Thomas Trock

Mountain Cathedrals: The Outdoors From a Different Perspective

Birds

Springtime in the Mountains VI

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. Psalm 84:2-5 NIV Nuthatches are one of my favorite birds. They seem to always be in motion, and …

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Consider the Ravens

Then Jesus said to his disciples: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild …

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Veterans Day – Of Eagles and Miracles

Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT) A few days before I took the picture of this eagle, a veteran told me a remarkable story about himself. For a long …

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Horned Puffin

So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:21 Horned puffins are an ocean bird often found near islands in Alaska. During the winter, puffins range far from land in the North Pacific Ocean. Then in the spring and summer, they gather in colonies on the islands and shorelines to nest. They usually nest on cliffs or in rock crevasses, laying only one egg per year. The face and bill on …

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Water Ouzel / American Dipper

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3 The very first time I saw a water ouzel, I thought I’d killed it. No kidding. Long ago I was fishing alone in a remote area in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. A medium-sized grey bird appeared very close to me, standing on a rock next to the river. He was dipping and bobbing up and down like nothing I’d ever seen before. I took a step closer to get a better look, and he bailed …

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Ptarmagan

Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:17-18 Ptarmigans hold a special memory for me. Whilst in college, I did a research paper on these birds. That was back when students actually had to go to the library (of all places), and not their phones, to find information. Like other grouse, Ptarmigan eat seeds, berries, insects, …

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Springtime in the Mountains V

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NLT About twenty years ago, it was rare to see a turkey in our backyard. When I would see one, I’d study it as it sauntered into the brush. Now we often see flocks of twenty or more birds in our neighborhood. The turkey shown above is a male in full display to attract a mate. I took the picture this week from my kitchen window. …

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Hidden Things Revealed

Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs …

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Cedar Waxwing

Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” Genesis 1:20-22 When our wild cherry trees begin producing fruit we have …

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Hummingbird I

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT) My camera tends to do strange things sometimes. Over the years I have tried to figure out how to best operate it, but it seems to me that some of the controls are a bit counter-intuitive. And since I go a while between taking pictures, I forget what I learned about the silly …

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Wren in a Box

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.     Job 12:7-10 (NIV) There are about nine or ten bird boxes on our property. We don’t own much land, but I’ve got boxes wedged into just about every place …

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Of Geese and Goslings

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 Springtime holds sights which can only be experienced for a few weeks each year. Young ones are starting to venture out from their safe hiding places to discover a great big world out there. I recently saw the above pictured birds – a pair of adult Canadian geese who have successfully hatched out six young (goslings). The importance of bringing up youngsters is talked about often in Scripture, and many times I catch a small glimpse of …

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Home Again Home Again

And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let …

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Refuge from the Storm

It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm… Isaiah 4:6 NIV There seems to be a constant supply of cold and snow this winter in my little corner of the world. Animals near us are taking creative measures to stay warm and dry. We’ve had some deer bedding down next to our house of late, along with sleeping under our shed in an attempt to get out of the wind and cold. Birds are well equipped to deal with cold nights providing they get some high …

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Turkey Breath

“O LORD, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. Numbers 27:16 NLT When I can see the breath of a wild turkey, I know it is cold outside. In fact is it was a balmy 15 degrees Fahrenheit (F.) when I took this picture a few days ago. That’s plenty cold enough for me. A turkey’s body temperature is a bit higher than that of people (106 degrees F. vs 98.6). At that high a body temperature, water can exist as a gas, i.e. vapor. But when …

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Thanksgiving I – Surrounded by Turkeys

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 This week we celebrate Thanksgiving in America. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It is a relaxed time that I truly savor and look forward to each year. For the most part, I’ve not been too caught up in what people call the Christmas rush of writing cards and buying gifts of who knows what. But …

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Eagles Nest

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40: 28-31. I took this picture …

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Great Grey Owl

Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.” Luke 10:23-24 I took this picture of a Great Grey owl on a recent hike through some dense timber. After my initial surprise at seeing such a stunning creature, we both stopped and stared at each other long enough for me to get a decent photo. Owls have amazing …

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Owls

Photo by Rock R. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. Psalm 145:15-19 A friend of mine sent me this photo. He is a biologist who helps with …

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Snow Bird House

Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word. Isaiah 66:1-2 When I have time, I like to build things in my workshop. Some of the things I’ve made aren’t very recognizable, but once in a while something emerges that …

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Eagles in the Snow

Have you visited the storehouses of the snow, or seen the storehouses of hail? Job 38:22 NLT Have you ever wondered why there is more snow at higher elevations than lower? Usually the main reason for this is temperature variations. The higher you go, the colder it is, at least if all other variables are equal. Folks who study the weather tell us that for about every 1000 foot gain in elevation (approx. 300 meters), the air temperature drops about 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes a new snowline is very distinct in the mountains; sometimes it’s a little fragmented, such as …

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Living Water

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:37-39      I’ve often been amazed at how life thrives around water. Even if it’s not much water, just a little seems to draw a …

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Springtime in the Mountains III

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. Galatians 6:14-15      A while back, Star the Wonderdog and I were seeing lots of bear sign during a springtime hike. Quite naturally, I had bears on my mind, so I kept Star close by as we ascended the mountain. …

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Springtime in the Mountains II

 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.    Ps 96:1      When we first moved here several years ago, I rarely saw or heard a wild turkey while hiking. As the years went by, the turkeys have done very well for themselves. They are not native to where we live; they were introduced over 50 years ago. I don’t know what data was gathered before turkeys were brought to my home state those many years ago. The idea of introducing a new species to an area – be it bird, fish, or wildlife …

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