Bird Forecast

A little while ago, about an hour or so before sundown, I looked outside and my yard was COVERED with birds, especially the little juncos. This picture is of just a few of them. Now, this said something to me, even though all day long I've been hearing on the forecast that we were supposed to have "snow showers" with little or no accumulation. I've also been reading on the news that folks who live in the southeast were being bombarded by a huge snowstorm. This made me suspicious because usually when storms come up from the south, we get hit really hard. Also, I went out earlier in the afternoon and saw that the feeders were more empty than usual for that time of day, so I refilled them. When I got back two hours later, I had to fill them again! The birds were really eating. Do you think they know something that the forecasters don't know? The weather people have been saying all day that the northeast would miss anything of any consequence. Now I'm starting to get nervous because I'm looking outside and see the ground covered with what looks like a couple of inches and it's still coming down! Whose forecast would you listen to--the birds or those with all the education and equipment?

Well, I'm due for a hymn post and looking out at the little creatures today made me think of a children's hymn which I particularly like. It was written by a lady after my own heart, because she had a particular desire to teach the truths of God to children. And she did so in poems, many which are now favorite hymns of the church, particularly for Sunday School, which was also dear to her heart. This delightful little song would be a great one to teach to your children and grandchildren if they're still quite young. There are several tunes, all perfect for sweet little youngsters, and they are learning some important things about our great God when they sing the words! We include this song in our children's cassette (a little plug for Speakable Gifts!), and our three year old granddaughter loves it.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning
That brightens up the sky.

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden—
He made them ev'ry one.

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The flowers by the water
We gather ev'ry day.

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who doeth all things well.

Refrain:
Yes, all things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
And all things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.


~ Cecil F. Alexander

Party Popper

Enjoy, dog lovers.

The Party Popper @ Yahoo! Video

Tebow Ad Controversy

Have you heard about this? I just found out about this controversy this morning. Some of you who are not sports fans may not know who Tim Tebow is, but he's a talented and well known young college football player who has tried to be a testimony for the Lord. Apparently he and his mother are to appear in a Focus on the Family ad which is to be aired during the Super Bowl. The controversy is that this ad will tell how Tebow's mother was advised to have an abortion while she was pregnant with him and she chose not to. Sooo, women's groups are coming out full force against this ad. That fact doesn't surprise me, but I was looking up information about it on a search, and sure enough, ran into some ugly stuff against Tebow from the ever vigilant left. Do you notice how anyone who makes a stand for biblical principles, especially if they are against abortion and gay marriage, that there are many in this country who want their head? Years ago, when I was a young woman, I never thought I would see such a day as this.




"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! "Isaiah 5:20

Bringing Them In

Thank you, Jesus. God bless them.



For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in ... Matthew 25:35

The Lighter Side

Every year, Neesie gives me one of those daily calendars--the kind where you tear off each day. I've had them with a Bible verse each day, a puzzle a day, and other themes. This year it's a joke a day. The calendar is put out by a Christian publisher, so all the jokes are clean. If you're like me, having a little something to make me smile is helpful, so I thought now and then, I'd post one of these little goodies (sometimes with some adjustments) to hopefully lighten up your day a bit and make you smile. I may even find other goodies from other sources. No need to comment, just enjoy and go on with your day! In honor of my dog Frodo who begs all the time, I'll start with this one:

Tina: I trained my dog not to beg at the table.

Gina: How did you do that?

Tina: I let him taste my cooking.

Remember Samuel

Some weeks ago while cleaning out some older files, I ran across a ten year old Focus on the Family newsletter that I had purposed never to throw out. It had this photo on the front and when I first saw it, I could not for the life of me figure out what was going on. I didn't read the article first so I stared and stared at the photo and when I saw the hand, my mind was ready to explode! You probably know the story of this photo. Obviously, it was a photo you wouldn't see much in the MSM, but its story has been told by faithful folks who knew its importance. You may recall that the little fist you see in the middle belongs to Samuel Alexander Armas, who at the time the picture was taken was a 21-week old preborn baby. Sometimes a child at this stage of life is called a "fetus," but as far as I'm concerned, he is a baby. It would have been quite difficult for him to survive outside the womb at this stage, but he is still a baby. If you have never heard or read the story about this particular photo (called the "Fetal Hand Grasp" Photograph), I encourage you to read it here. Also, You might like to read Samuel's story which is written here.

I just want to say this: Snopes, in its usual fashion, has discounted some of the circumstances surrounding this photo. I don't have the time to go into all the controversy as to whether the baby reached out his hand on his own accord or what the reaction of the surgeon was. One thing to me is sure and vital. There is a hand there and that hand has fingers which are curled around or resting on that of the surgeon. He or others may not think of that in the way that some of us do, but to me it is a verification (not that I needed it) of God's work in the womb as written in Psalm 139:13-16. Snopes' assessment of the situation does nothing to move me from exclaiming "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!"

We are approaching yet another Sanctity of Human Life Sunday in what has been a long fought and continuing battle since Roe vs. Wade. I just thought it would be a good time for all of us to remember Samuel.

A Note

Making some changes to this blog in the hopes I can still take legitimate comments under the "Anonymous" category. I have a few friends who do not have blogs who I know like to occasionally leave a comment. Unfortunately, I have been picking up some spam here, even with the comment moderation, so I wanted to let you know I've added the word verification to see if that will help. If it is human beings (sometimes I wonder about this classification lately) who are doing this, then it won't work and I'll have to remove anonymous. I'll try this and see. So, I hope you don't mind the extra step to leave a comment.

We have evidence every day, don't we, that we live in a fallen world. Come, Lord Jesus.

Someone Else is Sneaky

Look what I found at BJ's. This book contains "101 all-new recipes and 'sneaky' tricks for creating healthy meals kids will love." For those of you who have been friends of this blog for a while, you know all about my "sneaky nutrition" posts. Now I've found someone who is just as sneaky as I am! This lady even has a web site to help moms learn some more tricks of the trade. Just what we need. If you haven't been coming here long, check out the posts of underhanded, tricky, deceitful, recipes containing of all things---NUTRIENTS. You can find them in the food and Nutrition category of this blog. Just scroll down to the ones that are entitled "Sneaky Nutrition" with the little boy rubbing his stomach. Wow. I just realized that I haven't made a SN post since last March. So we're way overdue!

Here is another quote from the book: "You can't be Sneaky without having something to hide." Now is that ever a good philosophy or what? Now I have all kinds of ammunition with this new book.

If you want to join me in fooling your family into eating dishes that have nourishing stuff slipped in behind their backs, you might want to get the book too. As I said, I got it at BJ's, but you can purchase it at Amazon.

Haiti Quake

All we can do is pray. . . and give. It's hard to find words for these things, but I had a little to say at Scraps of Glory today. This dear woman, a pediatrician who has apparently been doing service work there, died in the quake. So very sad that so many people entered into eternity this way. But the Lord always knows what He's doing.

A Decade

I have a quick question. As you know, a decade is ten years. I was reading a debate going on in the comments on a news article. Some were saying that January 1, 2010 is the beginning of a new decade. Others were saying no, that December 31, 2010, is the END of the decade. What do you say? (Hint: I think if you think about your age it will help.)

Another Year is Dawning

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

~Francis R. Havergal (1836-1879)

This is my prayer for you, my dear friends, and for me for 2010. I wish when saying "another year" that it meant that in 2009 I did praise Him and lean upon His breast as I should have. I wish it meant that during the year just past, I did have gladness in the shining of His face, or that it was a year of trusting, of quiet and happy rest in Him. Unfortunately, I fear that just wasn't always the case. You probably have the same sense of having fallen short. But that doesn't mean that we all can't strive for these things in this new year. Let's strive together, shall we? Let's remember a precious promise from His Word this year:

". . . and as thy days, so shall thy strength be." Deut. 33:25

So, I'm praying for more strength to live for Christ as I know He wants me to. Hope you'll join me in praying the same prayer. It's what we all need. It's what our children need and our grandchildren. And it's also what our country needs. Maybe the Lord will be merciful and do a work in us all. God bless each of you and may your new year indeed be blessed in Him.