Consider The Raven: Meditations Beside a Vernal Pool

By Virginia Reynolds Williams

Love of nature, love of the Word of God, and the relevance of both in our daily lives is what these meditations seek to demonstrate. Bird life and drama are reflected on as during the year the seasons change around the vernal pool.

Since early days as a youth at camp, Virginia Reynolds Williams has enjoyed observing and writing

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lettra Press LLC
• Release date: Sep 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781645521853

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Consider the Raven: Meditations Beside a Vernal Pool

This book is written to provide information and motivation to readers. Its purpose is not to render any type of psychological, legal, or professional advice of any kind. The content is the sole opinion and expression of the author, and not necessarily that of the publisher.

Copyright © 2023 by Virginia Reynolds Williams.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form by any means, including, but not limited to, recording, photocopying, or taking screenshots of parts of the book, without prior written permission from the author or the publisher. Brief quotations for noncommercial purposes, such as book reviews, permitted by Fair Use of the U.S. Copyright Law, are allowed without written permissions, as long as such quotations do not cause damage to the book’s commercial value. For permissions, write to the publisher, whose address is stated below.

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN 978-1-64552-186-0 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64552-185-3 (Digital)

Lettra Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

Lettra Press LLC

30 N Gould St. Suite 4753

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Table of Contents

Introduction

WET SEASON

Bird-Watching with God

My New Binocs!

Going by the Book

Cathedrals of the Forest

To Kill a Mockingbird

No Teacher Like Observation

Don’t Belittle Your Own Observation

Drama on the Vernal Pool

Letter to My Best Friend—or Betrayed

When to Speak

Can We Overcome When Overwhelmed?

Threatening Storm

Knowing Nature, Knowing God

Don’t Be a Sitting Duck

Winning Side

Idolatry

Awe of Creator’s Handwork

Free as a Bird

The Enemy

Figuring My Limits

Designed

Unique Insignificance

Camouflaged Christians

What Someone Else Thinks

Consider the Ravens

Nothing to Wear

Troubled Waters Alone

Annoying Birds

Puzzle Pieces of Life: Why Don’t We All Believe the Same Thing?

Escape: Good or Bad?

Faith: Tossing Mountains

Disappointed Expectations of Parents

Are Birds Racist?

Patience in Waiting for Birds and Blessings

Did I Tell You about My New Binoculars?

Let Your Light Shine

Some Birds Care—Some Birds Don’t Care

Job’s Refocus

Crabby Bachelor Holds His Spot

What God Didn’t Tell Us

Chorus Line Performance

DRY SEASON

GWFG

Danger

God’s Way

Man Looks to His Maker

Watch. Wait. Now.

Judging Others

Prophets Depressing, But ...

Band Together: Identify the Enemy

Getting Ready for the Enemy

Control

Concrete Walk

God’s Object Lessons

Experiencing God Secondhand

Grass Withers

The End-Time Big Bang

Choose Your Idol: Hollywood or Technology

Bible Binoculars

High Smoke and the Birds

Interruptions: A Bird and a Soul

Bird-Watching and Scripture Memory

Moses and the Wilderness

Just Another Day, or Why I Enjoy Nature

A Hunter Told Me

Nectar

Back to the Word

Dangerous World for Birds and Children

Journey of Life: One Day at a Time

Journey of Life Draws to a Close

An Approaching Wildfire

Letter to My Child in a Darkening World

Light in This Darkening World

Faith in a Darkening World

Recommended Handbooks

To Tony, whose words Where did you get your love for God and your love for birds? kept me going when I would have given up.

Introduction

Love of nature, love of the Word of God, and the relevance of both in our daily lives are what these meditations seek to demonstrate. Birdlife and drama are reflected on as the seasons change around the vernal pool: from a lake teeming with flocks of birds in winter to a dry field of grass in summer where birds stay hidden. Is the California drought playing a role here? Maybe that’s why there are more predators (hawks and ravens) this year. The threatening wildfires serve as reminders of the fragility of life and suggest end -t ime warn ings.

Some small finches just banded with a mockingbird to chase a hawk away. The Bible warns of false prophets and that they are among us, not in the enemy camp. There is no blinking red light to tell us who they are. We have to be alert, as the birds, for when we think it’s safe and quiet, the threat descends like a hawk.

These thoughts seek to elevate the work of the Creator and the message He gives through creation, along with His written Word. Keeping always in mind: The fashion of this world passeth away (1 Corinthians 7:31) and The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the Word of our God shall stand forever (Isaiah 40:8). His Word is eternal, though even the heavens shall pass away (2 Peter 3:10). We need to give urgent heed to this Word that is eternal (Hebrews 2:1) as we observe His temporal handwork.

He did tell us to consider the ravens (Luke 12:24), and throughout scripture are mentioned object lessons in nature of deeper truths contained in His written Word.

Among things considered here are issues in our world and culture today, intertwining bird observations and scripture to help give an insightful perspective on an issue that only may seem new because it’s being experienced by someone for the first time. The issue itself may be as old as the Garden of Eden.

Looking at the beauty, harmony, and order of creation—even in a polluted, decaying world—helps the observer sort thoughts and get a better perspective on issues we face in our troubled, darkening world.

WET SEASON

CHAPTER 1

Bird-Watching with God

Bird -w atching is something I do with God. Though I do it more often and more knowledgeably than some people, what I see does not compare to what the ornithologist, the specialized photographer, or even the dedicated bird -w atcher sees. And none do it as well as God, who does not forget a single sparrow (Luke 12:6). I watch two house sparrows zig and zag in flight together and wonder what they are doing. Playing? Fighting? Mating? Then they are out of sight, and I have no more knowledge of their tussle. But not God. He still watches them and will see the outcome of this little soap o pera.

But I got to see part of it! More than those hurrying to class, back to their apartments, or off to work, I was the one who got my spirits lifted from the problems of this earth for a few moments, to consider the awesomeness of life around me that goes on beautifully whether I notice it or not. Then the birds were gone, reminding me that I have other problems to turn my mind to. God will take care of the birds, and He will take care of me and my problems too.

CHAPTER 2

My New Binocs!

My new binoculars are marvelous! Before, I could only tell by their quick, loopy flight patterns that these birds were swallows. But now, I can occasionally see colors and markings. They are still pretty quick, but I can tell a Tree Swallow from a Violet -g reen Swallow. Sometimes. But I can’t quite tell the juvenile Tree Swallow from a Bank Swallow. Before these binocs, I couldn’t see any of the defining details at any time. Now, I see more—and I know what to look for.

In addition to details of individual birds, I can see details on the far shore of the vernal pool that I couldn’t see before. One day in the rain, I saw a little troop of Tree Swallows lined up on the wire of the fence like