So, yes, Christmas is very much on my heart and mind...almost to a fault...keeping me awake at night and anxious by day. I don't think Jesus intended it to be that way, do you? So, before I share my pictures from my morning walk with you let us just pause and focus on Christ, the reason for Christmas, the reason for joy, the reason for hope, the reason for LIFE!
There, I feel comforted and strengthened now...just breathing in Christ and His peace...and breathing out His praise. Thank You, Jesus, for coming to earth, seeking me out, and saving my soul. Blessed Jesus. Amen.
Now, here's what I saw this morning on my walk...
For those of you who may not recognize this creature, this is a Pileated Woodpecker, way up on the top of an old dead tree...searching for his morning breakfast and surveying the world around him...
Isn't he handsome?
Then, on my way back down the road, he had moved over to this other tree, and was way out on a little limb...gathering berries for his breakfast....
This is one determined woodpecker!!
I was thanking the Lord for allowing me the privilege of witnessing His creation at work...praising Him for the beauty surrounding me...and the little gifts He bestows along our pathway.
This was a sweet gift to me today...I consider these little blessings gifts from God, because He IS the One Who created and provided it for me to enjoy. So I wanted to share it with you, so you could enjoy this little blessing today as well.
May you each have a blessed and joyous Christmas with your loved ones and friends near. And, if perhaps your loved ones and friends can't be near, then take notice of the special blessings the Lord sends your way to brighten your day. You may be surprised at what you will discover!
Merry Christmas everyone!!
That bird is spectacular! You snapped some amazing pictures of him!!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!!!!
Thank you Mary! I am glad that you enjoyed Mr. Pileated Woodpecker! They are very interesting birds to watch! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!
DeleteWoody Woodpecker!! You know I love your nature pictures!! Yes, we all need to stop the busyness and focus on the true meaning of Christmas. The most important gift is not wrapped in pretty paper, the most precious gift is LOVE. Stop and love those around you, enjoy spending time with loved ones and always, always praise the One who was born to save us from our sins. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteAmen! LOVE is the greatest gift of all! Love came down at Christmas and continues to envelop us in God's warm embrace. Thank you for this reminder to love those around us...even some who may seem "unlovable". Jesus came for them too!!!
DeleteHi Pamela! I always enjoy your beautiful nature photos. Thank you for such a lovely Christmas post too. Here's wishing you and yours a very Blessed and Joyous Christmas my friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you Toni! I am glad you enjoyed Mr. Woodpecker! Just another of God's wonderful gifts to us to enjoy! Blessed Christmas to you and yours!!
DeleteWow! Wow! Wow! You captured that most elusive bird, the Pileated, perfectly, Pamela! Oh, my photographer husband would be so jealous. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing God's creation with us.
Have a Joyous and Blessed Christmas!
Oh thank you Martha Jane! Tell your photographer husband that he can come find this elusive bird most anytime down here where I live. You just have to go out at the right times to catch them...but they are very active around here, as we live in the forest and there are many trees full of bugs for them to feast upon! May you have a joyous and Blessed Christmas as well!!
DeleteBeautiful bird! And great photos. Thank you for the reminder of how our minds should be focused this season. I feel like in a coping mode right now but I'm trying to focus on the blessing of this season and our Savior.
ReplyDeleteThank you Melanie. I know you have your hands full and your mind full of caring for your mother now, even though she is not at home with you, I know she is never far from your thoughts. We are praying for you during this difficult time...praying that God will bless you with peace and rest.
DeleteYour beautiful woodpecker is just as 'Christmasy' as any manger scene! I love Jesus with all my heart but I just don't understand the 'one day' that people worship Him. So, I don't do 'typical' Christmas stuff and don't feel bad about it at all since I'm grateful 365 days a year. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally understand...we should and do worship God every day...and I see His hand in so many things around me all the time...which always makes me thankful and full of praise. But we still do the typical Christmas stuff too, because it is a meaningful time to set aside and remember what He did for us when He left the splendor of heaven to come to earth, seeking for lost sinners! However, I'd like to dispense with all the stress around Christmas shopping, etc. I could definitely do without that! Merry Christmas! I'm glad you enjoyed Mr. Woodpecker! He sure made me smile today!
DeleteWhat a wonderful photo series. We don't get pileated but I love watching the downy woodpeckers at our feeding station as they peek from side to side of the branches; always on the lookout.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Blessings to you as we celebrate the season and all through the year.
Thank you Gayle...so glad you enjoyed seeing Mr. Pileated Woodpecker! Yes, I love all different varieties of woodpeckers. We have a some downy here, but not too many...at least that I get to see. They stay up in the trees more than at my feeders. We get the red bellied woodpeckers more. Such fun. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
DeleteI love your bird! Very nice. Thanks for sharing this nice pictures.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed Mr. Pileated Woodpecker! He's pretty special, I think! Hope you have had a blessed Christmas!
DeletePam,
ReplyDeleteWow! What amazing photos of the woodpecker (some how I knew it right away...just not specifically the kind of woodpecker). :) God's creativity is awe-inspiring! Thank you for consistently reminding us to remember the Reason for the Season!
Merry Christmas!
Thank you Kim! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas celebrating Jesus! Yes, God's creativity never ceases to amaze me! So many ways I can't count them!
DeleteThat bird is HUGE and beautiful. What great pics you got of him. I love how God sends us those special blessings even in the form of a bird. Merry Christmas, sweet Lady!
ReplyDeleteGod knows how to get our attention in a million different ways! We just need to be paying attention!
DeleteThe woodpecker was really posing for the camera! It always thrills me to see one of these with his red head. (As long as he's not pecking on the gutter next to my bedroom window LOL) Have a Christmas filled with the joy of the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the woodpecker on the gutter! One tried to peck on our front porch posts one day...I shooed him away (after I took his picture!)...and yes, he has pecked on the gutter too. sometimes I wonder about their brains...too much hammering has dulled their senses! LOL
DeletePam. Thank you for sharing these pics with us. We had one visit our backyard almost six years ago. We had a stump that our woodpecker leveled off for us and didn't leave any sign of where the tree had been except for a dip in the ground. Since then we had another tree taken out but, alas, the woodpecker has not returned. We had a nice Christmas. Son home until sometime tomorrow. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteSo happy you have had a wonderful Christmas with your son home. That is always a blessing! Amazing what woodpeckers can do to tree stumps in no time at all! They are quite industrious! But so much fun to watch!
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