Another puzzle is completed. The Tiger is Captured after 1000 pieces finally blended together. I limited my involvement to about 152 pieces. I did not want to deprive Mary Anne of the thrill of locating the additional 948 small bits of cardboard. The shades of brown, gold, and white, with a tiny bit of blue, made this a challenge. Creating beauty requires attention and focus.

While preparing breakfast this morning, I observed a pair of titmice at our suet feeder. Suddenly I noticed a strange senario. Titmouse #1 was busily chopping away at the suet. (This bird prefers sunflower seeds but will eat suet, according to my quick search on Google.) He was focused, as his beak repeatedly hacked away at the animal fat. But what about Titmouse #2? No way, it appeared, was he going to work. As #1 ate away, crumbs of the suet fell to the porch railing where his companion gobbled them up. Perhaps #1 was assisting his elderly uncle nibble breakfast. Life does require teamwork and cooperation. Sometimes we must help lift life’s load for a friend. On the other hand, bird #2 may have been a bit lazy and let his friend, #1, carry the work load.

Two generic observation perhaps rise to the surface as we think of Christians and our walk in life. If I want to experience the beauty of God’s creation, my eyes must pop open and focus. Sometimes we are so preoccupied with our day to day job of providing for our survival (food, clothes, housing) that we forget to admire the deer in the woods, the neighbor’s geraniums shining forth in the sunlight, or even our tiger in the zoo. We are preoccupied with facebook messages, changing baby’s diapers, or watching our favorite sport heroes labor away. Beauty is there for our pleasure. Take time to acknowledge it. Sometimes peace and tranquillity of life results from this time of focus.

Observation two also was viewed today. Life must be a teamwork proposition. When recovering both from a pair of knee replacements, followed by major open heart surgery, I would never have survived without the true help from my friend. Whether a family member, neighbor, or chap from church, our antenna must be tuned in to someones need for a helping hand.

Often, today, folk seem to think, “Let the professional or paid employee do the job.” We file into the worship service, plop ourselves down, and expect the staff to conduct a thoughtful service. Then, have we not often, exited the building and rarely helped spread the love of the Lord with another? The following week or maybe two weeks later, the action is repeated and we feel we are done. What happened to service? The scriptures say, “Go into all the world and share the gospel.” It does not say, “Professional ministers go into all the world. . .” We each must become bird #1 and be a worker in the kingdom, even as we appreciate God’s creation.

Have a wonderful week.