Lightkeeper's Journal

Lights on the Water

 

A Montgomery County, Georgia pond nestled in the trees  

 

Lights on the Water

 

Photography and Poem by Norma Beaird

 

In the cabin by the pond,
Looking out the window pane,
the light danced on the water,
on this chilly Georgia day. 

 

She moved back home from up North,
Leaving parties, clothes and cars,
to introduce herself to peace,
the birds, the moon and stars.

 

She found the peace in scripture,
and the faith in quiet prayer,
the freedom in the pine trees,
in the humid Georgia air. 

 

Her thoughts reclaimed in sunlight,
while the truth shined on her soul,
the lights danced on the water,
and the Lord had made her whole.

 

 

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

Clouds Remind Us to Look Up

 

Goldenrod blooms in September and October in the U.S. and Canada.  

Behind the Goldenrod are fascinating cloud formations.  

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

Clouds Remind Us to Look Up.  

When we look at the cloud formations, we cannot look down at the ground.  

We cannot look to the left or the right.  We must look up.  

The physical act of looking up forces us to look towards the Heavens.  

It reminds us that far above the clouds, above the Milky Way and stars, above the most far away galaxy is a sovereign God.  

He is a God Who sits on the throne in a glorious place of beauty, looking down upon us with eyes of love and a heart of mercy.  

When looking at the clouds and their billowing shapes, we are looking towards the sky and know, that even if rain is coming out of the clouds, we're receiving showers of blessings upon a parched Earth.  

Just as rain pours from the clouds to cure a summer of drought, God will flood our souls with streams of peace and rivers of joy.  

Every time we walk outside, we must look at the clouds.  The habit of looking up will keep our faith focused, knowing that answered prayers come from above, and not from down below.  All good things come from God, the Creator of the clouds and the Source of every good gift that we will receive today and tomorrow.

GOD 

...the Source of the Clouds, the Source of the Rain, the Source of Life.  

 

 Canada Geese soaring through the clouds over a rural Georgia wheat field

 

The extreme Georgia humidity contributes to the formation of amazing clouds.  

 

 

 

 

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

The Homestead

 

 

The Homestead

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Poem by Norma Beaird

 

The goats and the roosters,

the ducks and the geese,

the hens and the guineas,

the fence and the trees.

 

The cabin and pasture,

the tractor and shed,

A day on the homestead,

with Mavis and Fred.  

 

Miss Mavis cooks biscuits,

while Fred milks the cows,

and gathers the hen eggs,

and pushes the plow.   

 

Their homestead is busy,

there's no time to waste,

The time's quickly changing,

and they must make haste.

 

They moved to the pine trees,

 and deep in the woods,

with oil lamps and cast iron,

and plenty of food.

 

 Their country is changing,

 and it's getting worse,

and freedom is riding,

in a long 'ole black hearse.

 

For freedom is dying,

and fear rides the wind,

the changes are coming,

and they're 'round the bend.

 

So Fred and Miss Mavis,

will homestead and farm,

and gather up hay bales,

for their weathered barn.

 

And they'll count their blessings,

and spend time in prayer,

while reading the scriptures,

in their rocking chairs.  

 

The times, they are changing,

but God's Word is true,

while skies may be stormy,

the Lord's sky is blue.

 

 So Fred and Miss Mavis,

will live free and dine,

when rich folks are losing,

their money and minds.

 

When freedom is buried,

and money is gone,

and chaos is reigning,

and life is all wrong.

 

Their homestead is quiet,

the table is spread,

with bounty and blessings,

the family is fed.

 

Like Fred and Miss Mavis,

let's trust God today,

and cling to His promise,

and He'll make a way.  

 

The times may be changing,

but cast fear aside,

Prepare and be faithful,

and He will provide.

 

 

Psalm 37:25

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Entire Chapter of Psalms 37 can be read here. 

Psalm 84:11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Philippians 4:19

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 

 

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

 

God Meets Us Where We Are

 

Wood Stork flying away.....

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the Lord:

and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

 

Photos by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Story by Norma Beaird

 

I want to share a story that may help to build your faith. Sometimes, God meets us right where we are. Sometimes, He uses the simplest things to let us know that He is near and knows our innermost thoughts.

A few weeks ago, we were given the opportunity to have a personal tour of a popular National Wildlife Refuge on the Georgia Coast to see a rookery of Wood Storks. We were so excited, but then realized that we couldn't work out the schedule to take the trip. Needless to say, Curtis and I were both disappointed because we were going to have an amazing opportunity to photograph Wood Storks. 

Anyway, we were feeling a little discouraged as we were driving down a country road here in Montgomery County.  Backing up for a bit of history.....as most everyone probably knows by now, Curtis and I have been documenting birds in Montgomery County for 3.5 years. We submit our reports to Cornell University's eBird. We had seen a Wood Stork at Little Ocmulgee State Park in Telfair County over a year ago, but we had never seen one in Montgomery County; thus, the opportunity to get a personal tour of a National Wildlife Refuge was extremely exciting.

So.....back to our disappointment and the story......we ride down this certain country road a lot. On this particular road, we have seen birds like turkey, crows, cardinals and owls, but the trees are so dense in this area, that you don't see a lot of birds in the pines. Anyway, here we are riding in the Jeep....and Curtis says, "What is that in the middle of the road?".....and then he stops. We had a camera with the long zoom lens, so I said, "I'll get the camera!"

We couldn't believe it - it was a WOOD STORK!!!  He was walking down a country road. We had NEVER seen a Wood Stork in Montgomery County, much less on this road.  What are the odds of driving in the country and seeing a Wood Stork just casually walking on the other side of the road?

So, my lesson for today......God knows the desires of our hearts, and He knew that we were disappointed that we couldn't work out the schedule to go see the Wood Storks; therefore, He sent one to us. I must say that my faith was increased. We are grateful to God for sending us a beautiful Wood Stork in the most unlikely place.

This story lets me know once again that......no matter how big or how small, God cares about our concerns, joys, disappointments and requests. He cares about every detail of our lives. He truly cares for us. He has the hairs on our head numbered (Matthew 10:30) and He knows the birds that we want to photograph! 

This picture below is not completely clear because it was taken through the windshield, but that's okay, because God sent us a Wood Stork!

A Wood Stork is walking down a country road in Montgomery County, Georgia.  When I got out of the jeep, he turned and walked into the grass.  I guess he's a little camera-shy! 

 

 

 

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

The Birds Still Sing on Cloudy Days

 

The Duchess of Soperton, our Northern Cardinal

 

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Article by Norma Beaird

 

I've thought long and hard about writing this particular article.  I've wondered if it's necessarily the best idea, considering the fact that we're still living in the same area that is the subject matter of the article.  However, sometimes it's easier to be honest about your situation than try to hide the truth of the matter.  

For the last three years, we have been documenting the birds of rural Georgia and submitting our reports to Cornell University's eBird.  We photograph, count, document and write about the amazing avian community in our backyard and in the surrounding counties, state parks and wildlife management areas.  Our birds have been a blessing beyond words to both Curtis and me.  I cannot properly describe with words what our birds have meant to us.   As a matter of fact, our backyard birds have been just one of the reasons that we have kept our sanity in the midst of a very dark place called rural Georgia.  

Within the last three years, a dark cloud has crept in over this part of Georgia.  Drugs, drug trafficking, meth labs and the subsequent meth lab busts have increased and are the subjects of the weekly newspapers. Two of our small-town weekly newspapers have the monthly Jail Report.  This edition of the newspapers feature almost full pages of mugshots, mostly due to drug possession, assault or theft.    

....Talk about the myth of Southern hospitality....

Almost three years ago, I remember having, what felt like, a very dark cloud to descend over me, a cloud of fear and dread.  It felt as though something bad was going to happen and the feeling produced an anxiety about the unknown.  Curtis felt the same thing.  A few weeks later in May 2012, our house was burglarized and approximately $7,000 worth of stuff was stolen, to include a laptop, camera, jewelry, tools, not to mention photos that can't be replaced.  We were devastated.  

We had just returned from a doctor's visit in Dublin, Georgia and Curtis had received wonderful news, thanks be to God and a great doctor.  Later that day, we had driven into Riverbend Wildlife Management Area in Laurens County and photographed the beautiful Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, a bird that we had not photographed before.  We celebrated the good news with one of our favorite pastimes, birdwatching.  

The Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron scratching his head as we photographed. 

 

We were overjoyed to have found this entertaining bird hanging out in a very swampy area of the WMA.  We had a good doctor's visit, a nice lunch and a fun excursion back on dirt roads in a rather remote avian hangout.  And then we came home....

When we arrived home, our front door was open, a door that was locked when we left.  My heart just sunk.  I knew what had happened.  It had happened twice to my mother and me when we lived in Augusta, Georgia. Words can't describe that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, knowing that some low-life thief has busted through your door and stolen precious treasures that can never be replaced.  

For a while, Curtis and I were simply devastated.  They had even stolen a one-of-a-kind custom pocket knife that I had given to him on a special occasion, a knife that cannot be replaced.  They had stolen my beautiful Native American Squash Blossom Necklace that was a gift from Curtis, a necklace that I dearly cherished.  

Talk about going into the emotional dumper.....  Many people say that things can be replaced and "just be thankful that you weren't at home...."  That's not the point.  An alarm was sounded that we were no longer living in Mayberry.  We had known for a long time that the seemingly innocent small town that we moved to wasn't the same anymore.  Now, we knew for sure.  

Even though there has been an increase in drug arrests and subsequent takedowns of meth labs, we continue to feel the dark cloud of spiritual oppression.  Drug addiction is a strong, demonic force and drug trafficking is the result of greed and selfishness.  Law Enforcement has a difficult task in taking down a criminal element that has affected this area for decades.  There is a constant battle of good versus evil.   Law-abiding citizens must remain vigilant and alert.     

At times, in various counties over rural Georgia, crimes are committed that are never solved.  Some shootings have occurred that seem to disappear off of the front pages of  newspapers.  Some burglars are never caught.  We have read reports of drug dealers being arrested and then released.  

Sometimes, it feels as though communities remain complacent while the Jail Report continues.  No matter how many arrests are made, it never seems to jar the community as a whole.  Law Enforcement can only do so much.  Communities must rally together and look out for each other, patrolling their own streets and forming neighborhood watches.      

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure things out.  And, no one wants to talk about it or deal with it.  It's easier to ignore it than admit the truth.  Many locals would prefer to turn a deaf ear even though they know what is going on.  As Curtis says, "We are living in a pine straw ghetto."  When people refuse to admit there is a drug or crime problem, then a once-safe community can turn into a crime-ridden ghetto in a matter of months.  

An Umbrella of Faith

Why am I writing about all of this?  Hopefully, we can encourage you to open up an umbrella of faith in the midst of a raging storm.  That's what we had to do and are still doing.  We pray constantly for God's wisdom, guidance and protection.  

In the midst of this dark place, God sent us the most beautiful birds to photograph and document.  We have bought bird identification books, researched them and studied taxonomy. We have fed the birds, filled up the birdbath and even named our avian friends.  We have talked to chickadees, woodpeckers and crows and we have felt their love when we walk outside to greet them in the morning.

In the midst of your dark place, God can send powerful reminders that He created this world and that He is still in control.  

Rocky, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

 

Therefore, do not despair and don't give up hope.  The answer is on the way.  Don't allow distrust and bitterness to take root in your life.  Allow God to show you the big picture and introduce you to His magnificent creation.  

In the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah had delivered a message to the evil King Ahab, husband of Queen Jezebel.  Elijah told King Ahab that there would be a time of neither dew nor rain.  After the message was delivered to the king, God told Elijah to turn eastward and hide by the brook Cherith.  He would drink of the brook while a raven would bring him food in the morning and evening.  

Whenever I think about how God sent birds to us in the midst of a bad situation, I think about the prophet Elijah and the raven.  The Lord used a bird to physically feed Elijah.  God used birds to infuse our hearts with joy and teach us about migration and nesting behaviors.  Birdwatching increased our focus and our faith. The majesty of God's creation will bring a sense of peace to your spirit.  

In the midst of spiritual hunger and despair, God will feed our souls with the bread of Heaven.  Sometimes, He gives us great joy in the midst of sorrow.  At times, He sends us a distraction from the cares of this life that breathes hope into a seemingly hopeless situation.  He knows all and He sees all.  He is still in control.  

No matter how long you've been in a dry barren land or how desperate your situation, I pray that God will send you manna in the wilderness.   May He brighten your day with blue skies and cotton clouds or the fragrance of a Honeysuckle vine.  May He send you an encouraging word or laughter in the midst of tears.  

Just remember, the birds still sing on cloudy days.  

 

1 Kings 17: 1 - 6

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab,

As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand,

there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward,

and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook;

and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

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.

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning,

and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

 

 

 

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

Faith, Frustration & Creativity

 

 Abstract Photography by Curtis Beaird 

Article by Norma Beaird 

 

There are times when the world will throw us a curveball. 

Sometimes, that light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train.    

You thought that your ship had come in, but now it’s in dry dock.  

Once again, your dreams, hard work and big ideas are crushed like flies underneath a flyswatter.     

….and then the frustration begins…..and sometimes…..you realize, just one more time, that life is hard.    

Sometimes….. you’re just done. 

Stick a fork in it, you’re done.  

Sometimes, it seems that every idea, every creative burst of energy, every God-given talent is trampled by a force of negativity that refuses your forward movement, productivity or success. 

There are times when it seems that every act of generosity is crushed with a spirit of ungratefulness.  The more you give and the more you do, the more they ignore it, misuse it or disrespect it.   

There are days when no matter how hard you try, how much you push or how much you dream, you finally wake up to the nightmare of reality.  It isn’t working.  It can’t work.  Consequently, someone is always glad to tell you why it won’t work.  No matter what the motivational gurus say, the “no” is always more powerful than the “yes”. 

You may ask, “Why?”  Because the “no” has the power to stop you in your tracks. One more “no” can shut you down and render you helpless, discouraged and defeated.  The next “no” can be the reason you quit.  When you give into the power of “no”, your creative energy and bright ideas are drained from you like a Hollywood vampire drains his victims of their blood.  

 

 

For every blessing, for every good thought, for every possibility, there is a little demon hiding around the corner, excitedly awaiting to exchange blessing for curse, faith for fear and success for failure.  The demon is always there.  You can’t miss him. 

Just have a good idea and he shows up.  Produce a beautiful piece of work and watch what happens.  Do something nice for someone and here he comes, ready to shatter like glass that moment of gratitude or opportunity.  It’s like clockwork.  It’s a 24/7 struggle.   

You’re now in survival mode; however, your dreams are more than just dreams.  Your creativity is more than just creativity.  It is God’s way of demonstrating the fact that we are created in His image, in His likeness.  If we are creative, it’s because of Him.  If we have good ideas, it’s because of Him. 

If we demonstrate productivity and accomplishment, it’s because of Him.  If we have talent, it’s because of Him.  God gave us the brain power to figure things out and create.  God and creation go hand in hand.  God tells us in the very first chapter of the Bible.      

Genesis 1: 26 - 27 

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.   

The Old Testament was translated from Hebrew.  To further understand the idea of creation and creativity, we need to look at the original Hebrew word for “create”.  The Hebrew word is Bara’.     

Definition 

1. to create, shape, form
1. (Qal) to shape, fashion, create (always with God as subject)
1. of heaven and earth
2. of individual man
3. of new conditions and circumstances
4. of transformations
2. (Niphal) to be created
1. of heaven and earth
2. of birth
3. of something new
4. of miracles
3. (Piel)
1. to cut down
2. to cut out
2. to be fat
1. (Hiphil) to make yourselves fat 

So, as you can see, the idea of creation and creativity comes directly from God.  And, since evil opposes everything that is God, evil will obviously oppose your positive, God-given creativity.  Evil opposes your talents and generosity of spirit. 

Evil opposes everything that is holy and sacred to God.    

Therefore, it is important to saturate our spirits with the Word of God.  The negativity and foolishness of this world is sometimes more than we can handle, especially if it shows up in more than one serving per day. 

The spirit of this world wants us to fail.  God wants us to prevail.   

Our blessings come from God, but the world wants to strip us of our gratitude.  The world does not offer salvation. Jesus Christ gives us the gift of salvation and the promise of eternal life.  The world cannot destroy the promises of God.  The world can hinder, persecute and disrespect you, but the world cannot steal your salvation, your joy, or even your talents and creativity.   

The world can certainly make it much more difficult to prosper and progress.  The world can certainly throw stumbling blocks in your path, but the onslaught of worldly difficulties cannot take away the spirit of creativity that God has given to you.  The world can discourage you and slow you down, but it cannot take away that which is ordained by God.    

The world can tell you “no”; but in the midst of rejection, God will make a way when there seems to be no way.  He is God.  Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent.  He was God yesterday and He will be God tomorrow. 

The power of “no” will never be more powerful than the hand of God. 

As long as we’re serving God, we can trust Him to lead us in the right direction.  We can trust Him to use our talents and creativity to bring glory and honor to Him and His Word. 

At the same time, we can also trust God to open doors that need to be opened and close doors that need to be closed.  My grandmother used to tell me, “Sometimes our disappointments are God’s appointments.”  Sometimes, and this may be difficult for us to digest, but a “no” may be exactly what we need.  Why?  Because God sees further down the road; consequently, He has better plans for us. 

God is omniscient.  He sees what we cannot see.  

 

Therefore, trust God.  Trust Him with your talents, ideas and creativity.  Always measure and question your ideas to see if they are consistent with the Word of God.  Use your talents to bring glory to God.  Stay focused.  Keep the faith.  Pray continually.  God will make a way when there seems to be no way to move forward or even succeed.   

Your creativity is a gift from our Creator, God. 

Every morning, God gives us new artwork in the sky, music from bird song; and, depending upon our location, the fragrance of pine trees, the color of bluebonnets or the sound of a babbling brook.  Each day, we may experience the chill of mountain air, a sunset in the desert or the salty mist of an ocean breeze.  We may experience the color of wheat, a fresh fallen snow, a shower of rain or a brilliant full moon.  God's handiwork of creation is all around us and in us.

Give thanks for His many blessings and trust in His divine guidance. 

Proverbs 3:5-6  

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct thy paths.   

 

 

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

 

A Crow and a Blessing

 

An American Crow fly-by after he cawed at me! 

 

On this particularly hot and oppressive summer day, God made me smile as I experienced the beauty of His creation through an American Crow and his entertaining caws.  Crows are very intelligent birds and extremely interesting to watch; and, if you pay attention to them, they will put on quite a show......and sometimes caw or talk to you!  

This fascinating crow not only put a smile on my face, he gave me a wonderful opportunity to photograph his amazing form in flight.  Consequently, since we're bird photographers, we're always excited and very grateful when we capture an avian wonder as he spreads his wings across a lovely blue sky.  God has many blessings for us; and sometimes, His blessings and opportunities show up in very unique ways.

 

A Crow and a Blessing

Photography and Poem by Norma Beaird

 

My spirit was heavy,

exhausted and worn,

the heat of the summer,

felt more like a thorn.

 

My heart needed laughter,

a cool, gentle breeze,

or raindrops from Heaven,

like cascades of peace.  

 

Sometimes God will send us,

the solace of rain,

or treasures like rainbows,

or comfort for pain.  

  

And sometimes God gives us,

the caws of a crow, 

to make us look upward, 

on paths that we go.  

  

The scriptures have told,

of a raven who fed,

God's prophet Elijah,

some meat and some bread.

 

No matter our need,

the day or the year,

God gives us a blessing,

and faith for our fear.  

 

He cawed and I looked up,

he flew from the tree,

his wings and a blue sky,

were lessons to me.  

 

The Lord gives our soul food,

in so many ways,

A crow was my blessing,

This hot summer day.  

 

1 Kings 17: 1 - 6 

1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab,

As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand,

there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

² And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

³ Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith,

that is before Jordan.

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.

 

 

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

 

Believe

 

Fear sees this.....

 

Believe

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Poem by Curtis Beaird

 

A gray hanging haze shrouds the morning.

The thin light means it's day rather than night. You believe it.

But, the dark has not been chased away. 

Shadows of dread linger. Night dreams hang on in the back of your mind. 

Day flows as a lonely tear streaks down your cheek. Joy dawns, slow but sure, as stray rain drops wander their way down the cracked window pane. 

Faith sees this......

The red, green, yellow and thick rich purple of a rainbow arches its way in front of the clouds.  

Hope breaks through where hell would prevail.

The promise is greater than the lies the dark dread would tell.  The rainbow completes its half circle. You taste faith on the tip of your tongue.

Believe.

 

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

 

Rain

 

Article by Norma Beaird

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

For the past month or more, it seems that it has rained almost every day.  Where some places in the U.S. are experiencing drought, we are experiencing a deluge of rain here in Georgia.  

About two days ago, we heard the clap of thunder and looked outside the window deep into the Georgia Pines to see another downpour of rain.  This may surprise some folks; but in all honesty, I've always enjoyed a rainy day.  Of course, the rain has slowed down our photography, but I still find beauty in an overcast, rainy day. It's a necessary part of nature.  In order for us to see green grass and blooming flowers; at some point, we need to see the rain.

 

For many people, rainy days are depressing and gloomy.  For me, it has always been refreshing.  I remember times that we've been in the mountains on a rainy day. There is nothing more romantic than a rainy day in the mountains.  Rain, like sunshine, has its purpose.  

Would we ever enjoy the beauty of sunshine if we didn't sometimes have a rainy day?  Would we ever appreciate the calm of quietness if we didn't sometimes endure the disturbance of noise?  Would we ever appreciate success if we didn't sometimes have a failure?

Therefore rain, with its thunder and lightning, can be a blessing in the wilderness if we are willing to look beyond the unrealistic expectations of today's mindset. Rain can teach us faith, patience and gratitude.  Remember, the rain precedes the rainbow.

 

Isaiah 55: 9 - 11

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

So learn to appreciate the rainy days in your life, whether it's physical or emotional rain, or the sometimes confusing storms of life.  Our rainy days can result in important learning experiences and great lessons of faith.

Sometimes rainy days can force us to use our creativity and talents in ways we had not thought possible.  Storms of life can produce a colorful rainbow of ideas and create surprising opportunities. Stormy seas produce the need to check our spiritual compass and pay attention to navigation skills.  

Let's think about this post today.  Because of the rain, we have these pictures of rain in the Georgia pines. Then came the words to attach to the rain pictures.   If we had not embraced the rain, we may not have a post for today.  

Plus, out of these rain pictures came the thoughts of a legendary Bluegrass song performed by the fabulous Oak Ridge Boys.  Sometimes, it just all works out! 

Enjoy your rainy days, and especially rainy days in the pines!

 

 

 

Copyright 2013, Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.

All scripture is King James Version    

When God Makes You Smile

 

An immature female Northern Cardinal with a cool hairdo

Article by Norma Beaird

Photography by Curtis and Norma Beaird

Sometimes, in the midst of difficult decisions, constant concerns, and waiting for doors to open, God makes us smile.  Usually, waiting is not easy.  Answers don't always come immediately after we pray, but sometimes God gently nudges us and reminds us that everything will be okay.  

The valley of decision can be a deep and impatient valley.  And, it's during those times that we need to look outside of our situation and think about something new and different.  

Carolina Chickadee waits for the male Northern Cardinal to move!

 

On those days, when it seems the answer will never come.....

On those days, when it seems you can't see a light at the end of a tunnel.....

On those days, when you feel discouragement eclipsing your joy.....

God will give us a reason to smile.  

We had been feeling particularly frustrated about a decision that needed to be made.  No matter where we had looked, we couldn't find an answer.  The frustration was like the summer humidity in Georgia, stifling and overwhelming.

 ....and then I looked outside to see the most adorable little Cardinal with her little top-knot of hair standing straight up.  In a single moment, I forgot my frustrations and concerns and laughed out loud as I thought, "Why doesn't my hair gel work like that?"

Nature photography has provided us many opportunities to smile and forget our worries and concerns.  Consequently, today was no different because the Lord wants us to trust Him completely for answers, decisions, provision, healing and protection.  

Hebrews 11:11

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.

The Lord wants us to keep the faith.  Therefore, when we're in a tailspin because we can't find answers to our questions or confirmation for our decisions, He sometimes draws us outside in nature, reminding us that as He takes care of the birds and the animals, He will take care of us as well.  God reminds us that everything will be okay......and He makes us smile. 

Our Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Papa) and junior flying off in the background

 

Matthew 6: 27 - 30

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?

 

 

Copyright 2013, Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.

All scripture is King James Version