My Favorite Sound

It's that time of day: when the very slightest hint of daylight is visible. The horizon is an unexplainable shade of blue, and it's right before the first song of the morning's first bird. Today, that time is marked with the hoot of the neighborhood owl. This owl loves to roost on a street lamp directly across from our house.

An owl's sound always stops me in my tracks just as it did a moment ago. As a young girl, my mother tells me, I used to be afraid of the owl's hooting. Our quiet ranch house property, far away from seemingly everything, was host and home to owls galore. Apple trees outside our windows were a favorite gathering place. It was those times of being afraid that I would go to my Mom, and she would open the bedroom window, get down on her knees with me and we would simply listen. We listened to the curious "hoot-hoot.....hoot" of the large-eyed created bird, and she would then turn my attention to it's maker - God. She told me that God made that bird that way, to make that sound. And we would just listen.

I was unaware of this teachable moment until she told me many years after the fact. Now, it is for me a sound of comfort because I then imagine my mother, in all her tenderness, pointing me to Jesus in my time of fright as a little girl. Nothing to be afraid of really, but how wise of my Mother to use what to me was a scary sound, to point me to the Lord. The hoot is my reminder of the Father's faithful presence in my life today in the same faithful way my Mother helped me see Him when I was a child.

Timeless Wisdom from Charles Spurgeon

I found this through a link on another blog, and love it....especially in light of my last post. This applies, and wonderfully so, to all times and seasons in our lives.

Under His wings

When there was a fire many years ago in the little town of Delft, in Holland, it occurred in a house upon the top of which a stork’s nest had been built. Now, the storks are very affectionate to their young, and it was observed that as the flames went up, the storks tried first of all to carry off their young, but when that could not be done, both parents kept flapping their nests with their wings, as though to cool the young ones, and when the flames drew nearer, both parents set themselves down over the top of the nest and there died with their young ones. Can it be possible that our God could have less affection for his own children than these poor birds had for the offspring of their nest? Impossible! He will cover us with his feathers, and under his wings will we trust; his truth shall be our shield and buckler.
From a sermon entitled "Heart's-Ease," delivered August 27, 1865. Image by aussiegall under Creative Commons License.

Prayer for My Hometown

Please be in prayer for the town of Miles City, Montana-my hometown. At this point almost an entire block has been destroyed by fire. The fire has been burning for about 24 hours, and atleast nine businesses have been brought to ruin. I read an article this morning that due to a 1.5 million gallon water tank being painted, they have been relying on water from only a half-million gallon tank. So, they're having to do somewhat of a balancing act on how it's used, when etc. This kind of loss is physically and emotionally exhausting, so pray for the lives, families and hearts of the people who are so directly affected. God always has a purpose in all things, and knowing this we pray for people we don't know.

Don't Blink

"Don't Blink", they say, "Because before you know it, they'll be grown." Three days ago I saw this spoon in this exact spot. Initial thought, "I wish they'd ask me before they take these spoons out in the yard." Then sensibility sets in and replies, "But you'd say, "no." About 2 seconds later the warmth welled up in my heart and I thought, "you know, there's probably others just like it somewhere else in the yard" -this yard, our last yard, and maybe even the yard before that. I kinda hope so. This picture is a replica of delight-a child's delight, a child's day to dig, kick back and let the dirt sift between small, busy toes. I really don't want to move it. It reminds me of what I don't want to go away.

I'll Have The Fillet, Please!

Save the frozen pizza for another time, 'cause tonight I'm serving up the "Fillet Mignon" of Worship Choirs, and that would be the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. My heartbeat picks it up just a pace when I hear these guys. (Thought I would include the Spanish sub-titles as well, love it!) Please enjoy, and have a tremendously thanks-filled day!

Thanks, George!

Our friend from church, George, has this photo on his facebook profile, and I just had to post it. I loved it when I first saw it, so....thanks, George! : ) You all would love George and his beautiful wife Lilly, and their two adorable, ever-smiling children. Personally, I'm all over this coffee thing!

Lorica (St. Patrick's Breastplate)

The poem entitled, "Lorica" is traditionally attributed to St. Patrick, written in or about the 5th Century, while some date it as being written in or about the 8th Century. (Those historians!) The video that follows is a beautiful rendition, though slightly adapted. The words most certainly reflect the vision and courage and mission of St. Patrick. Bottom line: ditch the clover and green beverages, and explore the real guy!


A Poem by St.Patrick
Written by St. Patrick in 377 A.D.
Lorica
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
St. Patrick (ca. 377)