Birds and Blooms, December 2021

Our December copy of Birds and Blooms arrived yesterday. A glimpse into berries, birds and their winter presence. If you are lucky enough to have colorful red berries on your property, now is a very good times to watch for the birds to come and grab a morsel. Early morning, or the later half of the afternoon you can find Cardinals especially foraging. In fact, we find the color red is a dominant color to look for in the bushes. Birds love to congregate and you will surely hear and see them when you are outdoors and taking a walk. It’s very thrilling to hear and see them  

We spied this beautiful berry bush without any leaves on our walk yesterday. Each day we pass it, and hope to get a glimpse of a bird in pursuit of a berry, but we’ve not been quick enough to get a snapshot. We will keep trying.

Walks now are perfect times to see the birds. They are singing up a storm especially in dormant Rose bushes.  Yesterday there had to be at least twenty sparrows in one bush as we walked by. They we’re chirping up a storm as we are having very mild temperature days.

painted ICE…….at 18 degrees

Today my cousin sent me this picture of the frozen ice on the family farm pond. Never seen the same any day or time or weather conditions. A wonder to be sure. Imagine to be this person, my cousin who notices all Gods glory in each sunset, each ice storm, each cloud building over the land, each bird and rodent and owl and bunny. My cousins eyes see things that only he can see. He has watched every blade of grass and every new prairie flower burst from the earth for 70 years. God is  with him on this land…..and he with God.

As it should be……

*********

by Carl Kurtz

A reflection of clouds at sunset across the rough icy surface of a small pond conveys the essence of an abstract painting. A change in our observation point can give a new perspective on a very ordinary subject. We must remember it won’t occur in exactly the same way ever again.

 

Thanksgiving and Praise

Remember to give “thanks” and “praise” in all Circumstances

5 Verses of Thanks and Praise

Psalm 95: 1-3

“O Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

Psalm 100: 4-5

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.“

Psalm 128:29

“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever.

Psalm 9:1

“I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”

Psalm 7:17

“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.”

Remember…… to give “thanks” and “praise” in all Circumstances!

AMEN

 

Just received …..Colorado Grandchildren

SIENNA – 13 in April

BENJAMIN – 16 – 17 in July

Very happy to receive these pictures this morning from their Dad. Wow,  they are growing up. I’m their “Nana” and proud to know these two. Good students says their Dad and very polite and just very good young people. The best part is they are very close with each other, and they like each other a lot. Best buddies……says Dad.

……my pleasure to share.

“Contessa”

Prayer …..is Covenant with God

Prayer is a covenant matter December 26

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” -John 14:13-14

God is omniscient, but doesn’t respond to mere wishes. We must ask because it’s an act of our freewill. Further, we must ask in the name of Jesus. Prayer is a covenant matter: only those in Christ have the authority to ask. Our earthly mission is advancing His Kingdom. Therefore, asking in His name, by default, is requesting that which will enable us to carry out our mission. Asking for personal indulgences not related to the Kingdom mission is not asking in Jesus’ name, because He is synonymous with the Kingdom. But whatever we ask in alignment with Jesus, His Kingdom and our mission in it, we receive.

 

King of Kings

REJOICE INDEED…..

* AMEN *

 

Happy Christmas To All…..

love from, “Contessa”

Resting, being still and at peace ….in prayer

On this Christmas Eve afternoon, when I imagine most everyone is bustling about to finish and be ready for Christmas….. I find myself at complete stillness and peace… and with very quiet moments. I feel renewal. My spirit is calm and my body is at rest. If I close my eyes, and quietly listen, I can almost hear my own silence. A cleansing is coming over me. This is a holy moment.

My Lord….thank you for this simple and quiet day. I’m bathing my spirit in your word. I am close now…..with YOU. Thank you for being near me right now. I love thee with all my heart and soul.

Amen my Father God.

The King Who Relinquished His Throne

December 24 – Christmas Eve

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

▶︎ LISTEN TO THE DEVOTIONAL

What if you read that Bill Gates, one of the wealthiest men in the world, had turned away from all of his wealth and became a garbage collector in Houston, Texas? And, according to the account, Bill Gates now gets up at 3:00 a.m., rides on the back of a truck, and collects your trash and mine. That would be a significant change in lifestyle, would it not? Well, that’s a very small change compared to the radical change the Son of God made when He came to earth and took on human flesh. Just imagine. The King of the universe left His home in glory and came to be born in a humble stable. Take time this evening to look up at the stars and consider the size of the universe. And as you do, contemplate in wonder the fact that the One who created this universe came to earth to save you

Daily Advent Devotion – A Prayer, To leap for JOY this Christmas

Luke 1:41-42

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice, she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!”

Leaping was and is an expression of JOY. Imagine, John in his mother’s womb divinely experiencing joy in the presence of Jesus!

My Father God

The Advent season causes me to anticipate the joy of tomorrows Christmas morning. My prayer this morning is that the joy I feel at Christmas will last throughout today and this whole year ahead of me.  Will you bless my mind and heart to remember and celebrate Christmas joy all year-round?

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.