Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28

Great at Forecasting, Blind to the Present

Matthew 16:2–3. NIV—When the Pharisees and Sadducees demanded a miraculous sign from heaven, Jesus replied that they knew how to predict fair or stormy weather from a red sky. He then rebuked them, saying, “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”

Take a look at this sky:

A Shift in the Quiet-Leesburg Va Autumn Sky
(photo by Sara 2026)

Luke 12:54–56 ESV —-Speaking to a large crowd, Jesus noted that they knew rain was coming when they saw a cloud rising in the west, and heat when a south wind blew. He added, “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?”

It’s overcast, shifting, and showing clear visual signals. If you know how to read the patterns, you know exactly what kind of weather is coming next. Often my achy knees tell me!

It reminds me of a direct, man-to-man talk Jesus gave to the religious leaders of His day in Matthew 16 and Luke 12. They were the ultimate “analysts.” They could look at the sky and accurately forecast a storm or fair weather. They prided themselves on reading the indicators perfectly. I think my G-parents and parents of eastern NC did as well!

But Jesus called these religious leaders out for a massive error: total spiritual blindness.

He was essentially saying to them:
“Have you not read? Have you not seen? Do you need glasses? I, the Messiah, am standing right before you even as we talk! Do you know me?”

They were so focused on predicting what was next that they missed what was now. The “signs of the times” weren’t hidden, cryptic charts—they were active, undeniable realities happening right under their noses. Jesus was actively healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, feeding the multitudes, and fulfilling ancient prophecies in their presence.

They were brilliant at forecasting the universal environment, but completely blind to the truth standing right in front of them.

💬 Let’s Study Together:

We spend hours looking at charts, indicators, and historical data trying to forecast the next move. But sometimes, we get so caught up in the “noise” of our predictions that we miss the massive, obvious trend shifting right in front of us.

Our Reflective Question;

How do you keep yourself from getting “blinded” by your own forecasts so you don’t miss the immediate reality of the day.

Let’s talk in the comments!

The Mums, the Perfume, and a Restless Mind

“For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.” — Mark 14:7 (NKJV)[

A reminder that growth is a process: open blooms, fresh buds, and a little reminder to go out and share the sweetness of Christ. (Photo by Sara 2026) (Chris made Bee-3-D)

Jesus was resting in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had once suffered from leprosy. As they sat together, a woman stepped into the room holding an expensive jar of sweet-smelling perfume. Without hesitation, she broke it open and poured it over Jesus’ head.

Instantly, the room filled with fragrance—and tension. Several guests grew furious. “Why such a waste?” they complained. “We could have sold this perfume for a fortune and given the money to the poor!” They began saying cruel things to her.

But Jesus quickly defended her: “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me… You will always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won’t always have me here with you.” (Mark 14:6-7, CEV)

I was sharing these verses recently with a deeply religious friend. He knows his Bible well, but he was facing a serious health crisis and preparing for major surgery the very next day. In that heavy state of mind, Jesus’ words caught him completely off guard.

“Whenever you want to,” he repeated,! “I’ve never noticed that phrasing in the Bible. What translation is that?”

That interaction reminded me that God is constantly calling us into seasons of change and spiritual growth. Sometimes, we think we have the Bible—and life—all figured out. But just like a pot of autumn mums, our old, dried-up thoughts have to move out of the way to let the new blooms open up.

Our minds are renewed exactly like that—in stages. God shakes up our old, comfortable patterns of thinking to make room for fresh, new growth. Jesus isn’t just the reason for the season; He is the catalyst for how we see things.

We looked it up, noting how Mark is the only Gospel writer to include that specific phrase (though Matthew 26 and John 12 tell the same overarching story). It got stuck in his mind, and honestly, it stayed stuck in mine, too.

The religious critics in that room saw the woman’s worship as a wasteful mathematical problem. They wanted to track the budget and argue about charity, but their hearts were completely blind to the Savior standing right in front of them. John’s Gospel even exposes that Judas didn’t actually care about the poor at all—he was just hiding behind a mask of religious duty.

When our perspective truly changes, generosity stops being a legalistic obligation or a political debate. It becomes an immediate, personal response to loving Jesus.

We stop worrying about what billionaires are doing with their wealth, and we start looking at what is in our own hands. Notice the little yellow bee stake sitting on top of those mums. A bee doesn’t just sit on a flower to look pretty; it visits the plant to gather pollen and carry life out into the wider world.

When God changes how we see things, we become like that bee. 🐝 Growth means walking over to a struggling neighbor with a carton of milk from our own fridge. It means snagging a pair of socks from the dollar store for a kid who needs them, or dropping off a can of soup at a local food box because we want to, and because our eyes have been opened to carry the sweetness of Christ into our communities.

Mark recorded the words of Jesus in a beautifully simple way so that the meaning couldn’t be missed. True maturity isn’t about changing the world’s systems overnight; it’s about letting the Holy Spirit renew our minds day by day (Romans 12:2). When we change how we see Jesus, it radically changes how we see, love, and serve the people around us.

Plunge-Diving or Pilfering? A Lesson from the Pelicans of Robbie’s Dock

The Pelicans of Robbie’s Dock: A Lesson in Convenience vs. Character (Part 2)

Last week we introduced ourselves to The Great Egret. This week, we take a peek into the Pelicans!

In the wild, Brown Pelicans are famous for their incredible plunge-diving—they fly high over the ocean, spot a fish, and dive face-first into the water at high speeds to stun and scoop it up. However, the ones hanging out at Robbie’s Marina have completely abandoned this hunting behavior. They have realized that sitting on wooden pilings, staring down tourists, and executing ambush maneuvers to steal bait fish is a much easier way to get a meal.

I must say, when I read that the Robbie’s Dock pelicans had found a much easier way to get a meal than hunting, I laughed. But should we laugh about behavior that seems a bit unseemly, to say the least? They are essentially stealing—breaking the 8th commandment!

Yet, I am fascinated by their awesome look, and even their pesky behavior brings a little excitement. We have had a little fun in our recent blogs with the local wildlife, seeing how they delight the guests strolling around the famous Robbie’s Dock in Florida.

But it also makes me think. In our previous discussion, we talked about what others see when they see us. We hope they are seeing our good deeds and our glorious light. But these opportunistic pelicans remind us how easily we can swap our higher purpose for a cheap shortcut—and scriptures point to a very different kind of behavior we might want to review.

When we choose the easy, chaotic path over what is right, we drift away from the standard God sets for us:

Romans 13:13 – “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” (NIV) The apostle Paul urges believers to walk honorably in the “light of day” rather than participating in wild, reckless, or divisive behavior.
1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (ESV) Believers are called to maintain mental and spiritual clarity rather than living out-of-control lives where we easily fall into traps.
1 Timothy 2:2 – “…that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (ESV)The Christian ideal is a quiet, dignified, and peaceable life rather than one of chaos and turmoil.

Are you like me and sometimes find yourself blurring the lines of having a little fun? Have you ever crossed the line simply because you found yourself in the wrong place at the right time? It is easy to justify a shortcut or join in on something “unseemly” when everyone else is doing it, or when the reward comes without immediate consequences.

The Takeaway for Our Week:
God created the pelican for the extraordinary—built to dive majestically from great heights. He created you for something grand, too. This week, let’s challenge ourselves to stay off the spiritual “wooden pilings.” Let’s choose the path of integrity over the path of convenience, ensuring our actions reflect a dignified, daytime faith.

Chris Mar photographer 2026
“…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, …But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As for me? I’ll still enjoy watching the pelicans at Robbie’s. But the next time I see one eyeing a tourist’s bait bucket, I’ll take it as a feathered reminder to keep my own beak out of places it doesn’t belong!

Pelicans, Egrets, and the Unveiled Face: A Lesson from Robbie’s Docks

“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”
— 2 Corinthians 3:18

“…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
— Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

My son, Chris and his wife, Tammy, recently returned from visiting Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada, Florida. During a Birthday family gathering, they shared their delightful photos and stories for all of us to enjoy. My granddaughter, currently in the first grade, took a special interest in their travels. Just a few months ago, she and her parents had stood on those very same docks. As we looked at the pictures together, a beautiful mystery sparked my interest. We realized they were looking at the exact same dock—and quite possibly, the exact same bird.

The Great Egret you see at Robbie’s has completely mastered the local system! As the story goes: “The birds at Robbie’s have basically turned freeloading into a highly coordinated, strategic sport. While the pelicans act like rowdy toddlers—squawking, lunging, and trying to swallow your entire hand—that sleek Great Egret just stands there looking incredibly dignified, completely masking the fact that it is actively plotting how to rob your fish bucket the second you look away.”

“The dignified master of the docks at Robbie’s Marina.” Photo by Chris Mar 2026

Lessons from the Great Egret’s Anatomy
Looking at this creature with its pure white plumage, bright orange beak, and jet-black feet, I began to wonder: What might we learn from the design of a Great Egret?

“The Pure White Plumage (The Unveiled Face): In Scripture, white symbolizes purity, righteousness, and the light of Christ. When our faces are unveiled in Him, we reflect His glory cleanly against the chaotic background of the world.
The Bright Orange Beak (Speech & Action): The beak is how the bird interacts and feeds. A bright, sharp beak reminds us that our words and daily actions should be seasoned with grace, clarity, and intentional purpose.
The Jet-Black Feet (Grounding in the Mud): Egrets spend their lives wading through muddy waters, yet their feathers stay perfectly clean. Their black legs are anchored in the muck of the earth, but they remain unstained. It is a striking metaphor for living in the world, but not being of the world.”

The Pelican vs. The Great Egret
The contrast observed at the docks offers a powerful mirror for human behavior. When the world hands us chaotic situations, do we approach them like the pelicans—squawking, lunging, causing noise, and demanding immediate gratification out of panic or anxiety? Or do we approach them like the Great Egret—projecting a quiet stillness, patience, and composure that commands respect?

What Do Others See When Our Faces Are Unveiled?
What might others see in us and share with family, friends, neighbors, and the larger community when a photo of our face is unveiled? Is it so awesome—so full of peace, integrity, and quiet joy—that they give praise to our Heavenly Father? Or is it so mundane and reactive that it hardly gets a response or a negative response?

Reflecting the glory of the Lord from one degree of glory to another doesn’t require a dramatic, loud performance. Often, the most profound light we can shine is simply choosing the poise of the egret over the chaos of the pelican. When we do, even a simple family gathering, coffee with friends, or for many of us today social media chats, text and comments become a space where we aren’t just sharing vacation photos—we are sharing a living parable.

“…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

What a Mushroom Taught Me About Spiritual Wisdom

For years, I have talked with my six-year-old granddaughter about angels. I’ve told her how they are always with us, walking beside her at school, protecting her, and watching over her as she sleeps at night.

Like many grandparents, I regularly pray for wisdom and guidance. Teaching a young, growing mind how to grasp deep spiritual truths is no small task.

Recently, her dad told me she had been asking him about these unseen guardians. “You can’t see them,” she told him firmly. Then, after a thoughtful pause, she added, “I think they must live in the clouds.”

A Quiet Afternoon in the Garden

A few days ago, she came to visit me. We were sitting together out in the yard, enjoying a quiet moment near our favorite blue and yellow bench.

She was bubbles of excitement, explaining that her class was preparing for a field trip to a mushroom farm. They were studying different fungi so they could learn how to identify them safely in the wild.

Then, she dropped a phrase that completely caught me off guard.

“We are learning about the destroying angel,” she said, her wide eyes serious. She went on to explain that it was a deadly, poisonous mushroom.

The Biblical Echo: The Messenger of Judgment

I was stunned. I had never heard of a fungus called a “destroying angel.”

As she talked about her school science lesson, my mind immediately raced to a completely different context. In the Bible, a destroying angel is a specific heavenly messenger sent to execute God’s ultimate justice and reckoning upon the earth.

Scripture speaks of this profound spiritual reality in a few places:

The First Passover: In Exodus 12:23, the Lord passes through Egypt to strike down wickedness, and Moses warns the families to stay protected by the blood on their doors so that He “will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you down.”
The Guarded City: In 1 Chronicles 21:15, we read how “God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it,” a visual so terrifying that King David saw the messenger standing between earth and heaven with a drawn sword.
The Gathering of Plagues: Psalm 78:49 describes a historical moment where God unleashed His righteous anger through a literal “band of destroying angels.”

In theology, these messengers are not malicious demons—they are holy, pristine servants of divine truth, operating in perfect purity to carry out an absolute boundary between what is righteous and what is compromise.

Yet here it was in nature: a beautiful, pure white mushroom that looks deceptively innocent but carries a lethal, hidden toxicity if consumed.

A Teaching Moment for Us Both

It was an incredible, humbling moment of alignment. I had prayed for the wisdom to teach her about spiritual realities, and she brought a profound lesson right to my garden bench.

Children remind us that the spiritual world and the physical world are constantly echoing one another. In life, just like in foraging, we have to learn discernment:

The Invisible Good: The true protectors are often unseen, quiet, and found in the most unexpected places.
The Deceptive Danger: Some things that look beautiful, pure, or “angelic” on the surface can actually hold great danger if we don’t know how to truly identify them.

My granddaughter thinks the good angels are hiding in the clouds. But that afternoon, I realized they are also right there in the classroom, giving a little girl the exact words to teach her grandparent a beautiful lesson on faith, judgment, and awareness.

A Story tells a Story

But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see;
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭115‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Palmist is contrasting the sovereign, living God who resides in heaven and acts freely—with lifeless, man-made idols crafted from silver and gold.

Which God do we relate to? Human beings were created to reflect the image of the living God. But, “Those who make them (being gods-idols) will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” (Psalm 115:8)

A Story tells a Story

A Story tells a Story

Have a seat on the blue-yellow bench!

Tell us your story and share,

Some things you are thankful for?

I’m thankful for the quaintness of little yellow butterflies.

Red and blue colored birds

As well as the black and grey birds too.

That seem to come and linger longer.

The new fall flowers and a few winter ones, too.

A message board where I can greet you.

And, you greet me and others on their walks.

I’m ecstatic when a young one stops to squeal,

Learn and share their art with all of us.

Morning coffee and afternoon tea serves as a thermostat, clock and compass, too!

So very thankful for “Hi there” to one and all!

Big smiles and laughter that sounds like chimes

Ringing in the wind of love and community!

I’m now thinking just how thankful I am

For each of you that have paused to greet me.

Both here and there and remembered to share

Your stories and words of gratitude creating magic that happens when we choose to slow down and tell our story.

A Story tells a Story!

Jesus told stories, aka as parables, were his primary way of teaching, using the everyday, elements to reveal profound truths about love, community, and the kingdom of God.

“…The birds and flowers: He famously told people to look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, reminding them not to worry and to find peace in how deeply they are cared for. (Matthew 6:26&28)

The ordinary workers: He spoke of farmers scattering seeds, fishermen throwing nets, and women baking bread to explain how a small act of faith can grow into something massive and beautiful. (Luke 8, luke 5, Luke 13)
The outsiders and neighbors: In stories like the Good Samaritan, he challenged people to redefine who their “neighbor” is, showing that love and community are found in showing mercy to whoever is right in front of you.” (Like 10:33-36)” (parts of quote taken from google AI notes)

“…God doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the heart.”
1 Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬ ‭CEB‬‬

A Story tells a Story!

Be Anxious for Nothing

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6 NKJV)

“and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (vs 7)

“And, the God of peace will be with you!” What do I do now that I’v followed the Apostle Paul’s directives as stated above? Should I? Reset my thinking? Take a walk. Lift weights? Go on vacation! Take extra vitamins? All might be helpful for various reason but Paul knew to follow up with us as to the next step in “Thought Replacement”. Change your way of thinking and he gives us a list of things to meditate on.

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

I am finding I’m often in anxiety more often than I think theses day! News on top of news of wars, high cost of about everything, poverty, lack of many needing medical care and more negatives that I care to name.

It’s so refreshing and invigorating to process these steps that have stood the test of time for many that seek help from God and follow the directives. Then;

“And, the God of peace will be with you!”

My prayer for us today we will encourage one another to find this peace.

The Road of Grace

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NRSVUE)

When I read these words of the Apostle Paul, I hear words written just for me; Mercy is woven within the fiber of my soul, and grace finds a resting place—unleashing both the calling and the strength to do my work.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

1 Corinthians 15:10, …”where grace empoweres our labor?” And, Hebrews 4:16…”come boldly to the throne of grace?”

Are you asking about now: where is the throne of grace? Are we looking for mercy for a reason? After we obtain the mercy we need, we receive grace but why?

I, Grace, sit in the middle of your busy place!
Quietness stills the hearing ear and wondering eyes.
Fingers busy searching for answers on devices to no avail.

So I sit in silence.
The roads are clear, but to no avail.
Why, I ask myself, why do I not take the road of grace given to me?

Because I’ve lost the route number and the map to find
“The Throne of Grace.”

Mercy and Grace flow like a peaceful river
When confusion is replaced.

And the lost traveler is welcomed home, enveloped in the embrace of, “oh Jesus I want to come home.”

He replies, now go and do your work as the Apostle Paul did, 👏👏👏

A lamp for our feet and light for our path

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105 KJV)

Autumn is approaching and my gardens are being guided by the shift. They know the seasons well here in Northern Virginia. After all, they come year after year.

My yearly calendar seems to know the day, date and time. It told me 2026 will be Autumn on, Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:04 p.m. EDT!

I’ve started feeling a seasonal shift in my inner soul, like a fresh season is emerging. Do you?

King Solomon penned these words;

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;…” (Eccles 3:1-3)

And, chapter 3 ends with these words, “Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?”

Rejoice in your own works!

Galatians 6:4: Advises every person to test or examine their own work, leading to satisfaction in themselves rather than by comparing themselves to a neighbor. “But let every one prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”

What do you wish for in this changing of season from summer to Autumn?

Taking inventory of wonder

Taking inventory of wonder” is a famous phrase from the poem “Sabbaths – 1979, IV” by American farmer, poet, and environmental activist Wendell Berry. Berry died in Port Royal, Kentucky, on August 31, 2026, at the age of 92.. Following his death, The New York Times noted that Berry’s works had “extolled America’s agrarian past” and that his efforts “championed small family farms and the environment”.Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear called Berry a “literary giant and a great Kentuckian”.

Taking inventory of wonder:

And, another wonder many of us have often marveled at, as singer and song writer, George Beverly Shea. I found this story from; The Billy Graham Library;

“The year was 1955, and the Billy Graham team had just completed an incredibly influential series of events in Scotland, which saw more than 2.5 million people hear the Gospel, and more than 50,000 give their lives to Christ. This was on the heels of preaching to more than 2 million the previous year in England.

After the close of the weeks-long effort, the team boarded a ship for the return voyage home to the United States. As they crossed the Atlantic, soloist George Beverly Shea (affectionately known as Bev) and his young son Ron, recognized another passenger on the ship—the president of a New York recording company.

Though the man wasn’t a Christian, he curiously asked what went on during their crusades. They had coffee and Bev joyfully shared how people received Christ each night. He finished his explanation with saying, “Oh the wonder of it all!”

That night, George Beverly Shea went back to his cabin, but sleep eluded him. At one point, Bev’s wife woke up and said, “What are you doing up so late?” Bev replied, “I’m just writing a little song.”

The executive quickly took an envelope out of his pocket, wrote those words, and pushed it across the table. He said, “Bev, that sounds like a song: ‘The Wonder of It All.’”

That “song” became the beautiful hymn, “The Wonder of It All.” Lines from, The Wonder of it all;

🎶”There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that God loves me.

…There’s the wonder of springtime and harvest,
The sky, the stars, and the sun;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is a wonder that’s just begun.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
..”🎶

Taking inventory of wonder:

There is wonder and awe throughout God’s word that enlightens, encourages, inspires, and often leaves us in awe of expectations. Just one that I marvel about. “I (God Himself) will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.” (Acts 2:19)

Taking inventory of wonder:

Taking inventory of wonder: Just to pause this morning and tell you that God loves you! And, God loves me!