Under Construction

In order to take pictures without scaring off mama and papa bluejay, I had Ken take the screen off the inside of the kitchen window, allowing me to take pictures through the glass.

Twigs are flown in and put in place with the acuracy of a crane! See the paper in the nest? It was taken to a nearby tree and "worked" until pliable for weaving into the nest.


She's a little hard to see, but she's there. From time-to-time, the female slips into the nest to shape it to her body.

I'm under construction, too! The Holy Spirit keeps me pliable as I am gently shaped into the image of Jesus.

P.S. Early spring visitors to my shade garden. The robins never allowed more than 4 of themselves on the birdbath at any given time, even though there were 12-15 in the garden.

Shade Garden Joys

The birds . . . and our 15-pound cat, Sir Oliver . . . love my shade garden almost as much as I do. It's peaceful and cool and is home to a concrete bench, a large concrete birdbath, and a small fish pond. Although I personally don't use the birdbath, Sir Oliver enjoys a drink from it now and then.

About a month ago, my shade garden was filled with robins. Four or five at a time would sit on the birdbath to enjoy a drink and a bath. We still have robins in and about the yard, but most have moved on.

I love watching for nest construction. A pair of cardinals were checking out the clematis in my shade garden, but I will have to go to the other side of the fence to see if they are actually building in there or not. Cardinals build in bushes and things like clematis.

As I was looking out my kitchen window this morning, I saw a pair of bluejays building a nest in the flowering crab tree. I watched the male trying to manuever a long twig through the new shoots of the crab tree and saw him finally deposit it into the nest. Mama had been sitting on the nest in progress, molding it or maybe seeing if she likes the view.

Bluejays would not be my bird of choice to build a nest in my shade garden. Although they are beautiful, they are aggressive birds and chase other birds away . . . thus their reputation as "neighborhood cop" when I was growing up. (I don't use the word cop anymore, so I guess they would be called "neighborhood police person?")

As I watch the birds enjoying my shade garden, I'm reminded that if God provides for the birds of the air, how much more will he provide for us.

Spring Rains, Dandelions, & Honeybees

Spring rains . . . gentle ones or thunder boomers . . . I love them all! The cracks of thunder make me jump, but I love a good thunderstorm . . . without destruction, of course! I love the smell of rain! And rain floods my soul with childhood memories . . . my mother sewing on her treadle sewing machine . . . the porch swing . . . mud puddles . . . splashing in the water running down the curb . . .

The rain we had this past week was neither gentle nor a thunder-boomer and was too cold to play in. Yes, I still walk in the water running down the curb!

Lightening filled the sky as we drove home from Omaha this past Thursday night. We kept anticipating cracks of thunder, but nothing. To me, lightening without thunder is like eating movie theater popcorn without extra butter!

One of the first “flowers” to bloom, and I use that term loosely, is the dandelion. In our yard, the dandelion is a curse. But the dandelion is a blessing to bees and beekeepers, alike!

Ken and I used to have honeybees, 4 hives to be exact. It was a fascinating hobby with a VERY sweet reward! Nothing sweeter than honey or honeycomb right off the hive . . . by the spoonful or honeycomb on a piece of hot, buttered toast . . . real butter, of course! Those of us with allergies, eating honey from our area is very beneficial.

There are three simple rules to keeping bees happy . . .

First, place the hives near a good food source . . . in Nebraska, an alfalfa field. Yummo!!!

Second, don’t approach the hive from the front. If you do, you will be met by the guard bee, which will NOT stop pursuing you until he stings you or you kill him, whichever happens first.

Third, don’t drop the super, the individual boxes that make up a hive! Ken did this once when we were “working the hives!” YIKES!!! Let me tell you from personal experience, there’s not enough smoke to calm the thousands . . . yes thousands . . . of bees making a beeline for you, their sole purpose to take you out!

If bees think there is a fire or have outgrown the hive or a second queen hatches, the bees will gorge themselves on honey and leave the hive. Full of honey, the bees are content and happy.

So how does this all apply to my spiritual walk?

I need a good food source, God’s word!

“How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.” (Psalm 119:103 NLT)

There is no guard bee keeping me from God!

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebr. 4:16 NLT)

For a sweet soul and/or healing for my body . . . or maybe someone else needs soul sweetness and/or health for their body . . . speak kind words.

“Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and health for the body.” (Proverbs 16:24 NLT)

We haven’t had honeybees for a long time, but I am hoping one day we will become “beekeepers” once again. In the meantime, I’ll buy my honey from my neighbor up the street and stay gorged on the word of God . . . sweetness for my soul, health for my body, and kind words on my lips.

Are You A Deborah?

The Israelites served the Lord until Joshua and that generation died. The next generation quickly abandoned God. They did not even acknowledge God, let alone remember the mighty works He had done on behalf of the Israelites. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways!

The Lord took pity on his people. When Israel cried out to the Lord for help, God raised up judges to rescue them and turn their hearts back to Him. While the judge was alive, things went well . . . but when the judge died, the Israelites rode the spiral plunge downward, living worse than the generation before them.

In Judges chapter 4, enters Deborah, judge number 5. Deborah was a

Prophetess
Judge
Teacher
Counselor
Ruler
Wife
Mother
Song writer
Poet

Deborah was committed to God. She walked in her prophetic gift, able to discern wise answers for the disputes of the people who came to her. She led with integrity, encouraged people, and the people followed God.

God is looking for Deborahs today! Women with hearts passionate and committed to Him . . . hearts of integrity . . . women who can lead and encourage. If we have such a heart, God will do the rest!

Are you willing to say, Lord, here I am . . . I’m a Deborah or I want to be a Deborah . . . use me!