Lightkeeper's Journal

Fog

 

Photography by Curtis Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

FOG...

Fog in the atmosphere.
Fog on the road.
Fog after the rain.
Fog on my path.
Fog in my mind.

No matter where the fog has manifest, prayer is the answer.

Fog, sunshine, rain, clouds, more fog and then blue skies.
This is basically life. One day, the skies are blue and the sun is shining. The next day it's cold, damp and gray. And then, you wake up to a very dense and unexpected fog.

Sometimes, our minds are clear with happy thoughts, forward movement, and looking for a bright future and everything that life may hold for us. The next day, we wake up in discouragement, pain and near hopelessness of thought.

Then sometimes, in the midst of the dense, overwhelming fog, where you can't see your way clear, the Lord sends a bright ray of light, both in the physical and the spiritual. Nature has a way of teaching us about the love and mercy of God.

LESSONS I've learned about FOG:

It doesn't last forever, sometimes it's mere hours.

The Lord is still there, even in the midst of the fog.

The sun's rays will peak through the fog and allow you to see your way clear, both physically and spiritually.

The dark gray fog will make the sunshine and blue skies seem much more beautiful.....because you've been in the darkness and now you see the light.

No matter the reason for your personal FOG, whether it's sickness, discouragement, depression, rocky relationships or unexpected problems on the job.... your answer is GOD. Only the Lord can cure what ails us both physically and spiritually. It's in the denseness of the fog that we learn our most valuable spiritual lessons.  Allow God to shine His light of love upon your situation. 

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Isaiah 9:2

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

John 12:35

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

All scriptures are King James Version.

Copyright 2022, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

The Light Through the Trees

Great Egret

 

The Light Through the Trees

Photography and Poem by Norma Beaird

 

Sometimes, in the midst of the trees and the brush,

over the cloudy and dark murky water,

there appears a beautiful and bright, white light.

 

It's in the distance, just waiting for you to finally see it,

this beautiful white light shines brightly to guide you

as you migrate through life's troubled journeys. 

 

Though your wings may feel heavy, and the flight is so long,

you will soar through the sky and know that God's love

 will strengthen you through the wind and the rain. 

 

You may arrive to your destination quite exhausted and soaked,

but spread your wings and shake off the water.

You've made it.  The Lord never leaves us in the storm alone. 

 

 

Copyright 2022, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

 

 

Manna in the Wilderness - Sometimes God Sends the Birds

 

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

 

Anyone who reads this blog knows that we love photography.  We especially love bird and nature photography.  To look at our pictures is to look at what appears to be a lifestyle of immeasurable peace and tranquility. However, looks can be deceiving.....as they say.  To see the beautiful birds, the salmon-pink sunsets, the summer green pastures and the brilliant white moons seems to impart a location of sheer perfection, a place that dreams are made of.  

As they say.......looks can be deceiving.  

It is possible for a geographical location to create a seemingly endless struggle.  Nature may welcome us with open arms, but a community may isolate their neighbors from the progression of new ideas.   Even though nature makes us feel at home, sometimes a community will make us feel like fish out of water.   Trying to be community-minded is generous in spirit, but receiving community cooperation may be as difficult as roping the wind.  A spiritually oppressed people are unable to see the glass half-full.  It is possible to have a half-full mentality but geographically live in a half-empty cultural condition.   This can be undermining to the concept of success.  Geographical spiritual oppression is just that - oppressive.  

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18 that "where there is no vision, the people perish...."

Living in a spiritual wilderness can be emotionally and spiritually debilitating.  At times, it's like dragging around the proverbial ball and chain.  Sometimes, you feel hungry in your spirit and crave that one morsel of encouragement that only God can give.  It's during these times that God can send us manna in the wilderness, just like He sent a raven to feed Elijah by the brook Cherith.

I Kings 17: 4-6

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

 

....and so the Lord did for us what He did for Elijah.  

He may not have sent a raven to bring us food, but He sent us birds.  Many birds.  

 

 

He sent us Peanut, the Red-bellied Woodpecker.  

 

 

He sent us Pierre, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  

 

He sent us the Duke of Soperton, the Northern Cardinal.  

 

 

He sent us Cisco and Coco, the Northern Bobwhite Quail.  

 

In other words, God sent us spiritual manna.  Elijah may have been fed physically, but we are fed spiritually by the wonders of God's glorious creation.  There are days when our birds help us to keep our focus on the bigger goals and accomplishments.  They inspire imagination and creativity.  They teach us about faith.  The world around us seems crazy and the struggle is exhausting, but in a wilderness of spiritual oppression, we find solace in Genesis 1.  

We find peace in "....and God saw that it was good."  

Discouragement with our geographical location forces us to look outside and see God's handiwork all around us.  We are able to look past the disappointments and frustrations.  The result?  Hundreds of photographs of birds, birds and more birds.  Full Moons.  Sunsets.  Landscapes.  And.... the occasional squirrel in the bird feeder.  

Living in the wilderness is not easy.  It will never be easy.  But.... God will send a bird.  

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

 

 

Copyright 2017, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.   

  

Finding Wonder in the Colors of Sunshine

A male Pine Warbler stands on the Peanut Butter Tree Spread and declares "This is Mine!" 

 

Article and Photography by Norma Beaird

 

Finding wonder in the colors of sunshine!  Some days may be gray, but if we try hard enough, we can find sunshine on a cloudy day.  It's not always easy, but it's necessary to look for the positive aspects in a negative situation.  As you start out a brand new year, you may find that some days are more difficult than others.  Some days you may get up and feel as though you could walk a mile before your first cup of coffee. You bounce out of bed with a new zest for life; and, on other days, you need a forklift to move you off of the mattress.  It's on those "forklift" days that you need to find wonder in the color of sunshine.  

On this particular day, I found wonder in the beauty of God's sunshine and in the brightness of the male Pine Warbler.  I have learned that if you wake up and don't feel very energetic; or, you just plain feel bad, it really helps to walk outside and breathe in the fresh morning air.  It helps to feed the birds, refresh the birdbath, clean out the feeders and talk to your feathered friends!  Birdsong and sunshine have a way of invigorating a weary spirit, mind and body.   A "blue mood" can be instantly lifted with a call from a Carolina Chickadee or a visit from a Pine Warbler.  

Susie Baltimore (Oriole) is checking out the Orange Buffet while the Pine Warblers are working on the Peanut Butter Tree Spread!  Glorious!! 

 

As we pass 40 and 50 or.....anyway, you get the idea!  As we get older, bouncing out of bed isn't as easy as it was when we were 25 or 30.  Sometimes aches and pains or muscle cramps grab us as our feet hit the floor.  As well, this has an effect on our mind and emotions.  Therefore, as we age (sorry folks, but it's life), we need to find new and inventive ways to overcome the physical impacts of aging.  Now, I know that there are people who are older who have always been energetic and full of life.  They bounce out of bed with the wonder of a child on Christmas morning.  And then, there's the rest of us.  We're the ones who really need to walk outside and feed the birds.....while the coffee is perking!  I've always been a night owl and was told that I get my second wind at 7:00 p.m.  That's the truth.  I tease morning people that they catch the sun coming up and I catch it going down!  I sometimes get my most creative ideas as the clock strikes midnight.  

My grandmother was an inspiration to me.  She lived to be 90 years old and she thanked God for the blessing of life and health.  The last three years of her life, she was in a nursing home and was confined to a wheelchair.  However, before she ever went to a nursing home, she celebrated every year that God gave to her.  When ladies would refuse to tell others their age, she would gladly tell her age and give glory to God for allowing her to live that long.  She would say something like this, "Well, there's an alternative to getting older......"  And, she was right, the alternative was not breathing.  Therefore, she celebrated her age with joy and grace.  

So, the next time that you're feeling "old-er" or "blue" or "achy" or just plain tired, remember that the alternative is.... not breathing.  Every single day, we need to thank God for this glorious life that He has given to us, even if it requires two Advil and a cup of coffee.   Walk outside and hang up a bird feeder, fill up a birdbath with water, gaze at the cornflower blue sky, feel the breeze of the cool morning air and find wonder in the color of sunshine!!  

 

Psalm 136: 1 - 9

1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.

2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for His mercy endureth for ever.

3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for His mercy endureth for ever.

4 To Him who alone doeth great wonders: for His mercy endureth for ever.

5 To Him that by wisdom made the heavens: for His mercy endureth for ever.

6 To Him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for His mercy endureth for ever.

7 To Him that made great lights: for His mercy endureth for ever:

8 The sun to rule by day: for His mercy endureth for ever:

9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for His mercy endureth for ever.

 

 

 

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