As I was coming home, I saw a little drama overhead. A squirrel was running as fast as it could along a telephone line, trying to escape the onslaught of a mockingbird! The squirrel leaped into a nearby tree to make his escape and the bird took off. That's one time the squirrel lost the battle! When I went to the park yesterday, the squirrels were racing all over the road and sitting under the trees nibbling. Since the mowers were there a couple days ago, the ibis were finding good pickings, as they grubbed along. Not many people were out, but the lady with the three whippets was there, taking the dogs to get a drink at the water bowl provided for them at the dog fountain.I saw a white egret , but not much else walking around. But God is good!
From the devotional book, Quiet Moments with God:
Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.
Isaiah 40:31
A Botanist, exiled from his homeland due to political unrest, took a job as a gardener in his new host country in order to support his family. His employer received a unique and rare plant from a friend. There were no care instructions with the plant, so the man put it in one of his hothouses, thinking it would do well there.
Only a few days passed when he noticed the plant was dying. He called in his new gardener, the botanist, and asked if he had any ideas that might help to save the plant. The botanist immediately recognized this plant as an arctic variety that needed cold weather in order to survive. He took the plant outside in the frigid winter air and prepared the soil around it so the plant would gradually adjust to its new home. Almost immediately the plant went from wilting to vibrant.
Unaccustomed to the climate in the hothouse, the little plant must have felt the moisture draining from its small veins. The struggle to hold itself up to look the park of an expensive plant gave way under the weary load. The plant began to wilt and became only a shadow of its original beauty.
When the botanist rescued the plant and placed it in an environment suitable to its unique needs, the bowed-down foliage soaked in the nourishment and experienced renewal. Just like that rare plant, we can lose our spiritual strength if we live in an unhealthy environment. Seek God's help to find the right atmosphere for a joyous and productive life.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
