BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD

5/31/12 Grackles, crows, jackdaws, whatever their regional common name, have a glossy black plumage. At our house, they eat all the pricey bird food that hubby buys for the flickers and jays. Very territorial, their raucous “threats” scare off other birds, namely our little songbirds. (Wish they would scare off the squirrels.)

On a more positive note, I do appreciate that blackbirds are a monogamous species, and the established pair will usually stay together as long as they both survive.

Plus, blackbirds preening in front of our breakfast room window, another daily activity, is actually kind of fun to watch as they display immense “self-satisfaction”.

 Blackbirds usually displayed in literature as destructive were given a new “light” by dear friend and author, Ashley Bryan’s, depiction in Beautiful Blackbird.” (2003)

Blackbird in Ashley’s book says, "Color on the outside is not what’s on the inside. You don’t act like me. You don’t eat like me. You don’t get down in the groove and move your feet like me. (my favorite line)….Just remember, whatever I do, I’ll be me and you’ll be you.”

Those lines spoke volumes to me of acceptance and are so easily lined up with scripture’s admonition to not just look on the “outside.”

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (I Samuel 16:7)

Fantasy Blog

2/10/11 You know you can’t ever truly believe what you read on a blog because bloggers want to put their best foot forward----I just recently read that. I should have read it sooner so I could “spruce” up my blog life for public viewing. It is true that I don’t tell all---maybe I’m sitting on the couch with laptop in (well, in my lap, where else) surrounded by laundry that needs folding. A few weeks ago I “lost” a roast and I chose not to tell that because how does one lose a roast between taking it out to thaw and coming home to an empty counter. The search that ensued was dramatic, with hubby, the bloodhound of most lost things at our house (most usually lost by me), checking everything from garbage cans and car trunks to my closet. We assumed eventually our nose would lead us to it---similar to those years of “lost” Easter eggs. I figured it was just in the lost items black hole with my swimsuit, numerous gloves, (my newest replacement pair lost yesterday on the coldest day of the year) car keys, MEMORY etc. Said roast was eventually found 10 days later in the freezer as friend Hal had suggested---though both eagle-eyed Larry and I had checked all 3 freezers numerous times.

Why is it so important to appear as something we are not? Why do we want to appear organized, thoughtful and smart, not to mention spiritual, as if we never miss a quiet time? Do we have it all together? Not at my house.

That desire is a cover-up for all our perceived inadequacies because we know “man looks on the outside.” We are people pleasers! "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)

How many times do we need to be reminded to “never compare our insides with someone else’s outsides?”

Galatians 1:10 offers some great questions for pondering. Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Am I trying to please men? I thought about that as I was cooking today. (I was cooking---are you impressed---even making a homemade pie crust, though it wasn’t as light and tasty as when Elnora makes it) I rationalized that if I told too many of my foibles, folks wouldn’t want to read the blog because they would know how really pitiful I was, then how would I encourage or inspire? But God…..He let me keep the same title but made me include a few of the latest life snafus---because just sharing the good stuff would be a fantasy…..though I did sneak in the cooking part.

*Vanity of vanities, I didn’t even want to use my own "reminder finger" in the picture because it’s wrinkled, a touch arthritic and I don’t “do” manicures.