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Bird Nests There's so many ways to raise a bird, From water beds, to trees; Cliffs to hanging baskets; From Holes in the ground to mud on rock; All achieve the same goal, a new bird. |
  Killdeers
just lay their eggs on the ground. It seems there is no work involved in
arranging the place for their young. These are two different Killdeer nests
in the same year 100 miles from each other. |
  Is
she lazy because she does not work harder at making a safe cozy nest? No,
mother
killdeer works very hard pretending to have a broken wing coaxing
every one away from her nest area. This first nest was 6 inches from the path
of our car. Our dogs ran past it every day. The mother really worked
hard to draw danger away from the nest. Each kind of bird does
parenting differently. |
  We
put up a blue bird nesting box on the trunk of a pine tree. In less
than a day there was a pair of western bluebirds working hard to fill the
box with sticks. It happened so fast! Next we saw 5 little light blue eggs. It is so
much fun watching this little family. They allow us to peek at them. Most
wild birds do not like this and won't come back. I think it is special
because we can take pictures for all children on computer Bible studies to
see this little family grow. Now there are 5 little baby birds
just getting their downy fluff. Their beaks are so large for the size of
their bodies. |
 We
were so excited that in a nearby tree another pair of bluebirds have six
eggs down in a hole in the tree. Both parents stay nearby in the tree
watching when we look in their 10 inch deep nest. Their 6 light blue
eggs have tiny brown spots on them. We know that if we touch these eggs or
stay very long, they will never hatch and the parents might give up and
move away. We want them to stay and eat up all our mosquitoes. |
 This
mother Canadian goose is very unhappy that Jen is near her eggs. She had
them under her when we walked by her pile of leaves. Jenny asked if
she could see the eggs. The mother goose was not happy about the idea. She
hissed and pretended like she was going to poke Jenny's eyes out with her
beak. She was so quiet we almost missed seeing her nest on the ground. |
  Not
too high off the ground in this cedar tree in Washington is a tiny
hummingbird nest that fits in a small hand. It has spider webs to help
weave it together. Moss and lichen are glued and woven into the fabric of
this tiny nest. We placed a tiny ten cent piece into the middle of the
nest to show you how small it really is. A humming bird spent hours
collecting materials and working on this strong secure little nest. |
 Tiny
hummingbirds are amazing acrobats and nest builders. Usually they can
barely fit two little babies into a nest. The nest grows with the babies
and seems to nearly split at the seams. We found this Calliope hummingbird
in the state of Montana in the mountains. |
 There
is such a variety of nests. Here is a robin's nest fastened to the eves of a
little home right near a church. On the bottom there is mud that glued it
to the piece of wood. Next came sticks and fine little pieces of grass.
It takes a lot of trips to transport the mud in the beak of the robin. |
  The
Spanish people have the nicest hammocks for sleeping in. This large one
was given to us after we had meetings in Mexico. It reminds me of the bird
nests that are woven and hang in trees or tall reeds. |
 There
is a blue satin bower bird that has a nest which he even paints. He makes
a canopy and gets everything blue he can find and pokes it inside. Then he
finds berries and paints a blue all over the walls. It works much
harder than the killdeer. Yet the killdeer is not bad or lazy. God made
each parent different in their work. God loves
variety.  God made these
birds to make different kinds of nests.
Some have baskets in trees, some float nests on water.
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 Like
the blue satin bower bird, I decorated up a very fancy room for my first
born son. All the time I hand tied the crib cords, I dreamed of what it
would be like to be a mom. I had waited 13 years for God to give me a
son. I was told I could never have children. Like the woman Hannah in the
Bible I prayed for a son and made the same promises she did. I would teach
him all about the Bible. I would give him back to God. How thrilled
I was to have a son. We named him after a favorite professor in college. |
 It
was so much fun sewing a blue satin canopy and bedding for son number two.
There were complications of
early labor with months of precautions before he was born. When he finally was born, there
was so much gratitude in my heart for God saving his life. I had to
celebrate the wonderful gift of life. Another boy. |
  Son number three was just as welcome yet we had moved and
were waiting for our home. He had his first bed in a suitcase. |
 When son number four was on his way, more special things
were made up just for him. I rocked in the rocking chair and sang to him before he was
born. I wondered what he would look like. I read to him. Special tests
were done where I watched him wave to me during an ultrasound test. It broke my
heart when he was found to have heart problems and died before he was
born.
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 Then God gave me a little girl. Before she was born we had
more trouble but everything worked out. Partly because her little brother
had died and partly because God had finally given me a little girl, I
decorated her room with everything pink I could find. It was kind of like the
blue satin bower bird yet with pink. My joy bubbled over.
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 Every
morning and evening we read Bible stories to them and prayed with them. We
taught them hundreds of songs of scripture. All of these Bible lessons
were taught to them very early. Every year we review them. Now that three
are teenagers, we still read stories every morning and evening. Story time
is real fun. God likes to join all who do this morning and evening. He is
not visible now but in heaven we will see him join us for special
story times. He will sing with us. |
| Like the blue Satin bower bird, I made such a fuss over the
little nest for my children. I had waited for many years for this pleasure
wondering what it might sound like to hear their little feet padding down
the halls of my home. God filled my home.
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  Our Father in heaven is making a
room, a mansion for each
of His children on earth. (John 14:1-3) He wants you to come live with Him there.
He is not doing like the Killdeer bird. He knows what your favorite colors
are. He knows just what you enjoy eating. |
 Every pretty flower and fruit
bearing tree is being planted at your new home. Imagine the garden packed
full of fountains, birds, flowers, and every color of tree. God is the
Master Gardener. He even knows what fragrances delight you the most. God
loves variety as we saw in the different birds and nests. There is no end
to the things He can imagine to make for you. |
 He would be so disappointed if you choose not to live there
with Him. He will make a big feast. Some call it a wedding feast
because the wedding is one of the biggest feasts we have. All the
family comes to eat together at a wedding feast. YOU ARE INVITED.
"Happy are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Rev. 19:9 Song:
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 Often
the symbol of the wedding is used in the Bible. We all are invited to this
wedding. The Bible says: "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
Rev. 21:2
We get ready for this wedding feast by repenting of our sins and being baptized into a new life with Jesus. When we give ourselves completely to God it is like the bride when she promises to be loyal to her husband. God promises that in any emergency He will defend you. In Isaiah 54:5, He promises to be your husband. "Thy Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel." Another thing a good husband does is make a home for his family. God has promised to make a home. "I go to prepare a place for you" He says. (John 14:1-3) Jesus asked husbands on this earth to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Jesus gave His life for us. He is a wonderful husband because he seeks to encourage and save us. He uplifts and does not condemn. He serves us like He did when HE washed the disciples feet. |
 Jesus has asked you to get ready because He wants to take
you to heaven. He is making a picnic with everything good to eat.
The table is really long. There is enough room for everyone. Don't miss
this feast. Jesus Himself
will serve us the
food.
|
 Remember
the fig tree that Jesus talked about? He saw leaves and expected there
would be fruit because fruit grows on the branch first. Then the leaves
come out. There wasn't any fruit. Jesus was so disappointed. He used the
fig tree as a parable that would last a long time in the minds of his
disciples. He cursed the tree. All the leaves wilted immediately. This
showed His disciples that God is so sad when we pretend to be His people
but we do not have any fruit of love, joy, peace, patience
(longsuffering), gentleness, kindness, meekness, and temperance.
How sad it makes God when we are mean. There will be no mean selfish people in heaven. They will be destroyed like the fig tree was. The Bible says the fearful, and unbelieving, the murderers, and sorcerers, and idol worshipers, and liars will not be there. Rev. 21:8 . The word sorcerer means one who worships Satan like in new age practices and Ojai board conversations, or séances. All those who stop doing these things will inherit heaven. They will have a place prepared for them. |
 Jesus told us He is waiting to drink grape juice with us in
heaven. Luke 22:18. When ever we drink grape juice we like to think about
the picnic in heaven with Jesus. We have a grape juice pitcher that we use
every Sabbath. We like to talk about the fun things we can eat and do in
heaven.
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  If
you do not stay connected, you dry up and do not have fruits of love, joy,
peace, gentleness, patience, kindness, etc. When Jesus serves us the
sparkling grape juice in heaven. He looks at people who stayed obedient to
Him. They stayed connected to the vine. They all made some fruit. Jesus
did the miracle in their lives that made the fruit. They will act like
Jesus. They will love to serve and encourage others. |
 We
learned about the pomegranates in the lesson of the sanctuary. It is on
the High Priest robe. We will eat them in heaven at the picnic.
The seeds are surrounded by red juice. This is a good symbol of the blood
of Jesus surrounding all who are the "seed of Abraham". That
means all who believe, obey like Abraham, and are saved.
I want to be in heaven don't you? Let us start getting ready today. By reading our Bibles and praying, we are preparing. By sharing what we learn with others we also are preparing. Would you be ready if Jesus came tonight? |
Quiz:
1. What is wrong with the killdeer that she does not really build a good nest? 2. Do all birds make nests the same? 3. Did the same Creator make them that made us? Does He like variety? 4. Does God expect all parents to raise their children exactly the same? 5. What color are bluebird eggs? 6. What color are killdeer eggs? 7. What do robins use in building their nests? 8. What is inside a pomegranate? 9. What does the symbol of the bride mean? 10. Who is the groom? Who has promised to be husband? 11. What does He do that makes Him a great husband? 12. What foods will we eat at the picnic in heaven. 13. What is God preparing right now for us? 14.What is Jesus waiting to eat till we are with Him in heaven? What does this say about the character of Jesus? 15. What fruits will be growing on us if we stay connected to Jesus the vine? 16. What bird makes the most colorful nest? 17. What does the huge variety of bird nests tell us about God? 18. Is God going to be extravagant and generous when He makes your home in heaven like you are extravagant and generous in working for Him? |
Go to the next lesson for more fabulous details about heaven. Lesson 26
A Taste of Heaven. Look at some amazing parrots.
Others just balance an egg in a tree like the Fairy
Tern.
Do you like to balance in a tree and sleep there all night?
Every time I looked at the nursery things, I cried. I was so
disappointed he would never come to live with us in his special place.
God had finally
filled the 4th spot. We wanted to have a family of 4 children. What a
blessing to have children. Also it is such a wonderful responsibility to
teach them of God's love.
Jesus
has waited many years to drink grape juice with us in a celebration party.
He longs for the time when sin is over and there will be no more pain,
sin, sickness or death. It won't be long. God is getting things ready
right now. How sad if you choose not to be ready. He will cry tears like I
did when baby Jerry died. He treasures you as though you were the only one
on this planet. He would have died for just one. Each has so much value in
His eyes.
On the table we will find some foods that we have never seen
before. There will be some fruit off the tree of life. There will also be
some manna. Figs and dates will be there too. The Bible says in
Revelation 22 that the tree of life has two trunks. The water of life
flows between them. Each of the twelve months, there is a different
fruit. The leaves are to be eaten too. They will bring healing to all who
lived on this earth.
The
grape vine has always been a special symbol. If we, like a branch,
are connected to the vine, we will grow fruit. You do not hear the
branches groaning and working hard to make fruit, they just do it because
the life comes up the vine and through them to the cluster. God promises
to finish the good work He started in you. (Phil. 1:6) You will become
like Him if you stay intact with the main vine. When you look at the story
of Jesus dying on the cross for you, you cannot feel proud. You cannot
take any of the glory to yourself for anything you have done.