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Tag Archives: hummingbirds

A Time to Uproot

15 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by edithhucks in Faith, growth, Prayer, Renewal, Scripture, Uncategorized

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acorns, annuals, apple picking, autumn, distractions, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, football games, hummingbirds, perennials, pumpkins, social media, squirrels, uproot

fall-clip-art-th    Autumn begins officially on September 22nd this year. We think of cooler temperatures, football games, and colored leaves. It’s also time for apple picking, pumpkins, and harvesting the last crops in our gardens. Gardeners among us need to uproot annuals that are starting to look tired after blooming all summer long. Their beauty11949861411952951849tree_whit_fruits_01-svg-thumb is fading and we are anxious to replace them with chrysanthymums and other hardy fall favorites. The days are growing shorter and the nights are lengthening. We make preparations for these changes and so do the animals. Squirrels are gathering acorns, birds are again frequenting feeders and hummingbirds are readying for their departure to their winter home.

As I read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 this morning, I focused on the line “a time to plant and a time to uproot.” Spring is the time to plant and look forward to the rebirth of favorite trees and perennials. What was once brown begins to show signs of life. In autumn the opposite occurs. Grass is beginning to wither and crops like corn and soybean are drying in the fields. Soon they will be uprooted and the fields will lay bare. Maybe it’s time we uprooted the unnecessary things in our lives. Perhaps we need to do some “autumn cleaning.” I need to spend more time in scripture, more time listening to Christian music, and more time reaching out to others. I first need to weed out the interruptions that I allow to consume my waking hours. That means less time on social media and less time “relaxing” with television programs and secular music. Join me as I uproot the distractions and spendicon029 more time with the Lord. How can I hear Him when I’m occupied with frivolous activities? Yes, it’s time to uproot and plan more time with God.

 

Time to Uproot!

18 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by edithhucks in Cleansing and Renewal, Creation, Encouragement, growth, Prayer

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acorns, autumn, Goodwill, hibiscus, hummingbirds, Master Gardener, mountain spider lilies, prayer life, seasonal change, Serenity Prayer, squirrels, time, uprooting

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot

Autumn is almost upon us. We mark the beginning as next Wednesday, September 23rd, but God’s creatures are already preparing for the change. The garden on the side of my house has lost its summer glow. The mountain spider lilies were reduced to bare stalks as were the perennial hibiscus. The leaves have fallen from the Japanese quince, and acorns are falling from the oaks. It was time to pull the bare stalks yesterday and gather the last seeds for planting in the spring. The hummingbirds are active as they prepare to depart for their winter home. It’s a sad time in some ways, a time to say goodbye or uproot, but there’s always the promise of next year. God is in control and life will go on as He planned.

As I worked in the garden yesterday, I couldn’t help but think of the things we need to uproot in our lives. Squirrels are storing nuts to carry them through the winter. What am I doing personally in this time of uprooting? Perhaps, no, not perhaps, but certainly, it is time for me to do some uprooting. Time to get rid of the dead things in my life like time wasted being concerned with things outside of my control (remember the Serenity Prayer!), clothes that might be donated to Goodwill as well as books and “treasures” that would bring a smile to someone else, a fresh look at my devotional and prayer time, and so much more. Time to prepare my heart for what God has in store for me in the next season. Time to stop resisting change and let the Master Gardener do His work in me. Help me clean up my life, dear Lord, and prepare for the next season You have planned in my life!

Conquer Your Fear!

17 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by edithhucks in Faith, God's love

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Encouragement, Fear, hummingbirds, Scripture

Hummingbirds are one of my favorite visitors to our yard! Each spring I can hardly wait to have them reappear. We live in a secluded area surrounded by woodland both at our home in Conway, SC and at our cabin in Glade Valley, NC. Both sites are frequented by hummingbirds and I thank God for their presence. I’ve spent quite a bit of time observing them and am amazed by their fearless nature. Other birds will wait for me to leave the bird feeders before they reappear to feed. Not so for hummingbirds! We have wild blueberry bushes that tower seven to eight feet tall within twenty feet of our front porch. I keep a feeder hanging high in one of these bushes and believe the hummers have a nest nearby, but I have not yet been blessed by finding it. The little fellows raise a ruckus when I take the feeder down to clean and start “dive bombing” when I return to rehang it. They show no fear even though they are so tiny. When blueberries ripen, I’ve had the thrill of having one touch my hair to check things out. They act as though I’m invisible and come to feed no matter what I am doing. One year I had on a bright pink T shirt, and one dear little guy flew right up to me to check it out. I can’t help to be amused by their happy chittering and carefree attitude.

I must admit I envy their lack of fear. At one time I was afraid of having birds near me. This was probably related to an ornery parakeet I had while growing up. Jackie would try to peck at me when I cleaned his cage or refilled his treat cups. He would even grab the edge of the little feeder fighting with me as I tried to remove it. His curved beak looked dangerous to me as a child and I carried this fear into adulthood. When I moved to the country, I decided to get some biddies one spring and forced myself to put my hand in and let them peck at me. As they grew, my fear lessened and then it totally disappeared. I gave myself credit for overcoming my fear of birds, and I beg your forgiveness and the Lord’s. My faith in God was quite weak at this point in my life and so I gave myself all the credit.

As my faith has grown, so has my acknowledgement of His Hand in my life. Now I rely on His guidance and give Him the credit for my success or progress in all areas. I still have times, of course, when I get rattled or shaken by unsettling events. BUT now I have God to rescue me from any and all fears. I just need to collect myself enough to lay my fear at His feet and leave it there!

As I began seriously studying the Bible, I discovered it has over 365 references relating to fear. The Lord knows our weakness and has provided abundantly for us. We can study a verse for each day in the year. If we repeatedly go to His Word and find solace there, we will gain encouragement and the strength, through Him and Him alone, to overcome any and all fears this world can present. I don’t know how unbelievers survive. How can they deal with illness, pain, abuse, bullying, gossip and other worldly Goliaths without the Lord to strengthen them? With God at our side, we are invincible and as fearless as the little hummingbirds. Fear evaporates as we speak with the Lord and rely on Him to heal us. His ears are always open and He hears our pain. He is the great Healer and He can calm our fears if we let Him. Rest in His arms and rely on His Word for the nourishment we need to survive in this world. Just as the hummingbird soaks up the nectar from flowers and feeders, we need to soak up the sweet flavor of His love from Scripture. Not sure where to go in the Word? Don’t fret! Check a concordance or use a search engine to check out “scriptures about fear.” Conquer your fear by holding on to His Hand, praying for His guidance (remember the Holy Spirit lives within you), and researching His Word for sustenance! He will never leave or forsake you!

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