Birds

A Sabbath Day’s Flight

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

I have always been delighted to watch birds in flight. The effortless way they spread their wings reminds me of the way God intends for us to rest in His grace. Just as birds are made for flight (Minus the Ostrich and his cousins) God intends for us to rise up by faith into the air and show off the inner beauty of Christ who lies hidden as long as we walk on the ground with our faith wings folded. And what speaks more clearly of grace than God’s Holy Sabbath? The Sabbath is a weekly reminder that on the morning when Adam and Eve rose from their first night’s sleep, God gave to them a day, and He blessed it, and called it Holy!

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. - Genesis 2:3 ESV  
And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
Mark 2:27 ESV

For whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
Hebrews 4:10 ESV

The Pigeons Were Still Snoozing

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
The pigeons were still snoozing
While the hawk dozed on his perch
And bluebirds were just waking
When woodpecker went to work!

And his tapping is reminding me
I have a job to do
So just sitting round and wishing
Is not what God has planned to do 

For even though He gives me songs
And resting is just fine
He has much more for us in store
For us in Summertime

In the garden we have seeds to plant
With rows to weed and tend
And water with our tears and prayers
Till He brings His harvest in!

Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
Psalms 126:5 ESV

The Pigeons Were Still Snoozing
By Peter Caligiuri copyright © 2021
All rights reserved
Photo by Ashithosh U on Pexels.com

Our Family Home School Project

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

My wife and I never homeschooled our children, but back in the day when they were growing up, things were quite different. Today, with four of our seven grandchildren being taught at home by their mom, we are really interested in following their progress, projects and activities. One subject which I got involved in with recently was, creating a series of reading lessons for our youngest grandson Wyatt, and it all started with an Ibis.

These feathered friends have always fascinated me, because despite their awkward gait, once they take wing, they seem magically transformed into one of the most graceful birds of all. So, one day I wrote a children’s poem about them, and one thing leading to another, I ended up writing an entire series of silly bird verses. Fast forwarding to this year and back to Wyatt, we have all been concerned about his struggle in learning to read. So, one day I decided to use my Ibis poem to make a fun reading and nature lesson for him. Our daughter-in-law, took one look at the lessons and said, “I’ wish you could write a whole book of these!”

Long story short, “All Creatures Mostly Small – Lessons for Wyatt” was born. I was inspired by Theodor Seuss Geisel who showed us in his Dr. Seuss books, that learning to read is much more than just avoiding dangling participles or split infinitives. It is about having fun! This collection of twenty-four lighthearted verses on birds and ants, and toes and noses offers a poetic fun approach to reading, both for children and for the childlike at heart. Each of these home-school reading lessons includes a short poem, a Bible verse, facts on nature and some questions. Along with the daily assignments are sprinkled suggestions for family activities and projects, such as a trip to the zoo, building a bird house and going to the park. My prayer is that you will enjoy discovering somewhere between the funny rhymes and the challenging projects, that better reading just happens along the way!

P.S. The eBook version will be available for free this coming Monday – Wednesday (May 22-24)