Waterville 

“How can this be possible?” asked Nicodemus. Jesus replied, “You’re a teacher of Israel, and you still don’t understand these matters?~ John 3:9-10 There are helpers and then there are helpers. It would be fair to conclude that a bird that gets its meals by picking at your skin, sometimes to the point of bleeding (and even sometimes drinks your blood) is a bit of a pest, or parasite. Indeed, Red-billed Oxpeckers are in what scientists would call a symbiotic relationship with

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. ~ Matthew 4:1 As land animals, when we try to increase our speed, one of the factors we need to overcome is resistance, specifically wind resistance. Air is not hard to move through, but as your speed increases, even still air becomes a wind of the speed you are going. We have gravity and friction to keep us still, but rema

Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am YHWH your God.~ Leviticus 19:9-10 In many bird species, distinguishing between the sexes can be done by appearance. In most species of raptor, the primary distinction is weight. Female hawks typically are heav

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O God of hosts, my Sovereign and my God. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. ~ Psalm 84:3-4 Clearly, Chimney Swifts don’t require chimneys to nest in, just like Barn Swallows don’t require barns. Likewise, House Sparrows and House Finches get their names from their affinity to share our abodes with us. All of these birds can and do nest