Saturday, September 25, 2010

His Eye is on the Sparrow.

Post 704 ~~ Saturday, 25th September, 2010.

Hello Everyone ~~ i hope all is well with you and your families and life is
good. I am doing OK and enjoying the nicer days. I am able to leave the
doors open these days which is nice. It still needs to get a little warmer
for my liking to shed all the winter clothes. But not TOO hot, as it will.

I have had more visitors ~~ I had 4 cousins visit one day. They brought
me flowers from my cousin's casket. She was cremated later, and her
brother and his wife distributed the flowers among us. Nice thought. And
it is always nice to see them as well as Gordon and Phyll and to hear about
the service, as I was unable to go.

Then my son Geoff met his daughter Michelle and boyfriend, Ryan at 1 a.m.
on Monday - home from their overseas trip They started in England and
travelled to France, Ireland and Wales - Turkey for ANZAC day. Then to
Austria, Italy and Dubai. Then home. As Ryan's parents live in a nearby
town, Geoff drove them up to visit, me, then them and to get Ryan's car
etc. It was lovely to see them, and I forgot to take a photo. Darn.

First item tonight was sent by another cousin. Thank you Jenny.
It is called "His Eye is on the Sparrow."

Here a female mate is injured and the condition is soon fatal. She was hit
by a car as she swooped low across the road.



Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.


He tried to move her . . . a rarely seen effort for swallows.


Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again.
He cries with adoring love.


He stood beside her, saddened by her death. Finally, aware she would
never return to him. He stood beside her body with sadness and sorrow.
















Millions of people cried after seeing these photos in America, Europe and
Australia, and even India. The photographer sold these pictures for a nominal
fee to the most famous newspaper in France. All copies of that edition were
sold out on the day the pictures were published.

And many people think animals don't have brains or feelings? You have just
witnessed Love and Sorrow felt by God's creatures.
The Bible says God knows when a sparrow falls. How much more He cares for us.

Live simply, love generously, care deeply and speak kindly.
Grace is God reaching down.
Faith is man reaching up.
<><><>

My own little story from years ago when I was driving to Benalla, I saw a
dead crow on the road and beside it, another crow. (I detest crows as they
are so cruel, picking the eyes out of lambing ewes, and taking very young
chickens etc) but I thought, maybe they do care after all . . . . but as I got
closer, the live crow was eating his mate. Didn't mean to spoil the story.
<><>
Now for some jokes - - - - my cousin Bill sent me this one. Thanks Bill.
It is called "Inner Peace" - and it really works!!

I am passing this on to you because it definitely worked for me today, and
we all could probably use more calm in our lives.

Some doctor on television this morning said that the way to achieve inner
peace is to finish all the things you have started.

So I looked around my house to see things I'd started ad hadn't finished
and, before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of
Merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bodle of Baileys, a butle of wum,
a package of Prunglies, the mainder of bot Prozic and Valium scriptins,
the res of the Chesecke an a box of choclets.

Yu haf no idr how bludy guod I feel rite now.

Plaese sned dhis orn to dem yu fee ar in ned ov iennr paece.
<><>

Next one from my son Geoff. Thanks Geoff.

A woman in a supermarket is following a grandfather and his badly
behaved 3 year old grandson.

It's obvious to her that he has his hands full with the child screaming
for sweets in the sweet aisle, biscuits in the biscuit aisle and for fruit
cereal and pop in other aisles.

Meanwhile, Gramps is working his way around, saying in a controlled voice,
"Easy, William, we won't be long . . . Easy boy."

Another outburst, and she hears the granddad calmly say, "It's okay
William, just a couple more minutes and we'll be out of here. Hang in there
boy."
At the checkout, the little terror is throwing items out of the cart, and
Gramps says again in a controlled voice, "William, William, relax buddy, don't
get upset. We'll be home in five minutes. Stay cool, William."

Very impressed, the woman goes outside where the grandfather is loading
his groceries and the little boy into the car.

She said to the elderly gentleman, "It's none of my business, but you were
amazing in there. I don't know how you did it. That whole time. you kept
your composure, and no matter how loud and disruptive he got, you just
calmly kept saying things would be okay. William is very lucky to have
you as his Grandpa."

"Thanks, lady," said the grandfather, "but I'm William, - the little devil's
name is Kevin."
<><>

An oldie but a goodie from my friend, Lady Di. Thanks Dianne for
"Grandma Still Drives. I have always liked this one.

Grandma is eighty-eight years old and still drives her own car.
She writes:
Dear Grand-daughter,

The other day I went up yo our local Christian book store and saw a bumper
sticker that read "Honk if you Love Jesus."

I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I has just come from a
thrilling choir performance, followed by a thunderous prayer meeting.

So I bought the sticker and put it on my Bumper.

Boy, am I glad I did; what an uplifting experience that followed.

I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection, just lost in thought
about the Lord and how good He is, and I didn't notice the light changed.

It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't honked
I'd never have noticed.

I found that lots of people love Jesus.

While I was sitting there, the guy behind started honking like crazy, and
then he leaned out of his window and screamed, "For the love of God."
"Go! Go! Go! Jesus Christ GO!"

What an exuberant cheerleader he was for Jesus.
Everyone started honking.
I just leaned out my window and started waving and smiling at all those
loving people.

I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love. There must
have been a man from Florida
something about a sunny beach.

I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger
stuck up in the air.

I asked my young teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant.

He said it was probably a Hawaiian good luck sign or something.

Well, I have never met anyone from Hawaii, so I leaned out the window
and gave him the good luck sign right back.

My grandson burst out laughing'
Why even he was enjoying this religious experience.

A couple of people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they
got out of their cars and started walking towards me.
I bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended, but this was
when I noticed the lights had changed.
So, grinning, I waved to all my brothers and sisters, and drove on
through the intersection.

I noticed I was the only car that got through the intersection before
the light changed again and felt kind of sad that I had to eave them
after all the love we had shared.

So I slowed the car down, leaned out the window and gave them all
the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time as I drove away,
Praise the Lord for such wonderful folks.
Will write again soon, Love, Grandma.
<><>

Next two are from my friend in Canberra. Thank you again Linda.

A little boy got on a bus, sat next to a man reading a book, and he
noticed he had his collar on backwards.

The little boy asked why he wore his collar backwards.

The man, who was a priest, said, "I'm a Father."

The little boy said, "My Daddy doesn't wear his collar like that."
The priest looked up from his book and answered, "I am the Father
of many."

The boy said, "My Dad has 4 boys and 4 girls and two grand-children and
he doesn't wear his collar that way." The priest getting impatient, said,
"I am the Father of hundreds."
The little boy sat quietly thinking for a while, then leaned over and said,
"Maybe you should wear a condom, and put your pants on backwards
instead of your collar."
<><>

THIS KIND OF STUFF HAS GOT TO STOP IN OUR COUNTRY.

Have you noticed that Stairs are getting steeper. Groceries are heavier.

And everything is further away. Yesterday I walked to the corner and I
was dumb-founded to discover how long our street had become.

And you know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones.
They speak in whispers all the time. If you ask them to speak up, they
just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent
messages until they're red in the face.
What do they think I am, a lip reader?

I also also think they are much younger than I was at the same age. On
the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am.
I ran into an old friend the other day and she has aged so much that she
didn't even recognize me.
I was thinking about the poor dear while I was combing my hair. and in
doing so I glanced at myself in the mirror. Well, REALLY NOW even mirrors
are not made the way they used to be.

Another thing, everyone drives so fast these days. You're risking life
and limb if you happen to pull on to the freeway in front of them. All I can
say is their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them
screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.

Clothing manufacturers are less civilized these days. Why else would they
suddenly start labelling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20? Do they think no
one notices that these things no longer fit around the waist and hips?

The people who make bathroom scales are pulling the same prank, but in
reverse. Do they think I actually believe the number I see on the dial? HA -
I would never let myself weigh that much.Just who do they think they're fooling?

I'd like to call up someone in authority to report what's going on -- but the
telephone company is in on the conspiracy too. They've printed the phone
books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in here.

All I can do is pass along this warning. We are under attack. Unless
something
drastic happens pretty soon everyone will have to suffer these
awful indignities.
<><>

Enough for tonight, my friends, I hope you found something of interest.
Take good care of yourselves and each other. Love and best wishes to
you all. Cheers, Merle.

Post ~ ~ ~ 704 ~ Saturday, 25th September, 2010.
<><><>

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Live simply, love generously, care deeply and speak kindly.
Grace is God reaching down.
Faith is man reaching up.

I love this quote! Thanks for posting it. :-)

~Ron

jel said...

Howdy Merle,
how ya doing?
saw ya comment over at Old Geezers,
blog,

take care

Lady Di Tn said...

Good stories Merle and I am glad you were blessed with so many visitors. I knew there was a reason I had no use for crows. Yuck. Here is wishing you Enough. Peace

Janice Seagraves said...

Merle,

The post about the sparrow was very touching.

I posted several years ago about a crow that I thought I had run over, until I realized later it had dropped dead behind my car earlier that same morning. But its mate stayed there all the same calling me a "murderer."

I really hate crows. :(

Janice~

Gledwood said...

O that's so sad, those poor birds.

British swallows (or is it swifts; one of the two) cannot land on the ground. Their wings are too long, they can only take off from a perch... absolutely true. My step mum once had to pick one off the ground, cup it in her hands and chuck it in the air, where it thrummed off into the bright blue yonder...

Gledwood said...

Your swallow story reminded me of the legend of the Thorn Birds, as recounted by Colleen McCullough in the only romantic novel I have ever read.

I remember the miniseries starring Richard Chamberlin, which was watched by the about half the country back in 1983. The theme tune even got in the charts.

Here's the dialogue, based on the intro to the novel

Ralph de Bricassart: [telling the legend of the thorn bird to Meggie] There's a story... a legend, about a bird that sings just once in its life. From the moment it leaves its nest, it searches for a thorn tree... and never rests until it's found one. And then it sings... more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. And singing, it impales itself on the longest, sharpest thorn. But, as it dies, it rises above its own agony, to outsing the lark and the nightingale. The thorn bird pays its life for just one song, but the whole world stills to listen, and God in his heaven smiles.
Young Meggie Cleary: What does it mean, Father?
Ralph de Bricassart: That the best... is bought only at the cost of great pain.

Gledwood said...

Sorry I haven't been about for ages, Merle. A goblin got in my broadband and messed everything up for over a month. Most inconvenient. But I'm back!! Hope all's well with you. I'm fine, except for a horrible sewerage-stinking gaping wound on my leg. I have to go to accident and emergency on Monday... Akh!

Peter said...

Hi Merle, you have been busy with all the visitors, hope they didn't tire you out.

Joy Des Jardins said...

Those pictures of the sparrows were just heartbreaking Merle...so very sad. They made me teary along with everyone else.

Glad to see you had such a good time with all your visitors....and you have many. Weather here is getting a little cooler, but nice. Autumn is on its way.

Take care sweet friend... Love, Joy

Pamela said...

As an avid bird watcher, I enjoyed the photos . . .

Dave said...

Great post Merle.... Have a wonderful week dear friend!
(and don't forget to check out the next installment in my trip to Europe post on my blog)

Margaret Cloud said...

I could hardly get past the Swallow pictures because my eyes was clouded with tears. This is so heart wrenching. Our Robins do the same, they fly across the road at car level and I have seen them hit. I liked the one about the grandpa, I don't think I would be that calm. I enjoyed the rest , they were funny. Have a nice week.

Toyin O. said...

It is great to have vistors Merle. Hope you are doing well.

Just wanted to thank you for visiting my blog and your gracious comment; to God be the glory.

Gina E. said...

Some good posts here today, Merle! Well you always have good stuff...
Nice of your cousins to bring flowers from the cousin's casket. I think that is a beaut idea to distribute the flowers from a funeral to those who attended. It seems such a waste to leave them there to be discarded by the funeral people.

Big Dave T said...

Nice that you had some family visit, and that the weather was warm as well. So do you get bothered by bugs leaving the doors open? We get lots of flies here.

There's another side to those pictures of the sparrows too. At least one expert says the one sparrow is trying to mate with the dead one. Ewwwwwww.

Loved the jokes, especially the one about William.

Violet said...

do you know this..?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9E6Y_LmIp4