Summer is in full swing now. The leaves are growing unbelievably fast. The first flowers I saw this year? Some purple flowers by the side of the road in town. I don't know what they were, though. :P
However, yesterday, I spotted a violet (which I've learned is probably actually a viola, but I've always called them violets) outside our house yesterday. Also found that the bluebell buds are starting to open. I took pictures of the violet and will post one of them.
I've been focusing a lot on trying to capture birds. I finally have some pictures of yellow-rumped warblers. They're not very good, but they're a start. I will be posting those when I'm done with blog. Finally got a good picture of a robin, as well. Just in the last few days, I have photographed robins, woodpeckers, juncos, and warblers.
I've also gotten some really good sightings of hermit thrushes. Now, normally I wouldn't know for sure if it were a hermit thrush, a gray-cheeked thrush, or another similar looking bird, however, at least one of them had the courtesy to sing for me, making him unmistakable. In my opinion, the hermit thrush has the most beautiful song around. :)
I also have some drawings I will try to post. I hope you enjoy! :)
Oh, yes, and the weather has been gorgeous! Mostly in the 70s, some cooler, some warmer. We could use a little more rain, though. God bless! :)
Ahh! The joy of spring! Spring and summer kind of blend together around here. It seems that spring is a feeling in the air before the snow melts; something that says "Summer's coming." Then it becomes a muddy, muddy mess as the snow melts. Had to redig some trenches this year. Well, now the spring streams are dried up, and the sun is out and so warm.... The dogs are happily lounging around in the sun. Ahhh, beautiful! And then...today a song was added among the cheerful varied calls of the chickadees and "sweeeet" of the redpolls. I have yet to see one, but the robin's song rang out sweet and clear. There's something about the robin's song...it takes my breath away every time.
Welcome back, sweet singers! :)
I feel a bit sad today. Maybe it's the overcast weather and my sleepy, slightly allergy-inflicted head. Of course, it's also that it's been almost a year since I lost my Jeneen.
However, what I'm thinking about right now is the death of Osama bin Laden. Am I sad that he's dead? Not really. As far as I'm concerned, he was dead a long time ago--his soul was already lost. But I don't feel any joy over the news, either. While I may approve of what has happened, that doesn't mean that I should be happy about it.
"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23, NIV).
When something needs to be done, the Lord will see that it's done. But why would he rejoice in it? He will rejoice in the salvation of His people, but how could He rejoice over the death of His son whom He created? Osama bin Laden was made by God--His son. Jesus died for him when He died for the rest of us. How it must've broken His heart as Osama went farther and farther away from Him and released his terror upon God's other loved ones!
David's reaction to his rebellious son's death comes to mind: "He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: 'O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!'" (2 Samuel 18:33).
Are we no better than our enemies, America? We rejoice and have big celebrations over a man's death? There is nothing wrong with being glad about this. But I find the idea of partying over it sickening.
That said, please don't get me wrong; I am extremely proud of our troops! They have worked hard and done our their job, protecting us. THANK YOU!!!! I love you!
I don't understand the great victory people claim this to be, either. For years, people have speculated that bin Laden was probably dead already. To me, it doesn't really matter if he's dead or not--just that he is no longer effective. Bin Laden is not all there is to al Qaeda--in fact, in recent years most of the terrorists' attempts have been made without any orchestration from Osama.
Still, it is a victory....I know I sound like I'm contradicting myself. This is a great accomplishment on our part. It is good that we tracked this guy down and got him. But I guess it just seems to me like so many people are taking as "It's over! Yay!" or that to them it's about vengeance rather than justice. I am not ashamed to admit that back in 2001, when I heard the announcement that we were going into Afghanistan, this then-13-year-old girl cried. Did I believe that we were doing the right thing? Absolutely! But I cried and I prayed that if there was the remotest chance that any of these terrorists might be saved, that God would spare their lives until they gave their hearts to Him.
The closure is good...and it is good for us that we see that we have accomplished one big thing that we have been striving for for nearly ten years. I guess I just have such mixed feelings.... I stopped really thinking about getting bin Laden a long time ago. I accepted that we probably would never know if we got him or not. It's strange to suddenly know that we have.
And I guess the issue is...I can't...I can't like that he's dead. I don't exactly dislike it, but I can't like it. I do like that he has been STOPPED and that we got him. But I don't think I could ever like death....
Now that I've probably made myself out to be a self-righteous good-two-shoes holier-than-thou moralistic freak...haha Let me just say that I am not judging anyone else's reactions--they are your own reactions and I will not judge you on them. I respect them and I respect you. It is not my place to judge anyone.
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