My friend Cindy sent me the following in an email. I thought is was well worth sharing. It's just a simple reminder of something we can so easily forget in the midst of our troubles.Have a blessed day!
THE BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
THE BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom.. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
PEOPLE: In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem!
Just look up!
Sorrow looks back,
Worry looks around,
But faith looks up!
Live simply,
love generously,
care deeply,
speak kindly and
trust in our Creator who loves us.
SHARE THIS WITH A FRIEND .... I just did!
I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. Lamentations 3:22 NIV
Your POSITIVE thoughts and comments are always welcome.
Please keep comment 'language' family-friendly.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 NLT
I found the prayer below and I loved the analogy of the eagle soaring in the face of storms. My life is a little stormy at the moment. They are not bad storms mind you. They are just the storms that accompany change, but they are storms nonetheless.
It is so comforting to know that I worship a God who is greater than any storm!
Why me? Why not me? My answer -- it's not about me -- it's about You and it's about Your plans and Your purposes. I will be forever grateful for the freedom, hope, and joy this truth has brought to my life.
I look upwards into the Face of my Lord and as I do, I am reminded of the eagle. I often find myself praying the scripture “. . .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." As I think on this truth my spirit begins to soar. I recognize the lack of fear that exists in an eagle as he faces storms of every type throughout most of his life, yet never falters. I recognize he just adjusts his flight to flow with the storm, knowing in the end he will be safely brought home.
I love watching birds fly, but especially an eagle that soars higher and faster -- never limited by the circumstances surrounding his flight. Like all of us, Jesus, we need the same ability to soar in the face of storms. We need to be sensitive to those around us, and we need to be able to adjust to the circumstances we are facing. Obstacles are always going to be with us, but I praise and thank you that over the years, I have come to understand the importance of embracing struggles, focusing on the purposes You have shown me, and laying down all of the other garbage that tries to confuse and derail me.
My prayer today is one of thanksgiving for the ability You give each one of us to overcome. You have given us all gifts and talents to sustain us. You teach us every day to trust You -- to recognize that life is a journey filled with gates to open and trails to be cleared.
I thank You also that You are teaching me about patience -- which I acknowledge is not my strength. Somehow I know that perseverance, patience, and thanksgiving are the winning combination for my day today. I thank You that I can now embrace with joy and thanksgiving the discipline and focus it takes to get me to a place of peace and joy. Help all who pray this prayer to soar on eagle's wings today. Bring them safely back to the haven of rest You have prepared for them, where they can recognize as they end their day, that their life counted for something -- counted for Jesus and for His cry for His people.
Every now and then, I have a bad habit of allowing silly things in life to get the better of me instead of resting in the knowledge that no matter what happens in this life, God's got my back. So, every now and again I think the good Lord takes the opportunity to say, "Whack! Take that Garcia!."
Yesterday was one of those days...
We are in the process of preparing our house to sell. There is much to be accomplished and it was starting to get to the point where I wondered if we'd be able to get it all done in time. We had decided to hire a landscaper because our yard had really got away from us this Spring and the weeds had taken over the mulched areas in a BIG way.
We had been waiting for a few days for a landscaper to call us back, but I (the impatient one) was getting a little antsy Sunday afternoon and instead of just trusting, I started to STRESS! Fortunately, I am blessed with a wonderful husband (the patient one) who was in the midst of talking me off the ledge and telling me, "Everything is going to be ok and it will all work out, you'll see, we'll get everything done." when his cell phone rang...
Yep, you guessed it. It was the landscaper. Not only was he calling us back, he wanted to know if he could come out right then to look at our weed infested yard. He did and we agreed on a price. He'll start working on beautifying our yard today.
While I was in the midst of my stressing out, our good friend Claire was with us and she was just amazed at the timing of the landscaper's phone call. My husband wasn't. He told Claire, "Every now and then God likes to whack her (meaning me) upside her head to remind her that He's in control."
Thanks Lord... I needed that!
Corrie Ten Boom once said, "Let God's promises shine on your problems."
You have trusted Him in a few things, and He has not failed you. Trust Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever have asked or thought, not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, that will work in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will. You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it? Hannah Whitall Smith
Your POSITIVE thoughts and comments are always welcome.
Please keep comment 'language' family-friendly.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
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