Caution: Emits Showers of Sparks

“Let your peace come from the place where you can genuinely find rest:
the loving will of a gracious Father. 
Not from your own ability to perfectly predict or plan the future.”

Reverend Josh Squires,
Pastor of Counseling and Congregational Care
First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, S.C.

Desiring God article
Are Christians Too Intentional in Dating?
Counsel for New Relationships

Baby Gender Surprise: It's a.... ?

We learned this week MS and C are having a...

See for yourself!!  😍

In Mommy’s belly is where I grow

Tiny fingers and tiny toes

Some don’t know what gender will be

Although you might already see.

Guess if I’m a girl or boy

I’m sure either way you’ll jump for joy,

Read this riddle with greet care

Look really close and it will share. 

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14, ESV

¹³ 

John and Calvin: Then and Now

Because I love then and now pictures....

They're still napping buddies nine years later 

His Eye is on the Sparrow

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts! 
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!  Selah
Psalm 84:1-4

God delights to meet the faith of one who looks up to Him and says, ...
"Lord, You know that I cannot do this-- but I believe that you can!" 
Amy Carmichael



This afternoon my next door neighbor came over with something hidden in her hand by a towel.  "Uhh,  what does she have this time", I thought.  Becky is the most compassionate person I know for rescuing and nurturing wild animals back to good health. 

Today she found a baby wren or sparrow bird on her back porch, hopping around, but it was caught up in a collection of fibrous debris.  As it turned out, the little bird seemed to have been tangled up and lost circulation in it's lower leg/foot, which was dangling below a fine thread.  Becky came over for help to remove the very fine thread.  Indeed the little guy had lost it's foot, so I helped to separate it from the little bird.  The nub of its leg that remained appeared red, but seemed to have healed up and closed.  The little bird didn't appear to be suffering, and even chirped for us.  
However then we noticed a fine fibrous thread coming from it's mouth... in fact, two threads.  Ohh, poor little bird.  
With a little bit of time and effort, we were able to separate it from the mouth, but we cannot be sure it did not cut off the circulation of the tiny hooked tongue.  
Becky's heart is soo tender for little animals in nature.  
Her squirrel Chewie will be 10 years old this August, and she lives on Becky's back porch in a large cage.  
If this little bird survives, Becky is the one to give it a home, alongside Chewie, on her back porch in a large bird cage, where it will spend the night tonight.  
Already, Becky has called to say the baby bird's mom and dad have snuck into the back porch and located their baby, but had not yet figured out how to get into the cage to feed it.  
I hope by Becky leaving them to figure it out, having left a couple of cage doors open, they will quickly acclimate to their new home, and provide the sustenance their baby needs to survive.  

It's tempting to fear the worst, but whether this little one survives, or not, it is still a sweet mercy and picture from God of his faithful care and provision.  This little one only has one foot and possibly half of its tongue.  I hope by this providential rescue today, we will benefit from the blessing of watching this little almost fallen sparrow recover because two tender hearted neighbors attempted with God's help to save it.  If His eye is on the sparrow, I know He's watching me, and there's no doubt He'll care for me/us.    

Thy Will Be Done

“...The deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.”

Elisabeth Elliot  

Pray then like this:  "Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  ...". 
Matthew 6:9-10

Look Only at Your LORD

Do not fight the thing in detail: turn from it.  

Look ONLY at your LORD. 

Sing. 

Read. 

Work.  

Amy Carmichael

Take time to be holy, let Him by thy Guide; 
And run not before Him, whatever betide.  
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the LORD, 
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
William D. Longstaff, 1882

I learned last night of something I've long anticipated may happen.  It  took a great deal of concentration for me to not allow the 'surprise' of hearing of it show on my face while sitting with a small group of individuals who also heard, but were not privy to the outcome...with exception of one.  She, like me, did her best to contain her imagination for what would soon take place.  Later, we'd learn Dad had chosen to contain what he knew for a few days prior to minimize the anticipation for this new event to take place.  He knows us well.  For now, we wait and pray... and discipline our minds to consider the LORD's lead in the days ahead. 

In a Bed of Green Jasmine

"It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desires which He creates." 
Amy Carmichael


With a bed of Asian Jasmine and a bowl of fresh water on the porch, what more could a cat ask for?  

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.  
Psalm 23:1-2

Quieter Love

"Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing.  There are many things below it, but there are also things above it.  You cannot make it the basis of a whole life.  It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling.  Now no feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all... In fact, the state of being in love usually does not last...But of course ceasing to be 'in love' need not mean ceasing to love.  Love... is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by the grace which both partners ask and receive from God... They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be 'in love' with someone else.  'Being in love' first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep their promise.  It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run:  being in love was the explosion that started it."
C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Quote included by Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity, p. 181

Photos: Meme and Poppy, On Grassy Pond, April 27, 2019.