What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Friday, November 4, 2016

Friday Foto Friends "Where Eagles Soar"

Today our Friday Foto Friends, via our friend Deb at Breathing in Grace, is celebrating a one year anniversary of this weekly gathering of "photo-genic" friends, sharing our favorite photos of the week with you and the world.  Click on the link above to see what others are sharing today.

I only recently joined this pictorial group...and was so happy to become a part of a lovely new family of friends who share more than just pictures.  We've become friends who share our lives with each other with words of faith and encouragement along with our photos...giving each a glimpse into our personal lives and the world as we see it.  With my love of photography, and my desire to make new friends as well, it was a win-win blessing!!

The other day I wrote about our visit with some new friends on Lake George, Florida...and "Walking in the Light of His Countenance". (Click here for that story).  The views from our friends' pier and yard were amazing, and I was so excited to share them with you.  However, those weren't the only pictures I was able to capture that day.   I hope you will be blessed by these additional views God provided for me to share with you.

When we first stepped out of our vehicle at our friends' lovely lakefront home, I couldn't help but notice a large bird in the tall pine tree just above us. At first, we couldn't tell exactly what it was, and some thought it was perhaps a buzzard.  How surprised we were when I zoomed in on him with my camera and discovered that this was actually a juvenile American Bald Eagle!  He just hasn't developed his white head feathers yet!!! What an amazing sight!  I was excited to see this beautiful young eagle, because I knew that he was just the beginning of even more interesting sights yet to see!!  And also, because I had never had the privilege of getting a picture of a juvenile eagle before...so this was another marvelous gift from God!

Well, after our long walk on the pier out to the fishing dock...(yes, it was a very long walk out over the water with no hand rails...but that's another story!)
our friends started fishing...and actually catching fish:








Hubby and I sat and mostly watched them fishing , because we are not experienced fishermen, and hubby was suffering from some inner ear issues (which almost kept him onshore...but he made it out on the pier in spite of the feeling of being unbalanced).

I did try to fish, but I was too interested in watching all the activity around us and just couldn't concentrate on sitting still with a fishing pole...


So, while they were catching fish, I was hearing the eagles calling each other in the sky...

and then I noticed that the two eagles landed in a large pine tree back on shore:
Can you see them up there?  No?  Well, let me zoom in on the tree with my camera...and here is what I saw...




Oh Wow!!!! Isn't that marvelous??? And so, I just had to stand there on the pier and continue taking their pictures 





Oh, look at this one!  They moved closer to one another, and seem to be having a conversation.  Probably talking about the crazy lady standing way down there on the pier watching them...

Then they moved together on the branch and seemed to enjoy being close together...perhaps this is their mating season?

Isn't that sweet????


And then they took off and soared above the lake, back and forth, calling each other and watching us...probably hoping we would give them some of our fish...


In seeking a scripture verse about eagles for this post, of course there was the most well known and beloved verse from Isaiah 40:31
"But those who wait on the Lord 
shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."

During these hectic and stressful days preceding the presidential election...those of us praying for our nation need to remember and heed the promises of this wonderfully encouraging message.  If we wait on the Lord...and put our trust in Him...He will renew our strength...give us the wings of eagles to soar above the cares of this old world. 

But I found another, perhaps less known set of verses that I found interesting and maybe even more pertinent to our current situation:

"And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying,
'Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, 
and tell the children of Israel: (and perhaps the children of America?)
'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians,
and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself.
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice 
and keep My covenant,
then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people;
for all the earth is Mine."
Exodus 19:3-5

Wow!...What a message to America indeed! Oh, how I pray that our people will truly obey the voice of God...and keep His covenant...and remember that we are a special treasure to God. I wonder if this is why the Bald Eagle is our National Bird?  Something to think about...

One more set of verses I found that spoke to me about how special the eagle must be to God. In the book of Revelation, chapter four, and particularly verses six through eight, we see a vision of the four living creatures who worship our Creator Who is sitting upon the throne.  Verse seven tells us

"The first living creature was like a lion, 
the second living creature like a calf,
the third living creature had a face like a man,
and fourth living creature was like a flying eagle."

Verse eight tells us that these four living creatures do not rest day or night, saying:

"Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!"

The Eagle is actually going to be represented in heaven in such a marvelous way...one of the four living creatures chosen by God to be encircling His throne night and day, calling out His praises and worshiping Him without hesitation or rest.  

Awesome! Now I really feel blessed by this special visit with the eagles! To think, these magnificent creatures are a part of God's eternal home...calling out day and night

"Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty, Who WAS, and IS, and Is to come!"  
I wonder if that is what these eagles were calling to each other as they flew around...and if they were sharing words of encouragement to us to keep looking up to God...don't lose hope...don't grow weary...God is bearing us up on Eagle's Wings...right up to the throne of God!!!

Whoa! How can we be discouraged, when God sends us such powerful messages each day through so many special messengers?  I wonder what God might be using to send you words of comfort and hope today?  Are you listening and watching for His messengers?  They could be soaring right above you right now! Keep your eyes on Him, and He will not fail you.




Do you know this little hymn?

ON EAGLE'S WINGS

by Michael Joncas

1. You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in his shadow for life, say to the Lord: "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!"

REFRAIN: 
And he will raise you up on eagle's wings, 
bear you on the breath of dawn, 
make you to shine like the sun, 
and hold you in the palm of his hand.

2. The snare of the fowler will never capture you, and famine will bring you no fear: under his wings your refuge, his faithfulness your shield. (REFRAIN)

3. For to his angels he's given a command to guard you in all of your ways; upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. (REFRAIN)

For previous posts regarding eagles: Click HERE,  And HERE

20 comments:

  1. Beautiful! Very inspiring post and how wonderful to have gotten such photos of those bald eagles.
    I am so glad you shared these.
    Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Annie. It was a real blessing...and surprise. We just never know what special things are out there waiting for us. I'm so glad I was there at the right time! God is good. May your weekend be blessed as well.

      Delete
  2. Great that you got to not only see the Eagles, Pam, but take photo's too.
    Have a blessed weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It truly was a joy and blessing! I was so surprised! I pray your weekend is filled with smiles and laughter with family and loved ones.

      Delete
  3. What wonderful photos! I've only seen a bald eagle in a wild life park. I love the scripture lesson about being on the wings of eagles that you have here. When I was a child, we vacationed at Lake George a few times.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was so surprised to also see the juvenile eagle...I've never seen them before. God is just full of surprises! Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

      Delete
  4. Oh, my, what an awesome blessing to get to see those eagles. I've only seen them at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge! I'm pretty sure I would have fallen into the water without handrails...that makes me a tad nervous to even look at the picture. :( I have way too many fears to even begin to list. LOL This statement you made really spoke to me "We've become friends who share our lives with each other with words of faith and encouragement along with our photos." That totally sums up our friendship with blogging friends. They are truly "REAL" friends. Thank you for sharing and for being so faithful to link up each week since we "met". ;-) HOPE you have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you again, Debbie, and especially for this wonderful anniversary event! I am so glad to count you and our other fellow Friday foto friends as friends indeed. This has been a blessing to me. I was getting discouraged with blogging and about to quit, but your special Friday gathering has restored my joy in this "ministry" to friends. God bless you!!

      Delete
  5. Fantastic photos of the eagles and fishing! Thanks for sharing Pamela. Have a day of blessings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Toni. It was a very special day. I hope your weekend is glorious! Loved your pictures today!

      Delete
  6. Oh sweet Pam, did you walk out on that pier??? I don't think I could have done it...I need rails to hold on too! Absolutely loved the eagles, they are so majestic. When He renews our strength we soar just like the eagles, that makes my heart happy. God surely has blessed this group of bloggers with a sweet friendship. He has touched our hearts and closed the miles between us. I love this phrase that Deb uses a lot...Ain't God Good? Oh yes He is!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Yes!! God IS SO good!!! And yes, I love this precious group of blogging friends. You have all brightened my days with your posts about your lives and neighborhood and families....makes me feel like we really know each other like old friends!!! So wonderful!!!! Thank you for being a part of my life! Such a blessing.

      Delete
  7. Wonderful photos of the eagles. They inspire me. I do remember the choir singing that hymn: Eagle's Wings. Really a great song. Thank you for the scripture passages. God holds us in the palm of His hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes, He holds us in the palm of His hand! What a wonderful place to be, safe from whatever this old world may throw at us. Thank you for being a part of our special friendship circle. God bless you always.

      Delete
  8. Such an inspiring post to read! I just LOVED your pictures of the eagles, I too could have cared less about fishing, with eagles to watch! Your photos of the eagles are amazing, especially considering you were way out on that pier with no handrails, oh my! Such a beautiful analogy and picture you drew of the love of the Lord too, and powerful scriptures that you shared. I also, like you, treasure the gift of friendships that are made throughout blogging, and am so happy our paths have crossed too! Hugs to you today :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't this grand???? I love knowing so many new friends in such interesting and beautiful places! Such a treat! So thankful for this gift of the internet that we are able to use for God's glory! Such a blessing!!!!

      Delete
  9. What a lovely way to praise our Lord!! Your photos are amazing and the scripture you found to describe your experience are perfect. As for that looonnnnggggg pier! I'm not afraid of water or of falling, but I sure would have tread softly on that dock! Wow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Terri! I am so glad you stopped by to visit today, now that you are safely back home. Yes, that loooooooonnnng pier had me watching my footsteps very carefully. The good news is, the water wasn't very deep. The bad news is there were alligators waiting just in case....

      Delete
  10. Your words and photos here, Pamela, made me feel as if I were soaring on the wings of eagles! Yes, I love how God sends messages, and sometimes messengers, to us when we open the eyes of our hearts to look. Thank you for this blessing today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it amazing how God speaks to us? He never ceases to amaze me at what limits He will go to reach His children. Thank you for your thoughts and visit today!

      Delete

Thank you for visiting here today. I would love for you to sign my guestbook and let me know you stopped by. I always enjoy reading your comments and words of encouragement! May you be blessed as you go on your way. Please come back and visit again soon.