Welcome

Why a blog from me, someone who has never been a writer, someone who has never been articulate or had a solid grasp of the grammar world. Because God told me to write. Several years ago a life storm invaded my family. God kept telling me to write it all down. I argued, but He would not let up. This went on every day for a couple of weeks until one day out of frustration, (I'd like to say it was out of obedience), I picked up a pen and paper and wrote for 7 hours straight! Do you think maybe I needed therapy and God knew it?

I've been writing ever since and have learned to love it! I started out sharing my stories with friends and family. I've now been published in a Nashville church paper, Our Daily Journey (a devotional site of RBC Ministries), PCCWeb Daily Devotional, Ruby for Women Ezine Magazine, and I am a contributor in the book Alabaster Jars, Life in Abundance Collection 2.

Why Ponderings? During this life storm, God led me to a pond in the woods behind my home. There He met me each time, teaching new lessons, reminding me of old ones, showing His presence and allowing me to feel His love through the surroundings of that pond. I found myself returning over and over to ponder, pray and praise. A healing of my heart took place and out of the experience came my first book, Ponderings From the Pond, then a second book, Ponderings From My Porch, and now a third book is in the works along with a memoir about my storm.

Why am I making myself so vulnerable? Because God has done so much that I cannot keep quiet. I have to share. Jesus's last words to his desciples were, "Go,tell." We are his disciples too and this is just one of my ways of telling.

I'm no scholar but I have heard God's voice in my spirit, experience His love daily, and have a desire for others to experience this also. I would love to share with all who visit and I would love to hear from you. If my sharing gets just one to ponder, to be quiet with the Father, to see and hear from Him or to be reminded of something from Him, then this is worth my vulnerability.

As you visit me, sometimes we will be at the pond, sometimes we will move to the front porch, and sometimes we will just be here, there, and yonder. Thank you for coming and please feel free to come back anytime, you are always welcome here.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

*****EXCITING NEWS*****

My first book, Ya Know What I'm Say'n, has been released.


Ponderings

Ponderings

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Circle of Life


I was saddened the other day.
I had been sitting on my front porch for over a week witnessing a momma and daddy robin feeding and taking care of their babies in a nest they built in the plum tree right in front of my porch.  I watched momma sit on the nest, the daddy always bringing worms.  Then one day I finally saw the babies.  Well…I saw only their beaks at first, wide open ready to take in their meal. 
Then it wasn’t long until I could see their downy heads.  I heard them squawking every day.  For some reason this just made me smile, it was a treat for me to watch. 

Then one morning I went out to discover a dead bird in my garden right underneath the plum tree.  I don’t know if a cat had crawled up there and got it or what.  Then I noticed I couldn’t see the babies anymore, I heard nothing from the nest.  It had become quiet.  My heart sank.  I also noticed an ant trail crawling up the trunk of the tree.  Was it a cat, ants?  I don’t know, but this robin family is no more.

When you live out in the country, you see the circle of life more than if you were in the city. We don’t like to think of it, but it happens.  It’s natural.  Dogs out here have killed cats.  They have killed mice out in the fields.  A pet rabbit came up missing one day, never to be seen again.  A favorite chicken bit the dust, or rather a dog bit the chicken.  Deer have been killed in the road by cars.  Their bones have become treats for the dogs.  Are you wanting me to stop? 

This all just got me to pondering once again. These creatures were all created by God.  They are not infused with a soul as we humans are.  They are creatures created with natural instinct and they just do what they are created to do.  You may say, “my dog would never do that”.  Yes, we bring pets into our homes and love them and we train them and discipline them, but that instinct never goes away because it was not meant to.  Cars do not mean to hit deer, but if they jump out in front of you, especially in the dark, they risk getting hit and killed.  If there are other animals around when this happens, they are not going to waste the carcass.  The circle of life. 

Sometimes I think it would be nice to be a bird.  Do you think when babies are taken, the momma and daddy sit around and get depressed, sit in their nest not wanting to get out, not wanting to go on with life.  No, they fly on to the next thing.  That’s how they are created.  But, what would I be missing?  Love.  Love is not just instinct, it is a God given emotion for us human beings. Love is wonderful…it can also be painful.  But I would not give up love because of the fear of pain that might accompany it.  I heard a quote a long time ago that said, “It is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.”  I agree.  I have suffered pain through loving, but I would not go back and give up love.  I would do it all again,  because with God, He works all things for good. I just have to wait around and see what He has planned.  I can’t wait, but I will because His timing is best.  I will love, I will feel the pain, I will give it to God, I will forgive, and I will go on.  Because that is how I was created to be.

Meanwhile as I now am sitting in the backyard in another swing, I am witnessing another bird family, this one is the Eastern Blue Bird
The cirle of life continues.


Linking up with the community of chicks over at the nest of

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful! Yes, we face the circle of life quite often here on our little homestead. But, I'm with you...I'm just going to keep on lovin!

Lisa Maria said...

Loved this Kristen! Beautiful message of perseverance and I can attest to the fact that the painful trials in loving others help us to learn to love and forgive better than if we had guarded our hearts and shielded ourselves from pain. God bless your heart and your home!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kristin. I live on a small holding and we get to see more of nature taking its course out here as well. I love your post. Hope you don't mind but I'll be following your blog.
God bless
Tracy

Anonymous said...

Kristin,

I enjoyed reading this story. It has given me a different perspective on nature as well as the circle of life.

-L. Rose

Anonymous said...

so beautiful, once again- you can take things that are sad and point to the beauty of our creator and his creation.

Amy Sullivan said...

Clicked over from Jen's.

As a former city girl now finding myself in the country, I agree with what you said about noticing the circle of life more in the country. I think the circle of life is present in the city, it's just most are too busy to notice.

Unknown said...

This is hard and beautiful and true all at the same time. Trusting God that He is in every moment in this circle of life.

Bristol said...

I actually had the same experience a few weeks ago (of seeing a bird's nest destroyed and finding one of the dead baby birds.) It really struck me how saddened I was by the event... How many things there are to grieve in our world, but something about the innocence of baby birds is gripping. It really stuck with me for days.

Your post reminded me of Annie Dillard and her wonderful way of describing nature as it really is, in all its beauty AND its harshness. Part of the beauty of creation IS the balance of the "circle of life," I think.

Shanda said...

I love this and always hurt over animals that die. Yet, it struck me at then end when I saw the photos that we do not worry about the worm that the bird is eating.
Isn't it nice that God cares about all of us; even the most unlovely

Camille said...

Isn't it amazing how God's creatures survive and bring HIM glory? The death we observe around us is a result of sin and will not exist in Heaven...what a place that will be!! Imagine all of us (and the creatures) living for all eternity in God's presence to worship HIM forever...without sin and death and pain? Such an incredible thought! Your photos are just lovely. :)

Many blessings,
Camille

Unknown said...

I love your post. I have been watching the mocking birds in our yard. They really had me thinking. They are wonderful parents. Another example of Gods perfect creation. Following you from Ruby and thank you for the very kind words on our blog @ http://csahm.webs.com/apps/blog/