kDid you know animals can talk?
And did you know plants and stars and trees and flowers have voices too?
Okay, they might not be speaking in human language (though honestly sometimes it sounds like one of my cats says "Mom"), but they speak all the time. All of creation speaks through noises, movements, their faithfulness in living (imagine how long life is for big old redwood trees -- humans must seem like butterflies to them); their reaction to us humans.
See the picture above? That's Harry -- well, that's what we call him. His real name is Mittens. He isn't our pet. He belongs to a lovely family from our church but he lives at the place we rent. Daily, Harry is at my door waiting to sneak in. He does this all the time. And he usually gets in at least once a day, sometimes more often. This morning after church we got home and found he figured out how to get through the back door! He is persistence with four legs. I don't mind at all. I think my cats might mind a bit but that's because cats can have uppity attitudes. I honestly believe my female cat sits beside the door watching him from inside the house just so he knows he isn't privileged like she is.
Now I'm not saying created beings are in need of a Savior like humans are, but I know they are alive and I know that in their living they are praising God when they do what they were created to do. I kind of think when birds sing they sing about their Creator (or where to find food or where the cats happen to be).
Last August when we moved to this little farm house there were absolutely no songbirds around. Hawk and I would sit outside and not hear any birdsong. We'd hear the rush of wings as flocks of black birds fly in unison -- they look like smoke in the distance. Hundreds of birds rise up together and move as one. It's pretty amazing -- but they aren't singers. I missed the singers from our old house.
But now this spring there is all sorts of birdsong surrounding our little place. Maybe I just missed the birds last August but I kind of think they came looking for me. Or maybe God sent them for He knows how much I love to hear the birdsong (call me kooky if you like -- often I am). I don't know. I take it as a blessing from Father God to me.
We live in cowboy country up here. Just a few days ago I saw a neighbor riding one of his many horses loping across the plain with saddle bags behind the saddle; a couple coyote skins tied to the saddle flapping on the side of the horse; while a couple of his cattle dogs ran alongside him. He wasn't on a joy ride (though it looked like fun). He was working.
For many ranchers up here, horses are integral working members of their ranch staff.
I love seeing people on horseback.
We have five horses but you couldn't call them working members of any staff. They are part of the family (and not to offend any ranchers or cowboys - most likely they all have their horses they are closer to than people). They each know their name and will come when they are called. I know I humanize them too much but that's how I see animals. God uses them in my life. God uses them like He uses people sometimes. Horses are large animals that are often great listeners.
What is the point of this post? you may ask (I may ask this too). When I remember that God is always present and always communicating to me (and I am not unique in this -- He will do the same with anyone), I hear Him in the birdsong. I sense His peace in the horse's gentleness. I see Him in Harry's persistence. I feel His touch in that gentle breeze and the warm sun. There are times I deal with mental illness (yes, I admit this), but I know that I know that I know what I say is straight from God. He is always reminding us He is here with us. He might not use animals in your life, especially if there are no animals around you. But He will use whatever is part of your environment to speak to you. You just have to say as Samuel said, "Speak Lord, Your servant is listening."
Or you could say, "Hi God. Help me please. Help me Believe."
Or whatever you want to say to Him. And then listen. Listen with your mind, your soul, your spirit, your heart. Listen with every single cell. If you aren't sure if it is God you hear, read Proverbs 8. That's often called the Wisdom Proverb. God is Wisdom. God is love. God is God. God is the Great I Am.
And did you know plants and stars and trees and flowers have voices too?
Okay, they might not be speaking in human language (though honestly sometimes it sounds like one of my cats says "Mom"), but they speak all the time. All of creation speaks through noises, movements, their faithfulness in living (imagine how long life is for big old redwood trees -- humans must seem like butterflies to them); their reaction to us humans.
See the picture above? That's Harry -- well, that's what we call him. His real name is Mittens. He isn't our pet. He belongs to a lovely family from our church but he lives at the place we rent. Daily, Harry is at my door waiting to sneak in. He does this all the time. And he usually gets in at least once a day, sometimes more often. This morning after church we got home and found he figured out how to get through the back door! He is persistence with four legs. I don't mind at all. I think my cats might mind a bit but that's because cats can have uppity attitudes. I honestly believe my female cat sits beside the door watching him from inside the house just so he knows he isn't privileged like she is.
Now I'm not saying created beings are in need of a Savior like humans are, but I know they are alive and I know that in their living they are praising God when they do what they were created to do. I kind of think when birds sing they sing about their Creator (or where to find food or where the cats happen to be).
Last August when we moved to this little farm house there were absolutely no songbirds around. Hawk and I would sit outside and not hear any birdsong. We'd hear the rush of wings as flocks of black birds fly in unison -- they look like smoke in the distance. Hundreds of birds rise up together and move as one. It's pretty amazing -- but they aren't singers. I missed the singers from our old house.
But now this spring there is all sorts of birdsong surrounding our little place. Maybe I just missed the birds last August but I kind of think they came looking for me. Or maybe God sent them for He knows how much I love to hear the birdsong (call me kooky if you like -- often I am). I don't know. I take it as a blessing from Father God to me.
We live in cowboy country up here. Just a few days ago I saw a neighbor riding one of his many horses loping across the plain with saddle bags behind the saddle; a couple coyote skins tied to the saddle flapping on the side of the horse; while a couple of his cattle dogs ran alongside him. He wasn't on a joy ride (though it looked like fun). He was working.
For many ranchers up here, horses are integral working members of their ranch staff.
I love seeing people on horseback.
We have five horses but you couldn't call them working members of any staff. They are part of the family (and not to offend any ranchers or cowboys - most likely they all have their horses they are closer to than people). They each know their name and will come when they are called. I know I humanize them too much but that's how I see animals. God uses them in my life. God uses them like He uses people sometimes. Horses are large animals that are often great listeners.
What is the point of this post? you may ask (I may ask this too). When I remember that God is always present and always communicating to me (and I am not unique in this -- He will do the same with anyone), I hear Him in the birdsong. I sense His peace in the horse's gentleness. I see Him in Harry's persistence. I feel His touch in that gentle breeze and the warm sun. There are times I deal with mental illness (yes, I admit this), but I know that I know that I know what I say is straight from God. He is always reminding us He is here with us. He might not use animals in your life, especially if there are no animals around you. But He will use whatever is part of your environment to speak to you. You just have to say as Samuel said, "Speak Lord, Your servant is listening."
Or you could say, "Hi God. Help me please. Help me Believe."
Or whatever you want to say to Him. And then listen. Listen with your mind, your soul, your spirit, your heart. Listen with every single cell. If you aren't sure if it is God you hear, read Proverbs 8. That's often called the Wisdom Proverb. God is Wisdom. God is love. God is God. God is the Great I Am.
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