Wednesday Treasures...Little Things

 This morning my thought was that I would blog about something called "it's the little things...",  and it was prompted by this:

We had stopped by our community grocery store on our way home from our morning walk.  Just wanted to pick up a few things like some fresh produce and milk.  Not everyone likes our community grocery store...they say it's too expensive or that too often things just aren't that "fresh".  True, their prices can be more than what I might pay at a store in the city 15 miles away or at Walmart, but when I don't want to travel 15 miles to buy groceries it is worth it to me to shop local. And I know what to look for and what actually is sometimes a better price than what I can get in town...and then there's the fact that today, Wednesday, is also Senior Discount Day...and if you are "old enough", you get a 5% discount on all your groceries...which is a nice perk.  And then recently they started doing this...

Free bag of popcorn, one per customer!

It was just the right amount to make me smile all the way home as I munched on it and felt like I was a kid at the movies or somewhere else fun!  It's the "little things" that make me smile.

After our last post about rainy days, etc., I was saying how much we needed rain, and another nice little surprise was a thunderstorm this evening...

These were the clouds just prior to the heavens opening up and pouring down on us with wild abandon!

I stepped out on the back porch to enjoy the sights and sounds of the rain pounding on the metal roof...

Still Waters Pond was singing in the rain...I am quite sure I heard it saying "Thank You, Lord, for this wonderful storm!"

However, just about this time I saw lightning and then heard the thunder pretty close after, so I jumped back inside just in time!

The only thing I don't like about this storm was that it was much too short, but we will be thankful for what we got and pray that the drought is broken and perhaps now we will get back into our normal summer afternoon rainstorm pattern.

I was hoping to see those Black Bellied Whistling Ducks come back with the rain, but so far no sign of them. I still haven't heard them whistle. I do hope they will come back so I can listen for them. 

We did see this what I think must be a young Great Blue Heron...why? because it just seems so much smaller than what we usually have, but anyway, it flew in for a while looking for food yesterday.  The pond is getting so dry that it had to land further out to get where there was more water and fish. Hopefully today's rain will help bring the pond back up to a better level.

This Red Shouldered Hawk continues his watchful vigil for any available prey out there on Still Waters Pond or in the surrounding trees.  He still makes his presence known when any human steps out and invades his territory.  

Hello!!! I see you looking at me!

However, I do have some sad news to report.  Lately we have noticed that our Sand Hill Crane family seems to be missing one of the colts.  At first I thought and hoped that maybe it was just slow about keeping up with the family and would soon show up in the yard with them, but it's been a few days now and they are definitely just a family of three...

This is the one remaining Colt, either George or Abe, I don't know which.

Normally the family sticks together for about 10 months, and the colts don't usually start flying until they are 3 months old, which won't be until later this month.

One of the parents.

Mother and Colt...I'll say it is Abe. It makes me really sad. The only thing we can figure is that the colt may have been hit by a car, as they often are seen crossing the roads rather slowly, and sadly they blend in too much with the background and motorists often cannot see them until it is too late to stop.  Yes, it makes me sad, but I have to accept the fact that it is nature, and life can be pretty dangerous for our "wild kingdom" here amongst the human kingdom. They have passed the age of being so vulnerable to other "wild predators", at least here where we live.  So most likely it was a road accident.

Anyway, life goes on and the family continues their daily routine of foraging for food all around the neighborhood and then often settling in for the night out here on the little marsh island of the pond, where they feel safest.

Psalm 4:8 NKJV

8 "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

Here is something special...the song we sang Sunday Morning, 

Isaiah 6:8 KJV

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? 

Then said I, Here am I; send me.

(just a note, the song was recorded last week at our rehearsal. The song is at the very beginning of the video. The sermon is actually from 2023. The Pastor had been unable to record a new message last week due to illness, so that is why he says it is 2023 when he starts his message. Didn't want to confuse anyone!)

Here I am, Lord, Is it I, Lord?

Lyrics

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in dark and sin

My hand will save.

I, who made the stars of night,

I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord,

if you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people's pain.

I have wept for love of them.

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

Give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my word to them.

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord,

if you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,

I will tend the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them.

My hand will save.

Finest bread I will provide

Till their hearts be satisfied.

I will give my life to them.

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord,

if you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Dan Schutte

Here I Am, Lord lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

I don't know about you, but I cannot sing a song like this, and particularly this song, without almost breaking down in tears.  Throughout our years of serving the Lord in the ministry, there would often be a time when God would speak to me through such a song of commitment, and it often seemed as though it was not long before He would be giving us a new assignment or asking us to take a bigger step of faith.  Now we are retired, and we thought we were settled down for the duration...but once you have made a commitment to take up the cross of Christ and follow Him, anything can happen at any time. We just always need to be ready for whatever "orders" He may give.  Sometimes I've found it is just a test to see if we are serious about our calling...and once God sees that we are still willing to follow Him, He often says "thank you, but just be faithful right where you are."  The title of my blog, Closed Doors, Open Windows, was born out of just that kind of life's mission.  Sometimes God closes doors, and sometimes He opens another window of opportunity.  The main thing is to be ready, no matter what our age or station in life.  Until He calls us home to heaven, we are still His servants to do as He commands.

Here I am, Lord.

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord,

if you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.

Just some food for thought tonight.  Perhaps God is calling you in the night as well...will you go, if He leads you?  

Good night my friends...keep your ears open and your heart ready for action.