the water. At noon, it was time for the fishing contest to start and many people had entered. There were people sitting on the beach fishing as far as Alexander could see. A referee blew a whistle and the contest began. Eventually fish started biting and Alexander caught a few, but he knew there was a bigger fish somewhere in the ocean.

Pelican Reaching in water - Flickr Nagarajan Kanna

Pelican Reaching in water – Flickr Nagarajan Kanna

And then, something started tugging on Alexander’s line. He had to pull so hard Alexander almost fell off the rock he was fishing on. Eventually, Alexander had to dive down and scoop part of the fish up in his beak and pull the fish out of the water and drag it onto the shore. The referee blew his whistle again to signal that the contest was over. The judges came over to look at Alexander’s fish and immediately agreed that his fish was the winner. Alexander’s fish was almost twelve feet long! From then on, whenever Alexander went fishing, he brought his favorite fishing pole and his new boat The End

Lee’s Addition:

Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. (Joh 21:11)

Well our young writer, Emma, has really come up with a “fish story” this time. She has such a great creative mind and even though the story is a little far-fetched, I like it very much. I wonder if Peter’s net contained any fish as large as Alexander’s? Humm? *

Read more of Emma’s stories

Bird Tails

Wordless Birds

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Little Gray Feather

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01:33. As the Robin flies away, the Grackle cries, “More!”

01:33. As the Robin flies away, the Grackle cries, “More!”

Little Gray Feather,
the Adopted Common Grackle Chick

One of the most bizarre anomalies in the world of ornithology I have ever witnessed was in May 2009.

It was in that month when my wife happened to look out a second floor bedroom window of our condo townhome in Aurora, Colorado and see two little boys carrying bird nests, prompting her to investigate. As it turns out, the two boys were innocently engaged in the exploration of birds’ nests they had discovered—apparently having observed adult birds flying to and from the nests. My wife lovingly explained to them that it wasn’t a good idea to move nests with eggs or chicks and suggested they return the nests to where they had found them.

However, by then the boys had already relocated at least two nests to a not-so-tall conifer at the southeast corner of the townhome complex. Apparently, they figured that by relocating the nests to lower, shorter branches, they could keep a better eye on things. The relatively short evergreen presently had a total three nests and a number of chicks had fallen to the ground. Not knowing what type of birds she was dealing with or what nests the chicks on the ground had fallen out of, my wife donned a pair of gloves and placed the fallen chicks back into two of the nests. When I returned home from work, she requested I examine the situation. Upon doing so, I found that she had mistakenly placed Common Grackle chicks with American Robin chicks and a few chicks had again fallen out of their nests—one to the ground, a couple of others onto branches. It was a problematic scenario for all parties involved, especially the chicks.

01:09. Oh, what joy as the Robin emerges on the west side of the nest with something substantial in its mouth.

Appearances suggested we were dealing with two broods of Robins and one of Grackles, both types of birds being common to the complex. Presuming the highest nest in the tree to be that of a Grackle, I placed the Grackle chicks in that one and divided the Robins evenly between the other two lower nests, holding out little hope for a positive outcome.

In less than two days all chicks died except for one: a Grackle. And soon, the nest had become tipped. I adjusted it so the sole survivor wouldn’t fall out.

Now, one would think an adult Robin would know the difference between one of its own and a stranger. Yet, to our amazement, a pair of mating Robins quickly adopted the baby Grackle and took to raising it as their own. This caused me to think that the nest had actually been built by the mother Robin. We named the chick Little Gray Feather and observed its development into June until it left the nest and was capable of very short flights while still being tended to by its adoptive parents.

Using a Panasonic Lumix-DMC FZ8 digital camera, on May 29, 2009, I took a video of the Grackle in the nest and one of its adoptive Robin parents feeding it and cleaning up after it. Following are photos captured from the video, arranged in chronological order from left to right:

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Little Gray Feather
Copyright ©2015 Dan Vaisanen

Lee’s Addition:

What an amazing story and the photos and video to go along with it. Thanks Dan for sharing this with us. Dan Vaisanen is an acquaintance of James J. S. Johnson.

Other birds have fed babies that are not their own, but this was all done by accident. It is interesting that one species, the Robins, were willing to feed another species’ baby, but that the Grackles would not do the same for the Robin babies. Must be a truth there somewhere.

“So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12 AMP)

Deceit:

Good Behavior:

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The Crow and the Screwdriver

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American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) by Kent Nickell

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) by Kent Nickell

The Crow and the Screwdriver

by Emma Foster

(This is Emma’s Updated version of an article here – Birds of the Bible – Gifts From Birds)

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Once there was a crow named Albert who would come to the front yard of a young girl’s house with other crows every day. They came daily because the girl would wait for the crows and feed them bread. This went on every day until the crows decided to bring her a gift in return for the bread.

One by one the crows started bringing little gifts for the girl. One crow found a nickel in a gutter, another found two paperclips by the side of the road, and a third found a shiny gum wrapper by a trashcan.

Albert wanted to bring something to the girl who was very special. Every day after the girl fed all the crows their bread, Albert would start his search. It couldn’t be just anything.

Albert didn’t know it, but a few days before, the girl’s father had been driving down a rough and bumpy road. The girl’s father worked at a construction company so all of his tools were in a toolbox in the passenger seat. The window had been open when the girl’s father went down the rough road so the screwdriver had fallen out the window after the truck had hit a small hole.

Crow at Flamingo Gardens by Lee (210)

Crow

Albert had been flying past that road when he noticed something shiny. Swooping down, Albert found the screwdriver and decided to bring it back to the girl.

It took a while for Albert to get the screwdriver in his beak to carry because it was very heavy, but Albert eventually was able to fly off the ground a few feet.

Screwdriver Found ©WikiC

Screwdriver Found ©WikiC

It took even longer to get back to the girl’s house, but when Albert flew to the front yard, the girl walked out to find Albert sitting there with the screwdriver next to him. The girl and her father were happy to see the screwdriver because the girl’s father had been looking for it and he needed it for construction. It was the only screwdriver that he owned.

From then on, the girl was sure to give Albert an extra big crumb of bread whenever he came to her front yard.

The End

And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’
(Luke 15:9 NKJV)

Another fine tale from our developing young writer, Emma. Thanks again, Emma. We can all learn from caring about other, even when it quite a struggle to help.

The original post – Birds of the Bible – Gifts From Birds

More articles by Emma Foster:

Wordless Birds

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Seventh Anniversary

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Flamingo by Dan' at Flamingo Gardens

Flamingo by Dan’ at Flamingo Gardens

Wow! Has it now been seven years since I started writing the Birds of the Bible articles? February 2008 is the original beginning month of the blog. It was started using Blogspot, but moved here to WordPress in July of that year. If you take a look at the articles below you will see how the Lord has been blessing over these years.

Today with almost 1.3 million visits (with WordPress), over 1,100 followers and 216 Flags of countries that you have visited from, I am amazed. Here is a quote from the 1st Anniversary blog:

Our pastor just reminded us of a quote by William Carey, an English Missionary to India:

Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.

Great Blue Heron by Dan

I am not sure this was attempted as a “great thing,” but it was attempted to honor the Lord. That is a very great thing, and God has turned that attempt into a blog that has been visited over 10,000 times just since July. Many of those visits have come from around the world. Thank all of you for your visits.

Carey also said, “If I begin a thing I must go through with it!” This blog has been started and we trust we will continue to keep writing about God’s wonderful creation, especially His birds, and the joy of observing all God’s marvelous handiwork.

Because of this blog many you have become great friends that most we have never met personally, and you are from around the world, where Dan and I will never visit. Yet many of you will be sharing eternity with us and we will meet as we share the presence of Our Saviour. What a thought!

Thanks to the many writers that have added greatly to the blog; Ian, Dottie, Emma, Golden Eagle (Baron), James J S Johnson, Stephen, and others.

Thank you for your visits! Thank you for your friendships! Especially THANK YOU LORD!

I would like to use Paul’s words to express my feelings:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all 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 complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:2-6 NKJV)

Yes, I do pray for many of you even by name. I especially pray for those of you who do not know the peace of knowing my Savior and the Creator of these fantastic birds.

Some of the previous articles about the anniversaries:

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The Old Man and the Ibises

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White Ibises

White Ibises at the park by Lee

The Old Man and the Ibises

by Emma Foster

Once there was a little boy who had short brown hair and was kind of short for his age. Every week, his parents would take him to a small park by a big lake.

When they arrived, the little boy fed  the ibises bread and talked to them about how he was about to start school. The ibises ate as much bread as they could hold and decided they liked hearing the little boy talk.

Several years passed and the little boy became a teenager. He started having problems with his grades. After failing another math test, the boy drove down to the park with some bread. Watching the ibises fly over and eat the bread made the boy feel a lot better and the ibises listened patiently as he told them all about how he could not get his grades to improve.

Eventually the teenage boy became a man and got married. The ibises started to multiply. A few years later, the man brought his children to the park. The ibises did the same. The man and his wife watched as their kids fed the ibises and as the ibises showed their children how to eat the bread with them. The man also taught his children how to talk to them.

White Ibis on Table by Lee

White Ibis on Table Listening by Lee

Many years passed and all the man’s children grew up and moved away. The man grew old, but he still drove to the park every week to feed the ibises.

Finally, one day, the old man grew too old to drive. He took one last drive to the park however. The ibises came as usual. The old man told the ibises that he wouldn’t be able to come and see them anymore because he couldn’t drive much longer. The ibises were very sad when they heard this statement. As the old man drove home, the ibises decided to fly after his car and follow him home. Soon there was a great flock of birds following the old man’s car.

The next day the old man opened his front door to get the mail and found the flock of ibises. The old man was very happy about the ibises coming to his house every day. From that day on, the ibises flew to the old man’s’ house so he could feed them bread.

American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) 1st Birds of 2014 by Lee

American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) coming to the yard by Lee

The End

Lee’s Addition:

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (Colossians 3:12 KJV)

Emma has written another fine Bird Tale for us. It is enjoyable to watch as she is developing her writing skills. Each tale is better than the one before. This one is very heart touching. (Maybe it meant a lot because I wonder if the birds will come “people-watching” here when I can no longer go watch them.)

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24 KJV)

To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, (Psalms 92:2 KJV)

There is much friendliness and kindness shown in this story.

More Bird Tales by Emma Foster

Other Bird Tales

Wordless Birds

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Bird-watching Devotional Activity

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Philippine Eagle-Owl (Bubo philippensis) by Bob Kaufman

Philippine Eagle-Owl (Bubo philippensis) by Bob Kaufman

“By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. (Psalms 104:12 NKJV)

Myra has become a dear friend through this blog. She lives in the Philippines and enjoys birdwatching. She used some of this blog’s information several years ago for a class in birdwatching at a Christian Camp there. Now, she has written a Birdwatching Devotional and I asked if I could share it with you. Of course, no problem.

Here is an excerpt from her e-mail that tells about it.

Just want to share something I wrote.  I was in a southern province recently to cover the opening of a retreat center run by the organization I work for (http://cctmalungon.blogspot.com/).  I got to bird watch the next morning during my quiet time, and started writing a devotional activity.  I finished writing it yesterday.
I am praying the management of the retreat center will be interested in my suggestions to promote bird watching there, and hoping the attached devotional will be printed out and placed inside each room.

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MRTC Bird-watching Devotional Activity 1

It is often easier to hear birds than to see them, so for this devotional activity, we will simply listen to the sounds they make.  Bring your Bible, a pen, and this sheet. Find a quiet, shady spot. Read Psalm 104:1 – 17, 24 – 28. Notice that the psalmist mentions birds singing among the branches (v.12).  Now close your eyes and listen to the bird sounds around you.

In the space below use tally marks (four vertical and one diagonal line like those used to score games) to make a record of the different kind of bird sounds you hear:

_

_

_

_

_

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Which of the following sounds did you hear?

_____Chirp

_____Tweet

_____Peep

_____Warble

_____Cheep

_____Hoot

_____Whoop

_____Trill

_____Whistle

_____Squawk

_____Caw

_____Coo

These are all English words based on sounds made by birds. In the spaces below, write how some of the bird sounds sound to you.  Use your own spelling – spell them the way they sound to you!  For example, “Wit-hooooooo! Wit-hoooooooo! Wit-hooo-tu-ri-ri!

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

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Now reread Psalm 104:12 & 24.  The bird sounds you heard tell us of the wisdom and the infinite creativity with which God made the world. What fun He must have had assigning birds to sing high notes and low notes, long notes and short notes, to make soft sounds or loud sounds and an endless combination of these! Some birds make lovely, melodic sounds, while others are madakdak! Imagine the bird sounds and bird songs Adam and Eve heard in the Garden of Eden. But songs and sounds are just one aspect birds. God gave them feathers of different colors; He gave them beaks and feet of different shapes and sizes for a lot of different uses.  He gave them the wonderful gift of flight.  Praise God for His wisdom!

Now reread Psalm 27 & 28, as well as Matthew 6:25 – 27.   God paid detailed attention to birds when He made them.  Up until today, our Heavenly Father feeds them. When He opens His hands “they are filled with good things.” We, His children, are so much more important to Him than birds.  Rejoice in the attention God pays to the details of your life!  Thank Him for his loving care and faithful provision.

Dear Father, thank you for the birds.  I praise you for the wisdom with which you made them.  I bow in awe and amazement at your infinite creativity. Forgive me Father when I forget that you love me more than you love the birds.  Help me to always remember that to You,  I am more valuable than they. Thank you for your care and provision, for your nearness and presence.  I love you! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Myra Gaculais del Rosario

Malungon, Sarangani – December 13, 2014

Taytay, Rizal – January 8, 2015

“O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions—This great and wide sea, In which are innumerable teeming things, Living things both small and great. There the ships sail about; There is that Leviathan Which You have made to play there. These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season. What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good. (Psalms 104:24-28 NKJV)

What a gorgeous place to go birdwatching.

What a gorgeous place to go birdwatching. Malungon Retreat and Community Resource Center

Lee’s Addition:

In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. (Psalms 94:19 KJV)

One of the reasons to share this is that you or some of the Camp and Home-school groups could use it. Also, it could be a start to writing some of your own devotionals along this line.

You can download the file by clicking this link:

MRTC Bird Watching Devotional Activity 1 by Myra Gaculais del Rosario

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Birds of the Bible – Church Camp In Philippines

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