Birds of the Bible – Better Than The Birds II

January 18, 2020 by GuestWriter

Northern Raven (Corvus corax) by Nikhil Devasar

Better than the Birds

Luke 12:6-31

Birds of the Bible – Better Than The Birds was the introduction to the “Better Than The Birds” message by Pastor Stephen Harvey. We were told that “1. Worry denies the gracious care of God.”

Now for part II:

2. Secondly, worry depreciates the higher value of mankind

He’s not finished with the birds yet – notice verse 7 again – the last part – Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Matthews account says, “Are you not worth much more than they?

In case we didn’t pick up on the lesson – in case we’re a little slow – God’s care of the lesser creation ensures His care of His highest creation.

Evidently Jesus thinks we just might be a little slow on the uptake here – or maybe find it hard to believe – so He circles back around to this subject again and adds another pearl to the string – look over at verse 24. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, they have no store room nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

Maybe Jesus repeated this lesson simply because He knew that billions of people one day would struggle with believing they were less valuable than animals.

Was God peering into the 21st century or what?

You sit through the average Animal Planet program or read the latest evolutionary textbook taught to middle schoolers and you’ll get the message loud and clear that human beings have messed up the circle of life; humans have interrupted the food chain; humans are in the way and if we’d only get out of the way, the animals who evidently have the right to be on the planet – because they evolved first – would get what they deserve; if we’d just go back to living in caves, the animals would be able to enjoy their lives so much better.

That message is coming across loud and clear! Whenever you remove the glory of God’s created order, Genesis 1 and 2, where mankind was made in the image of God and given the right to rule earth – to train and subjugate and benefit from the animal kingdom – you end up with a culture where animals ultimately matter more.

You now exist to serve them; you now live to make their lives more comfortable.

Now I’m not defending animal abuse, by the way. We’re to be good stewards of earth and the animal kingdom.

But go visit India today, and watch, as I did, sacred cows which have been given superior rights within their culture – watch them meander across busy roadways and down streets cluttered with starving children – and begging mothers with babies on their hips; where a child starving to death is less important than a cow having something to eat.

How do we know that human beings are more valuable than animals? How do we know that?

Apart from God, we don’t.

Apart from the words of Jesus Christ, the creator of all things (Colossians 1), we might be confused – look again at verse 24 – you are more valuable than the birds.

Is that radical news or what?

Raven; Grand Canyon National Park, by William Wise

And this really got the attention of Jesus’ Jewish audience, by the way, because Jesus used ravens as an example here – ravens were considered unclean according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:13-15).vii

The ravens were unclean birds.

I’m sorry for how that makes you Baltimore Ravens fans feel – I’m sorry you had to find that out – you’ve been cheering all along for unclean animals . . . you already knew that.

Here’s why this was so stunning an analogy for Christ to make: It’s one thing to be insignificant like a sparrow and be cared for by God – it’s another thing to be unclean and despised and be cared for by God.

And you know why I’m so glad Jesus added this illustration?

Because the enemy of our heart and spirit and joy will more than likely come and whisper in our ear – sparrows might be cheap, but at least they’re clean animals – no wonder God cares about them; but you’re more like an unclean bird . . . despised and unclean according to God’s holy law . . . you don’t deserve God’s attention.

You have very reason to worry about your life.

But notice – verse 24. God has managed to care for them too – He effectively feeds them too – and get this – “How much more valuable you are than the animal kingdom!”

Worry denies the gracious care of God

Worry depreciates the higher value of mankind.

Brown-necked Raven, Israel ©WikiC

(Copied with permission from Wisdom for the Heart and Pastor Stephen Davey.)

vii MacArthur, p. 140

See:

Birds of the Bible – Better Than The Birds I
Birds of the Bible – Sparrows
Birds of the Bible
See Worry and Sparrows – Part I
His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Birds in Hymns)

Birds of the Bible – Better Than The Birds

January 16, 2020 by GuestWriter

House Sparrow by Ray

In 2013, the Birds of the Bible – Worry and Sparrows articles were posted for part I and II. It’s 2020 now, and I’d like to repost these, plus add III and IV, which were never posted. They were overlooked by me. If your memory is like mine, you need a refresher. This time I will add the last 2 articles.

While listening to Wisdom For The Heart on BBN (Bible Broadcasting Network), I heard this message by Pastor Stephen Davey and wanted to share it. His message was “Better than the Birds” and of course it caught my attention. There are four parts, this is the introduction and part one.

Better than the Birds

Luke 12:6-31

I have read that a dense fog – so extensive that it covers seven city blocks a hundred feet deep is actually composed of no more than one glass of water; water, of course that’s divided into more than 60 billion droplets of water.i

Just a couple gallons of water can cripple an entire city.

In many ways, this perfectly illustrates the substance of worry. Just a little bit of it can spread and deepen and ultimately cripple the mind and the heart of even believers.

One author put it this way when he wrote, “Worry is a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind, which, if encouraged, will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out.”ii

I find it extremely gracious of our Lord that whenever He addressed the subject of worry, and He did on several occasions, He went much further than simply saying, “You know better than that . . . worrying isn’t good for you . . . it’ll mess up your mind . . . isn’t right . . . stop worrying right now!”

Instead, Jesus graciously causes us to think through this vaporous substance of worry; He gives us several reasons to stop worrying and He even condescends in His patience to give us illustrations – effectively – giving us principles to teach us why we really don’t ever need to worry.

And several of His key principles are the form of questions.

Let me invite you to Luke chapter 12 where Jesus asks some profound questions.

He’s teaching His disciples – this chapter in Luke corresponds to His sermon in Matthew’s Gospel.

Now if you’ve ever read His sermon, you’ll notice that He goes from one subject to the next – almost randomly touching on a series of different topics.

Jesus is actually employing a Jewish teaching style called Charaz – which means, stringing pearls.iii

In other words, Jesus will string pearls of wisdom on a number of subjects, like someone might string together a rare necklace of pearls.

And one of the pearls He adds to his string of pearls is this subject of worry.

Let me give you four principles in this regard as we work through His comments on overcoming worry.

The first principle to understand is that:

Anyone for a Sparrow Snack?

1. Worry denies the gracious care of God

And He proves His point by asking two questions – notice His first question at verse 6. Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

Now if you compared this account with Matthews account, we’re told that 2 sparrows were sold for 1 penny.

The Greek term for this coin refers to a small brass coin worth about 1/10th of a day’s wage for a working laborer.

Which is a long way of saying, sparrows were the cheapest meat sold in the marketplace.iv

They were the food of the poorest of the poor. You barely got a mouthful of meat from a little sparrow.

Sparrows in snow ©©Bing

In fact, Matthew’s Gospel tells us that you can buy 2 sparrows for a penny and Luke here tells us that you can get 5 sparrows for 2 penny’s; how’s that add up?

Well, we know from history that during the days of Christ, sparrows were so abundant and so cheaply sold to the poor that if you bought 4, you got one thrown in for nothing.

And that’s what Luke alludes to here – are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

Now watch this – Luke is effectively saying, even the free sparrow is not forgotten by God. Even the sparrow that got thrown in for nothing matters to God.

You want to know why you never need to worry? Because to God you are never lost in the crowd.v

Not only does God not lose track of even one sparrow – he doesn’t even lose track of one single hair from your head.

Notice further in verse 7. Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

I’ve read that the average person’s head holds more than 100,000 hairs. Some of us are down to a few hundred.vi

A few dozen . . .

Now some commentators don’t think Jesus is being serious here – that He’s just exaggerating to make a point.

I mean, come on . . . He counts the number of the hairs on our heads? That number changes daily. Surely God doesn’t bother with that kind of detail. Gary Hallquist – 60,000; Dr. Burggraff – 12 . . . hundred.

No, I think that’s exactly His point. The glory of God revealed here is that He actually does know!

Jesus is effectively asking us, “Look, do you really think you can slip out of your Heavenly Father’s care – that you can somehow slip out from underneath the radar of His divine omniscience? Do you think He’s forgotten about you or that your problems are too numerous to keep up with?

I mean if He can keep track of 100,000 hairs on somebody’s head of hair, do you think He’ll get frustrated with you coming to Him over and over again to give Him your worries?

Do you think He’s going to say, “Look, there’s only so much room on my ledger and you’ve already been here a dozen times today . . . I just can’t keep track.”

Listen, if God is actually such a gracious, omniscient God – that He doesn’t overlook a single sparrow – even the one that gets thrown in for free – He will never overlook you either.

Worry denies the gracious care of God

Savannah Sparrow singing by Ray

(Copied with permission from Wisdom for the Heart and Pastor Stephen Davey.)

i John MacArthur, Matthew 1-7 (Moody Publishers, 1985), p. 419
ii Ibid
iii William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Westminster, 1975), p. p. 160
iv Bruce B. Barton, Life Application Bible: Luke (Tyndale, 1997), p. 314
v Barclay, p. 161
vi MacArthur, p. 119

Lee’s Addition:

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7 KJV)

What a great encouragement not to worry. Thanks, Pastor Davey for a great message.

See:

Birds of the Bible – Sparrows
Birds of the Bible
See Worry and Sparrows – Part I
His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Birds in Hymns)

Chasing Gulls

January 7, 2020 by William Wise

Flying Ring-billed Gull; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA by William Wise Photo

Chasing Gulls

by William Wise

It seems the favorite sport of every dog and child on the beach is to run wildly into a pack of gulls. I have to admit, it does look fun, and I probably did it too as a child. While visiting beach of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina this past Christmas, I marveled at the flight of the terns and gulls. Lifting off, taking to the air, circling around, diving and coming back to a landing to avoid the berserker kids and dogs. How do they do it?

From the beginning, as he marveled at the flight of birds, man began chasing the dream to fly. The first concerted efforts came as early as 1485, if not earlier, with Leonardo DaVinci’s Ornithoper blueprints. Although many efforts were made, it wasn’t until 1903 that flight was accomplished by humans. We may have large jumbo jets carrying people across the globe today, but it was a long, arduous process to get there.

If it was so difficult for man to learn to fly, how did birds catch on so quickly and gracefully learn to take to the air? The answer: they didn’t learn! The birds immediately burst forth in color and flight on Day 5 of creation! They were designed, equipped and enabled to fly from their very beginning. They got off to a flying start, so to speak!

Ring-billed Gulls; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA by William Wise Photo

Does that sound like an impossible fairy tale? Well, consider this yarn: “Flight appears to have evolved separately four times in history: in insects, bats, birds and pterosaurs. These four groups of flying animals didn’t evolve from a single, flying ancestor. Instead, they all evolved the ability to fly from separate ancestors that couldn’t fly. This makes flight a case of convergent evolution.”

Did you catch that? The complexity of flight evolved separately on four different occasions? Since the probability of even a simple, 200 component, single-celled organism evolving is at least 10⁶⁰ (a “one” followed by sixty “zeros”), flight evolving even once is basically an impossibility. But four times?

It takes less imagination and faith to marvel at the wonder of flight and know that an incredible Artist designed it in one swift stroke! “And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air” (Genesis 2:19)

Lee’s Addition:

When I first introduced you to William Wise, it was because of his photography. Now, he is also willing to share articles/posts with us on a regular basis. Trust you will enjoy having him “on board” with the rest of us.

Stay tuned for great topics tying birds and creation together.
His Site:

William Wise Photography

His Posts Here:

Meet Another New Photographer – William Wise

Two Suppers – By William Wise

Liarbird or Lyrebird – AussieBirder’s Neat Blog

September 15, 2016 by Lee

My friend from Australia, whom I’ve met through blogging, has a really interesting post. It is about the Lyrebird which we have written about before. He has a segment about a young lyrebird practicing his mating dance. I love it. There are other birds mentioned also. Aussiebirder always has neat articles. Enjoy!

Lyrebird or Liarbird – A Rainforest Treasure

Posted by aussiebirder on September 5, 2016

As we leave an unusually wet winter and enter the beautiful early spring, with wildflowers blooming, I took off early one morning into the Southern Highlands to Barren Grounds National Park for another attempt at finding the elusive and endangered Eastern Ground Parrot.

Above photo is taken from the sign in the park of the two endangered species of birds in Australia which live in the scrubby heathlands of the highlands. One reason why these birds have become endangered is that both these birds are predominately ground dwellers, and seldom fly. This makes them very vulnerable to predators, especially humans, ferule cats and foxes.

………….To read the rest of the article and see his video and recordings CLICK HERE:

Thanks, AussieBirder, for such an interesting article.

The Bird

December 22, 2015 by GuestWriter

Snowy Window ©Pixabay

The Bird

The bird flew to my window sill

in the blinding swirling snow,

I think the poor defenseless bird

had no place to go.

House Finch in Snow ©WikiC

I wished that I could become a

bird to guide it safely home,

like Jesus Christ came down to

earth so we wouldn’t be alone.

Bird in the Snow ©Pixabay

Like birds when people loose their

way, they need to stop and

pray, ask the Lord for guidance

He will help them on their way.

~ Jeanie Boyette 12/3/15

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5 NKJV)

Jeanie has written another poem for us, this time about a bird in the snow. Thankfully, she gave me a whole parcel of new poems the other night and wished me a Merry Christmas. Will try to put them up soon. Thanks, Jeanie. Merry Christmas to you, also.

Hummingbird by Jeanie

Birds of the Bible – Worry and Sparrows II

September 26, 2014 by GuestWriter

House Sparrow by Ray

Better than the Birds

Luke 12:6-31

2. Secondly, worry depreciates the higher value of mankind

He’s not finished with the birds yet – notice verse 7 again – the last part – Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Matthews account says, “Are you not worth much more than they?

In case we didn’t pick up on the lesson – in case we’re a little slow – God’s care of the lesser creation ensures His care of His highest creation.

Evidently Jesus thinks we just might be a little slow on the uptake here – or maybe find it hard to believe – so He circles back around to this subject again and adds another pearl to the string – look over at verse 24. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, they have no store room nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!

Maybe Jesus repeated this lesson simply because He knew that billions of people one day would struggle with believing they were less valuable than animals.
Was God peering into the 21st century or what?

You sit through the average Animal Planet program or read the latest evolutionary textbook taught to middle schoolers and you’ll get the message loud and clear that human beings have messed up the circle of life; humans have interrupted the food chain; humans are in the way and if we’d only get out-of-the-way, the animals who evidently have the right to be on the planet – because they evolved first – would get what they deserve; if we’d just go back to living in caves, the animals would be able to enjoy their lives so much better.

That message is coming across loud and clear!

Whenever you remove the glory of God’s created order, Genesis 1 and 2, where mankind was made in the image of God and given the right to rule earth – to train and subjugate and benefit from the animal kingdom – you end up with a culture where animals ultimately matter more.

You now exist to serve them; you now live to make their lives more comfortable.

Now I’m not defending animal abuse, by the way. We’re to be good stewards of earth and the animal kingdom.

How do we know that human beings are more valuable than animals? How do we know that?

Apart from God, we don’t.

Apart from the words of Jesus Christ, the creator of all things (Colossians 1), we might be confused – look again at verse 24 – you are more valuable than the birds.

Is that radical news or what?

Thick-billed Raven (Corvus crassirostris) ©WikiC

And this really got the attention of Jesus’ Jewish audience, by the way, because Jesus used ravens as an example here – ravens were considered unclean according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:13-15).vii
The ravens were unclean birds.

I’m sorry for how that makes you Baltimore Ravens fans feel – I’m sorry you had to find that out – you’ve been cheering all along for unclean animals . . . you already knew that.

You have very reason to worry about your life.

But notice – verse 24. God has managed to care for them too – He effectively feeds them too – and get this – “How much more valuable you are than the animal kingdom!”

Worry denies the gracious care of God

Worry depreciates the higher value of mankind.

(Copied with permission from Wisdom for the Heart and Pastor Stephen Davey.)

Lee’s Addition:

Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? (Luke 12:24 NKJV)

What a great encouragement not to worry. Thanks, Pastor Davey for part 2 of your great message.

See:

Birds of the Bible – Worry and Sparrows (Part 1)
Birds of the Bible – Sparrows
Birds of the Bible – Sparrows I
Birds of the Bible
His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Birds in Hymns)

Great Blue Heron: Patient, Prompt, and (Rarely) Pugnacious

June 30, 2014 by James J. S. Johnson

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron: Patient, Prompt, and (Rarely) Pugnacious

by Dr. James J. S. Johnson

Orni-Theology

The heron family (family Ardeidae, which also includes bitterns and some egrets) and their cousins include some of my favorite long-legged wading birds: great blue herons, green herons, grey herons, tri-colored herons, night herons, great white egrets, and cattle egrets.

Reddish-Snowys-Greats Egrets -Great Blue Heron all MacDill by Lee

Reddish-Snowys-Greats Egrets -Great Blue Heron by Lee

Their often smaller cousins (of the family Egretta) include the reddish egret, little blue heron, and the snowy egret. Of these many regard the great blue heron (Ardea herodias) as a favorite:

“For most of us, sightings of great blue herons are confined to a glimpse of the bird as it flies slowly and steadily overhead, wings arching gracefully down with each beat, neck bent back, and feet trailing behind. At other times we see it on its feeding grounds, standing motionless and staring intently into shallow water, or wading with measured steps as it searches for prey.” [Quoting from “Great Blue Heron”, by Donald & Lillian Stokes, in Bird Behavior, Volume III (Little, Brown & Co., 1989), page 25.]

Great Blue Heron by Dave’s Pix

The Holy Bible mentions “herons” twice, in Leviticus 11:19 and in Deuteronomy 14:18 (both times translating the Hebrew noun ’anaphah), in Mosaic lists of ritually “unclean” birds. The bird’s Hebrew name is based on a verb (’anaph) meaning “to snort” or “to be angry”. Herons can be aggressive, and their almost-violent habit of “zapping” their prey could appear to resemble an aggressor angrily striking at unsuspecting victim. The more likely behavior that matches the Hebrew name, however, is the aggressive defense of a heron’s feeding grounds:

“Defense of feeding territories is commonly seen and involves aerial chases, Frahnk-calls, and aggressive [body language] displays, such as Upright, Bill-down-upright, Bent-neck. Fighting rarely occurs, but when it does it can be violent, with one bird landing on the back of the other and either bird stabbing the other with its bill.” [Quoting from “Great Blue Heron”, by Donald & Lillian Stokes, above, page 30.]

Yet do not imagine that the great blue heron is an erratic hothead that has no self-control, because its self-restraint, when seeking a meal at the shoreline of a pond, is so self-contained that the heron resembles a statue, for many minutes if necessary. Then, zap! The statue suddenly fast-forwards his sharp beak toward a hapless fish or frog, — and instantly the heron is gulping down his dinner!

Great Blue Heron with fish ©© winnu on Flickr

This ability to strike like lightning, yet the choice to withhold doing so (unless the time for doing so is obvious), reminds us of the New Testament directive: “be ye angry, and sin not” (Ephesians 4:26).

Also, in spiritual matters (Ephesians 6:12), we are exhorted to “contend earnestly” for the Biblical faith (Jude 1:3), in ways that do not involve flesh-and-blood fighting. Such spiritual conflicts require both the patience and promptness of a sniper (or an opportunistic great blue heron)! Yes, there may even come a time for the use of physical force, when the stakes are high enough – remember how the Lord Jesus cleansed the Temple with a whip! — but most of the time our anger should be suppressed, with heron-like patience, in order to achieve the most worthy goals in life.

><> JJSJ

See:

Orni-Theology
Ardeidae- Herons, Bitterns
Birds of the Bible – Herons
Dr. James J. S. Johnson – Guest Writer

Picnic In February

March 1, 2014 by GuestWriter

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) by Dan

Picnic In February ~ by Dorothy Malcolm

It’s open to all who wish to come. So some find it so and make it a habit to always be around every day–the Blue Jays, a pain of Cardinals, Red-winged Blackbirds, Doves and squirrels. In the winter months, Titmouse, Pine Warblers and occasionally Blackbirds add to the mix.

Today started out rather ordinary with Bible reading, breakfast, a few pills, letting Ruby my dog in and out of the house several times and talking myself into going to the bank and grocery.

After lunch Ruby and I went out for her afternoon walk. After this I started pricing things for a garage sale that will be sometime this spring. I just happen ed to look out the patio door and saw a most glorious sight – ROBINS!

Time just stopped for me. I was totally taken in by the sight of them. Where they came from it is obvious they had a great time because they looked really good and healthy. Their feathers looked as smooth and soft as velvet. Hopping, stopping, looking, flicking leaves, talking – oh, what a great time they and I were having – by now I’m just quietly looking out a small back bathroom window where I could get a better view.

What then! It is my daughter asking on behalf of her daughter how Ruby is doing. So I gave a quick report and then excitedly told her about the Robins. Soon as I could I hung up and got back to the little window only to hear two gunshots in the neighborhood.

But why now! I’ve heard this a few days in the past week, but am real unhappy about it now!

Of course the Robins flew off. Well they and I had great joy for a short time until someone spoiled the picnic!

Is this not the way some things are in our lives? But what joy there will be in the future when we will have a forever picnic in the presence of the Lord. There will be a new heaven and new earth that will not be spoiled by anyone or anything. It will be awesome and I suspect it will include birds along with many awesome creatures and all of God’s redeemed!

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:5 KJV)

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:11-13 KJV)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) by Dan at Bok Sanctuary

See Dorothy Malcolm’s Other articles:

(P.S. This was written in February, but I just now worked it up. Sorry, Dottie)

Peter’s Female Blackbird

February 20, 2014 by GuestWriter

Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) by Ian

I don’t suppose that, what happened some years ago, will ever happen again.

My Dutch wife and I were living in a little town called March and we made sure that various birds were fed every day from a large feeding tray in our garden. Winter was upon us, but very sadly, my wife had an accident and died about a week later in hospital.

There was a particular female blackbird who came for food, every morning, and allowed me to speak to her while only a couple of feet away. Coinciding with losing my wife, this same bird lost her mate and by the state of
his body I think a sparrow hawk got him. Unfortunately, my female blackbird refused to go to a special piece of ground which I had dug and loaded it with worms, purchased from the local fishing tackle shop. Even after I removed the dead mutilated blackbird, his female mate would go nowhere near that little plot of dug soil because her mate had sadly met his end quite nearby. I believe this precious bird knew that my wife was missing also and she seemed to stay longer, and be near me every morning.

To my great joy, one morning, this loving bird hopped behind me as I walked toward the back entrance of my bungalow. I entered my kitchen and she waited outside. Would she come in I wondered ? She knew my voice and hopped into my kitchen and waited patiently. ( I have a photo of her waiting in front of my ‘fridge.) Then I opened the ‘fridge door and gave her a few pieces of seed cake.

Every morning thereafter my bird came to my back door and came into my kitchen at my invitation. To me, it was a wonder to see a “wild” blackbird patiently waiting in front of my ‘fridge knowing about the seed cake behind that big white door, just for her.

Jesus said that ‘ unless we become like children we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven ‘ That bird sure did have a childlike faith. It taught me that once we begin to put food out for wild birds in the winter we must continue daily. Thinking of the various types of birds which visited my garden in the winter, I surmised that some had come many miles. How very sad if, some wintry day, they came only to find the table was bare ?

I moved home, some months later, and still wonder what happened to this blackbird who, I’m sure, shared the sorrow of her loss with this poor guy.

By Peter England, UK

Peter’s Crow From The Sky

February 10, 2014 by GuestWriter

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) Southend-on-Sea England ©WikiC

Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat. (Job 38:41 KJV)

Here’s a true account of a bird that seemingly ‘dropped ‘ out of the sky and landed near to my feet.

How can I forget when one sunny spring morning a young crow landed exhausted at my feet whilst I was gardening. I picked him up and placed him on a ledge protruding from a large bird house. ” Wait there !! ” I told him, which seemed a bit silly because that bird was in no physical condition to go anywhere for a few days. Neither did he speak English ?

I kept feeding him and spending time talking to him until about 3 days later he hopped on to my head and allowed me to carry on doing some gardening.

Just for fun I knocked at my back door and enquired of my wife if she had seen my bird that day. It was now “my bird ” and it fluttered on to her head ( I still have the photograph ) Might I say it is a rare photo because I am told that not many Dutch women have been seen walking around with a live crow on their heads.

Having established a ” motherly ” relationship with a beautiful shiny black crow I was not really surprised when he used to fly from window to window to check if I was at home. I warned visitors who used my upstairs bathroom that my crow might try to peep in the window whilst looking for me.

It only seemed like a few weeks and my crow seemed to enjoy himself and the regular food I gave him. He must have stayed in my large bird house at night and seemed so pleased to see me every day.

One day whilst out in the garden with my new-found friend, on his feeding perch, there came the sound from above of some crows circling and making crow noises. They seemed to fly away but flew even lower as they spotted “my bird ”

I would like to put a Christian analogy to this story and say that “he heard the call from on high ” then spread his now strong wings and flew heavenward to join his family.

Sometimes I wonder why God speaks to us through His creation but I know that my Heavenly Father sees even the sparrow fall. I kinda believe that He gave ‘my bird ‘ just enough strength to make it to His bird-loving son. It was a short time of teaching and one that I’ll never forget.

ps. On another occasion I tamed a blackbird who use to walk behind me…………….

By Peter England, U.K.

Lee’s Addition:

Peter England is a retired pastor who lives in England. He is sending me some of his stories about his encounters with birds from a Christian perspective. I trust we will enjoy these.

He didn’t say what type of Crow, so this is one of the English Crows. Crows and Ravens are in the same family.

Another article by Peter:

The Whole Creation Has Been Groaning………..

January 30, 2014 by GuestWriter

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:22)

The following is not one of my latest stories, but because it concerns one of God’s creations I dare to let you see it. Many people would laugh at me and, by the way some of my happenings can be seen as being laughable….even unbelievable!

About two years ago, when I was living in West Palm Beach, I was going through a difficult time. I well remember the few days when I used to sit outside and read. Lizards, as you Americans know, are a well-known sight and one particular lizard came down from the tree at the back of me and hid behind the drain pipe. It kept peeping at me from one side of pipe to the other. I took little notice!

The next day, same lizard, came across the lawn and performed once more. Maybe it wanted to grab my attention, but then it was only a common lizard.

On day three the same lizard ( or so I believe ) scampered across the lawn and commenced to do its tricks from behind the drain pipe. However, I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me, reminding me of the Scripture in Jonah 4: 7 how that God appointed a worm to attack the gourd that was sheltering Jonah. Could it be that God had sent a lizard to tell me that He would be with me and never forsake me. despite my difficult circumstances? I felt it necessary to put may tongue out at him and if he responded I would know that God was in this strange situation!

But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. (Jonah 4:7)

The next time my little friend popped its head out and looked at me, I put my tongue out at him. Immediately out came a big orange tongue like a small balloon! Then this ‘appointed ‘ lizard disappeared, never to be seen again. A few days later I was admitted into Wellington Hospital with a virus which took me off my feet. I knew that God was aware of all my circumstances even to the most minute detail.

Peter England

(One of this blog’s readers and commenter)

Green Anole – Wikipedia

Lee’s Addition:

This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. (Psalms 119:50)

Thanks Peter for an interesting story and inspiration.

Peter is one of our reader’s and comments often. He lives in the U.K. at the time. He has some more tales that will shared later. The one about his encounter with a blackbird will be published soon.

I am always willing to use guest writers. If you have something to share, let me know. I can be reached at Lee@Leesbird.com

April Lorier With The Lord

November 14, 2013 by Lee

April Lorier Adventuring With God

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 KJV)

A well know writer and friend has gone to be with Her Lord. April Lorier became a friend and has written several articles on this blog. April was the author of God’s Battered Child: Journey From Abuse to Leader. Here are the blogs she produced April Lorier Perspective – God Woman Blog – Christian Nature. They have all been made inactive. She also contributed to Nature Blog Network

Here is an excerpt from Yahoo:

April Lorier, Author and Encourager

Inspirational author, poet, writer and Christian blogger. Children’s rights activist who successfully fought for the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) which was signed into law by Ronald Reagan. Encourager of Christian believers worldwide.

I know that she has been ailing for sometime and I do not have details about her death. Her websites have been removed, but we still have some of her articles here. It may take a day or two to find all the links to her sites, but they will be corrected.

April found my blog not long after I started it up. She began giving me tips on how to raise my ratings and just encouraged me to continue to develop this blog by honoring Our Lord. We exchanged many phone calls and became good friends. Never met her, she lived in California and I am here in Florida, but distance didn’t get between our friendship. She allowed me to repost several of her blogs and she shared links to my articles on her blog.

Now her blogs have been removed and I am glad some of her articles are still here to be enjoyed. But as for April, she could care less about what is going on here. She is in the presence of Her Lord, whom she loved. Her faith has become site.

April, you will be missed.

Here are some links to her articles:

April Lorier’s Page

Her book God’s Battered Child on Amazon

Better than the Birds

Worry denies the gracious care of God

Worry depreciates the higher value of mankind.

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Better than the Birds

Worry denies the gracious care of God

(Copied with permission from Wisdom for the Heart and Pastor Stephen Davey.)

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Lyrebird or Liarbird – A Rainforest Treasure

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The Bird

The bird flew to my window sill

in the blinding swirling snow,

I think the poor defenseless bird

had no place to go.

I wished that I could become a

bird to guide it safely home,

like Jesus Christ came down to

earth so we wouldn’t be alone.

Like birds when people loose their

way, they need to stop and

pray, ask the Lord for guidance

He will help them on their way.

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Better than the Birds

(Copied with permission from Wisdom for the Heart and Pastor Stephen Davey.)

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Great Blue Heron: Patient, Prompt, and (Rarely) Pugnacious

by Dr. James J. S. Johnson

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Picnic In February ~ by Dorothy Malcolm

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April Lorier, Author and Encourager

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