God Speaks When Eagles Soar

I've always believed that God speaks to us through His creation - and that there are blessings to be found in being close to His creatures. Being aware of and listening to animals and the earth is something to treasure. 


I remember this summer an eagle was spending time over our place and when I went for a walk with my son I found a feather - perfectly placed in my path. I'm so thankful for the reminder that we are never 'unseen' and always watched over.


Isaiah 40:31(NIV) "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;  they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Saturday was a great day for our family - the three of us together. We enjoyed a fall day playing outside, getting ready for winter as only you can do on a farm or ranch.  I came out of the house, after a juice pit stop, and I did my usual glance at the sky.  Farmers do this.  Bird watchers do this.  Plane watchers and UFO believers do this. 

I almost couldn't believe my eyes, there floating on the thermals were 16 bald eagles.  They were just there, in a cloudless blue fall sky, and we were just there, watching them in awe and in wonder.

We've seen eagles, one or two, perhaps soaring or perhaps perched in a tree.  This many was cause to be speechless.  What can you say when some of God's most wonderful creations come to visit?  

They dove, they played, they soared, they were just like Isaiah said and I felt hope that we one day too be able to soar without tiring and that we could feel God's renewal like thermals under and eagle's wings.

Can you imagine?  Knowing that uplifting and Holy Touch!  When I watched them I felt a part of my soul soaring with them.  I could imagine that Holy Touch!

When we listen to God through His creation we are listening with our whole being.  We are listening to the voice of our Creator.

When we cannot be amazed by His creation in us we can be humbled by His attention to the world around us.  When I feel too small, too dirty, too scarred I can be awed by an eagle, a sparrow, a late October flower or the waggle of a duck walk.  

When I  feel too human and disconnected I can connect with The Source and feel His loving touch.  I can come from The Word and see Him in the natural world.  It is His creation after all - shouldn't we enjoy, cherish and care for it too?

Faith As A Little Child

My little boy loves his Grandpa Ed and they are really good friends.  His best pal has been in the hospital for two weeks and almost daily we go visit. 


Every day, every time we are there, that little boy folds his hands, closes his eyes and surrenders his Grandpa to God.  For healing and for care. This is a boy who drives monster trucks on the blankets, he is curious about people in other rooms and when he is done praying he gently puts his hand on his Grandpa's heart and says, "I love you Grandpa"


When the man in the next bed was in pain he wanted to tell a nurse.  When the nurses were working hard he asked me to take him to get them some treats and when he gets very tired he cries and we pray together.


I am humbled by the generous and faithful heart of my small son.  

Luke 18:17 (New King James Version)  "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Oh how I want to be faithful like him!  I love his faith and I love his spirit and he teaches me every day that we can play, we can cry, we can laugh and we can pray. 

We can come to God as His children and give to Him those things which are not ours  to care for, handle or do.  As a (alleged) grown up I sometimes feel like I've lost that connection to the faith of a child we are told to have.

Have you ever noticed that small things matter so much to God?

Child faith, mustard seed faith, sparrow faith - if things as small as that matter a great deal to God then shouldn't they also matter a great deal to us?  

Just throwing that out for you to think about - what if it isn't all about the organized, neat and tidy faith we trot out to Church on Sunday?  

What if it is the muddy knees, finger paint covered, cookie eating, simple praying and totally believing-without-a-doubt little things make a big difference?  What if it really is a smile or a sandwich?  What if it really is a touch and a prayer in line at the store or at a red light?  What if it is getting a little bit of thankful in your joy instead of shushing or tidying or making things look pretty?

What if it is more pretty leaves and wild sunsets?  What if it is more giggles and singing prayers and less proof, arguments and 'being grown up'?

Jesus welcomed the children to Him and not just because He had a lesson to teach, I believe that He needed some skinned knees and grassy stained elbows, He needed some giggles and tickles, He needed a broken toy or a broken heart.  Jesus welcomed children because He knew the importance of the small in a big world, He knew the value of the little in a world where 'big' and 'grown up' were too important.  He valued the lambs, even as the rams rattled their horns and stomped their importance to the world.

I pray every day, sometimes many times a day, that I can be worthy of the honour and blessing that this gift of a child of God is.  I am grateful  for my miracle and each lesson we teach each other blesses us. 

Enjoy the little things today, laugh more, giggle  in the store, make faces at  the dog and when you need to talk to God, go to Him as a child to a beloved and trusted parent.  

Even if you never had a human parent who was beloved and trusted, God is always there and no matter how big the problem is God is bigger, His love stronger and don't forget He remembers the little things like children, sparrows and mustard seeds!

Holey Leaves...

...and today I'll be posting at (in)courage for my first guest post...

Be well and be brightly blessed, see you back here for Songs on Sunday...

Emma's Angels, wire sculpture by Shanyn