Victory Walk

The ducklings follow close and one tries to hide under a wing. We need to follow Jesus like this.

Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

I see victory in the V of the Mule Deer ears and the tree. My leg has been giving me much pain for a week, but the Lord gave me strength to walk around the park trail this morning. We can't just quit, but for sure we do seek what is most important when pain comes.

1 Pet 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

1 Pet 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Robin was at peace as I walked so close to him this morning.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Look at this crazy Blackbird. Is he the Phantom of the Opera? Perhaps he is conducting the orchestra? All dressed in black he looks cloaked, for even his beak appears hidden. The devil is often sneaking around trying to cause us to give up, but we overcome by faith in God's word. Speak faith.

John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

John 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

John 15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

1 Pet 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

1 Pet 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

Double Take

The tranquil Tree Duck family takes flight as they see me approach with the bright sun shining on me. What was once peace, turns to flight.

Lev 26:6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.

Lev 26:7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

Lev 26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Lev 26:9 For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.

The little duck has no wing feathers, but he has tail feathers and uses them with all of his might.

Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

One of my favorite scenes at the park. Can you see the deer?

Isa 48:3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.

Isa 48:4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

Isa 48:5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I showed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

Isa 48:6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

The doe watches through the foliage, a safe distance from the trail.

Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

Psa 130:7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

Psa 130:8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

A Mallard duck shares a log with a pond turtle. The turtle has no fear of his larger friend. Maybe he was gossiping?

Prov 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

The gossiping Pond Turtle is left alone to admire his own image as the Mallard quietly swims away. There are better friends for the duck.

Prov 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Wind and Rain

The Turkey Buzzard came close as it swooped down in response to the gusty winds. Blow ye winds, blow.

Exo 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

Exo 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

I wave my arms to show him I was alive and not his lunch. We can lift up our arms too in response to the presence of God.

Gen 13:14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

Gen 13:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Gen 13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

Gen 13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

In a more serene setting Tree Duck leads her young through the shaded moss in the pond.

2 Chr 20:28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

2 Chr 20:29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

2 Chr 20:30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

Like an ice breaker they chug along through the green islands.

Isa 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Isa 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

Isa 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Shasta Dam is almost full. The water level at the dam has risen 148 feet since January. The lake covers 365 miles of shoreline when full. The LORD does the impossible. He controls the wind and the rain and he is the one who keeps us safe if we as a nation trust in him.

Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Psa 37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Psa 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Psa 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Psa 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.