An Unbreakable Chain

In Isaiah 41:10, God is telling His believers “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you.  I will help you.  I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” 

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When everything here on earth is going haywire, these words bring a great deal of comfort and hope. To know that God is indeed “with me” every day, and that He’ll never abandon me when the road gets rocky.  That inspires real confidence in my steps.

But what is the significance of God’s “victorious right hand?”  Why his right hand?

In Hebrews 8:1 and Mark 16:19, these words once again reverberated the importance of this right-hand position.  It’s a position of honor and power.

“HERE IS THE MAIN POINT: Our High Priest sat down in the

place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand.” 

Hebrews 8:1

“WHEN THE LORD JESUS has finished talking to them, he was

taken up into heaven and sat down in his place of honor

at God’s right hand.” 

Mark 16:19

Have you ever thought about the reason Jesus sat on God’s right side; the side next to the righteous and victorious right hand of God?  Someone once told me that the right hand is the hand of power, so this was not a surprise to me.  But I was so excited to read in Isaiah that we are also so honored when God uses this powerful and honored right hand to "hold us up."

Just imagine that for a minute. God used this hand to create the earth and the mountains, the animals and the seas. He uses this same hand of omnipotent power to get us through life. No one can beat that!  It is humbling to think that He cares about you and I so much that He uses only the best, most honored hand to guide us through life. 

I always have this mental image of Christ and me walking side by side through life.  But after re-reading this passage in Isaiah, I will always envision Christ on my left side, with His strong and comforting right arm firmly grasping my shoulders.  From God to Christ to me - locking arms and taking on life on earth like an unbreakable wall. 

I was lost in this image, when I suddenly thought, “To whom will I offer my right hand?”  Now I recognize that when God tells me to love my neighbor as myself, He is challenging me to give others the best of me, not the second best. Offer those I meet MY right hand and honor them as God does for me.  What a privilege that God uses us to keep adding to that unbreakable chain. 

Who will you honor with your right hand today?  

Find a New BFF: Colby’s Kettle Corn

I have always been a popcorn fan. I have trouble sitting in a movie without my medium-size tub of buttered bliss. I discovered the yumminess of kettle corn several years ago while I was waiting for the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, British Columbia. Where had this yummy treat been all my life? I couldn’t get enough of it after that. I like it salty, sweet, cheesy and buttery. Light and tasty and,....wait a minute... maybe I’d better check the ingredient label.  I read with increasing disappointment as one ingredient after the other added pounds to my hips almost instantly.

I had to give up the toppings in an effort to pretend like I was sticking to some kind of a diet. Plain popcorn is naturally low in fat and the fiber content gets healthy points, too. The flavor however, leaves a lot to be desired. I thought I would be destined to chew on this bland popped snack forever, saying good-bye to my new friend kettle corn. That was until I discovered Colby’s Kettle Corn.

I jumped for joy when I read their ingredient label at my local market. Low in calories and 100% natural ingredients; none of which have more than seven letters in their name, so you don’t need a dictionary to understand what you’re eating.  I took a bite and felt like I had just found my new best friend forever (BFF).

• Peanut free
• Gluten free
• No cholesterol
• Low sodium
• Vegetarian friendly
• No preservatives
• No trans fat
• No MSG
• Low calorie
• Good source of fiber

Colby’s Kettle corn comes in four terrific flavors and each one is healthy and satisfying.  I still like the Sweet and Salty the best, but the Cinnamon and Sugar is running a very close second.  For those of you who like cheesy and spicy – you won’t be disappointed; there is something there for you, too.

Why not check out their website and see where you can pick some up near you.  Shipping is also available, but I prefer more instant gratification. First-time buyers and Facebook friends get great deals; and they have a purchase points bonus plan that is a real sweet deal too.

 Try it this week and let me know what you think!

Bird Deterrents that Reduce Window Strikes

One of the joys of creating a lovely garden is the time spent sitting on the nearby porch watching the many songbirds it attracts.  If a water fountain or birdbath is nearby, bird watchers will have the additional thrill of seeing the birds’ antics in the water. This water scene can easily be a double-edged sword.  Large windows looking out over the garden can reflect the images outside; fooling birds into thinking there is fun ahead.  Bird lovers are often saddened to find an injured or dead bird laying on the ground just beneath their window; the victim of an exuberant flier smashing directly and at full speed, into the immovable window.  Not every incident can be avoided, but there are some simple bird deterrents that can be put in place to reduce the number of events.

Simple First Steps

It is good to think about placement of the water feature in your garden or lawn. Locating a fountain or birdbath out of the line of reflection in the window, or very close to the window is a simple and cost effective bird deterrent for this situation.  Removing the image from the window view will send the birds flying instead to the real water source and not it’s reflection.  Water sources placed close to windows tend to decrease the window strike incidents since birds will more likely fly directly to the water source and not past it to the reflection.  If they do overshoot their target, their speed is normally slower as they approach the water. Birds hitting windows at a slower speed may be dazed and temporarily confused, but not seriously injured.

Two Steps Beyond

Covering your windows with opaque coatings will defeat the purpose of your lovely window/garden view.  Let’s face it, windows bring in light and allow us to view nature. There is no reason to live in the dark and miss out on the beauty outside.  One useful bird deterrent that can work to reduce bird strikes is to apply static cling decals to the windows. Window Alert decals applied every two to three square feet of exterior glass surface work to reflect ultraviolet light; warning the bird that this is not a pass through. What’s even better, the decals are virtually invisible when looking from the inside out. This solution is great because it protects the birds while allowing viewers to enjoy the indoor benefits of light-enhancing windows.

Lightweight bird netting may also be stretched tightly across a window.  The netting is invisible at a distance, and can serve to interfere with the reflective nature of the window. Also, if the bird still flies toward the window, the netting held taught a few inches from the solid glass panel, can help reduce the impact and potential serious injury.

A professional bird control retailer, or ornithologist can be contacted to help determine which window alert or bird netting is best for your situation.  One or more of these solutions put into practice will dramatically improve the safety of your homemade songbird sanctuary.