Category: Thanks

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature, Thanks

Startled by Bird song

The mower teams are here and their machines are quite loud. Most every Monday or Tuesday morning they arrive while I am writing entries for the blog. Today is very warm so one of my office windows is wide open.

As the mowers moved into the distance I drew a deep breath of relief that the noise had lessened. Suddenly I was startled by a loud sound. Evidently a Robin had landed in the garden mulch below the window and began to sing. I about jumped out of my skin!

When close to your ear this one can be startling!

The tulip bulbs have been decimated by the rabbits – again. I put up spinners and wooden stakes, fence pieces and even aluminum pie pans that mom swore by. I finally told my grandson when he was due to come help in the garden with his dad that he should dig up all the tulip bulbs. Before the family could get here those pesky rabbits ate all the stems and leaves. Guess I will dig them up next year when they first emerge!

Ah the joys of nature! They do not conform to our wishes. And yes, we are still blowing maple seeds off the back deck and front walkway 😉

To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.  Deuteronomy 10:14 NIV

Yep! The birds, the tulips, the rabbits, the maple seeds, the mower men and everything under the sun! Even you and me.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship

The Most Important Thing

I signed up a long time ago for a newsletter from Joan Chittister. I so enjoy her writing! This one arrived recently in my email box and I thought you might enjoy her ideas. Here is a portion of the article. I have added a link at the end in case you want to read the entire article It is taken from her book The Monastic Heart.

What You Pay Attention to in Life

“Every afternoon, as I sit in my upstairs office, I hear the old monastery bells begin to ring in the once Benedictine church that then adjoined this inner-city monastery. In fact, the bells from Benedictine monasteries everywhere still peal out around the world. Our original monastery moved over 50 years ago from an in-town property to the edge of the city. So, we have another bell tower and a new electronic carillon. The big old brass bell, “Theodore,” shipped from Germany ages ago, now rests retired and reverenced on a brick base in the memorial garden of the new monastery. New bells go on ringing over our lakeside property daily, just as the old one did here in the inner city for more than 150 years. No bedroom clocks, no personal watches take their place as harbingers of spiritual time.
 
“But why?
 
“The purpose of Benedictine bells is not to spell out the hour of the day at all; that task is left to horologists. Our bells, on the other hand, are there to wrench our attention back to what is really important in life: the memory of God in our midst. The memory of the purpose of life. The memory that time is moving on and so must we. The recognition that life today is different than yesterday, and we must not try to hold life back. The bells jog the memory that there are actually more important, more meaningful, more demanding dimensions of life than anything ordinary we can possibly be doing as they ring.”

https://joanchittister.org/articles/what-you-pay-attention-life

The bells are there to “wrench our attention back to what is really important in life: the memory of God in our midst.” I occasionally hear the bells from the Catholic church that is several blocks away and through the woods. When I notice them I stop to breathe deeply and pray. I more often hear the sirens going down the busy highway two blocks away. I have made it a habit to pray for the police, EMS and fire people responding to their various emergencies. I like Joan’s idea of ‘wrenching our attention back to what is really important in life.‘ I think I will continue to pray for the emergency workers but also pause to ask myself if I am remembering God in our midst whenever I hear the sirens.

What reminds you of the presence of God in your midst? We have two clocks that chime. A Cuckoo clock that was a gift from friends who traveled to Germany and my parents mantel clock that was a gift for their wedding in 1934, almost 90 years ago, and it still runs. At times, living with the clocks, I do not even hear them ring. Bob says they draw him back to what is really important.

What serves to wrench your attention back to God? Years ago when I taught Bible study I would encourage the students to find something they do daily. Then prayerfully dedicate that to the awareness of God. As a daily practice begins to build, the awareness of the Holy One becomes easier and easier. I used to dislike bracelets. I would wear one so that each time I was bothered or irritated by the bracelet I was reminded to turn my attention to God.

Sirens? Church bells? Bracelet? Huge water bottle you drink from all day? In this day and age it would be fairly simple to set your smart watch to ring once an hour as a reminder to pay attention to the Trinity in your midst. To stop and breathe, returning ‘back to what is really important in life.’

“The bells jog the memory that there are actually more important, more meaningful, more demanding dimensions of life than anything ordinary we can possibly be doing as they ring.”

The Verdin Bell Company is anchored in the Cincinnati area. They have made, installed and restored church bells for years. Perhaps this photo will encourage you to restore your attention to the Holy One?

Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.

Psalm 119:164 NKJV
Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Humor, Listen, Memories, Music, Nature, Praise, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Bird Song and Merlin

My friend, Debbie, told me about a free app called “Merlin.” https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ Cornell labs developed it and I just love it! Pictured below is how the screen looks for Merlin.

Years ago Bob and I went on a birding adventure with the Cincinnati Nature Center in the Lake Erie area. We were surrounded on a boardwalk by people from many areas. The birds were mostly high in the treetops. Even with binoculars I was unable to see most of them. The birdsong was glorious! I was very humbled when the Amish children walking with us were able to identify the birds by their song. Yes I live in an industrialized society. Sadly most of us lost touch with that sort of skill. I was taught to identify some spring wildflowers but never to identify bird song. Bob and I were not shamed as much as amazed at the abilities of those children!

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2     Sing the glory of his name;
    make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
    they sing praise to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”

Psalm 66:1-4 NIV

I have my morning prayer and meditation in my bedroom next to a south facing window. One recent morning the serenade was amazing. There were so many birds that I asked the Merlin App to identify who was singing. Twelve different birds! What a wonder and a blessing. Here is the list the app created:

  • Carolina Wren
  • Northern Cardinal
  • House Finch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • American Robin
  • Song Sparrow
  • Blue Jay
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Canada Goose
  • Carolina Chickadee
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Red-winged Blackbird

Along with the bird names that were linked with the songs there were photos. I could click on any one of them and get more details.

I know there are many folks who do not like modern technology. I am not saying that all of it is unequivocally good. But to me, this one app is absolutely amazing! Sparrows abound in our neck of the state. So did I see the one pictured above or this one?

So many sparrows, so little time. Will I ever learn to identify all of them by sight? If not, I have Merlin to aid me.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7 NIV

The April 15 New Yorker just arrived. Here is the cover artwork!

“Undercover” by Peter de Seve
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Humor, Music, Nature, Thanks

Letting the Dog In

As the weather warms as it has the past couple of days, Lucky the beagle loves nothing better than to lie on the deck and bake her bones in the sun. The other day I opened the screen door to let her in.

Zoom a bee came in with her.” “Oh crap,” I exclaimed. the bee headed for the stereo cabinet. I turned to grab a couple of tissues, (the closest thing at hand). When I turned back it had gone inside the cabinet. Opened the door and it was headed for a plastic storage bin. I knew I had to act fast or I might never catch it.

Do you remember the childhood song, “I caught a little baby bumble bee, won’t my mommy be so proud of me!”

Unbelievably, using the tissues I swiped at it hoping to keep it from the cabinet. Surprisingly I knocked it right into the dog’s water bowl! Bee was swimming and rather frantic.

As an adult I have never been one to kill a bee intentionally unless there is no other way to avoid getting a sting. I went to the silverware drawer and got a tablespoon. Scooped up the bee. Put the tissues over it. Took it outside, not knowing if it would survive its unwanted bath.

It flew away. I have since tried to look around the screen before opening it for the dog. Yesterday there was a sting bug crawling on the screen. Summer must be just around the corner!

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24
Lucky is aging.

The speech below was recorded 13 years ago. The need right now is even more urgent today. Even if you only watch 3 minutes of this I think you will enjoy it!

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Trust

Psalm and Cling

I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 63:8 NIV

March 21, 2024 I wrote about my fascination with finding dry, dead vines. https://wordpress.com/post/treasures-in-plain-sight.org/15865 The vines remind me of how I, too, need to cling to my Lord.

Recently while reading the Psalms in a month I came across the verse above. To read the Psalms in a month I basically read 5 per day with a portion of Psalm 119 per day. I thought you might like this reminder to cling to God at all times. He is worthy of our praise. He upholds us and accompanies us through all the areas of our lives.

Today may you be blessed by an increased awareness of His Presence!

 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:8a,10 NIV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Nature, Special Event, Thanks

Eclipse Mania

We experienced some darkening of the sun during the 2017 total eclipse. This year the area around us went totally nuts!

Were you caught up in the total solar eclipse mania? We live just on the edge of totality. (Sounds like a title for another posting doesn’t it!)

Sonic offered blackout slushy drinks. Busken’s Bakery had eclipse cookies. Hotels and motels were fully booked months in advance with rates 3-4 times the usual price. All the Air B & B’s and similar places were sold out in the areas of totality. Four minutes of wonder and splendor in the sky and not only America went nuts, but people came to the path of totality from all over the world.

The Ohio Governor was constantly warning about using safety glasses to view the eclipse. It was stated in every news cast. The library carried free paper viewing glasses. The grocery store and the drug stores sold them. The warnings were so strong that it made me wonder how many new patients Cincinnati Eye Institute would be seeing on that day or the next?

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:1-4 NRSV

It would have been wonderful if God had used the occasion to speak to the earth, much like the coordinated music for fireworks displays! Oh Father, forgive us for not remembering that You created and planned all of this.

The radio story tellers were reminding us days in advance how many ancient people tracked each eclipse, kept records and could eventually predict an eclipse. They reminded us of how folks had fear beliefs such as “the King of our country will die this year because of the eclipse.” Such unusual events in the heavens caused fear and trembling. Sadly, in our day and age, the eclipse caused more amusement than wonder at the mighty creativity of God. We have been warned and warned not to look at the sun without eye protection or risk burning holes in the retinas of our eyes.

I have to wonder that not being in amazement of God’s creation risks burning holes in our heart and mind? He is a wonder working God! I mean, come on! You must admit that you would never be able to pull off a total solar eclipse!

More recently, Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of iconic evangelist Billy Graham, has seen speculation among some that the combined paths over the United States of this year’s eclipse and the previous two solar eclipses appear to mimic the shapes of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet — in other words, the beginning and the end.

“Maybe people are reading too much into it,” she told USAToday recently. “But when you look at the world, you don’t need an eclipse to know that things are getting really dangerous. Maybe it’s telling us it’s time to get right with God and the people in our lives, so that we have no regrets.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2024/04/02/solar-eclipse-2024-warning-bible-eclipse-prophesy-islam-judaism-end-times/73148046007/

I give thanks to God for this event, Creator of the heavens and the earth, King of my heart, Lord of the Universe. All glory to You, Lord Christ. Amen.

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

A Blessing

Recently I attended a soul collage one day retreat led by Mooydeen Frees, retired Deacon of the Episcopal church and so many other titles and skills. She shared this blessing written by Jan Richardson. I was so moved that I want to share it with you, too. I pray you will read it once. And then read it again prayerfully with yourself in mind.

Blessing the Body

The blessing takes
one look at you
and all it can say is
holy.

Holy hands,
Holy face,
Holy feet, 
Holy everything
In between.

Holy even in pain.
Holy even when weary.
In brokenness, holy.
In shame, holy still.

Holy in delight. 
Holy in Distress.
Holy when being born.
Holy when we lay it down
at the hour of our death.

So friend,
Open your eyes
(holy eyes).
For one moment
see what this blessing sees,
this blessing that knows
how you have been formed
and knit together in wonder
and in love.

Welcome this blessing
that folds its hands
in prayer
when it meets you;
receive this blessing
that wants to kneel
in reverence
before you;
you who are temple,
sanctuary,
home for God
in this world.

Isn’t that wonderful? Jan Richardson is new to me but I would say she certainly has a ministry writing blessings! “The blessing takes one look at you and all it can say is holy.”

Regardless of what you may think of yourself at times; regardless of what the accuser says about you, know that God loves you always. Are you willing to align your thinking with His?

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57 RSV
Posted on in Faith, Music, Special Event, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Andrew Peterson’s Masterpiece

Just in time for the pandemic, this release drew Christians around the world together in praise of our Mighty God online. There is a saying if you sing, you pray twice. What a praise declaration to our God!

Knowing how many thousands of groups around the world posted this song just makes me smile. Some fussed because Christ Tomlin recorded the song and received great acclaim. Andrew, who wrote the song, was not perturbed and knew that if Jesus is proclaimed the target was hit spot on!

I love when the guy in the beret reaches over and kisses his wife after the line “From all peoples and tribes.” And those dimples when Andrew smiles! Bet God smiles, too!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Nature, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

Casting our Crowns

I cannot approach Resurrection Sunday without remembering the work of Jesus on earth and in Heaven. He suffered on our behalf, was crucified, dead and buried. He rose again and is crowned the King of All, holding the keys of death and hell.

 The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Revelation 4:10-11 NIV

Do you know that as a Christian you are crowned?

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 1:5-6 NIV

Royalty generally wears a crown. Jesus is crowned over all. You have a crown, too.

Lilias Trotter wrote as interesting take on this in her book Parables of the Cross. Writing about the calyx which is the outer part of a flower, the sepals. As the sepal folds back to allow the flower to emerge it typically remains like a cup to hold the flower. As the flower proceeds to create seeds the sepal becomes a cup-like vessel to hold them.

She writes:

“Have you ever noticed how often the emptied calyx grows into a diadem, and they stand crowned for their ministry as if they gloried in their power to give as the time draws near?

“Even here in measure the faithfulness unto death and the crown of life go together: even here, if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.”

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:9 NIV

Diadem, crown, royalty. He made a way for us to have fellowship with the Father. He made a where where there was no way. We are His and He is ours.

Rejoice!

Posted on in Faith, Listen, Music, Poetry, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Song Calling to Me

I have mentioned before how the Lord often gets my attention through a song. A snippet here. A lyric there, and soon I am on a chase like a dog after a rabbit. This week it has been “O Sacred Head Now Wounded.”

The photo on YouTube must be the guy who posted video and lyrics. That is certainly not Fernando Ortega!

Wikipedia says:  The poem (lyrics) is often attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (1091–1153), but is now attributed to the medieval poet Arnulf of Leuven (died 1250). Originally the poem had 7 stanzas referring to the various parts of Christ’s crucified body. The last 2 stanzas are the most famous today. Regardless it is a very old poem that was set to music over the ages in the 1700s and 1800s, etc.

I cannot seem to play this once, but sing it repeatedly! Why not listen again and see where the lyrics take you?

1. O sacred Head, now wounded,
with grief and shame weighed down,
now scornfully surrounded
with thorns, thine only crown:
how pale thou art with anguish,
with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish
which once was bright as morn!

2. What thou, my Lord, has suffered
was all for sinners' gain;
mine, mine was the transgression,
but thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior!
'Tis I deserve thy place;
look on me with thy favor,
vouchsafe to me thy grace.

3. What language shall I borrow
to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever;
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love for thee.

How do you honor the Lord and His sacrifice on our behalf as Lent ends and Easter approaches?