Fly Like an Eagle

I begin this post with some humor.  I wanted to do a little message on Eagles and in my personal photo archive, I have no photos of such a great majestic bird.  Eagles are a rare spotting for me and whenever they do appear in the sky or in a tree, I am without my camera or they are too quick for me to take a shot (with a camera that is).   This was the next best thing……

Eastern Oregon Wild Turkey

Yes, we do have wild turkeys which populate our area in Eastern Oregon.   We had several small “gangs” roaming around the ranch.  They loved to come in the back yard during the waning days of Autumn and eat  apples on the ground that had fallen from the tree.  As soon as the apples disappeared, so did the turkeys, off to higher and more secluded ground for the winter.  I did a little research on turkeys.   Wild turkeys do fly, although their soaring stamina is in short bursts and don’t do altitude climbs so well.  Their tendency is to stay on or near the ground to feed and roost in trees at night.  They can also end up marinated in the oven or in a hunter’s crock-pot for a little turkey stew!

It may not be fair to compare a turkey with an eagle.  I could list all the differences but for this post, I'd like to just focus on Eagle wings which are wide, long and strong.   By using rising warm air currents called thermals, eagles can soar for hours, which helps conserve their energy particularly during long migration periods.  Information sites states that the top flight capability of a bald eagle can be up to 30,000 feet and most around 10,000 feet.

On  June 20, 1782, our Continental Congress adopted the bald eagle as our official national symbol after much debate among the members.  Thomas Jefferson jokingly suggested that the wild turkey should be chosen, but ultimately the symbolic power, strength and freedom associated with the bald eagle won out.
 

Here is a great song by the The River Boys which they did in 1991.  I typed out the lyrics so that you  can sing along with it....  makes you feel good and the tune is really catchy.  Remember that "Reach the end of time" is eternity....

The video is presented by Sami Traboulsi featuring The River Boys singing "Fly like an Eagle".
You can also view at this link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQC-_cGbp_A


Where the clear wind blows... Where the only freedom grows... And the Light  that you see... Shines  for you and me
That's where I'm gonna fly... Fly like an eagle in the sky... 
Over valleys in green... To the places no one's been... Ride the wind high and low...  Into the sunset flow.... Watch the clouds passing by... 
Fly like an eagle in the sky ...That's where I'm gonna fly....Fly like an eagle in the sky....
Fly into the air...   On the wave that takes you higher... See the pictures disappear... Until you reach...Reach the end of time... meet the end of time....see the end of time
Fly like an eagle in the sky...
Fly into the air...On the wave that takes you higher... See the pictures disappear... Until you reach... Reach the end of time... meet the end of time....see the end of time
Where the clear wind blows... Where the only freedom grows... And the Light  that you see ...Shines  for you and me
That's where I'm gonna fly... Fly like an eagle in the sky...
Watch the clouds passing by... 
Fly like an eagle in the sky ...That's where I'm gonna fly....Fly like an eagle in the sky....
Watch the clouds passing by... 
Fly like an eagle in the sky ....Fly like an eagle in the sky....

As we traverse through the currents of life, there are times the Light is obscured from our spiritual vision by the clouds and storms we pass through.  However, spiritually speaking, we are built with eagle’s wings to climb and soar, mindful that the Father of Lights is ever with us.  Warmed by His Presence and infused with His strength, we gain the stamina needed to break through and experience freedom from the difficulties that hold us back from joy and peace.  2012 was a difficult year for many people who had to face extreme hardships and heartaches that came their way.  May the days ahead in 2013  be of new beginnings and better times.

"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint".    Isaiah 40:31

To my family, friends and readers, and also to those who live outside of the United States who have tuned into my blog....   HAPPY NEW YEAR  from The Turn-up Patch and remember to fly like an eagle.   May the Father of Lights bless you abundantly.

To my Canadian friends and those in the United Kingdom....HAPPY NEW YEAR!
 

Denmark

Godt NytÅr

France

Bonne année

Germany

Ein glückliches neues Jahr

Philippines (Tagalog)

Manigong Bagong Taon

South Korea

Sehe Bokmanee Bateuseyo

Spain

Feliz año nuevo

The Infinite holding Infinity

Space has always been a wonder for me… both in the realm of its depth in beauty and its mystery.  Space is described in the dictionary as a region beyond earth’s atmosphere containing other planets, stars and galaxies.  It is also known as the heavens and skies or the cosmos in simple description.   In its complexity, there are solar systems within the universe, using such terminology as aerospace, interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic, to name a few.  There is another word called infinite  which aptly describes such an endless frontier of the unknown.  Today’s space technology has allowed us glimpses into such vastness through the Hubble telescope and NASA explorations. 

Improved technology in astronomy has allowed photographs showing breath-taking beauty in colored dimensions caused by cosmic energy, gases, gravitational fields, celestial planets, galaxies, not to mention our own stellar solar system.  The earth seen from space is like a beautiful blue and white marble, splendid in suspended aura,  pulsing with life and host to creation in many forms.

Space science is very busy trying to find the origin of the universe and to make conclusions as to where it all began and the “ending” of space.  Our Creator, the Father of Lights, is the beginning and the end... the Alpha and Omega.  I will say for Science, that the further it advances in discoveries, the more compatible findings are which line up with scripture written long ago. As an example;  there is a whole spectrum of ethereal sounds recorded by NASA.  Since the vacuum of space cannot transmit audible sounds, scientists have captured radio emissions and electromagnetic waves from other planets and stars and translated them into sound.   

Psalm 119 describes this dynamic.

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. (NIV)

I have a collection of images which I have saved from internet articles on space, planets, etc. provided by the Hubble Telescope and NASA satellites.  I chose a few and put them together in a photo slide show to emphasize how Great our God is.  The heavens truly are filled with His Glory.....

You can really be a star gazer if you see this in the enlarged view format.  Click on escape when finished.
The PhotoShow is entitled "The Star" and also can be viewed at this link:
http://www.photoshow.com/watch/BE4MJ6Sn

  

In Genesis 1, one of God’s first spoken commands was…”Let there be Light” and Light was formed and God saw that it (the Light) was good.  He began separating the Light from darkness and as it was in the beginning, God is still in the business today of separating Light from dark... which brings us to Christmas.

  Christ was born in the first century, yet He belongs to all centuries.

He was born a Jew, yet He belongs to all races.

He was born in Bethlehem, yet He belongs to all countries...

George W. Truett

Christmas celebrates a Divine Awakening, a saving grace, when penetrating Light enters mankind in the form of a baby boy birthed in Bethlehem - to a dying and tortured man hanging on the cross at Golgotha - to emerge in resurrection power out of a Jerusalem tomb as Jesus, the Light of the World. 

The Infinite holding Infinity

MERRY CHRISTMAS  from "The  Turn-Up Patch" 

Remembrance for Newtown, CT

Hello my dear family, friends, readers and from Eastern Oregon to Newtown, Connecticut....

I have just completed this message tonight (Saturday) which is being posted a little sooner than my usual Mondays.  It is important to acknowledge those who have lost their most treasured possessions this past week....  their children and loved ones in Newtown, Connecticut.  Twenty children and six adults were killed by a lone gunman at their Sandy Hook Elementary school. Actually 28 died when you include the gunman's mother and his own suicide. As I write this, on going investigations are still unfolding events as to the heroes at Sandy Hook and a deeper glimpse into the 20 year old shooter.  The names and profiles of the all those who were killed are now released; the children were 6 and 7 years of age, such tiny angels.

We are bound to one another as a community throughout the nation and the ripple effect of such loss is felt across the human soul in the face of such senseless tragedy.  Consolation seems impotent in its power compared to the magnitude of grief experienced in the broken hearts of affected families and friends. Particularly, this time of year.... Christmas!  Which speaks of joy and peace among men, and children eagerly anticipating the opening of gifts.  It is equally difficult because of a child's innocence and vulnerability in the face of such darkness that came upon them last Friday. We don't know the answer to 'Why God, why'?  But we do know that we live in a broken world and that the Father of Lights is here to help us pick up the pieces in whatever destructive circumstance has happened.  May His Son, the Light of the World, sustain and strengthen, infusing His warmth of love and comfort to the numb and shattered hearts in Newtown.

I found this song by Ricky Atkinson with it's beautiful and meaningful lyrics.  Collectively, we can all send this truth through our prayers and thoughts to Newtown's hurting people.  
Presented by Kwantum Productions, the link to this video is: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdymLSwTjAA 

Jesus Can

Ricky Atkinson/Ricky Atkinson Music/BMI

Verse 1
If I could I would take away the troubles
weighing heavy on your mind and in your life
If I could, I would wipe away the sorrows
that you feel deep down inside and make them mine
But there’s only just so much a friend indeed
Can help you through along the way
But I’m glad to say I know the One who will be there
To help you when you pray

Chorus
If I could I would take you by the hand
and lead you through this valley wide
And stand upon the mountain high
If I could I would walk across the burning desert sand
Restore your soul with sweeter water from a better land
But I’m sure that in my strongest hour
I still could not possess the power
To bring you through the raging fire you must withstand
But remember, Jesus can

Verse 2
If I could, I would wipe away the tears
that stain your pillow in the night and make it right
If I could, I would lift you up above the clouds
of doubt and fearful fright with all my might
But the truth remains the same,
Though I try my best, I’m still a man like you
But I’m glad to say I know the one
who will be there to help you make it through


Please join me next Monday, December 24th for my post entitled "The Infinite Holding Infinity".



 

The Significant Dragonfly

Welcome Back!    You may wonder why I begin this post about a dragonfly, but there is a reason behind it. Stay with me as we encounter this wonderful little insect who illustrates its own world in the cause and effect of change and light, which can be applied to our own.

On a warm sunny day, I noticed a dragonfly who had decided to visit my patch of the world and lit upon the deck railing to take a look around. I very quietly approached it with camera in hand. The little insect didn't seem apprehensive with my human invasion and spread out its wings even more as if posing to show off and display its colored transparency. My "new friend" stayed long enough for me to get my fill of camera shots and then quickly took to the air in a remarkable fashion with twists and turns, seemingly able to move in all directions at once.  It then hovered in front of me, as a stand-still airborne helicopter and then sped off in amazing speed to explore life elsewhere.

There is much to be said about dragonflies and I would encourage you to read up on these fascinating insects estimated to have been around for some 300 million years according to fossil records.  Symbolism and mythologies have been attached to the dragonfly, from the profound to the ridiculous.  The "dragon-fly" has been blamed negatively because of its name and superstitions.   If it had been called the "I-can-fly", it would be more accepted without misgivings.  A few facts about dragonflies:
-  Research finds they can be useful for the biological control of mosquitoes. Be grateful if you see dragonflies in your area.  They keep mosquito populations under strict control by feasting on them when they are in abundance.  Another name for the dragonfly is "Mosquito Hawk".
-  They're also fascinating, beautiful and quite harmless - they have no sting since they don't have stingers.  Their long, abdominal tail region has often been mistaken for a stinger but it is actually called a "clasper" since they use it for mating and egg laying. 
-   The dragonfly has two large eyes which have about 30,000 lenses giving a 360 degree visual field, extremely sensitive to movement and a contributing factor in their predator prowess.  There is behavioral evidence that dragonflies have color vision and are sensitive to polarized light.

What is interesting is that the dragonfly crosses and combines with that of the butterfly which represents 
change, renewal and new life.  As metamorphosis changes a cocooned caterpillar into an emerging butterfly, so does the dragonfly emerge out of an underwater nymph state, transformed into an iridescent dragonfly. 

  A dragonfly represents growth and change and are reminders that we are light and can 

reflect the light in powerful ways if we choose to do so.

The dragonfly exhibits iridescence on its body and both wings.  Iridescence is the ability of colors to change based on the reflection and refraction of light which puts on a show of color magic as they fly through the air.  Light is essential to the adult dragonfly.  Without light, it cannot fly and will land briefly even if a cloud passes by. 
It is said that the dragonfly lives life to its fullest.  It instinctively knows that its adult lifespan is short, only long enough to reproduce then they die off when winter arrives.  Since a dragonfly lives a short life, it knows it must live its life to the fullest with the short time it has - which is a lesson for all of us.  As the dragonfly represents change, growth and clarity in the deeper meaning of life, so does God's Light do the same for us in the epiphany of His abiding presence.

  

We are currently in the Advent Season of Christmas in celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Son of the Father of Lights.  "Let there be light" is the divine prompting to use as a force within your life.  It seems appropriate to conclude with this a song which, incidentally, is called 'Father of Lights'.   The beautiful lyrics can be an instrument of prayer in daily living and a reminder that He is but a breath away....
This YouTube video is presented by Galations5.   Music and song by Jesus Culture 

You can also view this video at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDy3oMPJ_RA

Join me on Monday, December 17th for next week's post. 

The Power of a Thankful Heart (Part 2)

Welcome Back to the Turn-Up Patch and Part 2 of "The Power of a Thankful Heart".  I am glad that you were able to join me in reflecting on the importance of thankfulness in our lives.

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.

Gratitude is...

a springboard to Hope

a lifeline in Faith

a leaven in Love

a gateway to Worship

                      -  Gratitude is a destroyer of negativity and a protection against spiritual heart failure.

                        -  Gratitude is a power to keep you from being carried away in fear and anxiety.

                        -  Gratitude consists of being more aware of what you have, than what you don't.

                        -  Gratitude keeps our hearts open and counteracts negativity and discouragement.

     
Thanksgiving is Thanks-Living 

Being thankful is healthy!  Research has shown that people who are thankful are happier and healthier. Some beneficial effects on the brain and the body:
                          -  experience a stronger immune system
                          -  maintaining healthier relationships; connects you with other people
                          -  have higher levels of enthusiasm, alertness, energy and determination
                          -  enjoy better sleep quality and longer duration of sleep
                          -  reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and depression
                          -  can cope better with stress and leads to a longer life

If the only prayer you say in your life is 'Thank You', that would suffice....  Meister Eckhart

- To say that we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great... it just means we
are AWARE OF OUR BLESSINGS.

- Being grateful is not talking about being thankful for  the "everything" that happens, but being thankful   
in spite of the "everything" that happens.  It changes the dynamics in how one feels in bad times and moves you to a greater joy in good times.   
- A grateful heart experiences Divine relationship.  This is the essence of gratitude in its purest form.  It is  
an example of Psalm 46:10..... "Be still and know that I AM GOD".

As an expression of Gratitude, may I suggest to you that before going to bed at night or first thing in the morning, write down 3 things (ordinary or extraordinary) that you are thankful for during that particular day for an extended period of time.  Studies reveal that those who continue this exercise even for one week straight can increase their happiness level.   I began doing this a short time ago and have personally discovered  more awareness of the simple daily things in my life that are blessings that I took for granted.

I would like to share with you a huge blessing, which happened the first of October in the photography sense.  We had some freezing night temperatures and the water sprinklers had been left on which produced ice in the fields where the water hit.  When I spotted the scene, I grabbed my camera before the morning sun had a chance to melt the ice.  The combination of pasture grass, weeds, fence posts, wire and wheel-line pipes made a dazzling display of God's elements of  water, sunlight and freezing temperatures.  The following PhotoShow cannot compare to the actual visual of this beautiful sight.  

I would encourage you to view in full screen to see the details of  "ice artistry" in its amazing creation.  When finished, you can hit the escape button to get out of the full screen image.
You can also view at this link:  http://www.photoshow.com/watch/nE3Nd3hT

Join me next Monday, December 10 and let's see what "turns up" for my next post.

"Beauty is everywhere, but one may see the beautiful view and the other sees a dirty window. You have the power within you to choose what you see, what you think".... Leanne Cadden