Yellow-Crowned Night Herons

Spring is definitely in the air. The weather is pleasant, my cats want to stay outside longer and we have heron chicks high up in one of our tall backyard trees. The Yellow-Crowned Night Herons nest in the trees around our neighborhood every year. They are back up there again this year right in the same nest they occupied last year.

About two weeks ago, we noticed the soft blue broken egg shells on the ground and garage rooftop. Some days before we noticed the eggshells, I had witnessed what I assumed was a male heron, feeding the female on the nest. She must have been sitting on her eggs. Recently, I saw a couple of gawky, fuzzy bird heads poke up above the nest a couple of times. They looked a lot like the one in the picture here. Since I can't really see inside the nest, I'm not for sure if there are two or three baby herons.

Last year there were three babies in the nest. My binoculars were close at hand as I reached for them daily to observe the babies' progress. I was fascinated as the baby herons gradually eased out on a limb, back to their nests and finally one day flew away. I wonder if the parent Yellow-Crowned Night Herons in our tree today are the same parents or the babies from last year?

The chicks will be in their nest for a month before they learn to fly. As they get older, I will see them stand up in their nest every day. Right now I can hear them chirp as they wait for the parent birds to bring food back to their open mouths. I look forward to the day when I may see one of the young birds awkwardly balance on a wire or fly down to the ground as they investigate the world around them.

Spring is here and my binoculars are out again and I'm enjoying a new family of Yellow-Crowned Night Herons. As the wind blows, they ride the swaying limbs like they are sitting on rippling waters. One of the adults fly back to the nest each day with food for the young birds. The Night Herons make a loud distinct squawking sound when they fly. So, when I hear their sound, I look to the sky and usually see one or two of God's creatures in flight. Sometimes they fly right into the nest high up in the tree in my own backyard.

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” Genesis 1:20

Why Do We Worry?

Don’t we wish that there was no reason to worry? What do we worry about…the bills? Paying for repairs? Medical bills? So far we worry about money, don’t we? What else to do worry about? What we will wear? If our children are going to have the money they need for education and the day to day functions of life? What else? Whether or not our children are going to retain their faith in God, their happiness? So much to worry about and where does it get us? NOWHERE!

I tell you though we are not in control. No, we aren’t because wouldn’t we have money to fix the broken car, to paint our house, or to pay our bills? We would not be without a job when we needed one. We would have the money that we needed right now, if we were in control. So who is in control? Not me. Not you. Not even the Devil. The One in control is God. He and he alone is the controller of all that is. If we can just have faith in God and His control, we would not be so worried about today or tomorrow.

God is going to see to my needs, and make sure that my family is filled with food, covered with clothes and sheltered with a roof. I HAVE to believe or all hope for my livelihood is gone.

Jesus teaches that God cares for us more than the sparrows or the lilies. If he cares for them, then he is going to make sure we have what we need.

http://tinyurl.com/5fmd3e

http://tinyurl.com/6n7v6v

Believe that God loves you and that He is taking care of you. We can’t see down the road to the end of our problem, but God has seen the big picture. He knows what is going to happen. I have to trust that whatever happens is the best for me because God is the one driving my life, not me.

I Once Was, But Now...

Some very beautiful lyrics recorded by Christian artists, Casting Crowns, really speak to my heart. I wanted to share them with you. If you have the chance to find a recording of this song, I think you'll agree that it is beautiful, simple and true.

"And Now My Lifesong Sings"

I once was lost, but now I'm found
I once was lost, but now I'm found
So far away, but I'm home now
I once was lost, but now I'm found
And now my lifesong sings

I once was blind, but now I see
I once was blind, but now I see
I don't know how, but when He touched me
I once was blind, but now I see

And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings

I once was dead, but now I live
I once was dead, but now I live
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Let my lifesong sing to You



[Thanks to c-unit25@juno.com for correcting these lyrics]

[ www.azlyrics.com ]