Palm Protection

Major seems innocent enough, standing under this palm tree. He's such a lovable fellow. He's just hanging out in the shade. NOT.

He chased this squirrel up the palm and is waiting for it scramble down. Yeah right. This little one knows he's safe up in the tree, although my dog is just feet away.

In fact he decided to continue eating this acorn he just dug up while waiting for Major to leave. I finally put Major inside, to protect the little squirrel.

"And I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.: John 10:28 (Jesus)

Life chases us up trees sometimes. But while the danger nips at my heel,...or tail, God keeps my soul and protects it forever.

I'm sitting pretty in the palms.

Photos: karenevans

Squirreling with Truth

Molly: by David Evans

It's cold here in Florida and the squirrels in my back yard yesterday were acting crazy! I have three oak trees, and they ran up and down, dug holes, dug up holes, chased each other, jumped from tree to tree and ran among my ferns.

As I watched two in particular, they had something going on. One ran down the tree, dug up an acorn, turned, looked up the tree at the other squirrel, as if to say, I have an acorn and you don't. The squirrel in the tree ran down and chased her (I'm assuming it was a "her") away from her spot.

She ran up the tree and sat on a knot in the tree about 3 feet up and ate her acorn. Then she gathered her tail in her little front feet as if to clean. But I know better. She looked at him (the other squirrel) then, she did this flirty thing with her tail and cleaned her stomach with her little feet. Yep, you guessed it. He, (had to be a he) came running up the tree after her.

Of course she played this game of come and see what I have, then no, you can't have it game for a few minutes, then up the tree and out of sight they both went.

"God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24

Now, really, we know what those squirrels were after. But how do I portray my belief in God to others?

Do I speak the truth, then don't act like it? Do I say I trust and don't? Do others watching me see nothing more than flirting with my witness? When I say, come follow me, I know the Person who can help, do I run away when they start to come? I must make up my mind to do what I say I believe.

Live the Truth.

"Hope" Me

This squirrel has an acorn in it's mouth. She is clinging to my patio screen for dear life. She's trapped, or so she thinks. The squirrel jumped on the screen hoping to avoid another "supposedly" starving squirrel vying for the acorn. (There are plenty in my yard.) It also sees me with my camera looking out my glass slider. But that's not what has her frozen. My golden retriever stands at my side, his hunter eyes focused on this enticing furry object on his screen. He drools, yes, dogs drool, ready to charge if I should open my glass door even an inch.

But this silly squirrel doesn't realize I won't let my dog out and a nice sturdy slider keeps the dog at bay. What she sees and imagines freezes her. She doesn't know I will not allow my dog to harm her. What does she hope for? To eat her acorn and live.

"My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him." Psalms 62:5

Life is tough. Many times I feel like this squirrel, clinging to my last morsel, and imagining all the things that can go wrong. No hope paralyzes and destroys any ministry. I can see the "hunter" drooling in the future, ready to pounce if given an inch.

"For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men." 1 Timothy 4:10

When I look and "fix" my eyes on the living God from which hope comes, I can step out and run, just like the squirrel did when she turned and jumped on the bush and ran to the nearest tree. Safe from the hunter and his opponent and with her acorn intact.

Thank you Savior and giver of Hope.

photo-karenrevans-click on pic to enlarge and you can see her large eyes.