Cone Flowers

There are 9 species of cone flowers, I'm not sure what this one is. They have been used to heal saddle sores on horses and also used for snake bites. Because of their medical use they are dug up illegally. They grow well in the sun and also in dry rocky glaces. I got this bottom photo in  a rocky glade. 

Psalm 34:17,18 "The righteous cry, and the Lord hears

And delivers them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

And saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Father, guide me by Your Spirit to places of peace and rest. Let me see Your handiwork day by day. In Jesus name thanks.

Lilly Activity

Saturday I posted photos of a yellow Lilly in our backyard. God has created much  beauty.

But all is not as it looks. When I looked closer at the flower there were bugs there. Much activity was happening that was not apparent at a glance. The top photo shows an ant. Ants herd aphids and harvest them for food. The next photo was a bug maybe there to eat the leaves of the plant. And the bottom 2 photos was photos of a daddy long leg spider. He was there to catch other bugs.

Just as this flower had more going on than was apparent to the casual eye, so life has much going on that we miss if we aren't spiritually aware. 

1 Peter 5:8 "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

Father I look to you to guide me through this day to walk in victory. In Jesus name I thank you.

House Sparrow Egg

Found this House Sparrow bird egg on the driveway.

Yellow LIlly

I was sitting outside and my wife commented to me, "Look at this yellow Lilly. Flowers draw your attention and that is their purpose. They are attracting bees to pollinate them.

When I see a flower like this I think of new hope. A renewed chance and vibrant life.

Hosea 14:4,5 "Hosea 14:4-5
I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like the lily, And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon."

Bitternut Hickory with Sapings

Bitternut hickory with sucker saplings. The mowers let these saplings grow here. My guess is the area was not mowed for a while and then as the trees got bigger the mowers went around them.

Psalm 40:1-3 "I waited patiently for the Lord;

And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,

And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;

Many will see and fear

And will trust in the Lord."

Father you have delivered me and I rejoice. Thank you so much for life and purpose.

Thicket of Paw Paw trees

Here is a thicket of Paw Paws. They are in the foreground looking like a tall bush. Often they will spread from suckers growing from the roots. This is what this stand of trees seems to have done. There is a creek on the other side of this stand of trees.

This thicket of Paw Paws has been there for a while and I enjoy going by there to see them. A Paw Paw by itself would be hardly noticed but the thicket is noticeable.

Psalm 46:5-7
"God has ascended with a shout,
The Lord, with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
Sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with a skillful psalm."

Father, I praise you for Your work and life you show us and give us.

Reeds in Water

I wanted to get a photo of a Red winged black bird and I new these reeds were near a home supply store. So I brought my camera to find a bird after I shopped for what I needed.

Why these reeds? Red winged blackbirds feed around aquatic plants by probing with their bill at the base of the plants for insects.

There are places where Christians can find food for their spirits as well. Reading the Bible daily is a good way to feed your spirit. Going to church and fellowship with believers, worship and learning from the sermon are other was to learn.. Books have much knowledge as well. 

It is important to acknowledge that learning is not complete if we don't apply what we have been taught.

Father I want to seek you earnestly each day. Guide me by your Spirit to find the nourishment I need and ways to serve. Thank you Lord for your provision in Jesus name.

American Basswood

Basswood canopy.

The bark of the tree has straight grain.

The light colored leaves are part of the fruiting body. (from a different tree)

Basswood is used by wood carvers. It has other uses. Coffins, moulding trim wood, use for models because of the soft wood but also it does not show growth rings that would mar the purpose of the model. Indians would use it to make canoes.

I see Basswood as a type of Christian that is pliable in the hands of God to work for His purposes.

2 Timothy 2:21 "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work."

Roses

We went to a rose garden and got lots of photos of roses. It is a beautiful place and I enjoy going there every year. The abundance of beauty reminds me of the abundance God promises us.

John 10:10 " The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

Psalm 13:6 "I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me."

Psalm 116:7 "Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."

Psalm 119:17 "Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word."

Father, thank you for the abundance you promise us.
I will walk with You, for You provide for me. In Jesus name it's coming.

Shagbark Hickory

Looking up a Shagbark hickory bole I see a stately tree with distinctive bark.  The tree is always recognizable by its bark. The bud nut and leaves also will ID the tree but the first thing a person sees when they see this tree is the bark.;

Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) Nuts are editable with a sweet flavor. They are not commercial because of the unpredictability of the nut production from year to year. Also it takes a tree more years than normal to produce nuts.

Hickory wood is tough. Andrew Jackson our 7th president was called Hickory because of his toughness. His grave site was surrounded by a number of trees including 6 Shagbark hickory trees.

Just as hickory tress produce tough wood. the toughness of Christians comes from the trials they face. 

James 1:2-4 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Father allow me to become strong for you through the trials I face in my life. In Jesus name, thank you Jesus for doing this for me. 

Blue Eyed Mary (Collinsia verna Nutt.)

Returning from a 3 day seminar we stopped at a nature area to hike. The sky was cloudy and rain was forecast. We decided to hike anyway hoping to beat the rain. During the hike we found this impressive field of Blue Eyed Mary wild flowers. We were over half the way through the hike and it started to rain. Then the rain came down in buckets. It wasn't cold enough to bother us very much. When we got back to the car we changed clothes.

It was worth it to find these flowers and my wife was not bothered with the rain either. We had a good time.

I enjoy nature and the beauty it has. Sometimes you have to be willing to go through the elements to find God's creative handiwork.

It is the same with our walk with Jesus. Searching the Scriptures we will find many jewels that will give us strength when we push through to find them.

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know."

Tall Grass

Hiking after a lot of rain we came across this tall grass. This grass was 6' tall. I don't know how tall this grass normally grows but it sure is growing well now. Sun and rain give plants the ability to grow. 

It is the same with Christians. When we get enough of the Word of God and ministry of the Holy Spirit we are able to mature and grow as we serve others.

This grass will be gone in the fall, but God's word will stand.

Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."

Father help me to grow in your word that I might stand through the tests of life. In Jesus name, thank you for answering.

Red Winged Black Bird

This bird can be found along water areas or fields. I see it often atop cattails, trees or on telephone wires. The bird lives year abround in the United States 48 states except Montana. (It is in Montana in the Spring) 

The bird will cover its red and yellow feathers on its wing at times. The breeding population is down from 190 million in 1974 to 130 million in 2014. They prefer to feed off the ground and not on a feeder.

Males will spend a lot of time giving their call. I enjoy this bird for its color and unique call. A long call that is broken up by vibrating.

Open fields and water are where I can find this bird. I can find God by humbling my heart and reading the Bible and praying. Let us look to the Lord each day for our needs.

Psalm 17:6 "

I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech."

Lord I call to you for to help me to live for You today. Thank you Jesus, and in Jesus name I pray.

Fig and Fig Tree

A greenhouse we frequent has some fig trees growing inside the greenhouse. Missouri winters are way to cold for most fig trees, but with the proper variety and winter strategy they may be grown in zones 5 and 6. There is a Chicago variety planted in these zones.

Here are some fig facts:

Figs have the same amount of calcium as milk by volume.

Fig Newtons started in 1892.

Figs hold in moisture in baked goods keeping them fresher.

Figs need well drained soil to grow. They can grow in poor soils.

Just as figs need well drained soils to live. Christians need a heart that gives as well as one that receives. It is as we give that we grow. It is not our getting but our giving that brings us into abundance.

Deuteronomy 8:7-9 "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper."

Father give me the ability and willingness to give out to others. I don't want to just be a taker but also a giver. Thank you, In Jesus name it will happen.

Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves are also known as the Turtle Dove, American Mourning Dove or the Rain Dove, and was once known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove.

One thing I notice about Mourning doves is the way they walk. Their head bobs back and forth funny as they walk. For some reason their head is attached differently compare to other birds. Their head also is smaller for their body sized compared to other birds.

When they take off their wings create a whistling sound. They will swallow seeds keeping them in their esophagus called the crop. When they get to a place where they are safe, they finishing eating them. They eat up to 20% of their body weight a day. There are about 350 million of them in the United States. They can live in desert areas by being able to drink brackish water that is up to 50% of the salt content of the ocean.

As we follow Christ there will be times where our sustenance is scarce. It is in those times when we are famished in the spirit we are tried. Strength is built in those hard times and we become stronger because of them.

Psalm 42:1

 "As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So y soul pants for You,

O God."

Father, just as the Mourning Dove has the ability to survive where water is scarce, give me strength to thrive with You wherever I am. In Jesus name, it will happen.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum

The part that looks like the preacher is the slender stalk called the spadix. The tiny greenish yellow flowers grow in a club shaped spike on the upper part of the stalk. (from You Ask Andy.com)

This plant grows in woodlands from the Atlantic to Minnesota and down to Texas. It is poisonous.

We were walking in a nature area and had been talking to a person that was a missionary in South America. She later pointed out this plant to us. So I got some photos of it to post on here.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit seems to be inconspicuous to those who are not looking for it. There are many plants we don't recognize as different or valuable. That is the way it seems to be with receiving the word of God from preaching. People have abandoned the preaching of the gospel and going to meetings to be with other believers.

Hebrews 10:24,25 "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

It is encouraging to hear the Bible preached and to talk with other believers that are living the life we are living. Go to church or where other believers meet and encourage them and be encouraged by them and the word you hear preached.

Humming Bird

Caught this humming bird coming in for a drink. Setting the camera for continuous shooting the photos are about 1/2 second apart. When I saw the humming bird I just started shooting. The more I shoot the more the camera dials in the focus. So these 2 photos came out okay. The settings are 1/500 f6.3 ISO was set on auto and registered at ISO 2000 400mm lens.

The humming bird has a long beak to get nectar from flowers. Or sugar water from this humming bird feeder. 

The humming bird brain is 4.2% of its body. The largest of birds.

They don't use their beak like a straw but have hairs on the tip of their tongue to help them lap up nectar. 30% of their weight is made up of flight muscles.

The strength of a Christian comes from being with Jesus. Let us not neglect our devotion time, it is from these times with Him that will give us the strength to accomplish what we are called to do.

Acts 4:13 "Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus."

Common Grackle on a Mulberry Tree

This was a little early to be eating these mulberries. But if they like to eat them at this stage there is more than an abundance to eat.

Here the sun causes the iridescent feathers to shine.

Looking at all this fruit reminds me of God's promise to take care of the birds. 

Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?"

Matthew 10:29  "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father."

Let us be sure that the abundance that the Common Grackle is living in right now is available for us also as we walk with God.

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Finch

Got this photo of a Indigo Bunting at a nature area bird feeder. A colorful bird which stands out among the common birds. Shot info 1/500 f/6.3 ISO 2000 400mm lens Canon T3

An attitude of joy stands out among people. Jesus gives us the reason for joy. He said in His word these things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation but be of good courage, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 Our joy flows from the understanding of God working in our life in the midst of chaos the world gives.

The wise men rejoiced with great joy when they saw the star Matthew 2:10 This star was direction for them to find the Christ child. God's direction will give us joy as we see a way through the darkness.

Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrhonota)

Saw these Cliff Swallows under a bridge that we were walking by. I was looking for photos of flooding but the creek I was at was handling the rain well.

These birds build nest under bridges along creeks. I suppose in nature they build under natural cliffs. They catch bugs by flying just over the water, sometimes even picking up the bugs off the water. They also fly above the water 10 to 20 feet or more in the air. It is fun to watch them make a 45 degree turn for a bug.

Some swallows lay eggs in other nests they did not build. These same birds will lay eggs in their own nests. The foster mother will sit on all the eggs whether they are hers or another birds. 

The Cliff Swallow winters in Paraguay and SE Brazil. 

Cave Swallows look similar but have a more brownish forehead, while the Cliff Swallow has a more light colored. Cave Swallows are rare in the Midwest US. Cave Swallows have a range in southern Texas and Mexico.

Psalm 84:3 "The bird also has found a house,

And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,

Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,

My King and my God."

The psalmist (the sons of Korah)  is jealous of the swallow that has access to the courts of the Lord and builds its nest there. God has now given us access to His presence by faith in prayer and meditation of Scriptures.

Crab Apple Tree Flower Buds & Flowers

Above is the flower buds of a Crab Apple tree. Below is the tree in full bloom. A Red Bud tree is in the background.

Close up of Crab Apple tree flowers.

The leaves form before the flowers bloom. Usually this happens the other way.

Just as we enjoy God's creative work with flowers like these. God also has great things in store for us as we follow Him. Don't fear what God will do. Realize that what He has for us is far greater than we could do for ourselves.

1 Corinthians 2:9 - "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

Congestion

Bird feeder is taken by the Common Grackle while the house sparrow must come back latter.

Has there been times when you looked to gain insight from the Bible but could not find any? Many distractions have hindered you. The phone rings. There is  a problem with the car that needs to be fixed. A problem came up at work and you must spend extra time to solve it.

Set aside some time to seek the Lord and read from the Bible.. Turn everything off make seeking the Lord a priority. Press into the answer and you will not be disappointed.

Psalm 63:1 "O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water."

Wasp / Yellow Jackets

We were walking in the park last summer and I saw this pile of dirt that seemed out of place so I headed over there to see what was up. When I got close I saw that is was a hornets nest.

I didn't stay close for long. I felt it best to keep away. 

Proverbs 22:3  "The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it."

Northern Parula (Parula americana) Warbler

I saw this bird landing at different places before it landed here. This is a male, the female does not have the black neck band. Their range is more to the south then up in western Missouri.

When I first saw the bird I thought it was a wren. The size being small like a wren. I had a 75mm to 300mm zoom lens on my camera. The shot was an f5 1/400 sec. at 230 mm ISO was set at auto and registered 400. We were sitting at a lookout over a creek and had been talking for more than 5 minutes. It was a cloudy day but not hot at all. There had been some rain the day before so the trails were muddy but we were walking on a paved trail.

To see a bird like this is a treat for me for I don't find many birds in the summer woods up till now. I hope to find more birds in the summer as I sit listening, watching and waiting. I not only wait for birds but also the Lord as He will speak to my inner ear. It is not so much that God speaks but that I hear what I have been learning from the Bible.

To hear what I have been learning from the Bible is a funny statement. Jesus said many times, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. We at times hear but don't receive what we hear. Why? Because it is not what we want to hear. But God's ways are different then our ways. So as I listen, I learn from my errors to turn towards God and follow the direction I receive from Him.

"I will stand on my guard post and station my self on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me,
And how I may reply when I am reproved." Habakkuk 2:1

I have questions to ask God and my heart is at times troubled. As I wait for Him, He will direct me in the right way. When I discern His direction I will be encouraged. Each time I hear I am energized.