Great Egret by Dan

Great Egret at Gatorland by Dan

Great Egret at Gatorland by Dan in 2020

“…O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.” (Psalms 139:1-3 NKJV)

This Great Egret’s pose caused me to chuckle, but also to think about how their neck can be raised and lowered. “Up and Down” Egrets, Herons, and other birds with long necks seem to like to pull them down. Scrunch them!

At times, especially now, with so many things, like Covid, and other challenges of life, make us want to just go somewhere and hide. Here are a few verses I found about having ups and downs:

Great Egret by Dan at Gatorland in 2015

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.’ “Rain down, you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the LORD, have created it.” (Isaiah 45:5-8 NKJV)

Great Blue Heron Lake Morton by Dan

“So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19 NKJV)

Great Egret at Gatorland by Dan (2014)

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright.” (Psalms 20:7-8 NKJV)
“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:19-20 NKJV)

[bolding and italics mine]

Trust these photos and verses are an encouragement for you today. Lord’s Blessings

Dan’s Pix

Wordless Bird – Green-tail Sunbird

Lee’s Five Word Friday – 7/28/17

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Great Egret preening - from Sea Pines Rehab Hospital Wall - by Lee

COVER THEE WITH HIS FEATHERS

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“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” (Psalms 91:4 KJV)

Great Egret preening – from Sea Pines Rehab Hospital Wall – by Lee [with phone while sitting in wheel chair :) ]

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Two Word Tuesday – 7/18/17

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Limpkin (Aramus guarauna pictus) baby taken 9-12-11 by Lee

BEEN YOUNG

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“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalms 37:25 KJV)

Limpkin (Aramus guarauna pictus) baby taken 9-12-11 by Lee

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 5/18/17

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Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) with young ©WikiC

I WILL LEAD THEM

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“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16 KJV)

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) with young ©WikiC

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More Daily Devotionals

Lee’s One Word Monday – 11/14/16

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Maned-Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) Ducklings ©WikiC

YOUNG

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“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalms 37:25 KJV)

Maned-Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) Ducklings ©WikiC

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Seven Word Sunday – 4/3/16

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Black-cheeked Lovebird (Agapornis nigrigenis) ©WikiC

AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY

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Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

Black-cheeked Lovebird (Agapornis nigrigenis) ©WikiC

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Four Word Thursday – 3/3/16

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Dove Flying ©Flickr Ian Burt

I WILL COME AGAIN

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And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3 KJV)

Dove Flying ©Flickr Ian Burt

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More Daily Devotionals

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Lee’s Three Word Wednesday – 2/10/16

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Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) by Kent Nickell

 

STAND GAZING UP

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“who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11 NKJV)

Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) by Kent Nickell

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Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

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Lord’s Avian Wonders – Eastern Rosella

Eastern Rosella Gatorland by Dan

Eastern Rosella Gatorland by Dan

“I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13 NKJV)

What a delight for me to find two Eastern Rosellas in the little free-flight aviary at Gatorland last week. We have been there two other times, but not when the aviary was open.

Because of Ian’s Bird of the Week articles about the Rosella, these two caught my eye. Never did get a decent photo of them, but never the less, we enjoyed seeing them in person. Dan’s photos were better, of course. They seem quite pale compared to Ian’s photo of one in the wild.

Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) by Ian

Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) by Ian

“The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:16 NKJV)

This Rosella reminds me of the colors of a rainbow. Maybe the Lord gave us this beautiful bird to remind us of his promise, even on a non-rainy day.

Here are just a few photos from the aviary:

Gatorland, Florida

Ian’s Eastern Rosella photos at Birdway

Psittaculidae – Old World Parrots

Enjoy seeing the really good photos and newsletters from Ian Montgomery:

Who Paints The Leaves?

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