Our Thanksgiving Gift - Revisited from 2014

I originally shared this post in 2014, just six months after our son Matthew had passed away and we were "celebrating" (if you can call it that) our first Thanksgiving without him. Although we didn't often actually spend Thanksgiving together because he and his family lived in Maine, and we live in Florida, but it was just the fact that he was no longer there for us to call or talk to or look forward to seeing here on earth ever again.  So you can imagine how we were feeling as we approached the holiday season that year...a little empty and sad and not really in a celebratory mood.  And then this happened:

Original Post written 11/27/2014:

Just as our family was gathering together to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast, this lovely, regal creature, an American Bald Eagle, flew into a nearby treetop to bless us with his presence. Actually there were two of them, but this one stayed long enough for me to get a few pictures.

It is not very often that we have an opportunity to witness such a magnificent bird up close.  I was awestruck by his beauty and majestic bearing. I was also somewhat comforted by his presence. There was something about this unusual encounter that brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face.

All week long I have been trying NOT to think about the fact that this week marks the sixth month since our son Matthew passed away.(Click HERE for more about that).  It isn't so much the fact that this is Thanksgiving, the first significant holiday since he left us for heaven...primarily because we really have not celebrated Thanksgiving with Matthew and his family very often due to the fact that they lived so far away from us and we had more family here near us that we usually spent this day with.  It's actually just the reality that he has been gone for six months...and there are times that I find myself thinking that it still can't be true.  There are moments when I still feel like I should be able to pick up the phone and call him and hear his voice...and sometimes the longing to do that gets to me.

So anyway, today I was trying not to think about the fact that our family pictures will never be complete again...and our Thanksgiving table will never be completely full...and there will always be someone very dear missing from our family gatherings no matter how many people are there...or how many months may go by...our son's sweet presence will never be physically with us again.

Then this eagle flew in and just sat there for a spell.  That was pretty significant if you ask me. Sometimes God knows how to send us little love messages from heaven.  He knows how to reach us and give the comfort we need at a tender moment.

I like that He chose an eagle to show us His love today.

"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."

Isaiah 40:31  

Have you ever sung this song?

"On Eagle's Wings"

by Michael Joncas

"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!"

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.

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.

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night
Nor the arrow that flies by day
Though thousands fall about you
Near you it shall not come.

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.

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.

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand..."

This was an unexpected blessing for our Thanksgiving day. God knows exactly what we need.

How about you? What unexpected blessings have you experienced this Thanksgiving...or this past week? Has God gone out of His way to show you He is always thinking about you, and that He loves you so much that He would go to extra lengths to show you just how much?  Think about it. I'll bet you could come up with something if you try.

"And God will raise you up on eagle's wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine as the sun, and hold you in the palm of His hand."

Back to the present...November 23, 2021:     As we anticipate Thanksgiving this week, I am sure there are some of you who are going to experience a difficult day...many have suffered great loss in the past year  or two and this may be the first Thanksgiving without a significant loved one in your life.  I pray that God will show you His unfailing love and compassion as He bears you up on eagle's wings and carries you through the sorrow and trying times ahead.  May you feel His divine Presence in your heart and life, and know that He is holding you in the palm of His hand...and that your loved one is safe in the heavenly home God has prepared for him/her.  Be watching for those little signs and blessings that God may send your way to show you He is there for you.  Amen. and God Bless you, my friends.  

Eagles and Sparrows...A Little Journey

Happy Sunday!  I hope you are having a marvelous day today! It's been a beautiful day here in our neck of the woods so far.  First I would like to share some pictures from a ride we took yesterday that were especially meaningful.

As we were enjoying a leisurely Saturday morning drive on a particularly lovely, cool autumn day, we passed by some open fields, and suddenly I noticed in the tip top of a dead tree in the middle of the field these two amazing Bald Eagles, sitting there as pretty as you please, as if to say, "Why don't you tell your husband to pull off the road and stop the car immediately so you can take pictures of us before we fly away!"  Which of course I did exactly that.  Poor hubby had to find a place to pull over because there were cars behind us, and then do a u-turn in the middle of the two lane road on a curve so he could go back to where these eagles were perched high in that tree, so that I could get out safely and take their picture. What a great guy!

Thankfully the eagles sat right there just as pretty as you please, waiting for me to climb across the grassy shoulder of the road to get a little better vantage point.

I love they way they posed for me, giving me both profile views.

Also another car pulled off the road not far from us and took a few pictures also. Others driving by were definitely looking to see what the excitement was about. I'm glad no one had a collision in the process. Thankfully it's not a real busy road.

I took as many pictures as I could manage. Thankfully my batteries were working.

The sun was bright, but still the pictures are good enough for you to see how beautiful these magnificent creatures are.

Suddenly, without me realizing it because I was so busy trying to focus and shoot pictures, I realized that one of the eagles had flown away. I looked up and around and couldn't see him anywhere.

So before this one decided to fly away too we decided we had taken enough pictures, and got back in the car, did another u-turn to get back in the direction in which we were originally headed, and took off.

Although I could not get a picture of it, as we drove down the road I looked up in the sky in front of us, and there was that eagle flying high above us and in front of us, as if leading the way. I actually hung my head out the window and tried to get a picture as we drove down the road (imagine that picture, if you can), but he flew up and too far above and away before I could get a shot. So my hubby told me to get my head (and camera) back inside the window and behave before something crazy happened, like me falling out of the window or something. (I'm not that crazy...but you never know).

What a wonderful surprise to find these marvelous eagles! And even greater to have that one eagle soaring up above us and leading the way, as if he wanted us to know he was there especially for us!

I just found these Bible verses that I had not noticed before, and I thought they went along with this particular experience in a way:

Exodus 19:3-5

3.  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: 

4.  'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.

5.  '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..."

Even though this was spoken to the children of Israel, I feel like it is also a message for us here in America today, and even to us as individuals. If we will indeed hear and obey God's voice and keep His covenant, then we will be a special treasure to Him.  

With this election looming and so much at stake in our nation's freedoms and even the very sanctity of life...it is clearly something for us to consider.

Now back to our little ride in the country.  As we continued on up the road, I asked my husband if he would consider stopping at another place that has some very special memories for our family.  He was apparently in a very cooperative mood, because he actually agreed to make another stop. (This doesn't always happen, friend, trust me! LOL)  And so, when we saw this sign I asked him to please turn in.

Now you may wonder the significance of this place, and so I will tell you.

You can click HERE  for their website and more information.

We pulled in and took some pictures around the campground, this one being the most significant:

This was the giant slide going down into the lake. Looks like a lot of fun!

Yes, I was feeling a little crazy...thought I'd climb up and slide...well, not really...I wasn't exactly dressed for it, but if I were, I would have...maybe, but not that day. It was only about 66 degrees...

That big trampoline in the water looks like fun too. I may just have to go back up and play some day.

Looking back at the camp and that cross again:

This is just one of the dorms for campers. I liked that it had a lakeview and some rockers and chairs on the porch.

The reason this place is significant to me is that many years ago when our three sons were little, our church children went to this camp for summer camp.  Now, as I said, our boys were young, maybe 12, 11, and 7 or thereabouts, and anyway, they had never all been away from home at the same time before, and especially not the "baby", who was just finishing 1st or 2nd grade. At first my hubby and I thought it would be kind of "fun" to have the house to ourselves and spend some time alone without the kids. But after about the 2nd or 3rd day I was going a little crazy, missing the noise of the kids in the house, and especially worrying about our youngest, who was used to me singing songs with him at bedtime, saying prayers, and then he'd sleep with his teddy bear. I just knew he was missing us so much and probably couldn't sleep and that we'd probably get a phone call mid week asking us to come pick him up.  But no phone call ever came, and my empty nest syndrome was kicking in full blast.  By the time Saturday morning came when we were supposed to go pick them up at camp, I was fit to be tied with worry and missing them, and couldn't get there fast enough.  So you can imagine how I felt when we drove up to the camp and parked our car, and saw the boys come running toward us from the cafeteria.  I was so happy to see them and see how much they missed us written all over their faces...well, maybe not.  Our "baby" came running up to us and gleefully yelled out, 

"Hi Mom, Hi Dad! Can I stay another week?"

Of course I immediately responded a loud resounding, "NO!"  I couldn't believe my ears or eyes...my "baby" hadn't missed me at all! He hadn't missed his teddy bear or my goodnight songs and kisses and prayers...he wanted to stay at camp another week!! After I got over my shock and we gathered up all their dirty clothes and got them all safely back into our car and headed home, we listened to story after story of what a great week it had been and how much they loved it and how much they all wanted to come back again next year, on and on and on.  

I guess I really was happy and relieved that it had been a wonderful experience for them, but it was the beginning of the realization to me that our kids are not our own...they belong to God, and He may have plans for their lives that don't always include us as their parents. Yes, our boys did go back to other camps in the future...not that particular one because we moved away from that area the next year, but they continued to have happy camping experiences all the way through their school years, with our oldest son even working at a camp all summer one year. I guess they kind of took after me, because I loved going to camp and was a camp counselor after high school one summer. And actually, quite a few years later I actually came back to this particular camp as a counselor with our youth group from a church where my husband was the pastor. I spent that entire week participating in all the camp activities with the kids, doing the obstacle course, playing the games, swimming in the lake, as well as leading them in nightly devotions and making sure the campers obeyed all the rules. It was a very rewarding and exhausting experience for me, one I will never forget.  So this little jaunt into visit the campground again held many many memories. I hope you enjoyed the trip.

Now, for today's message, and the Praise Team singing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" , click on this video below.  I hope you will enjoy the music as well as our Pastor's message from I Peter 4:12-19.

His Eye is On The Sparrow

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,

And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,

When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

Just a Closer Walk With Thee

 Good Sunday Morning everyone! I know, it's afternoon by now...I'm a little late getting here, but I've been to church and "brunch" with our church friends, and have had my little nap, and now am ready to visit with you for a spell.  Does anyone else take a Sunday afternoon nap? Just wondering...of course for some of us it's just par for the course for the whole week...I would have done real well living in the Latin American countries where an afternoon "siesta" is a normal part of every day.  LOL.

If you've enjoyed listening to our Sunday morning worship services, here is the link for today's message, preceded by the Praise Team singing "Just A Closer Walk With Thee".  Won't you join in and sing along?

1 I am weak but Thou art strong;

Jesus, keep me from all wrong;

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Refrain:

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

2 Thro' this world of toil and snares,

If I falter, Lord, who cares?

Who with me my burden shares?

None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee. 

[Refrain]

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

3 When my feeble life is o'er,

Time for me will be no more;

Guide me gently, safely o'er

To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore. 

[Refrain]

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

During these difficult days I find that it is really important to walk closely with the Lord. We start our day out with a daily devotional reading and reading from the Scriptures. We pray before each meal and again at bedtime, not to mention quick little prayers throughout the day as we see needs to pray for friends, loved ones, and even people that we don't know that we hear about who need prayer. We often talk about our relationship with the Lord here and on Facebook, or even in personal conversations with friends or family.  When I see the turmoil and daily crises that people are enduring in the world, I wonder how they can survive without a close walk with the Lord. I know when we've gone through difficult times in life, it was our relationship with Jesus Christ that carried us through and gave us strength to keep going.

Here is one of my most favorite passages in the Bible, which has been a constant source of encouragement especially when feeling weary:

Isaiah 40:28-31 NKJV

28 "Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

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."

(this is a photo from an old post, which you can read at the following link:

https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-thanksgiving-gift.html )

I hope you are enjoying a beautiful "SONday", and that you are taking that "closer walk with Thee" every day.  It will make your walk through this life ever so much better.

Shout Joyfully!

Psalm 98:4-7

4.  "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;

Break forth in song, rejoice, 

and sing praises.

5.  Sing to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and the sound of a psalm,

6.  With trumpets and the sound of a horn;

Shout joyfully before the Lord,

the King."

These lovely Cardinals and this Red Bellied Woodpecker (below) gave me much joy to see today!

This woodpecker is really giving me a close look!

And yes, there were a couple of Canadian Geese here again, quite close to shore, wading around and looking for their breakfast:

But here's what really brought a "joyful shout" from my lips!  I was busily watching the cardinal in the tree in front of me, when I heard this shrill cry in the sky, and I looked up, and at first I thought it was just a buzzard, but then when I looked closer, and the sun shone on that white head and tail feathers,  soaring high above me, was this beautiful eagle!!! 

  I am so thankful that I looked up in time to see him, and that he circled around again so that I could get two pictures of him before he flew out of sight.

Isaiah 40: 25-31

25.  "To whom then will you liken Me, 

or to whom shall I be equal?"

says the Holy One.

26.  Lift up your eyes on high, 

and see who has created these things,

Who brings out their host by number;

He calls them all by name.,

By the greatness of His might

and the strength of His power;

Not one is missing.

27.  Why do you say, O Jacob,

and speak, O Israel;

'My way is hidden from the Lord,

And my just claim is passed over by my God"?

28.  Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the LORD,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29.  He gives power to the weak, 

and to those who have no might He increases strength.

30.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

and the young men shall utterly fall.

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."

I don't know about you, but these verses from Isaiah always give me such comfort and encouragement.  Whenever I am feeling weak and weary, God sends along His "eagle's wings" to lift me up and carry me, until my strength is renewed.

Hear what God said to Moses to tell the children of Israel:

Exodus 19:3-5

3.  "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:

4.  "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself."

5.  "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."

We are seeing things happening in our nation and world right now that give us great concern. We are proud of our President, and his courage to stand strong against our enemies.  But we may have some anxieties over what the overall outcome of such action might be.  However, when I read these verses above in Exodus, especially verse 4, I am encouraged to know that just as God bore His beloved Israel on eagles' wings and brought them to Himself, I believe He will do the same for His beloved children who have been adopted into His family through the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. I believe that we, who are a part of the "Bride of Christ", are also a special treasure to Him, and all the earth belongs to God, and we need not fear what man will do to us. Those "eagles' wings" are still there for us, ready to bear us up and give us strength and carry us directly to God Himself. 

Therefore:

 "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;

Break forth in song, rejoice, 

and sing praises."

Psalm 98:7-9

7.  "Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell in it;

8.  Let the rivers clap their hands;

let the hills be joyful together before the Lord,

9.  "For He is coming to judge the earth,

with righteousness He shall judge the world,

and the peoples with equity."

So let us sing and shout joyfully to the Lord...because the "Judge of the all the earth will do right"...(see Genesis 18:25)

Click HERE for another post about "On Eagle's Wings"

I Will Rise - A Morning Meditation

This morning as I took an early walk, I headed to my favorite spot in the neighborhood...you guessed it, the little pond around the corner from our house.  It was another foggy morning and I knew it would be a beautiful time to spend with the Lord as the sun rose above the waters.  What I didn't know was that one of the nearby neighbors had left their radio playing loudly when they went back home from their weekend at their cottage.  Thankfully, they left it tuned into a Christian radio station, and when I stepped onto the dock, this is the song that was playing:

What a perfect background music for my morning meditation with the Lord:

I Will Rise

Chris Tomlin

There's a peace I've come to know

Though my heart and flesh may fail

There's an anchor for my soul

I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome

And the grave is overwhelmed

The victory is won

He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name

No more sorrow, no more pain

I will rise on eagles' wings

Before my God fall on my knees

And rise

I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near

When this darkness breaks to light

And the shadows disappear

And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome

And the grave is overwhelmed

The victory is won

He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name

No more sorrow, no more pain

I will rise on eagles' wings

Before my God fall on my knees

And rise

I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,

"Worthy is the Lamb"

And I hear the cry of every longing heart,

"Worthy is the Lamb"

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,

"Worthy is the Lamb"

And I hear the cry of every longing heart,

"Worthy is the Lamb"

And I will rise when He calls my name

No more sorrow, no more pain

I will rise on eagles' wings

Before my God fall on my knees

And rise

I will rise

I hope you enjoyed this morning meditation. It was really a special time with the Lord  for me.  Praying it was also meaningful to you.

 (Note: The Eagle and "Angel Cloud" pictures are from previous posts in the past, but I thought the pictures fit the message.  All other pictures are from this morning's meditation on the dock)