Tag Archives: stars

Caring for young

Posted in Birds, Family, My thoughts, Nature by

The gulls have reared their young and have gone fishing in the Irish Sea. They are doing what they were born to do.

There are threats from our neighbours. They want to cover over our chimney so the gulls won’t nest there next year. What excitement we would miss.

The behaviour of the mother gull to defend her young has spoken to me this summer. She stood watch over her young for hours, days and weeks until they were fully grown.

She dived down to anyone whom she thought was a threat. As parents do we fiercely attack anything or person that may attack our young? We have spent hours, days, nights, months and years caring for our young; keeping watch, feeding and helping them do what they were born to do.

In the my experience growing up in the country in Ireland, extended family and community helped each other. There were Godly values we adhered to.

Nowadays having a big family is frowned upon. The world offers pills and abortions to get rid of children you didn’t plan for. Doctors get paid extra to sterilise and remove wombs. The parents are left to rear their family themselves. Self control is needed to look after our young. One can’t be selfish. Is there anyone to help?

Children are for life not just as cuddly babies. They turn into rebellious teenagers who can’t wait to be adult and get away from the ones who reared them.
No wonder some parents are perplexed and in despair.

I take hope in the Word of God. It tells me your work will be rewarded. God who made the heavens and the earth said he would care for me.

Isaiah 45 v 12
I am the one who made the earth and created people to live in it. With my hand I stretched out the heavens. All the millions of stars are at my command.
46 v 3
I created you and cared for you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime until your hair is white with age.

It is so good to trust in the God who made the heavens and the earth . Even the birds of the air speak to us about him.

The Harvest Moon

Posted in Family Friday, Holiday, My thoughts, Nations, Nature by

Deuteronomy 4:19 says

When you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

This week I had the privilege of seeing the Harvest Moon rise over the city of Zakynthos. At Bohali above the city, the moon appeared over the horizon as a red glowing ball. It rose high in the sky giving light to the sea and land below.

I reflected that everyone on the earth can see the moon at some stage in twenty four hours. How amazing is this spectacular view of the Harvest Moon all over the world. All the nations can see God’s handiwork. He made it all.

God who made the Moon and Stars cares for You

Posted in Cancer, Healing, My thoughts by

I looked out the window this morning.  It was still dark with the bright moon high in the sky and a star above it.  
I was reading Psalm 8 later.  This is what I read.

O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? (‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭1, 3-4‬ NLT)

The God of heaven who put the moon in place cares about me and you this morning.  He keeps all things in place.  The sun is not falling out of the sky.

A headline in the BBC News caught my attention yesterday.  A telescope has discovered new planets.
I quote from News.com.au, Science, Space.

“Three new planets, roughly the size of Earth, have been found in the ‘not too hot, not too cold — just right’ zone around their stars, significantly boosting the numbers of potentially habitable worlds.
And one of them may potentially be the most Earth-like yet discovered.
NASA’s Kepler mission early this morning made the announcement at a presentation marking the discovery of its 1000th exoplanet — the name given to worlds found orbiting stars other than our own. The results will soon be published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Each result from the planet-hunting Kepler mission’s treasure trove of data takes us another step closer to answering the question of whether we are alone in the Universe,” said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission.”

Man is discovering how vast the universe is.  But let man look for the One beyond the heavens.  He created the universe and there is no God like him.  He created us and cares for us.  He made himself know through Jesus his son who came on earth as a baby.  We just celebrated his birth at Christmas time.

All Christians pray the prayer Jesus taught us, “The Our Father.”
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be your name.

That means to thank God, honor him for who he is, praise him and magnify his works.  

I declare that God made the sun, moon and stars and all the universe, whether discovered or not yet discovered.  He is God yet he cares for mankind.

As I read about Moses, Daniel and other bible characters when they prayed they praised and magnified God for his power and works in creation first of all.  Then they asked for God to intervene in the difficult situations they found themselves.
I have discovered as I lift my eyes off my immediate circumstances and look up to God and magnify his works and power, then I find my worries seem small and He can take care of them and answer my prayer.

As I magnified who God is he reached down and touched me and delivered me from Malignant last stage Bowel Cancer

what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? (‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭1, 3-4‬ NLT)

Inspiration as I Look at The Moon

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nations, Nature, Prayer by

I awoke early.  I looked up in the sky.  There was a sliver of the moon shining brightly.  The dark arc shaped outline across the moon is the shadow of the earth.

“Have you not known? have you not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches  out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:”  ( Isaiah 40 v 21 22 KJV)

In warmer countries people sit outdoors in the cool of the evening.  They would be aware of the changes in the moon each month.  The moon is visible to all nations all over the world.  Looking at creation has inspired scientists and writers to do their work.  They would have wondered why is there changes in the moon?

There was debate among Christian scientists in earlier centuries.  Some thought the earth was flat.  But this line in the bible “He sits on the circle of the earth” gives us a clue that the earth is round.  Columbus set sail on the sea.  If the earth was round he expected to come back to where he set off.

The moon is made up of material that reflects light.  The sun shining on the moon gives it light. The earth blocks some of this light when it is positioned between the sun and the moon.  This happens during each month.  We can see the arc of the edge of the earth on the moon another sign that the earth is a circle.

As I looked at the sky I began to worship God who created the sun, the moon and the stars when I remembered these scriptures.  This morning I can see part of the circle of the earth on the moon.

I was reading the story of Jonah this week.  He disobeyed God and got on a boat.
A storm hit the boat.  Here is what it says.

“Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.
But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”
Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit.
“Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?”
Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.  Then he told them he was running away from The Lord..”   (‭Jonah‬ ‭1‬:‭5-9‬ NLT)

Jonah identified himself as one who worships the God of heaven.

I am so encouraged that people from many nations read my blog.  The moon that is shining on you, shines on me here in Ireland.  I encourage you to look up at the moon and watch the changes each month.  Look beyond the moon to The Lord who made the it.  He knows all about you.  You cannot hide from him like Jonah tried to do.
Call out to the God of heaven and his son Jesus and he will deliver you.

The Glory of God in Creation

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

imageI have been living in the country these last eight months.  I have the joy of seeing the clear night sky at times.  I can see the Milky Way, like a whisp of light across the sky.  The stars shine brightly, when there is no moon or clouds.  Last weekend the full moon rose in the east and circled high in the sky and set in the west in the morning.  It was very bright outside at night. The area where we live is called Bright.  I wonder why?

With the full moon comes high tides.  I went down to the local beach.  The water was still.  It rippled and lapped gently on the sand.  Another evening I could hear the roar of the sea as there was a strong wind blowing.  What a variety in nature all around me.  No day Is the same.   I am reading the bible of creation.

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, and what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.  Hebrews 11 v 3

We went out for dinner with our daughter recently.  She drove along carefully as it was dark, raining and windy. We ran for cover into the restaurant.  Half and hour later I stepped outside to take a phone call.  It had stopped raining and there was no wind.  On the way home later there was a clear sky.   I was able to show my daughter the stars.  It is true what they say about Ireland, “Wait a while and the weather will change.”

I have seen a few rainbows recently.  There are dark clouds with rain in one part of the sky, and the sun shining in another part.  An ideal situation for a bright rainbow.  The rainbow is a sign in the sky of God’s presence.  He put the rainbow in the sky for Noah, as a sign of his covenant that he would not flood the earth again.

Over and over God says in his Word He is the one who made the heavens and the seas.  As I am experiencing the changes in the heavens and the seas so close at hand, my heart overflows with praise to The Lord.  I believe in the God who made the heavens and the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (‭Psalm‬ ‭19‬:‭1-4‬ NIV)

Dare to believe in God.  It pleases God when we believe.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/trio-4/

The God who made the Stars is a Nurse!

Posted in Healing, Ireland, My thoughts, Nature by

There has been a full moon and a clear sky these past few nights in Bright where I live in Ireland.
I look up at the stars and I am amazed that God called each one by name.

He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.
Job 9 v 9

King David looked up at the stars as well and wrote

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” (‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3-4‬ NLT)

God cares for the individual.  Even though he is Mighty he reaches down to our level to touch us.

In another Psalm it is written

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!”
Psalm 147

Why is healing mentioned alongside the stars?

The God, who made the stars for everyone to see everywhere on the earth, is the one who heals the broken hearted and binds up our wounds.  

When anyone anywhere looks up at the sky and sees the stars he can be encouraged that the God who made them, will heal his diseases and heal his broken heart and care for him.

I was reading in God’s word that God cares for us like a gentle flowing stream.
“My care for the people of Judah is like the gently flowing waters of Shiloah.”
Isaiah 8 v 8

When I was in hospital waiting to through a long operation I read this word from the Bible.

The LORD nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. (‭Psalms‬ ‭41‬:‭3‬ NLT)

I took great comfort from this word and as a result I went into the operation without fear. God brought me through the operation safely and I was restored to full health.

Everyone wants to be in good health. You can have good health by trusting in Jesus. He will restore you to health when you are sick.

What a mighty God yet he will nurse us back to health.

It Is Well With My Soul

Posted in Healing, My thoughts, Nature, Prayer by

It is well with my soul.

I wanted to relax earlier so I looked to see if there was anything interesting on TV.
I flicked from channel to channel.  A game show, a food programme and a dance show.
My eyes, ears and mind were bombarded with advertisements, bodies gyrating and loud music.
No definitely not relaxing.
I turned the machine off.
Then I got a call on my mobile.  I was talking for some time.
I began to get a headache.
Is this mobile frying my brain?
I wonder what neuroscientists think of that.
If I take a call again it will have to be on my house phone.
How could I relax?
I retreated to my room.
The room lit up.
The sun shone in the living room window giving warmth and brightness.
The sheep grazed in the field across the way, enjoying the warmth on their backs before sunset.
There was stillness in the air.
Be still and know that I am God.
I began to relax.
My eyes soaked up the light and beauty of the green trees and pastures.
My ears are enjoyed the stillness and my mind did not have to work.
This was better than any TV programme, beauty massage, or therapy session.
The trumpet flowers turn towards the evening light.
image
It was such a beautiful evening Brendan and I went out to the local beach.
The sun was going down.
The sea was calm with a gentle ripple lapping the shore.
A bird called in the distance.
A heron stood motionless on the water’s edge, eyes concentrating.
Seals froliced in the shallow water, a little exercise before bedtime.
Children’s voices echoed across the water from the nearby caravan site.
Making memories before holidays are over and school days loom on the horizon.
There is time for everything under heaven.
We returned home.
We looked up into the moonless sky.
There was an extravaganza of stars and the mist of the Milky Way.
The Lord put on a show for me this evening.
I will magnify my creator and my God.
God made all these things for us to enjoy.
I cannot but praise him.

What is man that thou art mindful of him?
The son of man that you care for him?  Psalm 8 v 4

I see the Stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul my saviour God to thee.
How great thou art, How great thou art.

Lyrics from Hymn How Great thou art.

It is well with my soul.