Dashed Hopes Rise Again

All that hooplah, excitement and happy hopes about the expectant bird...fell to the ground, literally, a few days after I wrote about it. 

On the 12th day (Sunday) I checked the nest. This is what I saw...

Only one egg! What happened??

  I looked around on the ground and finally saw this...

which really made me sad.

The next day I checked the nest...

Where did the other egg go?? I have no idea. Someone suggested that sparrows may have done some of this but I think it was something a little bit bigger to be able to haul it out of the nest, don't you?

 

And then...

...a few days later I noticed that a sabiá was flying in and out of a tree just outside my bedroom window. I checked and, sure enough, she had made a nest. This might in fact be the same one that made the first nest. One reason I think so is that this one also lets me get pretty near the nest, like she's used to "the lady with the camera". 

She makes a hiding "wall" with her tail. Beautiful detail (no pun intended)!

Ever the watchful eye.

As soon as she gave me a chance, I took a picture to see how many eggs there were.

Once again, there were two. So beautiful. So perfect.

 

 About 3 days later I checked again and....

...there were three eggs! Hey, that momma means business.

And so do does this one. I plan to do all I can to help protect these beautiful creations of His.

That includes shooing away the sparrows...hawks...whatever and whoever is her enemy.

 

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

(Proverbs 13:12)

 

Expectant Mother

No, of course, I'm not talking about me, not even about any of our daughters. It's about a Sabiá (same genus as the American Robin), a bird who made a nest in a planter on an outside wall. The Sabiá is Brazil's national bird. Here she is about a month ago. I suppose she was trying to come up with her nest-building plans...

I kind of forgot about her but three weeks later I suddenly noticed the nest. She apparently thought there wasn't enough decoration there so she added a long, dry stick! Fortunately, the succulent plants there don't need much watering!

At this point, there were no eggs there yet. But in just a couple days I was rewarded with the sight of two perfectly beautiful ones, light blue with spots of brown.

 

It has been rather like seeing a new flower bloom...I can't stop taking pictures! "Sabbie" looks so cute and content there in her nest. And daddy helps, too, I discovered one day. I just don't know which is which. They take turns setting on the eggs. Never mind that the encyclopedea says that only the female does that!

A side view. Notice how she always keeps her eyes on me...

 At first, she would fly away when I got about 2 meters from the nest. Now she lets me get a little bit closer (although I take these pictures with zoom). I'm wondering, though, if she'll begin to attack me when the babies hatch. We shall see!

So it's been about 10 days since I first saw the eggs although I don't know exactly when they were laid. But since they are supposed to take 13 days to hatch, I should be seeing these new babies in not more than 3 days!

Ahh! God's creation is marvelous and truly deserves our admiration and praise.

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

(Psalm 9:1)

Looking, Listening And Learning

In recent weeks I have done alot of this. In my alone time as I've looked out my window, many little things of God's creation are brought to my attention. My feelings and thoughts are numerous as I stop and look...and listen to Him, for the lessons are many that His creation brings to me.

Flowers and birds, trees and clouds, light and shadow, sunshine and rain...they all remind me of His promises and truths, teaching me things I need to know, blessing me with pure joy. Here are some of the scenes seen from my windows during the month of September. Some are not clear because of that reason (taken through the glass and also from a distance).

Be still, and know that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen,

I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

God Of Heaven

Words and Music by Heather Sorenson

 

Great Creator, Master of all nature.
Who gives birth to snow from heaven,
Holds the waves at ocean's edge,
Gives the orders to the morning,
Shows each dawn its place to shine?

God of Heaven, God of all the earth and sky.

God of Ages, God who wrote the Book of Time.
Sovereign Ruler, Alpha and Omega.
Saints before, He's guided safely.
History's pages signed by Him.
Author of our days and hours; 
Things to come are held secure.
God of Ages, Alpha and Omega.

God of Power!  God who breaks the darkness.
Righteous Warrior, Champion of His children,
Goes before us into battle;
Good and evil bow to Him,
Those in bondage freed forever,
Victories won at  His command!

God who heals us, God who gives us peace and hope.
God who listens, Carries all our fragile
Dreams and heartaches, wins and failures;
Binds the broken; hides the weak.
New beginnings freely offered;
Who can make us whole again?
God who heals us, God of Power,
God of Ages, God of Heaven,
God of all the earth and sky.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136:26)

How Beautiful Your Songs Of Praise

A beautiful song to listen to...


 ...while you browse through these photos of beautiful birds and blooms we saw on our recent anniversary trip.

 

 

 

Psalm 139

Here is some music (It Is Well With My Soul) to listen to as you read Psalm 139 below it.



1O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me.
² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, 
   Thou understandest my thought afar off.
³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down,
   and art acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, 
  but, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether.
⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before,
  and laid Thine hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
  it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
⁷ Whither shall I go from Thy spirit?
  or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?
⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there:
  if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning,
  and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
¹⁰ Even there shall Thy hand lead me,
   and Thy right hand shall hold me.
¹¹ If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me;
    even the night shall be light about me.
¹² Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee;
    but the night shineth as the day: the darkness
    and the light are both alike to Thee.
¹³ For Thou hast possessed my reins:
   Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I will praise thee;
   for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
   marvellous are Thy works;
   and that my soul knoweth right well.
¹⁵ My substance was not hid from Thee,
   when I was made in secret,
   and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect;
   and in Thy book all my members were written,
   which in continuance were fashioned,
   when as yet there was none of them.
¹⁷ How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!
   how great is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I should count them, they are more in number
   than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee.
¹⁹ Surely Thou wilt slay the wicked, O God:
   depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
²⁰ For they speak against Thee wickedly,
   and Thine enemies take Thy name in vain.
²¹ Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee?
   and am not I grieved with those
   that rise up against Thee?
²² I hate them with perfect hatred:
   I count them mine enemies.
²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart:
   try me, and know my thoughts:
²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.