Lightkeeper's Journal

Woodpeckers, Cool Hair and Answered Prayer

 

 Photography and Article by:

 Norma W. Beaird

 

When we think about prayer and how God answers prayer requests, we usually don't realize that the Lord cares about the simplest request as much as He cares about the big requests.  In many situations, we think about prayer requests in relation to sickness, passing a test or financial needs. 

So many times, we discount the fact that God cares about every facet of our lives, to include our creativity, our gifts, talents and abilities. 

Curtis and I love bird and nature photography, but we especially love birds.  Since we began photographing these entertaining little creatures, we have discovered a new joy that God places in front of us every single day. 

We're attempting to document as many different species of birds as possible in the state of Georgia.  During the summer, we had a blast photographing the Red-Bellied Woodpecker as he and the Blue Jay took turns making raids on the peanuts.  The Red-Bellied Woodpecker was a common visitor to our yard during the Spring and Summer, but we had seen pictures of a gorgeous Pileated Woodpecker with an amazing red hairdo.  I began to pray for the Lord to send a Pileated Woodpecker for us to photograph for our website. 

To give you some history.........I was raised in a Pentecostal Church and attended a Southern Baptist School from the time I was in first grade until I graduated from high school.  If there was one thing I was taught, it was the power of prayer.  My grandmother was a lady of great faith who firmly believed in prayer.  Her unwavering faith in God, her prayer life and her devotion to the study of the Scriptures resulted in her divine  healing of rheumatoid arthritis.  She prayed to God for her healing, and the Lord miraculously healed her.  Therefore, the prayer of faith was ingrained into me.   There is power in prayer.  This leads me to continue the story about my simple prayer request to see a bird. 

We had really hoped that one of these huge and magnificent Pileated Woodpeckers would show up in one of the pecan trees.  I had prayed and asked God to send us one of these amazing birds.  One cold and cloudy day, I said, "Lord, I wish you would send me a Pileated Woodpecker!"  After I said this, I went back to my computer that sits in front of a window facing some pecan trees in the front yard.  About a minute later (if that long), I saw this huge bird land on the pecan tree.  He was so large that I knew it had to be a Pileated Woodpecker. 

I grabbed the camera, very carefully stepped outside so that I wouldn't startle the bird.  As I stepped outside, I quietly prayed, "Lord, please don't let this bird be scared of me or fly away!"  As I focused the camera, this Pileated Woodpecker literally put on a show for me.  It was absolutely incredible.  It was as though this woodpecker was in a portrait studio.  Not only did we see a Pileated Woodpecker, we saw a female woodpecker  who posed like a paid New York model!  God had answered my prayer!

God cares about our needs and desires......

no matter how big, small or medium-sized the prayer request

Sometimes as Christians, we go through life thinking that the prayer request is too much to ask.  There are times when we think our needs or desires are silly, or that it's too small of a request.  We attempt to "box God in", instead of letting Him be GOD.  The Lord is our Creator.  He is the Creator of things both small and great, the fowl of the air, the fish of the sea.......and us.  There is nothing too difficult for God to do.  No request is too great or too small.  He made us, He loves us and He is God. 

God answers prayer in the most incredible way.  Sometimes He says "Yes", sometimes He says "No" and sometimes He is quiet !  Sometimes He answers immediately and there are times when we must have patience and wait upon the Lord. 

On this particular day, God gave me the desires of my heart within a few seconds and I praise Him for this precious little miracle pecking on the old pecan trees in the front yard.  Not only did we get a picture of a Pileated Woodpecker, we got a picture of a bird with "cool hair".  And, to think that people spend plenty of money on hair color and gel to get woodpecker hair that would rival a lead singer in a rock band!

In King David's Book of Psalms:

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the Lord:

and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

The Lord loves us and wants to have communication with us, even if it's something as small as a prayer request to see a certain species of bird.   He is the Creator of all things great and small.  He loves us, He loves his Creation and He takes great pleasure in watching His children enjoy this beautiful world that He created.  So, no matter the prayer request, big or small, take it to the Lord in prayer.  He loves you and He cares.

 Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

 

 Copyright 2012, Norma W. Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

Peace on Earth

 

Luke 2:14

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

By: Norma W. Beaird

The holidays, a manger scene, bring thoughts of “Peace on earth”,
A phrase proclaimed by angels giving news of Jesus’ birth.

God’s messengers declared His peace to shepherds in the fields,
Then Christ spoke peace unto the waves when He said, “Peace be still”.

So why must people live in fear, devoid of hope and faith,
For God desires we live in peace, to trust Him and obey.

So friend, if you are troubled with the cares this life may bring,
Let Jesus give you endless peace and joyful songs to sing.

For storm clouds gather in our minds, but faith will send us light,
God’s perfect peace will shelter us and calm the stormy nights.

For peace will not be found in worldly treasures or possessions,
If only youth would teach us of this most important lesson.

When we open a Christmas card declaring “Peace on Earth”,
It means much more than shepherds and those three inspiring words.

Sweet peace arrived one Christmas night, born in a humble manger,
For Jesus came to break the chains of fear, despair and anger.

This world will try to give you peace, but there’s no substitution,
Salvation born in Bethlehem brought quiet revolution.

So if you’re overwhelmed with pain, the guilt of sin or hurt,
Seek Jesus as the Answer and discover “Peace on Earth”.

 

 

Copyright 2003 - Revised 2012, Norma W. Beaird.  All rights reserved.

What Christmas Means to Me

 By:  Norma W. Beaird

 

When children think of Christmas, toy trains will fill their minds,

Or baby dolls and Santa, as they gladly stand in line.

 

To meet the white-haired giver of the gifts they truly treasure,

For Christmas is a time of fun, of candy, lights and pleasures.

 

But for the ones much older, it’s a time of added stress,

Of paying for the presents with a wallet holding less.

 

To hope that folks are happy with the gifts around the tree,

Is this the way that you describe, “What Christmas means to me”?

 

If all your Christmas means to you is candy, trees and gifts,

What does this say about the life that you intend to live?

 

The Christmas trees are beautiful and sparkling are the lights,

And fun is many parties and the festive winter nights.

 

If visions of your Christmas are the cards and candy canes,

And shopping malls and Santa as you peer through window panes.

 

Then life for you is empty in the way you try to live,

For Christmas is about the time that God gave us a Gift.

 

A Gift Who’s not found in a store or near a Christmas tree,

A Gift Who always fits the one who seeks and will believe.

 

This Gift is God’s Son Jesus, Who was born to give His life,

To be our Lord and Savior, He became our Sacrifice.

 

For every man and woman and for every boy and girl,

In humble, dark surroundings He arrived into this world.

 

For sin had stained a world so full of pain, despair and fear,

Until a day in Bethlehem when Jesus Christ appeared.

 

The Son born of a Virgin as foretold by prophet men,

In love endured a rugged cross to break the curse of sin.

 

The most important tree of all was placed on Calvary,

Where Jesus Christ my Savior gave His life and died for me.

 

Now when you think of Christmas, don’t forget what Christmas means,

It’s not about the trees and lights; it is the manger scene.

 

For Christmas started when the Lord was born upon this earth,

To give to us the Gift of Love through His prophetic birth.

 

So give your heart to Christ today and you’ll begin to see,

The love of God describes the phrase, “What Christmas means to me”.

 

Copyright 2005, Norma W. Beaird.  All rights reserved.

Georgia Birds, Tall Ships and Christmas in the Country

Red-Winged Blackbird Migration in Georgia

 

Article by Norma W. Beaird

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

 

We want to update everyone on why we haven't posted in a while.  We've been busy trying to update our photography website with more of our birds, nature and Coastal Georgia photos.  Sometimes, you have to stop and just concentrate on one thing at a time! 

We have been photographing the many species of birds in Georgia.  In addition, we are focused on the continued migration of various species of birds going South for the winter!  However, there is much more on the improved photography site, to include Savannah scenes and the fun and eclectic Tybee Island.   

In thinking about this time of year during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, I further realize that we have a lot to be thankful for.   In May, our house was burglarized.  A laptop that contained over 9,000 photographs and a lot of Curtis' writing, was stolen, in addition to other items that we dearly cherished. 

For a couple of months, this burglary literally shut us down.  It was difficult to write, photograph or even be creative in the smallest sense of the word.  We had been violated; and at the moment, the burglary was all that we could concentrate on during the day. "Lock it up or hide it" became our motto to live by!  So much work over the last seven years was lost in few minutes while we were at a doctor's appointment.

Therefore, we just kinda kicked back and mourned our loss for a while.  In May of this year, about two weeks before the burglary, we had gone to the Savannah Tall Ships Challenge to photograph the beautiful tall ships that sailed into the Georgia Port.  We had so much fun and enjoyed meeting fellow tall ship enthusiasts as we took our places to photograph at an area on the Savannah River near Fort Pulaski. 

U. S. Coast Guard Eagle (WIX 27)

After we returned from Savannah, we didn't  begin to work on our tall ship pictures right away.  Usually, when we return from a trip, we get started on uploading our photography to our website.  But for some reason, we just didn't do it.  Now, we know why. 

During the burglary, the burglar not only stole Curtis' laptop including the 9,000 photos, he stole all of the flash drives that were laying around on the desk, to include current bird pictures that we had worked on for a while. 

If we had immediately worked on our tall ship photos and placed them on the flash drives, they would have been stolen, and we would have lost a ton of hard work.  Therefore, we are so grateful that we waited until now to work on our tall ship photos.  The Lord works in mysterious ways; thankfully, we didn't lose any of our tall ship photography!  

 

In the spirit of the season, sometimes, you just need to take a drive to explore and enjoy the countryside.  One day, while I was busy with one thing or another, I remembered that it was about that time at County Farm Plant Company in Baxley, Georgia......that magical time of the year when they have greenhouses full of the most gorgeous poinsettias you've ever seen! 

Red Poinsettias, Ice Punch Poinsettias, Maren Poinsettias, Polly's Pink, Monet Twilight and Red Glitter! 

As we walked into the magnificent greenhouses, the incredibly vibrant burst of color seemed to turn up the volume on holiday cheer and shouted, "Merry Christmas!"   And...... thanks to Gina at County Farm Plant Company, I've learned the proper names of these lovely holiday flowers!

Curtis and I went through the huge greenhouses and photographed the most beautiful Christmas scenes you could imagine......a sea of Red Poinsettias surrounded by Asparagus Ferns and Macho Ferns! 

How could anyone leave without being in the spirit of the holidays, especially after viewing a sea of red and green?   If you're ever in Baxley (Appling County), you must stop at County Farm Plant Company. 

 

During this holiday season, let us all remember that the birth of Jesus Christ is the true reason we celebrate Christmas.   The Source of real peace, love, hope and joy....... is Jesus.  

 

 

Luke 2: 11 - 14 (King James Version)

¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 

Copyright 2012, Norma W. Beaird.  All rights reserved.