Natures Little Helicopters

        A tiny bright green creature hovers above a flower in the backyard, and then quickly zips away, could it be a mini-helicopter?  Close, it’s a Ruby Throated Hummingbird, nature’s little helicopter.  These colorful, hovering, acrobatic little birds visit many flower gardens and hummingbird feeders in back yards.  Watching their flight movements cause us to compare them to a helicopter.  In reality, they are just a hyperactive, nectar-drinking bird whose air shows surpass any we see at our local airports-and you may never have to leave your backyard!

         As you learn more about this little chopper, you will become more fascinated and awe struck by this little creature’s flight.  It’s amazing how fast they appear, then quickly dart off.  A sudden buzz blows past your ear before you can focus, and it quickly loops away.  This fascinating little bird comes in a compact body size of 31/2 inches, weighing about 0.1oz. Its compact size adds to the unique flight and maneuverability. 

         They take flight with a wingspan of 41/2 inches.  They beat their wings about 50 times a second, so they appear as a blur.  The narrow’ stiff wings can rotate in their sockets; this allows their wings move in a figure-eight as apposed to the regular wing movement of other bird that are only up and down.  This figure-eight movement allows the hummingbirds to hover and fly in all directions – even upside down.  This wing movement gives them the appearance of a helicopter.  They can rocket from high in the sky to the ground, checking their flight just a few inches from objects and other hummers.  They get the name Hummingbird from the sound their incredibly fast beating wings make while they fly.  The humming of its wings is clearly discernible from some distance.

         They have about 1,500 feathers to equip them for flight.  About 25% of their body weight is the large flight muscles that make them capable of their spectacular flight.  They are tiny birds with big performance, capable of astonishing feats of flight.  They go like fighter pilots, chasing the enemy through the wild blue yonder flitting back and forth with turbo boost speed.  They fuel their flight with nectar from flowers and feeders.  To survive this turbo flight, they must drink almost twice their body weight in nectar every day.  Whether hovering or accelerating vertically like a nectar fueled rocket, the Hummingbird is a master of the air, aided by some unique features. 

         Nature has equipped her little helicopters to be the most amazing supercharged pilots of the bird world.  With its brilliant colors and it fascinating flight we are in awe of its beauty know matter how many times we are privileged to witness its flight.  You can enjoy natures little helicopters in your own back yard.  Hang up a feeder or plant some flowers and watch these little birds fly in for a fuel up.  You will soon be enjoying your own air show from nature’s little helicopters.

         

The Butterfly Effect

• -2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature:old things are past away;behold all things are become new.
• As I look at a Butterfly I can't help but compare it to the change that our lives go through when we are saved. 
•  Monarch Butterflies are my favorite so it is the butterfly that I will be using as my example.

 

     1. The Monarch butterfly lays their Eggs on a single milk weed leaf. From egg to Larva it takes            about 3 to 12 days.  From egg to adult butterfly takes about 30 days.  Like us they start as just a speck, but a speck that has lots of potential.

     2. When the eggs hatch a Caterpillar emerges.  The caterpillar immediately starts eating the milk weed that has hosted their egg.  We are born and then start acting must like the caterpillar.  As he feeds off of his world, literally destroying his host plant by eating every leaf and most of the stem.  in feeding off his surrounding world he leaves only destruction in his wake.  We are pretty much the same, when we are born and as we grow up we feed off the world and all its sinful opportunities and leaves lots of destruction in our wake.  And as the caterpillar, we to must realize we need a change in our lives.  We like the caterpillar have a longing deep within us a longing for change.  And with that realization we must take action, we must answer that call to change.  If we or the caterpillar ignore the call we will die without ever reaching our potential.

     3.  Cocoon (Chrysalis) The caterpillar must take action and stop what he has been doing and start to change.  He has to turn from the life he knows and how he has been living and start over in a new way.  And to do this the caterpillar has to die to self and begin again.  It encases itself in a cocoon, a place of change where one life ends and another begins.  It is a place of change and growth.  It is the home of new beginnings.  Just as we must stop our sinful, destructive life.  Dying out to self so that we can be reborn in Christ.  It is a time of transition, a time for and ending as well as a time for a new beginning.  There will be a complete change in us as well, one life ends so another can begin.  And I can assure you that the result of change for both the caterpillar and us will be an amazingly beautiful.

     4.  Butterfly A caterpillar stays in the cocoon between 10 days and 2 weeks.  In that time there is a lot of growing and changing taking place before it can emerge as a beautiful butterfly.  It takes time for it to reach its full potential.  Just as when we stop the destructive path we are on and die out to self and get saved it takes time to grow and change into our full potential in the Lord.  Just as the caterpillar emerges from the cocoon a beautiful butterfly, so we as a new creature in Christ also emerge from the darkness and sin that we were in to be changed and emerge as a beautiful Child of God.  We must die to self so that we can start a new life in Him.  We must as the caterpillar answer the call to change.

   

       The Butterfly has a life span of about a month, seems like a very short time, but living each of those days at its full potential it can accomplish a lot such as Breeding, Pollination, Laying Eggs, and Blessing us with its beauty.  Yes, this short life can make a big impact on all it touches.  Just as we Christians have but just a few short years to work and change those lives around us.  Like the butterfly if we keep working at our full potential everyday we to will make a big impact on the world we live in.

We need to live ever mindful of the Butterfly Effect and how we to can make a difference.
                                                                                                                        -SG

 

Beach Ballerina

     She let out a high-pitched giggle as she ran across the soft warm sand.  Her arms out stretched, her small round face full of anticipation.  She is wearing a sky-blue swimsuit that matches the color of her eyes.  Her curly brown hair was dancing in the ocean breeze.

         She ran into the cool blue water, screaming with glee at reaching her destination.  As the water splashed against her legs with each new incoming wave, she takes in her surroundings.  Like a dancer surveying her stage, she smiled with great pleasure, as she began her dance.  Turning and jumping as each tiny wave caressed her small brown legs.  She was lost in pleasure and awe of the great ocean that was lending itself as her grand stage.

         The white/gray gulls gliding over her head seemed to be acting as her audience, calling out for her to continue this great performance for their pleasure.  The lapping of the tides as they come together seem to be her orchestra playing her favorite music piece.  The big white clouds made for a very dramatic backdrop for her stage.  The sun danced off each droplet of water that hung at the ends of her brown curls, as if hundreds of tiny fairies crowned her head in celebration of the dance.  As each wave of water lapping around her legs sent her jumping and twirling, the golden rays of sun seemed to spotlight the star dancer in this beach ballet.

         After several minutes, the beautiful dance comes to an end. The young dancer pauses, panting from exhaustion.  Stepping back from the water, she stands staring into the cool blue waves that have participated in her dance.  With a sweet smile on her small round face, that gave a look of gratitude that said “Thank you for the dance!”

         As she stood there water dripping from her onto the sand, she dug her small toes into the soft sand as if to mark the next date and time that she would take this very stage.  With a nod of her head, she was gone as quickly as she had appeared.

The Refuge

The Refuge

     On a cold winter’s evening, the sun sets and leaves the house in thick darkness.  It is enough to make my young mind uneasy.  It is nights like these that I am glad that I have a place of refuge, in the kitchen in front of the warm morning stove on my Grandfather’s lap as he sits in his rocking chair.  I have found this to be my place of refuge for the uncertain nights in my life. 

         I feel safe snuggled up on my Grandfather’s lap.  His strong arms around me make me feel so safe.  The smell of his aftershave gives off the sweet smell of summer’s days, gone by.  Here with him makes the dark winter seem so much farther away.

         The rocking chair we sit in is made strong and simple giving it the feel of home.  The swishing sound it makes as we rock gives off such a gentle soothing rhythm.  It seems to erase my worry, as I concentrate on the back and forth motion my mind is put at ease.  It gives me such a care free feeling like being on a carousel.  It is my own private ride that carries me to a very safe and comforting place.

         I start to feel the warmth from the stove on my cheeks.  It’s as if it is kissing away all my worries and cares.  I start to focus on the yellow/orange flames as they dance within the stove.  They bring brilliant light and warmth with their every movement.  It’s as if it is a special dance just for me.  I can’t help but smile after looking upon such a beautiful dance, oh no their dance has not been in vain. 

         This night like the many before and the many after will take my worried mind to a more beautiful and worry free place that will see my through yet another time of darkness in my life.  Spending these worrisome winter evenings in my favorite place of refuge makes the darkness not seem so thick and scary.  It not only gets me through many though times, but it leaves behind some wonderful memories for me to carry through out the rest of the winters in my life.  I guess this refuge will always be my refuge even if only in my memory.

Bitter or Better

     I have heard it said for years that the situations in life that we go through will either make us bitter or better. I have always believed that to be true. I have seen many folks go through trying times in their lives and come out on the other side stronger and more determined.  And I have also seen some folks go through trying times and come out very bitter and just give up.  The sad thing is we are all capable of having either of these reactions to a situation that we go through in life.  We make the chose, it is totally up to us as an individual as to how we will react.   A few days ago I visited a couple of folks that were in the same situation, facing the same thing.  But what was totally mind blowing was that they chose two very different ways of reacting to and handling the situation.  They were the ultimate illustration of how a situation can make you bitter or better.
     Both of the folks I visited was in nursing homes, they have reached a place in their lives where they can no longer live and care for themselves.  Age has taken its tole on their health and thier minds.  A choice had to be made for their continued care and it involved a complete change for them.  A change in where they lived and a change in thier dailey routine and maybe most important to them thier freedom to come and go as they please.  They both have lived a good full life, with many family and friends to share it with and now they find themselves in a totally diffrent situation, its as if they are starting all over again in a place that is uncomfortable and lonely for them.  Probably thier worst enemy is thier memories of how it use to be making it very difficult to become content in where they are now.  Like we tend to do they focuse on the past and what life was instead of living in the here and now and making the best of what the present day brings. 
     My first visit was to a wonderful lady that I have known for the past few years, she has the sweetest spirit about her. Her spirit was the first thing I noticed when we met. She has a beautiful smile and such a godly way about her, you always leave her presents feeling up lifted and glad you had the time with her.  A few months ago after several illnesses and aging to 91 years young she had come to the place where it wasn't good for her to be alone.  She needed to be in a place where folks could help her with everyday tasks and making sure she had proper meals and health care.  So as her children told her of thier concerns and safty isssues they had with her living alone she decide it was time to give up her home and move to an nursing facillity.  Now as I visit her there I am amazed at the way she is handling this great change in her life.  She still has her beautiful smile and her sweet spirit. She still talks of her home and how life use to be but she does it with a positive attitude.  She has choosen to be positive and to be content in the situation that she is in.  If she had her druthers she would be back home living on her own, but she relizes that it isn't possible and accepts her new life and what it has to offer.  I still leave her presence feeling uplifted and glad that I had some time to spend with her.  Her situation has only made her better and for that I am gratful for it has been and inspiration and blessing to me.
     My secound visit was with a man that has served the Lord for years and given so much of his time to others.  I have known him for years and have enjoyed many visits him and loved to hear him talk of the Lord and how serving him was the most important thing.  He has been a great influance in my christian life.  But he like my other friend has been plagued with that thing we call old age, and the health problems that come along with it.  So the choice also had to be made for him to go to a nursing facility.  But as I visit him I see before me someone who I don't really know anymore.  His joy is gone and his spirit seems to be dried up and crumbling away.  He speaks of all his has lost and wonders where the Lord is. He feels as if he is in a prison paying for something he did wrong.  He sees nothing beyond the pain and lonelyness he feels, and nothing I can say can ease his pain and bitterness.  He feels abandond by everyone, even the Lord. He doesn't see anything positive in his life.  He feels everything he has done in the past has been useless and without meaning.  He know longer wants to be a postivite influance and doesn't seem to be able to show love and compassion like he once did.  I left my visit with him feeling physically sick and shaken by what I had experianced with him.  How has this happened to such a man of God, such a loving and giving man? Would it not have been a better choice for him to be more like the lady I first visited, he would be happier and would have a better influance on folks around him. It all boiles down to the choice, to be bitter or better. 
     I haven't gotten over my visits and the two folks that I shared time with.  I have relized that we all have the choice of being bitter or better everyday in every situation.  We will be committed to our choice like these two folks are, so we need to be sure we make the right choice every time in every situation.  Because I have learned from these to people that your choice doesn't only effect you it effects everyone around you.  How do I want to be remembered?  As a person that no matter what I went through I keep a sweet spiirit about me, or as a person that has become bitter and spews it out on all around me.  God help me to be more aware of my choice in handling situations and people. Help my automatic response to be with a sweet spirit to be content in what ever situation I may be in.
Lord, help me to be better not bitter. 

Mom

Mom, a word that can melt even the toughest of hearts. Life givers, care givers, love givers, and the only one we long for as children. We always want our moms, it is on her we call for all emotions and needs. And the magic of a mom is that she never changes in our lives, we will always need her no matter how old we get or how independent, she will be the one we long for all our lives.
I don't think we ever truly grasp the magnitude of our need for our mom until she is gone. When she is truly out of our reach and no longer accessible by any means, we are left with the brutal truth of how much we have needed our mom. It at then that the longing and loneliness weighs in on us as a great weight that threatens to bring us down. We are so unprepared to face life without the loving presence of our mother that it causes a panic way down deep inside us to boil up and out of control before we can get a handle on it. It is the biggest blind side I think we will ever be a part of.
There is a part of us that dies with our mom, a part of us that we can never access again. The part of us that is the wide eyed child full of wonder and fear that can only be soothed and reassured by our mom. We loss the means to comfort that part of who we are, handicapped is the emotional child that lives within us.
My own experience in this loss has been that just when I think I have learned to coupe with the part of me that has no mom anymore, it once again boils up into an emotional storm that tears through my heart and mind leaving me tired and disoriented and oh so alone. It is as if we grieve for the loss over and over throughout the rest of our lives, never having the child within us comforted again.
In losing my mom I have experience what it is to loss something so precious that it can not be replaced or forgotten. I don't think we move on, or get over this loss, we must just find a way to endure it as best as we can. The child within us will always cry out for mom, but after losing her there will be no answer and no comfort. We will have to learn to move on in life without the very thing the child within us longs for.
Treasure every moment you have with your mom, for one day the memories of those times will be all that the enter child has to hold onto.

New Year

We have said goodbye to another year and hello to the new year, it is something we experience many times though out our lives. With each passing year comes change and great possibilities.
As the new year starts to unfold before me, I can't help but look back over the past years, this brings with it many memories that race through my mind and stampedes through my emotions, memories of happiness, sadness, failure, success, loss, gain, laughter, and tears. I think we all share this sentimental feeling, we all share the same kind of journey to becoming who and what we are today.
We are all saddled with the same worries, and stresses of everyday living on this adventure called life. We are always growing, changing, learning, making decisions, some good, some bad, as we make our way in this world while the years roll by. All have came this way, many struggled, most stumble, some get completely off track, and a few retreat never to try again, and none conquer. But as long as we try and give it continued effort we will be rewarded with a great sense of accomplishment and a life time of wonderful memories and the blessings of home and family.
Life will never be boring, and will always be unpredictable it is kind of like a roller coaster ride. You are so excited to get on and ride, but once it starts it scares the crap out of you, but some how you still enjoy it enough to want to continue to ride. To feel the exhilaration and the heart pounding thrill of not knowing what lies ahead that makes you feel more alive then you ever thought possible.
All of our lives should be exciting and rewarding, and it can be if we have Jesus in our lives. If we surrender to Him and give him the complete control we will have the best that life has to offer. It will never be boring and always unpredictable, but oh so exhilarating.
Lord, help me to through my hands in the air, shouting with excitement, and laughing with joy at the exhilaration of the unknown that lies ahead. That I might enjoy this stomach knotting, heart pounding, breath taking, wonderful roller coaster ride called life that makes me feel more alive then I ever thought possible.
Happy New Year Everyone, Enjoy the ride!!!!!!!