Birds of the Bible - Swan II

And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, (Leviticus 11:18 KJV)

Coscoroba Swan ©Wikipedia

Swans have been written about before with Birds of the Bible - Swan I and Swan Loyalty. Because of the Lord's amazing creation of the birds, there is always more to find out about them. In the first Swan blog it was mentioned that there are 6 Swans in the Anatidae family. Well, that is incorrect. There are 6 swans in the Cygnus genera (division of a family), but there is another genera called Coscoroba. This genera has only one swan, the Coscoroba Swan. So, there are 7 Swans.

The Coscoroba has the ones who study birds (taxonomist and others) in a quandary. They are not sure if it is a swan, duck or goose. "Externally, the body, head and legs appear to be more like a goose than a swan. As an example, their body is much smaller in comparison to other species of swans; the largest species average double the weight and have a wingspan at least 40% larger. Since they are smaller in size compared to other swan species, coscoroba swans require shorter distance to lift off from the ground or water. In contrast to other species of swan, coscoroba swans have a shorter neck and longer legs. Another feature that distinguishes coscoroba swans from other species is that feathers cover their facial skin, instead of bare skin extending from the bill to the eye. This species also lacks the characteristic basal knob found on all other five species of swans. Compared to other swans, the bill of a coscoroba swan is smaller and more resembles the bill of a duck." (Animal Facts, Woodland Park Zoo)

They went on to say that it sounds more like a goose, doesn't carry young on back like swans and that their young look more like young whistling ducks. Considering that the Anatidae family consists Ducks, Geese, and Swans, sounds like they are all in the same "created kind" for sure. They have been doing as they were command by God to:

And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. (Genesis 1:22 NKJV)

Coscoroba Swan ©Arthur Grosset

The Coscoroba Swan lives mainly in the southern part of South America and prefers shallow areas of lagoons, swamps, ponds, or areas with lots of vegetation. They are between 34.6-45.2 inches and males can be as much as 11.9 pounds and the female 10 pounds. "Inside the bill, there are serrated comb-like structures called lamellae, which help filter food. When eating, swans scoop up water and food, hold it in their mouth and squeeze out the water through the lamellae."

They are all white except for the 6 black feathers at the tips of their wings. Speaking of flying, here are some interesting facts. (When migrating, the flock maintains visual contact as much as possible and will call out to each other to stay united during inclement weather or poor lighting conditions. During migrations, coscoroba swans may fly with flamingos or black-necked swans (C. melanocoryopha). Migration routes may take place at extreme elevations; researchers have noted swans flying at elevations of 26,277 feet (8,000 m). These high altitudes allow the birds to take advantage of stronger air currents. Additionally, swans almost always fly in a V-formation to save energy, as the bird in front creates a slipstream for the bird behind it to fly through." (Animal Facts)

There are many more fascinating facts about these swans and the others, but these should help you appreciate Our Lord's love and care for His Creation.

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. (Isaiah 40:28 KJV)

See:
Coscoroba Swan Woodland Park Zoo
Coscoroba Swans Avian Web (Nice Photos)

Wordless Birds

Birds of the Bible - Camp in Philipines

Wanted to share some information on what the Lord has done through the website. This will be a two part article. I just heard about some of the results of a church camp that took place a few weeks ago. The ECBF Junior camp in Daraitan, Tanay, Philippines. Below is a video they just released on YouTube.

I got involved when Myra left a comment on our site at Birdwatching From A Christian Perspective. She asked permission to use some of the material for an upcoming camp. Of course, permission was granted and we have communicated several times since then through comments and e-mails.

I've asked her to do a write-up about the camp and that will be in Part II. Here are some things that I have learned through our contacts. I am sure Myra won't mind me sharing these.

"I learned about birdwatching from an American missionary several years ago. I didn't know it was possible to birdwatch where I live -- Taytay, Rizal, a rather crowded town east of Manila. The missionary said they could birdwatch where they live which was not far from where I live. So have been a casual birdwatcher ever since. I watch butterflies too.", by Myra

Then as camp grew near, she sent me a partial section of the camp manual. When I received it, I wept from the knowledge that the Lord was using my small efforts on this blog to help others around the world. Here is part of that manual:

Let’s Be Bird Watchers!

Bakit mabuting libangan ang bird watching?

“Ang ibon at mga hayop ay marunong pa sa iyo, Sa kanila ay magtanong at ikaw ay matututo.” Job 12:7
Masdan ninyo ang mga ibon: hindi sila naghahasik ni nag-aani o kaya’y nagtitipon sa bangan. Gayunman,pinakakain sila ng inyong Amang nasa langit. Hindi ba’t higit kayong mahalaga kaysa mga ibon. (Mateo 6:26)
Sapagkat ang buhay ay higit na mahalaga kaysa pagkain, at katawan kaysa pananamit. Isipin na lang ninyo ang mga uwak: hindi sila naghahasik ni nag-aani man; wala silang bangan ni kamalig, gayunma’y pinakakain sila ng Diyos. Gaano pa kayo – higit kayong mahalaga kaysa mga ibon. (Lucas 12:23-24 )
Para maging birdwatcher:

• Look around – magmasid.
• Look for birds that are common near you. Where? Sa ibabaw ng mga poste, sa mga linya ng kuryente, sa mga parke, sa garden spots ng resort o subdivision.
• Listen! Each bird has the own different note or song: Psalm 104:12(birds sing) ; Ecclesiastes 12:4 (birds make sounds); Song of Solomon 2:12 (birds have voices)

• Some birds -maganda ang boses
• Some birds- sintonado / malakas / masakit sa tenga ang boses
• Some birds- madaldal.
• Some birds- madakdak.

After you find birds to watch, observe them.
How? Take note of their:

• Colors
• Size (Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Very Big)
• Sounds
• Beak (Pahaba, deretso lang, naka-curve, matulis, etc.)
• Posture (hukot, deretso, laging nakatingala)
• Wings (mahaba, maiksi, matulis, pabilog, etc.)
• Tail (long, short, patulis, parang fork, parang pamaypay, etc.

Movements. What are they doing? Kumakain / naghahanap ng makakain / gumagawa ng pugad / may dala-dalang damo. Malikot, sa lupa naglalakad, sa bukid nakatayo , nakatayo sa ibabaw ng kalabaw

Assignment: Use some of your free time during this camp to bird watch. Describe below some of the birds you see or hear.

Like many of you, I can not read much of it, but they could and so can our Omnipresent and Omniscient Creator who knows all languages.

One more excerpt from her email I received this morning and then you can see how their camp went.

"There are a few pictures in the video that show us under some trees on a hill. That's where I asked the kids to be absolutely silent for ten minutes and just try to listen to as many bird calls as possible. I heard at least five bird calls coming from all directions and so did many of the kids. One of the staff said those ten minutes took away months of stress. You helped in more ways than you thought you did!"

Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. (Job 37:14 NKJV)

Camp Sparta Kid's Campout

Send your kids to Camp Sparta on Friday, May 7th, for a Kid's Campout. Registration begins at 5pm and the camp ends on Saturday, May 8th around 2:30pm.

• Activities include: ping pong, carpetball, foosball, basketball, volleyball, canoeing, etc.
• Water-front activities include: Skit-boat, tubing, Hot Dog, wakeboarding, and THE BLOB
• Cost is $30 for kids and $25 for leaders
• All meals and lodging are included in registration costs!!
• Pick up a registration form in the church foyer if your are interested in attending or you may call Camp Sparta at 863-382-8696.
  

Seven Realities Binding True Believers to God

Sunday night, Pastor Osborne preached a message entitled Seven Realities Binding True Believers to God. He shared these seven realities from John 10:

1. Believers are His sheep.
2. Christ's sheep hear only His voice and follow only Him.
3. Christ's sheep have eternal life.
4. Christ gives eternal life to His sheep.
5. Christ promised His sheep will never perish.
6. No one, not false shepherds, false teachers, not even the devil himself is powerful enough to snatch Christ's sheep out of His hands.
7. Christ's sheep are not only held in His hands, but also in the hand of the Father.

You can listen to this sermon online at our website. The powerpoint notes are also available.

Upward Pictures - Week 4

See more pictures from week 4 of our Upward Soccer season on our Facebook page.

Mother-Daughter-Friend Dinner

All women and girls are invited to attend the upcoming Mother-Daughter-Friend Dinner on Saturday, May 8th, 5:30-8:30pm in the Fellowship Hall.

Tickets will cover the cost of food only: $10 adult menu (13 & up) and $5 child's menu (12 & under). If this is a financial hardship for you, speak with your Care Cluster leader. We want everyone to be able to come.

This refreshing night out includes:

• Family and friends
• Fancy dress
• Fun
• Great food
• Purses, purses, and more purses!
• Fashion purse show
• Special speaker

Tickets are currently being sold in the church foyer before and after services on Sundays.

Help Send our Teens to Nicaragua

Our teens are making plans for their upcoming missions trip to Nicaragua. Many of them need additional funds so that they can go on this trip. Do you have some work around your house that needs to be done? Would you consider hiring a teen to help support their trip to Nicaragua? If so, sign-up at the information table in the foyer or contact us here with your specific project needs and a teen will contact you for further arrangements. Thank you for your faithful support.

Birds of the Bible - Little Brown Jobs

An interesting video from YouTube by SmellLikeDirt caught my interest. Take a look and then I'll comment on it.



The Sparrow has been written about before, but it is always nice to find out something else new about them. We know that the Lord created all the birds, but it seems as though the Sparrow just doesn't get the attention like the more colorful birds. After watching the video, I trust you saw how God has provided for them to keep their species alive.

It is interesting about the behavior patterns of the different patterns of coloration. The White-throated Sparrow is a passerine bird of the American sparrow family Emberizidae. The White-throated Sparrow is 17 cm (6.75 inches) in length with a wingspan of 23 cm (9 inches) Typical weight is 26 grams (0.91 oz).

There are two adult plumage variations known as the tan-striped and white-striped forms. On the white-striped form the crown is black with a white central stripe. The supercilium is white as well. The auriculars are gray with the upper edge forming a black eye line.

On the tan form, the crown is dark brown with a tan central stripe. The supercilium is tan as well. The auriculars are gray/light brown with the upper edge forming a brown eye line. Both variations feature dark eyes, a white throat, yellow lores and gray bill. There is variation and some individuals may show dark lateral stripes of each side of the throat.

Most of us are just average people and sometimes may feel like you are not that important to others. But God loves us, even more than the sparrows and He hasn't forgotten them.

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. (Luke 12:6 NKJV)

It's true that the Sparrows are looked down on and sometimes just called, "Little Brown Jobs," but they are created the way God wanted them in His plan for them. As Christians, not everyone can be the leader or the one in the "lime-light." If that were true, then where would the followers be?

For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (1 Corinthians 12:14-18 NKJV)

See also:

Sparrows

New Building Q & A

There will be 2 question and answer sessions for the new building project. They will be Sunday, April 18th and Sunday, April 25th. Both sessions will be held in the chapel from 4:30pm to 6:00pm. The Deacons and the Building Committee will be available to answer any questions you may have concerning our upcoming building project.

On Sunday night, May 9th, we will have our Quarterly Business Meeting after the evening worship service. At that meeting, we will vote on the following recommendation from the Deacons.

Whereas God has instructed Faith Baptist Church to evangelize and disciple the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ,

Whereas the membership of Faith Baptist Church has responded to a vision presented by its Pastor, Nathan Osborne, to grow in outreach, to impact their community, and to reach the world with our Lord's good news of salvation,

Whereas diligent work has been done by the building committee with much prayer and careful guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the church membership recognizing with appreciation their dedication and careful commitment to the challenge before them,

Whereas having completed their work and having then made a formal presentation to the Deacon Board,

Be it resolved that the Deacon Board of Faith Baptist Church recommends to the congregation to authorize the building committee to spend an additional $2,075,000 to complete the building project as proposed,

Therefore, be it also known that the membership of Faith Baptist Church does this with great faith in our God Who "is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think."

More Upward Pictures - Week 3

Go HERE to see more Upward pictures.

Birds of the Bible - Leaving the Ark

In my reading this week, I read something that I had overlooked before. We know that the animals, birds and all critters came to Noah two by two to be placed in the safety of the Ark.

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. (Genesis 6:19-20 KJV)

We have written about that before in Birds of the Bible - Foundation #3 when the critters went in and Foundation #4 when they came off. What I discovered is that the attitudes or instincts of them changed when they came off.

Noah let the Raven out and it didn't come back, but the dove did because it didn't find a resting place for it's feet.

But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. (Genesis 8:9 ESV)

Then 7 days later Noah let the dove out again and this time returned with an olive leaf.

He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. (Genesis 8:10-11 ESV)

Some commentators had this to say:

"then he put forth his hand and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark: she hovered about it, and got near the window, which Noah opened and took her in; which may represent the gracious reception sensible souls meet with from Christ, who apply to him; he kindly embraces them, and they find room in his heart and affections, fullness of everything they want, and security from all danger." (Gill)

"And as Noah put forth his hand, and took the dove, and pulled her in to him, into the ark, so Christ will graciously preserve, and help, and welcome, those that fly to him for rest." (Matthew Henry)

What I noticed and believe is that the Dove did not fear Noah and allowed itself to be brought back in twice. The dove returned needing shelter, but also not wary of the humans on board. This lack of fear demonstrated by the dove may help explain why the animals, birds and other critters had no problem coming to Noah to be loaded on board the Ark in the first place. Of course, God brought them there, as we know, but the lack of fear may have made it easier for them to get them in.

Now, watch what happens in Genesis 9:1-3:

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. (Genesis 9:1-3 ESV)

Right there that lack of fear ended.

Today, those of us who love to go bird or critter watching know about that fear they have of us. Because of that fear, they are able to steer clear of being trapped, caged, or eaten. Do we fear satan enough that we steer clear of his traps, cages, and falling prey to him?

To me it is amazing that no matter how many times we read over a passage of Scripture, the Lord allows us see new things to help us grow and appreciate our Creator and Savior even more. Never tire of re-reading a passage of God's Word. His Word is alive just as He is.

Upward Pictures from Week 1

Here are some pictures from our first week of Upward Soccer games. They were taken by Lee & Dan Dusing on Saturday, March 24th, 2010. Enjoy.

April Faith Day 2010

This past Sunday, April 4th, was April Faith Day. It is the day we collect our annual April Faith Day Offering. We praise the Lord that over $60,000 was generously given. I am always fascinated by the "stats" of any offering and thought I would share a few of them with you. All of these stats are as of Sunday, April 4th.

• Total Offering - $60,104.65
• Total Number of gifts - 103
• Amount of smallest gift - $1.00
• Amount of largest gift - $8,000 (there were 2 of these gifts)
• Average gift - $583.54

An interesting side note is to consider that in addition to the April Faith Day offering, the General Fund offering was over $24,000. When you add in all of the designated funds, over $86,000 was deposited in the bank on Monday morning.

Urgent Prayer Request from Retired Missionary Gene Bryant

Date: Thursday, April 1, 2010, 12:28 AM Dear Prayer partners,   I want to be brief so you can pray intelligently, but Sharon became very ill Sunday over a week ago.  Fainted twice and fell.  No B.P. no pulse when squad came.  Transported her to Mt. Carmel E. Cols, OH.  So many tests and Drs., and now finally have concluded that her problem is severe colitis of large colon.  They have said "wait and see" if it will cure itself.  No, needs to do so surgery. The first surgeon to see her left for a week of vacation and will return Monday.  In the meantime she is lying there wanting some thing done to get on the road to healing.  This may be a long haul.  Just 8 years ago January she had anyursm and then stroke.  I am sure she is some- what fearful.  God has been good, but I tire running to and fro to and from hospital, but that is a small price for there good recovery.  Do pray God will use this to His honor and glory.  Her son is far from the Lord, if, ever really born again.  He made a profession in release time classes at an early age.  Sharon has been faithful when physically able to get in services. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INTERCESSORY PRAYERS ON OUR BEHALF AND TO HIS PRAISE.  GENE BRYANT Gene Bryant's Missionary Page

Missionary Update - The Darlings

Dear Praying Friends,

We just returned from our trip to Spain last night.  We had a really wonderful time getting to know the Spain Team missionaries with whom we will be serving and we enjoyed getting to see the works and meeting our brothers and sisters in Christ in that country.  We met both Spaniards and Latin Americans while in Spain.  It was interesting to hear their testimonies of how they came to Christ.  We didn't think that we needed to travel to Spain for a survey trip since we didn't for Venezuela; we wanted to avoid that expense.  The trip, however, was worth the while.  The Spain Team went out of their way to show us a little of the country and it was a joy to get to know them.

While there Tim shared the Word eight different times, at three different churches.  The best thing happened was that a Spaniard teenage girl received Christ at the Church in Azuqueca where Jonathan Lyons is serving.  This girl has been visiting the church as a guest of one of the youth in the church and the people had been praying for her.    

When we arrive in Spain, we will be working in Salamanca with Kent and Belén Albright.  They are veteran missionaries who have a wide knowledge of Spain and its culture.  Kent pastors a church and also has a prison ministry and a campus ministry.  The University of Salamanca is the fifth oldest university in the world.

We have made an appointment for May 11, 2010 at the Spanish Consulate in Miami to turn in our documents for our visa.  We have several documents to get together in order to be ready at that time.  Please pray for this process and that God will open doors.  Our aim is to arrive in Spain on July 14, 2010...a lofty goal.  We know that God opens doors that no man shuts and shuts doors that no man can open.  We are excited to see how God will work.  We will also need to finish raising the extra support needed to live there. 

Thanks so much for your prayers on our behalf.

May you experience God's richest blessings, Tim and Pam

See the Darling's Missionary Page

Gil and Denise Thomas' Newsletter

To see the latest Newsletter from Gil and Denise Thomas - Click Here

To see their Missionary Page - Click Here

Missionary Prayer Request - Kent & Kelly Craig

Missionary: Kent and Kelly Craig
ABWE Asia/Pacific Regional Administrator
Board- ABWE

• Kent recently returned from Thailand where he attended the triennial conference of the Asia Baptist Theological Seminary. He also participated in the ABTS Board meeting for the regional graduate-level training program for Asia leaders and Christian workers.
• s now in Harrisburg, PA to represent the Asia/Pacific region at the ABWE Board meetings on March 15th & 16th.
• March 15th-26th he is participating in training at the Field Preparation Seminar for pre-field missionary appointees who have reached 85% of their support and neared departure for their fields of service.
• March 22nd-25th will attend an off-site retreat with the other eleven ABWE regional administrators.
• Kari, their oldest daughter, is within $505 of her support for the 10 day Word of Life Missions Reality team ministry in Brazil on April 29th-May 6th.
• Continue to pray for Rick & Lisa Caynor. She was critically injured in an August 27th accident in Thailand. Just recently returned home to Visalia, CA. She is settled into the rehabilitation center there.

See the Craig's Missionary Page

Birds of the Bible - Swan Loyalty (Lee Dusing)

Black Swan nest at Lake Morton

Dan and I went to Lake Morton in Lakeland. The Swans were building nest all over the place. When we were there several months back, one of the couples was just starting their nest. Now it is quite huge and they have even put a fence around it.

Swans are one of the Birds of the Bible listed in Deuteronomy 14:16 and Leviticus 11:18 as being one of the unclean birds that the Israelites were not to eat.

And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle (Leviticus 11:18 KJV)

Here is an excerpt about the Swans and their loyalty to each other. This is from Creation Moments:
(I Corinthians 7:10) “Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband.”

"Most water fowl are faithful to one mate over long periods of time. However, the swan is a champion of marital fidelity.

In North America, they are called Whistling Swans or Tundra Swans. Another member of the same species is usually found in Europe and Asia, where it is called Bewick's Swan. Researchers report that each has a unique pattern of yellow and black on its bill, making individuals easy to identify. This allowed researchers to trace their lives over many years.

Mute Swan on Nest at Lake Morton

These beautiful creatures have relatively long life spans. One individual was traced for 26 years. Typically laying four eggs in nesting season, they breed for most of their lives. They are highly territorial. In a face-off for food or nesting area, the largest male is usually the winner. When there is a disagreement, the males face each other while their mates cheer them from the sidelines. Single swans enjoying a nice discovery of food are often driven off by couples. Couples are faithful for life. Researchers say that they have recorded no cases of divorce among successfully reproducing couples. Nor do they report any case of marital infidelity among swans. If a mate is lost, the survivor often takes over a year to settle down with another mate. In one case a survivor waited for six years.

Marital fidelity is also God's instruction to humans. Today many factors are allowed to challenge marital fidelity. Often infidelity before or after marriage is portrayed as simply normal. But if swans can manage fidelity, we humans have no excuse for infidelity."

For more information, go to:
Birds of the Bible - Swans Page
Experts stunned by swan 'divorce' at Slimbridge wetland
Bewick's Swans aka Tundra Swans

Congratulations to Pastor and Jill on 15 Years at FBC

 

March 1st, 2010, marked Pastor and Jill Osborne's 15th anniversary at Faith Baptist Church. We honored them with a special recognition service and gift.  Below you can view pictures from that service as well as a video that was shown.