Each little flower that opens …….

Following on from my last post featuring the hymn “All things bright and beautiful”- we started with the refrain and this is actually the first verse.

Each little flower that opens

Each little bird that sings

God made their glowing colors

God made their tiny wings.

I have no idea what the name of this flower is. If you know – let me know. I am not a gardener rather I’m a writer and lover of God’s creation. I took the photo because I felt it as beautiful.

This little guy has the most beautiful birdsong, besides being very cute. We will overlook his rather garish habits with how he hangs his kills – butcher by name, butcher by nature.

This beautiful feathered friend is a Rainbow Lorikeet. His coloring is brilliant and he loves nectar. When in the company of his flock they are very noisy and quite boisterous.

An Australian Black Swan and her babies. We rarely see cygnets on this side of the Great Lake. And as swans are so very shy even walking near the lake’s edge will send them paddling out in the lake – so I took this photo from the back balcony of my home using a 500mm lens. She looks rather proud of her two babies.

Coming up next time – Verse 2 of this very special hymn.

Blessings,

Marilyn

All things bright and beautiful....take the time to look around you.

One of my favourite Sunday School hymns was “All things bright and beautiful”. I think I loved  it so, because it spoke of things I could understand, things I could see – beautiful things – our hearts are created to love God’s Creation.

The story goes this simple little hymn was first published in 1848 in a collection of hymns designed to raise money for the deaf and dumb, and was written by Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-95), wife to the Archbishop of Armagh and Protestant Primate of Ireland.

sited 23/6/2016: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3668059/The-story-behind-the-hymn.html

So I thought I would translate it into images starting with verse one.

       The Eastern Rosella is one of the prettiest and most colourful birds found on the east coast of Australia… and on the Quiet Side of the Great Lake. Our bird bath gets a lot of use, by a variety of birds, large and small. Some who drink and others who take a bath! It looks like on the day I took this shot, there had been many birds through as there is little water left.

       One Pelican and a jetty full of Black Cormorants and one Seagull – all happy to share.

I don’t know if this Tawny Frogmouth is as wise as he looks. But there is something intense about the owl variety. They appear to be deep thinkers.

When I see a rainbow I think of God and His many promises.

Verse 2 coming next post.

Blessings,

Marilyn

“The Lord your God will never fail you or abandon you.”

We have a term on the east coast of Australia that I only remember being used in recent times. Because it is associated with gale force winds and heavy rainfall that lashes the coast its name alone strikes fear in people’s hearts. It’s called the “East Coast Low”. On the Great Lake the wind direction with this weather pattern prevents the flow of water in the lake escaping to the sea, thus we sit and watch the water rise and pray against flooding.

This time before the rain began the flocks of swans that reside around the Quiet Side gathered on the lakeshore.

They appeared confused, settling in a number of flocks along our shoreline then paddling out into the lake a little way, but then returning as though they were waiting for something.

When the rain began in earnest and the winds blew they remained there in a tight bunch – united against the elements.

And days later when the rain stopped and the lake flooded up to our back fence, they remained, enjoying their private pools of water. Like sentinels they seemed to guard us for those few days. In the stillness of twilight  their soft musical calls filled us with joy and hope. What a gift from God!

Through this whole episode I felt a peace that wouldn’t be flooded. Looking back it reminds me of God’s promise:

“…be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic… For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  (Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT)

Blessings,

Marilyn

Let us love one another, for love is from God..1 John 4:7 (ESV)

My last book, “Showdown in the Umbrella Tree” saw the humour in the rivalry between the nectar loving birds on the Quiet Side of the Great Lake. Such was the drama (in the story) that the Great Creator Himself had to intervene. In the end the lorikeets and the noisy miners learned to love and respect each other.

Setting the background:

The Rainbow Lorikeets (above) and Noisy Miners (below) cause havoc when the spikes of red buds ripen in the umbrella trees. Both are native birds to Australia, both love nectar.

The little Noisy Miners could possibly be considered ugly. They don’t have the brilliant colours of the parrots, but they make up for their lack of beauty in personality. Even we humans tend to favour those who are more beautiful. Praise God, He looks at the heart!

These little birds give us lots of entertainment. They’ve taught their families to swim in our bird bath and our swimming pool. One little guy in particular is more adventurous than the others. In my book I named him Neville. He dives from our clothesline into our bird bath, not once but over and over. As a result we need to keep it topped up with water. Our little Neville is hilarious and provides us with endless entertainment.

The lorikeets are inclined to be boisterous and even bullies, even with each other! They are all intent on getting what they want, so they cause hullabaloo in the umbrella tree. Sadly humans are not much better when we see footage of New Year Sales with people running everywhere snatching what they can from tables and even other people.

So with the history of the two varieties of birds I had to laugh when I edited this photo. We have a neighbour who occasionally puts out sweet treats for the lorikeets. Here the lorikeet troops appear to be rallied, and their leader sits above giving instructions.

But look closely, and there on the railing second from the right is a little Noisy Miner – ‘hopeful Harry’ or rather ‘hopeful Neville’ – he looks as though he is thinking if he keeps a low profile no one will notice him, and he will get some of the treats.  The lorikeets appear to be accepting, perhaps they learned a lesson from my story?

Perhaps it’s a reminder for us too.

Let us love one another, for love is from God..1 John 4:7 (ESV)

Blessings,

Marilyn

Note: Photos are all the work of the author exception being banner background and flag which are from Graphic Stock.com

Yes, there is a Quiet Side of the Great Lake.

When I set out to create the Tales from a Lake series, I decided its setting would reflect the glory of God. It would be a beautiful and peaceful place as the people and the birds and animals in the stories would live in harmony with one another. The Quiet Side would be a place of healing, an enchanting and mystical place which has been blessed with vibrant colour and splendour by the touch of its Creator.

Here are some of the images and scriptures that motivated the setting.

Let the skies sing for joy! Let the earth join in the chorus. Let oceans thunder and fields echo this ecstatic praise until every swaying tree of every forest joins in, lifting up their songs of joyous praise to him!  (Psalm 96:11-12 The Passion Translation)

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What a heavenly home God has set for the sun, shining in the superdome of the sky! See how he leaves his celestial chamber each morning, radiant as a bridegroom ready for his wedding, like a day-breaking champion eager to run his course. (Psalm 19:5 The Passion Translation)

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You made the moon to mark the months and the sun to measure the days. (Psalm 104:19 The Passion Translation)

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He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:2-3 New King James Version)

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         He has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11 New King James Version)

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Everything I am will praise and bless the Lord! O Lord, my God, your greatness takes my breath away, overwhelming me by your majesty, beauty, and splendor! (Psalm 104:1 The Passion Translation)

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You wrap yourself with a shimmering, glistening light. You wear sunshine like a garment of glory. (Psalm 104:2 The Passion Translation)

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ADDIT: The photos posted on this blog are the work of the author and are all taken from the banks of Tuggerah Lake on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. A truly beautiful place.

Blessings,

Marilyn