SPARKLE!

I have an affinity for collective nouns! 

Not a "batch" of cookies or a "bunch" of grapes. Not even a swarm of bees, on-slaught or plague of locusts, pack of wolves or pride of lions.

My true affinity is nouns for groups of birds. 

Think gaggle of geese, murder of crows, murmuration of starlings, parliament of owls. Thanks to neighbor, Susan H, who shared the collective noun "poult" for baby turkeys with me yesterday!

Thanks also to ljj who reminded me of the collective name for an insect who flies!

A SPARKLE OF FIREFLIES

What truth stands out among all these collective nouns to me?!

The LORD God made them all! 

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17)

MURMURATIONS MONDAY!

Hubby and I sat by the open window listening to the birds this morning* ---woodpeckers, a tufted tit mouse and Carolina wrens. Yesterday in the Nantahala National Forest we saw signs and info on many birds. 

We also heard what we thought was a ruckus of blue jays.

Together we have been reading Considering Sparrows by Kevin Burrell which offers analogies of timeless truths from our feathered friends to the book of Philippians. 

Chapter 5 dealt with murmuration of starlings. What a unified group!(Burrell. p.46-47, 50-51) Burrell compares the importance of their collective consciousness to that of the body of Christ. 

Believers whose hearts are bound in Christian love!

"Blest be the tie that binds" (John Fawcett)......birds or believers....all a part of God's creation.

"The flock of God is a murmuration, dancing in the sky like grace." (Burrell. p.56)

*listening to the birds between the cacophony of Great Smoky Mountain Railroad clacking on the tracks or blaring horns down ridge from us.

COLLECTIVE NOUNS INTRIGUE!

At a recent fish-fry with friends at the Tackers, my on-going intrigue with collective nouns surfaced. 

Sometimes a topic of discussion can take its own turn as that night I shared a term I had read in a detective story. Pam's phone helped jog my memory when I could only come up with the first letter. 

M-- for a group of crows. 

A "murder" of crows. 

Today I saw said group of raucous crows at GAC---so large they could fit right in with Poe's ravens. 

That sighting had me pondering other collective nouns as my thoughts returned to that time with Lynn, Connie and Pam.

What is an all encompassing noun for believers in fellowship? (Acts 2:42)

Is there a collective noun for faith folks?

Bevy of Believers. 

Calm of Christians.

Choir of Christians.

Congregation of Worshippers.

Folks of faith. 

Grace-forged friends = fellowship.* (1 John 1:7)

How about, "All the Above?"

*Scotty

LOST VOICE!

This morning I awakened with NO voice?

Sometimes in a group I might sense I have "no voice" in certain discussions. 

This new voice omission is not social; it's physical.

Today, long-time friends had "lunch and love" at Beth's. I couldn't even squeak out much that was discernible, so I laughed and  "listened."

 

LISTENING! Understanding dawned! 

Listening was the answer, literally.

Be still....listen to God and others had been a heart prayer of mine recently.

Quietude.

Faith strengthening increases as one seeks to listen the Lord in order to know him better. (Romans 10:17) Evidence of the strengthening in that relationship is seen as one chooses to listen! To God first and then to others.....looking not only to his/her own interest, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)

A "lost voice" was the perfect answer to my prayer! A blessing for me!