Lightkeeper's Journal

Finding Wonder in the Midst of Chaos

 

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has become a regular winter visitor at Le Avian Cafe. 

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

As we continue our "Finding Wonder" series, I want to talk about finding wonder in the midst of chaos.   In the world we live in today, a world of confusion, chaos and calamity, we sometimes find ourselves waking up each morning with what seems to be a dark cloud over our head.  Instead of waking up to hope, faith and a new outlook on life, we find that the messages of hope and faith are replaced with messages of doom and gloom.  This is especially true if you get a steady diet of television news and online newspapers.   And, it's even more true if you are constantly watching the election coverage.  

Wisdom has been replaced with foolishness.

Politicians, scandals, tragedies, shootings, drug trafficking and all manner of crimes cover the airwaves like green pollen covers the front porch.  Everywhere you turn is bad news.  Consequently, it is not inaccurate to say that there is a spiritual dark cloud over this country and over our towns and communities.  Somewhere along the way, something happened, and it wasn't good.  

Morality was replaced with hedonism. 

One thing lead to another, and here we are.... 

Neighbors aren't neighbors anymore.  Generosity of spirit has been replaced with selfish motives.  Crime is running rampant, even in the quiet rural communities.  The workplace has become a place of fear and dread. A classroom has become a place where people are forced to defend themselves.  Drug trafficking has become the new income stream.  Churches have become more concerned with money and power than they are with souls.  A country that once took its identity in the comfort and peace of freedom is turning into an overbearing police state.  

Moderation was replaced with indulgence; and now,

optimism has been replaced with anger.

.....but thankfully, we have the birds.....

Rocky, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, is looking for Chef Curtis' famous Peanut Butter Tree Spread.  

 

Thank God for the birds.  When it seems that chaos and pandemonium is breaking loose around you and that dream of peace and quiet is relegated to days gone by, we can look outside of our circumstances and listen to the melodious sounds of bird song.  We can see the woodpeckers pecking away on the old pecan tree and drumming on the barn to attract their mate.  Even though chaos reigns supreme, the birds continue to behave as birds - singing, pecking, mating, nesting and feeding their young.  If the environment becomes hostile and threatens their sanctuary, they move on to greener pastures and continue doing what God created them to do.  Even though conditions change around them, they take cover and continue to behave as birds.  

Sometimes, we need to take a lesson from our feathered friends.  After all, God's beautiful winged creatures can teach us a lot about life.  No matter what, birds continue to build their nest, feed their family; and, most importantly, they continue to spread their wings and fly.  If they detect danger or a predator, they instantly respond to the threat and move to a place of safety.  They are always singing or chirping or calling, but they are always aware.  They don't give up who they are as God's winged wonders, but they live life with both efficiency and awareness.   They keep on.....keeping on.   In other words, they don't give up.  

We can find wonder in the beauty of birds, a wonder that replaces the anxiety of a world in chaos.  

 

No one will ever accuse the mainstream media of providing us with a feeling of peace and safety.  However, God has provided us with a way to calm our fears and ease our pain.  Life is not easy.  Sometimes, it's just overwhelmingly difficult.  Still, we can find solace in the words of the Bible and in the fact that no matter what happens, God is still in control.  When we walk outside and see the birds in flight and hear the calls of the wild, we are reminded that the Creator of all things bright and beautiful will protect us and give us peace, if we will slow down and allow Him to bring tranquility into a world of chaos.  

 

John 16:33 

These things I have spoken unto you,

that in Me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,

shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

I Peter 3:11

Let him eschew evil, and do good;

let him seek peace, and ensue it.

 

 

 

Copyright 2016, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.   

 

Take Time for Nature: God Shows us His Glory

 

The Great Egret catching fish on the Altamaha River

Bullard Creek Wildlife Management Area, Jeff Davis County, Georgia

 

Photography and Article by Norma Beaird

 

Every once in a while, we write an article about this...

A little over a week ago and on Sunday after church, we decided to ride down to the Altamaha River and the Bullard Creek Wildlife Management Area located in Jeff Davis County, Georgia.  We wanted to see if migration had brought us a few more birds to the river.  

As we were driving by the river, we saw a Great Egret doing some fishing.  In the picture above, the egret had caught three small fish in his bill.  He was fishing on the island in the middle of the river.  It was a blessing to see this magnificent creation of God and escape from this daily grind called life.  No matter how stressed we are about life's daily struggles, the birds keep on....keeping on.    

We can learn lessons from nature.  

We can find peace in natural surroundings.  So many times, we become entangled with the cares of this world, the frustrations, the disappointments, the waiting, the frightening decisions and uncertainty of the future.   We become entangled in this thing called life; however, it shouldn't be an entanglement, it should be a journey that we live with excitement and hope. 

Many times, people are caught in the daily "brass and glass" culture where the only thing we see are the insides of buildings, offices or cubicles.  We rush to work, rush to get home, and dread the cycle all over again.  No matter if we're going to work, the doctor's office or the mall, we're in a hurry to get things done (that reminds me of that famous song by the group Alabama).  

In the midst of this mad rush, we go to the grocery store, pay the bills, cook the dinner and check the mail. At some point, we collapse on the bed or the couch and attempt to free our mind by watching "Dancing With the Stars" or a college football game.  We may check out the latest news or selfies on Facebook. 

...and then we miss the Canada Geese leaving for their evening roosting location.  

A silhouette of Canada Geese 

We spend our lives attempting to live the "American Dream", burning the candle at both ends, and then we wonder why we're exhausted and frustrated all of the time.  The "American Dream" is exhausting because it requires you to be successful, have a fancy education, make lots of money, buy an expensive home and stay current on all of the latest gadgets.  It's exhausting and costly.  It's costly because many times we neglect the most important things in life that God has freely given to us.  

Even though work and our daily activities are very important, we need to spend time recharging our emotional and spiritual batteries.  It's important to walk outside and breathe in the cool morning air.  It's important to identify bird song.  It's important to look at something besides a contract, a calendar, a computer or a parking lot.   We overwhelm ourselves with full schedules,

...and we miss breathing fresh air and spending time among the tall pines trees.   

The boardwalk at the Towns Bluff Park & Heritage Center in Bullard Creek WMA

Jeff Davis County, Georgia 

Many parents spend unbelievable amounts of money to take their children to Disney World; and yet, they never teach them about a Northern Cardinal or introduce them to the beauty of a state park.  The child knows Mickey Mouse, but couldn't recognize a Blue Jay if it landed on the front porch.  Sad.  

Birdwatching is a science and a spiritual experience.  We learn about the taxonomy, behavior and habitat of a bird, but we also learn spiritual lessons of faith and provision.  In watching birds, we learn about migration and the times of year that birds travel north to south and vice versa.  In watching birds, we also learn about the weather and how the weather controls bird movement in an area.  

Birdwatching is free, natural, educational and spiritually uplifting.  Disney World is expensive, artificial, culturally insignificant in the greater scope of things and physically exhausting.  Nature represents reality while Disney represents a fantasy.

The American culture is teaching our children to work--work--work-- spend--spend--spend, work some more, and spend even more.  It becomes second nature to take hard-earned money and go stare at an underpaid employee in a mouse costume.   And yes, our family made the pilgrimage to Disney World and waved at Mickey.  However, we also drove through the Central Florida orange groves and breathed in that heavenly citrus scent.  

It's not a sin to go to Disney World, but it's destructive to the spirit to be unbalanced in our daily life.  We need time to rest, reflect, pray and free our minds from the chains of cultural demands.  It's a lovely testimony of the blessings of God to be able to work hard and be prosperous, but money becomes an idol when it's not balanced with the most important blessings from Heaven:  

God, family, love, faith and an appreciation and respect for God's creation.

We can sum this up by saying this....Life is beautiful. 

God Loves You.

Faith is Real.

Family is Important.

Nature is Invigorating.

Don't miss the joy.

Don't become so busy that you miss the Waxing Gibbous Moon.  

Our prayer for today:  

God, we thank you for your many blessings that you have bestowed upon us.  Even when things are not perfect and we must deal with trials and tribulations, we praise you because you're always near.  Increase our faith and give us a positive outlook on life so that we may be a Godly example to others.  

Help us to be ever mindful of Your many blessings and give us the wisdom to slow down and rest, and develop a deep appreciation for the lovely natural surroundings that you have given to us for free.

Thank you for your love and thank you for your son Jesus Christ, who gave His all so that we might be spiritually free.  Help us to implement balance in our lives so that we may lead a more productive life.

Please strengthen with relationship to You so that we may be reminded daily that our spiritual condition is more important than the acquisition of money and a lifestyle of materialism.  Guide us and lead us into a path of righteousness so that we may be a light in a world of darkness.      

In Jesus' name we pray.....Amen! 

 

Psalm 96

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing unto the Lord, bless His name; shew forth His salvation from day to day.

3 Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.

4 For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

7 Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 

8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come into His courts.

9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. 

10 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the people righteously.

11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice 

13 Before the Lord: for He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

 

We Have Traded

 

 

Photography by Norma Beaird

Poem by Curtis and Norma Beaird

 

We have traded...

 

Compassion for indifference

Freedom for tyranny

Production for complacency

Energy for apathy

Prudence for carelessness.

 

Faith for magic

Integrity for popularity

Modesty for exhibitionism

Humility for arrogance

Knowledge for propaganda.

 

Education for indoctrination

Science for spectacle

Vision for confusion

Truth for impulse

Anticipation for fear.

 

Creativity for conformity

Awareness for distraction

Imagination for boredom

Excellence for mediocrity

Generosity for selfishness.

 

Wisdom for folly

Honesty for duplicity

Reverence for skepticism

Sincerity for deception

Righteousness for wickedness.

 

 

Are we happy? 

  

2 Thessalonians 2: 1 - 17  

1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

King James Version

 

 

 

Copyright 2015, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.  

 

Peace Within My Soul

 

Southern Magnolia

 

Peace Within My Soul

 

Photography and Poem by Norma Beaird

 

She was making morning coffee,

on a hot and humid day,

thinking 'bout how things were changing,

in a most uncertain way.  

 

She remembered in her childhood,

days were tough, but God was there,

He is faithful in the struggles,

when life doesn't seem so fair. 

 

As these thoughts consumed her minutes,

then she thought to step outside,

for she heard the birds were singing,

in the golden, bright sunlight.

 

The magnolia tree was blooming,

bees were buzzing all around,

while the wind sent gentle whispers,

here you stand on holy ground.

 

For no matter what is changing,

in this world of toils and fear,

nature still produces beauty,

in the midst of pain and tears.  

 

For when man has thus destroyed,

all that's good and pure and whole,

just to gain a few possessions,

and a bank account of gold.  

 

Birds will sing their song of morning,

butterflies will spread their wings,

red wildflowers bloom in meadows,

for in chaos, nature sings.  

 

As she watched the Eastern Bluebird,

feeding fledglings from the nest,

she's reminded that the good Lord,

only wants for us the best.

 

Even when the world around us,

has decayed in sin and shame,

God is there if we will touch Him,

and will call upon His name.  

 

He reminds us with the sunrise,

and the butterflies and birds,

in the clouds and white magnolias,

and His faithful Holy Word.

 

That when man has thus destroyed,

all that's pure and good and whole,

as I behold God's grand creation,

I'm at peace within my soul.  

 

 

Matthew 6:25 - 34

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

 

 Copyright 2014, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.    

   

Waiting for the Turkeys to Cross the Road

 

Article By:  Norma W. Beaird

Photography By:  Curtis Beaird

 

A little over six years ago, I moved to a rural area in Georgia to work at the local college.  I had never lived in a town this small, and for me, it was quite a culture shock.  At first, it was a fascination because I drove to work down a long country road as opposed to a dangerous and traffic-laden interstate.  Instead of stopping at traffic lights, I actually stopped for a family of turkeys to cross the road.  At night, instead of being overwhelmed by city lights and sirens, I was overwhelmed by the number of deer attempting to leap in front of my car.    

In the mornings, I would awake to a serene quietness that you never find in the city.  Instead of horns and screeching brakes, I would hear chirping birds, whistling trees and the irritated geese that lived across the street.  However, the fascination soon wore off and I realized that I was living in “the middle of nowhere”.  Some people call it the “sticks” or the “boonies”, but I called it slow and uninspiring.  My newfound world suddenly turned into something that seemed boring, backwards and remote.  Thus, the complaining began.  I thought I was surely missing out on something.  Then, I thought I had lost something.  Later on, I finally realized that I had lost nothing, but had gained something much more valuable called peace, quiet and renewed faith.

In the past, I was always considered a social butterfly who never met a stranger, and I always enjoyed having a lot of places to go and see.  Having owned a travel business, I enjoyed being on the go.  I appreciated options, and that meant having a wide variety of restaurants, gas stations, malls and discount outlets within a five-mile radius.  Convenience and entertainment always meant a lot to me, until now. 

Sometimes life steps in and changes things.  After my husband recovered from cancer, a heart attack and then a serious retina surgery, the recovery time forced us both back into an appreciation for the simple and quiet things of life.  Healing takes time and requires peace and quiet.  Later on, after I went through a surgery and recovery time, I found myself yearning less for action and yearning more for tranquility.  This slow way of life was now agreeing with me.  Trust me; it’s easier to recuperate when you’re not living a fast-paced life under stress while listening to sirens and loud neighbors.

Unlike the modern culture of “bigger is better”, we live in a country cottage and we are approximately ninety minutes from the nearest mall.  We’re about thirty minutes from a department store, but that’s okay.  Not having immediate access to materialistic pleasures has taught me something about life that should be evident to most human beings, but as usual, we have to learn the valuable lessons the hard way.  Life is best enjoyed when a person is not overwhelmed with noise and stuff.  If I want or need something, I may have to drive a while to find it, or order it online.  But again, that’s okay, because living in the country teaches a person to have patience while calming a restless spirit.   

Constant stimulation with no rest leaves very little room for creativity, imagination and logical thought process.  In the Old Testament, we read in the book of Genesis that the Lord rested on the seventh day.  If the Lord found it important to rest, and we’re created in His image, then we need to rest as well.  It’s okay to stay home sometimes and not attend every game, every meeting and every concert.  It’s okay to take a vacation or sit on the front porch.  Sometimes it’s okay to say “No”.   It’s easier to heal when your calendar is not full. 

My husband and I love to go to the city, but we’ve been in the country long enough that the city noise now drives us bonkers.  Driving in city traffic feels like a punishment for something we didn’t do.  Being pushed through large crowds reminds me of being herded like cattle.  It’s amazing what living the simple life can do for you.  Consequently, you don’t realize how much you enjoy simplicity until you’re thrust into the middle of chaos.

A life of simplicity has affected other areas as well.  We don’t own a microwave oven.  My husband and I have collected old-fashioned cast iron cookware.  One of my greatest joys in the kitchen is frying an egg on a round cast iron skillet, and, I must admit that butter-coated wheat bread tastes the best when heated on the same skillet where you fried the egg.   I love to fry an egg and make toast for him and take it out to the front porch.  He eats breakfast while watching Henry, our front porch lizard, crawl in and out of the Boston Ferns.  Yes, something has definitely happened to us.  And no, we didn’t lose our minds; we reclaimed our sanity.  We traded stress for peace.  We have learned that being busy and being productive can reside at opposite ends of the spectrum. 

Simplicity is completely underrated.  Sometimes, life brings us to a place where we are forced to reckon with what is really important.  We realize that more is not always satisfying or even better.  Sometimes, we realize that less is more and that more stuff just means more debt and more responsibility.  In the end, it all goes to a yard sale or a landfill.  Sometimes, the best things in life are truly free and they don’t require a storage unit.  God will never send us a bill for viewing a gorgeous sunset, a butterfly or a red-headed woodpecker.  The Lord won’t charge us for peace and tranquility.  Our Creator provided a world of beauty that can’t be bought with silver or gold.  You can’t put a price on love, hope, family or nature.   Learn to enjoy the priceless things in life without a price tag.  Take back what the culture stole from you and learn to enjoy the simple life.  Sometimes we need to wait for the turkeys to cross the road.      

 

Copyright 2011, Norma W. Beaird.  All rights reserved.

 

 

 

Values of Hope

 

 

Article and Photography

By:  Curtis Beaird

 

Values, community, neighbors, friends.  Not all things reduced to a price point and all humans viewed as a potential market.  Our curse seems to be that we have managed to commodify everything.  Relationships don't matter unless we have business with each other.

If there is no potential for commerce, financial gain or some other personal advantage, we don't seem to have any reason to talk with each other anymore.  "Nothing happens," as one old store manager told me, "until somebody sells something."

We network, make contacts, build strategic systems, develop alliances and coalitions without once giving notice to the fact that this vertical or horizontal construct is made of people, human beings, flesh and blood souls who are one of a kind and will never pass this way, or our way again. 

Fascination, wonder, and the mystery of simply being alive is lost to the matrix.  Curiosity, compassion and an anger worthy of the name, and laughter deep down, born of the joy of breathing in and out the clean fresh air of life, disappears into the system's chilly abyss.

The driving question of life "Why am I here?" is answered for us by the kings of cash ---- to make and move money.   The prophets of profit are easy to spot.  Their eyes are dark, set deep in their sockets and hard. The corners of their mouth turn down like the horns of a mad bull.  They don't speak; they glare.  They expect their will to be known ahead of any comment.  They don't relate; they measure.  They don't move; they occupy space.  They fill in what's left with their ego.

They gain power by taking yours.  Without yours, they have no power.  Yet, men gladly offer up their manhood to the insatiable appetite of the hollow, hard-eyed one.  

If the profit-maker is a profitess, she is cold.  Simply cold.  She proudly and alone seeks to fill her void with bricks made of gold.  She has an edge, an edge either blunt or sharp.  But, an edge.  Her's is a ruthless power born of a taste for blood and a striving made of a need to win.  Her score is kept not as a total, but a string of those left behind and lost.  She achieves through subtraction, even elimination of all things bright and beautiful, unless it is gold.  

Creation trumps culture.  Spirit and soul outlasts envy, greed and the hollow power they produce. Dead men walking move through time heavy laden with their stuff.  The light of grace outshines the glint from the hood of their polished chariots. 

The song of the soul sings with the wind in the trees.  The culture of death will collapse.  Ashes are the home of the phoenix.  Rising and resurrection, empty tombs and promises, build future and hope. 

Today belongs to death.  Tomorrow belongs to God.  Promises sustain.  Consumption consumes and empties.  Faith fires the imagination and powers the soul.  Our restless spirit finds direction and a horizon made of hope.

Hand finds hand.  Neighbor finds friend.  Love lifts and moves.  Prophets of doom fall silent.  Their tongues cleave to the roof of their mouths.  The obvious comes true and the lion lies down with the lamb.

The Four Horseman ride.  Swords look better as plowshares.  The silence of His presence becomes comfort found at dawn.  The cloud of unknowing opens to the sunrise of hope.

A child smiles.  The earth stops.  The proud are brought low.  The last are made first.  The least are discovered to be the greatest.  The poor are found to be rich and the rich are abandoned to wander alone in an eternal, hungry search for more.

The Alpha and the Omega.  The beginning and the end.  The first and the last.  All that comes between and follows after is called Life.

 

Copyright 2011, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.