Hymn to the birds

Our church is celebrating “Bird Sunday” this week and I was asked to write a new hymn for the occasion. I have just finished it and am eager to share it. Verse four is the capstone. This is a hymn to ongoing, evolving creation, to God's gift of birds, and it calls all people to work together to care for our planet. Enjoy.


HYMN TO THE BIRDS
By Thomas Wright


Glory to you, O God of all creation.
Who from the dawn of swirling galaxies,
Wrought teeming life from chaos and commotion.
Creation’s song goes on with each reprise.

You send us birds, aloft in every nation.
Soaring on high, our eyes are drawn to heav’n.
On wings of song, flocks welcome each new season.
Bringing fresh life, renewing hope within.

Nighthawk and owl, befrienders in dark places.
Falcon and eagle lifting spirits high.
Swallow and raven call to open spaces.
The lowly sparrow rests within God’s eye.

Just as the hen, her brood is watching over,
God cares for you, and will not let you fall.
So let us join our hands and work together,
Treating as sacred this terrestrial ball.

The tune for this hymn is VICAR, by V. Earle Copes. It is # 178 in the United Methodist Hymnal. You can play the tune below.

Bud 7

With temperatures predicted to be in the 40's and even up to 50 degrees for the coming week, this may be the last time we see Bud with his winter coat on. You can see that he's about ready to burst forth.
Any day now.

Squirrel accepts challenge

This squirrel is taking on the challenge of defeating my squirrel-proof feeder. He is not easily discouraged, as you can see.

Bud 6

With temperatures rarely above 37 degree all this week, my poor little bud has chosen to remain indoors waiting for warm weather.



This morning I heard blackbirds, chickadees and cardinals.

Bud 5

Waiting for more spring warmth to peal back the shroud of winter.


At least we can enjoy some sounds of Spring. Listen for the Cardinal and rushing snow-melt heading for the Mississippi river.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART

MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE?

Bud4

The sun is out. It's cold. Little bud is waiting patiently for the return of Spring.

Longing for Spring.

Bud 3

We woke this morning to a reprise of winter. My poor little bud is covered in fresh snow.

Bud2

This is the way to add music to your blog

(See "adding audio to your blog" in LINKS)

Waterfall in Cabela's super store

Waterfall within Cabela's super store.

Cabela's Outdoor store

I stopped at then new Cabela's super duper outdoor store today... along with about a thousand other shoppers and gawkers.





Cabela's has a huge walk-through aquarium.

Here's lookin' at ya...

Move cursor over the picture.

Women

This is your life (if you are a woman) --

• 1% of the titled land in the world is owned by women.
• A baby girl born in the UK is likely to live to 81 - but if she is born in Swaziland, she is likely to die at 39.
• 70% of the 1.2 billion people living in poverty are women and children.
• 21% of the world's managers are female.
• 62% of unpaid family workers are female.
• 9% of judges.
• 10% of company directors.
•  and 10% of top police officers in the UK are women.
• Women comprise 55% of the world's population aged over 60 years old.
•  and 65% of those aged over 80...

This one is more challenging

Bud 1

I will keep track of this emerging bud over the next few weeks as a way of welcoming spring.

Solve by moving the pieces.Try it

Stay Flexible

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of Shape.

Friendship

All I can do is to urge you to regard friendship as the greatest thing in the world; for there is nothing which so fits in with our nature, or is so exactly what we want in prosperity or adversity. —Cicero