The Georgia Writer

Why We Became Bird Watchers

Article By:  Norma W. Beaird

Photography By:  Curtis and Norma Beaird

 

Genesis 1:21

 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

For years, when I heard about bird watchers, I always envisioned people wearing khaki attire, donning a khaki photographer's vest, sporting a khaki safari hat and holding a pair of expensive binoculars.  In my mind, I would picture them on an exotic safari, gazing at the many colorful bird species or lobbying for a rare bird through environmental causes.  Consequently, we have learned that bird watching is an intensely exciting adventure for people from all backgrounds and all walks of life, something enjoyed by college students, professors, photographers, housewives and even grandmothers!

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is the leading authority on the study of birds in the United States.  On Facebook, they announced a fun event called The Great Backyard Bird Count.  This event got us started and off to Lowe's we went for a bird feeder!  One Backyard Bird Count and we were hooked.  My only regret?  I wish I would have started watching birds years ago.  This has brought a sense of peace, joy and excitement that has fired me up spiritually, emotionally and mentally.  I have been utterly fascinated by the many different species that I never realized existed.....until now.  God has truly created a beautiful, colorful and fascinating world!

I have always admired the beautiful exotic birds, such as Parrots, Parakeets, Cockatoos and Scarlet Macaws, but for years, I didn’t give much thought to the many species of birds that surround us every single day.  Like most folks, I was busy with college, work or various family responsibilities.  One fond memory that I always had as a child was sitting on the front porch with my grandmother and listening as ‘Ole Bob White whistled his loud and cheerful bird song in the woods across the street.  This sweet memory leads me into a heart-warming story about my grandmother. 

Before I was born, my grandmother had a parakeet that she dearly loved named Billy.  He would sit in his cage while she was cooking dinner or supper (in the South, lunch is dinner and dinner is supper), and she would teach him to talk.  “Billy is a pretty boy!”  “I love you!” or “Give me some sugar, darling!”  My grandmother became attached to Billy as he became a very entertaining member of the household. 

On one particular occasion, my grandmother went into the hospital for surgery and was hospitalized for a week.  During her hospitalization, my mother said that Billy completely stopped talking.  It was as though he went into a depression because my grandmother wasn’t there.  The day that she came home from the hospital, my mother said that Billy looked at her and checked her out from top to bottom, and the next day at breakfast, he would not hush.  Talk, talk, and then talk some more.  He was so happy to see my grandmother.  It was so special that a precious little parakeet had such an affection for my grandmother.  After Billy died, my grandmother didn’t seek to have another bird because she became so attached to him, and it is so sad when the beautiful creatures you adore pass on to bird heaven. 

So, now that there is a bit of history, why do Curtis and I have a fascination with birds?  Well, it’s actually a long story, but then again, we can sum it up in several paragraphs, to include the life lessons that are learned through years of experience, decision-making, introspection and observation.  Hopefully, as time moves on, we gain a little wisdom and clarity, realizing the spiritual need for peace and contentment in our fast-paced modern culture. 

When we are all younger, we think that the only way to “make it” or “succeed” is to go ninety-to-nothing, blowing and going, meeting and greeting, shaping up or shipping out.  We have to network and nitpick, upsize and modernize, friend and trend, look the part, act the part and keep up with the Joneses.  It’s never enough to be ourselves; we must be what the culture demands we should be. 

We work and work and spend and spend, saving nothing emotionally or spiritually for the future.  We store and hoard, pay room and board, stipulate and congregate, prioritize and monetize; and finally, when it’s all said and done, we burn out the candle on both ends. 

We become tired, empty, discouraged, and a shell of what God created us to be. 

We may have the distinguished career, the office with a view, the perks of upper management or the nicely-manicured home; however, if we have high blood pressure and plaque in the arteries, was it really worth it?  Emotionally and financially, our culture is stressed to the max and the ever-busy worker bees come home every evening to eat, sleep, shower and start the tiresome process all over again.  Rest has become a four-lettered word.   In our restless, non-stop, activity-laden culture, there is little time left to enjoy the awe-inspiring gift of God's creation. 

People rarely take time to smell the roses, watch a sunset, or......feed the birds.

 

Stories like these can go on forever.  But, you get the point.  We make life more difficult than it needs to be.  The Bible says in Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  However, in most cases, our wants overrule our needs and our desires overrule our better judgment.  Thus, we end up with a lot of stuff and a nice facade, but little peace or happiness.  Why?  Because working constantly to attain more stuff leads to utter exhaustion and the need to insure it, store it or repair it.  Sometimes we fix it, sell it or trade it, and then start the cycle all over again.

For example, when people acquire the objects of their wildest dreams, they never really learn to appreciate them.  The object or thing....... the home, the car, the boat, the jewelry or even the achievement will become another notch on the belt of accomplishments and acquisitions.   It seems that nothing can be treasured, cherished or admired.  It is calculated, measured and stacked.  An oil painting or a unique piece of jewelry is not viewed as a work of art, but rather another material object to be checked off of the list that's entitled, "I Couldn't Live Without It".   It's no surprise that this attitude devalues the object's personal meaning.  People want it.......but do they really appreciate the creativity, talent, technical expertise or artistic ability that went into the acquisition on their list?

Inevitably, spiritual discontentment brings people to their knees.  After folks graduate from the school of hard knocks with a Bachelors Degree in Stress and a Minor in Exhaustion, they step back, re-examine their priorities and start searching for a better life.  This is not a life that includes more titles, more money or more stuff, but a life that includes an appreciation for what God set in place for us…… absolutely free of charge.  This includes the gift of His salvation, the breath of life, the love of family, the beauty of nature, the joy of contentment, and the birds.   Peace....... without a price tag. 

 Philippians 4: 5 – 8 says it best:

⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 

⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

When we read these verses of scripture, it we take heed of verse 8 especially, we will understand that many of the worldly things that we seek do not fall into “whatsoever things are pure, lovely or of good report”. 

Why? 

Because the things that most people seek are temporal, not eternal.  Material possessions will rust or fall into disrepair.  They will pass away.  

 

The spiritual always supercedes the physical.

Remember these words of Jesus?   

Matthew 6: 19 - 21

¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 

²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 

²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

So, even if we lay up vast and immense treasures upon the earth, when it’s all said and done, what have we really accomplished?   Have we acquired or have we made a difference?  It’s not about the grind of success or the accumulation of material possessions.  Real living is about serving the Lord, loving our families, helping our neighbors and taking care of this lovely earth that God has entrusted into our care. 

How many times have you heard about a dying man or woman lying on their deathbed and lamenting, “I wish I would have made more money,” or “I wish I could have had a bigger house.”  Most people wish they would have spent more time with family and had appreciated the relationships and beauty that God has placed all around us. 

Therefore, we have learned to appreciate the excitement and gratitude of a little bird as he lands on our feeder, inspecting every seed to be delivered to the nest.  There’s nothing like it.  The world may never learn to say “thank you” for your hard work or achievement.  Your material possessions may never bring you peace; but, all of this is suddenly forgotten when you see that the little American Goldfinch at your thistle feeder has brought three more to partake of your offering.  That may seem miniscule to most, but it means a lot to folks who finally figured it out.  Life is best enjoyed through the truth of God’s Word and the beauty of His creation, not through the conventional results of worldly pursuits.

Another positive aspect of bird watching is that it requires the bird watcher to be still and quiet.  How many times do people take the time to be still and quiet, to watch and wait?  When we photograph an inspiring picture of a Blue Jay in flight with a peanut in his beak, we realize that the time and silence required to capture the moment was absolutely worth it.  Sometimes, silence is truly golden! 

Sometimes......opportunities in life work and sometimes they don't.  My grandmother always said, “Sometimes life’s disappointments are God’s appointments.”  I have found out that she was right.  Life is full of ups and downs, laughter and tears, celebrations and disappointments.  Sometimes, our earthly journey brings us to a place that requires us to look at life through a different set of spiritual glasses.  The things that we once thought were so important were mere blips on the radar screen of life, as we were on our way to living a life infused with the fruits of the Spirit. 

Galations 5: 22 - 23

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Things don't always turn out as planned; sometimes they actually turn out better.  Sometimes we learn to be still and pray, meditating upon the goodness of the Lord and knowing that God has it all under control.  Sometimes, we learn to rest and be at peace.

Today, we appreciate God's blessings all around us, finding inspiration and contentment in the beauty and wonder of nature.  ........and that's why we became bird watchers!  

 

 

All scripture is King James Version

Copyright 2012, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

 

 

 

 

Eleven Things My Yesterdays Taught Me

 

 

Article By:  Curtis Beaird

Photography By:  Norma W. Beaird

 

I kinda thought I would think on, muse on, wonder about and listen to my yesterdays and see what they had to say to me.  

So, here goes…...

1.   Life is about falling down and getting up.  It is about fouling up and waking up.  It is about fast starts, slow starts, false starts, re-starts and do-overs.

2.   Our greatest privilege:  The opportunity to confess, repent, receive forgiveness and begin again and again and again.  Guilt is a painful reminder that we are not in charge.  Follow the trail of guilt through the veil of tears and it will lead us to grace, forgiveness and the next second chance.  Confession, as they say, is good for the soul.  It sets us free to fly.

3.   Life is about showing up.  Someone, who knows who, said,

"Ninety percent of success is little more than showing up."  It's about asking, seeking, knocking. Lean on the gate just a little and it will open.  If it doesn't, it is either not a gate, could be a wall, or it is not your gate to lean on.  Pick the next one and lean on it.

Thankfully, our life will see more than one gate.  Those that are ours will open.  

Show up and lean into it.

4.   Jump and the net will appear.  Give up on security.  Security is an illusion.  Time and chance happens to everyone.  At least the writer of Ecclesiastes thought so.  Living life on the fly is the way life is lived.  A living faith has wings.

5.   If you do look for security, try God.  We don't know how anything is going to turn out, except where God is concerned.  Fear is useless.  Risk invigorates.  Love grounds us.   Loving God gives us our only solid place to stand.  Go ahead and take a chance.  Do a half gainer off the high board right smack into the middle of tomorrow.  Go for it.

6.  Dwelling on the past will turn you into a pillar of salt.  Losing yourself in woulda, shoulda or coulda, means just that, losing yourself.  It will stop you cold.  It will reduce your soul to a mush of misgivings, doubts, and a long string of tiresome second guesses and self-castigation. That, when it is not exhausting, is boring.  “Forgetting those things which have gone before, I press on…”   A bad memory can serve our future well.

7.   Use depression wisely.  Surprise, surprise.  In the economy of God, even depression has its purposes.  The Bible talks about the "treasures of darkness”.  Obviously, you have to go there to find those treasures.  Never fear things out of our control.  Things in our control that we manage poorly; or plain fatigue, will now and then plop us down in the middle of the valley of the shadow.

 

Isaiah 45: 2 - 3

²  I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

³  And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

A couple of questions.  Will we be like the Psalmist and walk through the valley fearing no evil?   Will we squint just a little and see through that scowling evil and find the greatest treasure in that dank darkness, that "Thou art with me”? (Psalm 23)

Makes no difference what the dark feels like.  While there, we may feel like a whipped pup or an abandoned child.  We may feel lost, a loser, confused….. ..or just not care.   Not caring can be the worst.  It is then that we are willing to lose ourselves for nothing.

Thankfully, feelings are just feelings.  In the extreme, except in the case of love, they seldom define the way things are.  As far as the valley of the shadow is concerned, our fearful feelings never tell us the truth.  The truth is.......God is there.   We are not alone.

The dark is real.  Evil is our threat.  Our feelings distract us from finding the treasure.  

“Thou art with me.  Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  My cup runs over."  

All of that and more while we are deep in the valley of the shadow.

Go ahead and take a step.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Use depression wisely.  It can lead you to the treasures of darkness.   “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.  And, I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

8.  We lose in order to find.  Oops, I fumbled the ball.  Oops, I don't have the ball any more.  I lost it. Good.  Now you have a chance to seek and find what was intended for you all along…...your very own life.  "If you lose your life for my sake you shall find it."   Oops, I fumbled the ball.   Good. Another chance.

9.  We can’t get it right, but we can try again.  Faith includes trial and error, a good bit of experimentation and a dollop of adventure.  Noah's ark building, Abraham's leave-taking, Moses’ fire-watching and voice-hearing all involved faith.  Remember Moses?  Following a massive foul-up in the small matter of the killing of an Egyptian, he found himself on the backside of Median turning aside to see a bush that burned and was not consumed. 

While staring at the flames and the bush that wouldn't go away, a voice was heard. "Moses!"  Unmistakable, loud and clear, it was his name.  The specifics of his calling followed.  His excuses followed the call.   Faith took over.  And, Moses in shorter order than he ever intended, ever expected or even wanted, was on his way to trying again.

Getting it right must not be the requirement.  Trying must be the expectation.  The calling moves us to it.  The calling frees us for it.  Try again.

10.  Well, like I said at the top of the page, best I can tell, life is about falling down and getting up.  It is about messing up and waking up.  It is about fast starts, slow starts, false starts, re-starts and do-overs.       

Thankfully, it ain't ever finished.  It's better than you expected and can and usually will become something other than what you planned.  

Life is not a problem to be solved.  Life is intended to be lived.

Living is about forgetting about the pot of gold and falling in love with the rainbow.  God is good. 

Life is.....well..…life.

11.   There is no way to get ahead or fall behind.  Plans are great until they change or get wrecked.

In the economy of God, wrecked plans fit in.  

At least Paul thought so.  "All things work together for good..."   Plans have a way of ending abruptly and permanently.  We don't need a nip, a tuck or a plan.  We need a faith the size of a grain of mustard seed.  We need the faith that is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 

Faith alive replaces strategic certainty with the risk of forward movement.  Try.

 

Romans 8:28 (King James Version)

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

Philippians 3: 13 - 14 (King James Version)

¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved. 

 

 

What To Do.....When You Don't Like Anything

Article and Photography By:  Curtis Beaird

 

You don't have to listen close to hear that the glass is half-empty and about to be drained.  Doom is pronounced on every hand.  The dreary end is cited as an accomplished fact, even by those who once thought there was a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. 

And we wonder.  What shall we do?  Who shall we listen to?

The forward look is now controlled by the assumption that the bottom is about to drop out.  Anticipation has turned to dread.  Tomorrow is no longer welcomed.  Its arrival creates anxiety, worry and doubt.  How many of us are tired, even before we start the day?

The possibility of a bright future is automatically exchanged for a view of the abyss. Exhaustion is our reward.

And we wonder.  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen to?

Frowns are the face of choice today.  Our sense of humor has been exchanged for sarcastic barbs. Criticism powers most, if not all, observation.  Exposing the presumed and assumed ugly has been raised to an art form.  Exploring the seedy and demeaning is the path of choice.  Tabloid is relished. Honorable has been forgotten.  Anticipation is nowhere to be found, unless it is the anticipation of the next wrong thing.  We are sad.

And we wonder.  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen too?

Everyone waits for the other shoe to drop. It, whatever it is, is never right.  Whatever "they" are doing is considered wrong.

Choose any subject, even the subject of the need for rain, and you will find an instant difference of opinion.  "Push back", as it is called today.  Argument is the communication of choice.  We prefer anger to vision.  We choose fear over courage.  We indulge in preplanned disappointment rather than seek opportunity for creative risk-taking.  We quit before we start or add the burden of denial to any new effort or project.  “I really don't think this will work.  But, I'll do it anyway."

And we wonder.  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen to?

To accomplish, should we bring ourselves to the point of actually trying, requires the double expenditure of energy.  First, the energy spent to overcome our negative outlook, then the energy necessary to accomplish the goal.  Our creativity is consumed in wasted effort to resist our own initiative.

And we wonder.  Is there a source of motivation deeper than the froth of hype, and more lasting than the adrenaline rush of a moment of thrill?

Is it possible?   Can we escape the way of insanity?   Can we escape the downward pull of gloom? Can we escape the gravity of the perpetually grim?  Can we find our way into a creative future?

All of this has been faced before.  All of these questions have been answered by one man in a single sentence.   

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”   Philippians 4:13 

That one decision enabled the Apostle Paul to change his world and mark the future for almost 2000 years.

We no longer need to wonder........  What shall we do?   Who shall we listen to?

 But, will we?

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.

Full Barns and Empty Souls

Article and Photography By: Curtis Beaird

Jeremiah 8:20

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

 

The context for this verse is the relative economic strength enjoyed by Judah, circa 586 B.C.   Economically, things were going well.   While the Assyrians were a menace, they were placated with taxes.  Business wasn't great, but it was okay.  Things in general seemed okay.  Spiritually, Judah had found their way to what would today be called secularity.  Yahweh was essentially forgotten as their God.   When it came to integrity, i.e. truth telling, they had forgotten the meaning of the word.  When it came to deceit, they were masters of that.   Basically, Jeremiah seems to say,  

"We've done everything we knew to do.  We followed our best practices.

We cultivated the field, sowed the seed,

tended the field and carefully harvested the crop; 

and, still, we are not saved."

 

We looked to the things we knew to do,

We looked to the things we thought we had power over,

the tools in our hands, the imagination of our minds,

the command of sowing and reaping,

 

We looked to the things we control

or think we control,

to produce what can only be received

from God as a gift --- Salvation.

 

We took full advantage of the prime time of the year

when opportunities for growth are enhanced,

when the sun is full and the days are long.

When the risk to our livestock is the least

and the opportunity for trade is the best, 

when the time of gathering and storing are at their peek.

when the chill is neither in the air or in our bones, and still...... we are not saved.

 

We looked to the works of our hands,

the decisions of our minds,

the strength of our will,

the efforts involved in the spending of our days,

the determination born of long struggles from the past,

assuming all the while that it would be well with our soul,

"And, we are unsaved."

We looked to ourselves and our efforts for both harvest and salvation.  Not only salvation from Hell, but from the hell that has been made of God's gift --- His created world --- His sacred order.

An unsaved people, ignorant of the source of all of life, ignorant of the sacred gift of life, will desecrate the sacred, even and maybe especially in the face of their achievement.  They will celebrate themselves, go their own way, follow their own deceitful ideas and congratulate themselves on a job well done.  A bonus is handed out all around.  But, the echo of the prophet Jeremiah chills our soul when he puts these words into the mouth of his achieving people,

 ".... the harvest has past, the summer has ended, and, we are not saved."

We looked to our various processes to save us.  We looked to our systems, we looked to our technique.  We looked to our best practices.   At the end of the road, we found three things......the spoils of greed, an empty fatigue and the staggering truth that our achievements that excluded God, leave us in the vacuum of loneliness .......at risk, terribly exposed, vulnerable, and unsaved.  An unsaved people, a people who willfully cut themselves off from their God are a terrified people.

The terror of being unsaved produces the recycling of past failed efforts, in hopes of generating the desired spirtual result. In other quarters, that is called insanity.

Spiritual insanity ends in captivity.

In our case, we:

 1.   Increase our belief in the past failed promises offered by the limits of technology.  The distraction of starting my car with my cell phone temporarily masks the reality of my empty soul and my general fear of life.  The technology that distracts me from the daily uncertainty that has become life lasts only until, as we say, "the new wears off."   Then what?   We realize again the button we pushed only lead us to a false sense of control.   We are still unsaved.

 In our case, we:

2.  Find our way to more and larger malls, distribution centers and outlets.  This creates a better opportunity for the work of our hands to become cash -  that becomes debt -  that becomes more stuff.   And, still we are unsaved.  But now, we are not only unsaved, we are also broke.  Our burden of fear is increased. 

The terror of being unsaved produces a redoubling of efforts in the same

sowing and reaping process, but we expect different results.

 

*** A bigger, fuller barn is expected to produce a satisfied soul.  Wrong.

*** A larger, more productive harvest, sold at ever increasing prices, is expected to produce a secure soul.   Wrong.

 *** The terror of being unsaved produces an insanity that sends us from one exhausting effort  to another.   We redouble our investments and become even more exhausted. 

 ………"And, still we are not saved."

For Jeremiah's people, the hope that filled barns and paid taxes would stave off the Assyrians, and later the Babylonians, proved wrong.  Hope in their economic capacity and financial potential was an empty hope.   Their world was literally destroyed.   The hope that an alliance with Egypt would bolster the fighting ranks and provide force enough to intimidate away the onslaught of the Babylonians, proved wrong.  Their world was literally destroyed.   

The people were hauled away as captives.

Even as their Jerusalem-centered world collapsed, the hope was that Egypt, not God, would show up.  They never consulted God on the subject.  They were wrong.

Egypt never arrived. 

The Judgment of God did....

Later, "By the rivers of Babylon.....", they would sit down and weep.  It was too late when they remembered Zion, and the place that the worship of God once held in their lives.  They traded the joy of the Lord for the tears of grief.   They sowed their fields with their arrogance and reaped the harvest of loss.

Our reasoning, shorn of the presence of God, emptied of the worship of God, and driven by greed, fear, lies, and deceit, leaves us repeating the same mistakes again and again.  Without the clarity that God brings, we will spin our last bad decision into the self-deceit of our next empty fantasy.  If it didn't work before, we will re-imagine it, and produce another fail and wonder why. 

Without God, without the worship of God,

without the gratitude that the worship of God brings,

filled barns will leave us with the gnawing knowledge that

"still we are not saved."

We account for every hour of every day.  But, we ceased taking into account, Yahweh.  We totaled every bushel of corn, every cup of oil, every shekel and coin, but we ceased giving consideration to Yahweh.  We were responsible with all things manageable and tangible, but we found ourselves irritated by the need to worship God......so we didn't. 

A full barn and an empty soul leaves us living the words of Jeremiah,

"And, we are unsaved."

 

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.

 

 

Looky Here Pa......History Repeats Itself

 

 

Article By:  Curtis Beaird

Photography By:  Norma W. Beaird

 

The Federal Government and Wall Street have had a long love affair.  In the early days, as in 1790's early days, a small gathering of brokers traded stock under a Buttonwood tree in New York.  This little club did fairly well until 1790 when more stock and more money showed up in the form of government refinancing of both federal and state Revolutionary War debt. Does any of this sound familiar?  These bonds became the first major issues of publicly traded securities.  Then, things got exciting.

A couple of years later in 1792, the first insider showed up to place his bets; or, rather to attempt to manipulate the game.  William Duer, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, under Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, hoped to use his Hamilton connection for bond speculation.  It worked really well, until it didn't.  He overextended himself.  When he financially failed, the market also collapsed.  "Too Big to Fail" was tested early and found wanting.  

History may be an excellent teacher, but students aren’t always all that attentive.

It has been a tough struggle getting a hold on the insider’s use of privileged information for personal gain.  It was William Duer's antics and the collapse that followed that brought about the beginnings of the New York Stock Exchange.  One would think they wanted to go formal and move inside to nicer digs.  Nope, they wanted to save the game.

The boys under the Buttonwood tree decided they needed some trading rules or they could ruin the game.   So in the remaining months of 1792, The Buttonwood Agreement came into existence.  In 1817, the traders became known as the NYSE.  Yes, it was self- regulated.

It's the old fox in the hen house story. 

The saga of the insider continued.  Railroads where the dot.coms of the 1800's.  Senator Kimble of the New York legislature managed a sweet stock manipulation combining legislation and short-selling to kill the price of the Harlem Railroad.  "Profits on short sales were realized," as it is said.

Russell Sage, a former U.S. Congressman, mixed bribing legislators with stock manipulations to pick up some nice change on the price movements of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.   It seems the company also received a large amount of government subsidies.  I guess we could say Sage not only qualifies as an insider, he is also our first Lobbyist.

It wasn't until 1909, and four major economic disasters later, that someone decided to take note of insider trading on non-pubic information.  On May 3, 1909, the U.S.  Supreme Court ruled that insiders must disclose such information in Strong v. Repide.  The irony of this ruling is that it had nothing to do with The Hill and the Street.

Then came the 1929 Crash, the 1930's, and a guy named Ferdinand Pecora.  Pecora was U. S. Senate Banking Committee counsel.  He exposed the J.P. Morgan and Company stock connection with former President Calvin Coolidge and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s sitting Treasury Secretary.  He also exposed the stock connection with the chairmen of the Republican and Democratic national committees and a handful of CEO's.  That The Hill and Wall Street had been big buds for a long time became obvious.  When Pecora produced the J.P. Morgan Preferred Customer List during hearings, the public outrage encouraged FDR to make good on his promise of financial reform. That reform became The Securities Act of 1933.

That got that fixed, I guess. Now, tell me again the story of Hank Paulson, AIG, Ben Bernanke, Goldman Sachs, etc. etc. etc., and how in  2008 we all learned to use the word billions and bailout, like it was our first name.  Maybe more repair work?

That brings us to February 2012 and The House Amendment to S. 2038 aka STOCK Act.  More legislation to fix up, paint up and patch up after yet another economic market crash.   S. 2038 intends "to prohibit Members of Congress and employees of Congress from using non-public information derived from their official positions for personal benefit, and other purposes." 

Well, let's see. This road show started 220 years ago with William Duer, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in 1792, using insider information for personal gain.  What do you suppose happened to Mr. Duer?

The boys under the Buttonwood tree didn't appreciate Mr. Duer wrecking the playpen.  The citizens of New York City were livid when he crashed their economy.  It is reported that they chased him through the streets and almost killed him. He died a few years later in debtor’s prison. 

I will never hear a member of Congress say, “unintended consequences" the same way ever again.

On to the next bubble.

 

Mark 8:36 (King James Version)

³⁶For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.

Signs You're Living in Georgia

It's amazing what you will see while sitting at a traffic light. 

 

Article by:  Norma W. Beaird

Photography by:  Curtis and Norma Beaird

Curtis and I absolutely love photography, mostly outdoor photography to include nature, landscapes, coastal scenes and old churches.  At the same time, in searching for beautiful and interesting photos, we sometimes come across signs that are very humorous (at least they're humorous to us).  On top of this, we love to laugh!  Laughter is like medicine, except it has less side effects!     

Sometimes, we need to trade the serious for the humorous,

and trade the chaos for the calm. 

As you can probably tell, we're a little eclectic in our subject matter.  Even though the world seems to have gone crazy at the moment, we need to train ourselves to occasionally view the positive and joyful side of life.   If we always feed our mind the constant bad news, the never-ending political spin and the horrifying apocalyptic predictions, we'll be a prime candidate for the latest anti-depressant on the market today.

Sometimes, despite the negativity that surrounds us 24/7, we need to laugh and find the humor that is all around us.  Sometimes, we need to photograph that funny sign that may not contribute anything towards world peace, but it gives us some emotional relief.   As a matter of fact, the Mayo Clinic endorses laughter as an effective means of stress management.

It's okay to laugh.  It's okay to have a sense of humor and be happy.

Proverbs 15: 13 

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. 

Proverbs 17:22

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Sometimes, we need to take a break from the stress, the traumas, and the little life dramas.  (Wow!......how poetic)  Sometimes, we need to "lighten up"  and give it a break......or a rest.  It may be as simple as going camping and admiring the beauty of nature.  It may be as simple as spending time with the grandchildren.  It may be as simple as a husband and wife scheduling a date night at their favorite secluded restaurant. 

Sometimes, it may be as simple as photographing your pet or a bird in the front yard.  You may relieve stress by writing your thoughts in a journal.  It may be as easy as watching a funny re-run on TV.  It may be as soothing as a pedicure or as relaxing as a drive through the quiet countryside.  It may be as simple as going fishing in your favorite pond or lake.  It doesn't have to be expensive or require a lot of planning, but it does need to relieve stress and redirect your thoughts to what is really important in life. 

Find a reason to laugh and bring some sunshine to a cloudy day........Laughter is contagious!

As part of our humor therapy, we want to share some of the things that we find funny.  Since we live in Georgia, we have noticed that Georgia businesses have a knack for producing three things in their signage. 

1.  Signs with part of the lights out.  Blown-out light bulbs are a sure-fire sign you're in Georgia. 

2.  Signs with funny messages, whether or not it's meant to be humorous. 

3.  Signs with straight talk about their requirements for entering the premises. 

We also find pictures of things that don't necessarily classify as signage, but they're so funny that we have to share them!  Living in Georgia provides many opportunities for entertainment. 

There are times when we don't always have our cameras with us.  A few of these were photographed with our cell phone.  We just couldn't pass them up!  Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

 

This sign doesn't mean that Georgia is filled with so many skinny folks that they can't keep their pants up.  No, siree!  Georgia is home to many buffets, where fried chicken, cornbread and grease are part of the food pyramid.   We do have some young folks who are really proud of their underwear. 

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Signs like this are everywhere.   I thought Missouri was the "Show Me" state.

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I'll never forget when we posted this sign on Facebook.  A very humorous and single friend of mine posted the following comment under this sign...."I'd like to have a hot Doug!"   Well, it wasn't long before she found one.  His name wasn't Doug, but according to her Facebook photos, it looks as though her love life has certainly improved! 

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Curtis attended a drag race at this particular drag strip near Macon just one time.  That's all it took.  Most businesses warn about illegal drugs and alcohol.  In Georgia, there are a few additions.

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St. R Bucks?   

  Do they need to increase the price of their Mocha Lattes to afford a few light bulbs? 

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With a name like Ed Obster, I would vote for him for president. 

**************

Are you serious?  Don't turn Uncle Ned loose on the Oconee River!

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First of all, we're not very traditional.  We had a nice dinner buffet on the Savannah Riverboat on Christmas Eve.  On Christmas Day, we had a more casual dinner at IHOP (yes, you read IHOP).  When we walked out of IHOP, this is what we saw in front of us.   As a man exited the driver's side, I inquired about his unusual passenger.  He replied with a grin, "Oh yes, that's my son-in-law!"

**************

You have to understand something.  When you eat at greasy (pronounced gree-zee) All-You-Can-Eat buffets in Georgia, you need to be near a restroom at all times.  Sometimes our digestive systems are not wired for an onslaught of fried catfish, collard greens, hushpuppies and sweet tea.  If you don't believe this, just ask Paula Deen. 

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Four things are really important to Georgia folks:   

Church fish fries, deer hunting, firearms and working bathrooms

 

 

Ecclesiastes 3:  1 - 8 (King James Version)

¹To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

 ²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

 ³A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

 ⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

 ⁵A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

 ⁶A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

 ⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

 ⁸A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis and Norma Beaird.  All rights reserved.

 

The Calling

 

Article By:  Curtis Beaird

Photography By:  Norma W. Beaird

My last article was entitled Sermon or Emotional Massage?  A commenter by the name of Michael Hansen replied with commentary (3rd comment) that I would like to respond to in this article.

First of all, let me say that we appreciate comments from everyone, whether in agreement or disagreement, positive or negative.  So, thank you Michael for your commentary. 

Here is my response:

While in Christ there is no condemnation, in life there are consequences.  I may be wrong, but I think most of us live with the scars of past bad decisions.  While thankfully, by the Grace of God, their debilitating power has been removed as far as the east is from the west, our memories serve us all too well.  My question, why take on more pain and live with more scars?

To the man who would say, “I just can’t communicate with my wife."  I think it is appropriate to ask, “Who are you communicating with?"  As a minister, I have done just that.  I had no intention of judging.  That power is not mine.  I am called to care.   In some circumstances, that means raising the thorny question.  The silence that followed the question was deafening.

Another friend having marital problems said to me in the checkout line at the grocery store, no less, that she wanted to come for counsel.  I had known her since she was a kid.   I grinned and asked, "Do you want counsel or permission?"

I see no reason to use the language of grace to avoid the issue.  Universalism addresses the pain of guilt and our sense of failure too lightly.  The warfare has ended.  Salvation is accomplished.   Start the party.  Then, why am I so depressed and feel guilty all the time?

I see no reason to use the language of scripture to condemn anyone.   Fundamentalism addresses the pain of guilt and failure through mental assent to verbal propositions.  Get the right answer and you come up with a conditional pardon.  Huh?

Neither of those approaches fit my job description.   My calling is to face into the hurts of life where grace and the forgiveness of God can do the work of bringing hope and new life. 

But, grace and God's forgiveness are most effective in the context of our acknowledged wounds, failures and sins.  In the "olden days", as my kids would say, they called it confession.   Without that acknowledgment, the conversation misses the possibility of healing and becomes little more than a religious discussion, or worse, a motivational speech.  Instead of a moment of hope and change leading to new life in Christ, it becomes a time for intellectual discussion and debate.  In other words, boring.

Effective ministry as I see it, grows out of the minister’s own need of grace, his experience with Christ, his engaging the Word, his appreciation for the Church as the Body of Christ, and never out of a sense of the power to judge.  I've never seen a minister as a channel of judgment.  As I said, that is not my job.  But, raising the question, at the appropriate time and in a caring manner, that is the calling. 

The model for this style of minister?  Jesus Christ.  In Mark's Gospel, Jesus asked something on the order of fifty questions.  Clearly, they were not of the milk and cookies variety.  In the face of a storm that He speaks into calmness, He asked his frightened and somewhat pouty disciples, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?" 

It's a calling.

 

Mark 4:40 - 41 (King James Version)

⁴⁰And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

 ⁴¹And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.

 

Sermon or Emotional Massage?

 

 

Article By:  Curtis Beaird

Photography By:  Norma W. Beaird

 

If you’re not a minister, you are free to skip this read.   Or, read it and find out how your minister functions.

Ministers, preachers, priests, and those claiming to be part-time prophets seem to come in two styles today; those who take the preventative approach to ministry and those who take the therapeutic approach.  The first is more aggressive.  The second leans toward the suggestive and is passive with the message.

The more aggressive minister takes a preventative approach to ministry.  They raise questions that are the constant "elephants in the room" that few care to address.    While they sing Softly and Tenderly, they are as eager to sing ….Up From the Grave He Arose.  They believe everything that is Biblically based can be included in their message and ministry.  Initiative is their middle name. 

When they see someone standing on a railroad track facing an oncoming train, they don't mind shouting a warning, "Get off the track!”  They spend as much time announcing that folks should "prepare to meet their God" as they do meandering through the lilies of the valley.

The more passive minister takes a therapeutic approach to ministry.  Basically, once we have a spill, they rush to do the obvious……clean up the mess.

Until she is pregnant, we don't talk about fornication.  Until Bud gets his third DUI, we don't mention the disastrous effects of alcohol abuse.  Until adultery or pornography ruins a marriage, we focus on locating the lost Jebusites or setting dates for the Second Coming. 

The list of religious dodges is a long one.   Why trouble a congregation?   Ignore the suggestion that there are consequences of bad choices.  Sidestep the pain associated with self-induced problems.  Promise them that God will give them the desires of their heart.   Promise them that a wave of blessings will follow in the wake of the offering plate.   Dismiss as negative anything that illuminates the ambiguous nature of living.

The rules of engagement for the passive, therapeutic minister are simple:  Wait, wait and wait.  Let circumstance force action.  

Aggressive ministers who engage in the preventative approach are not popular.  No one questions their presence or wonders whose side they are on.  They speak the name of God, not as a possibility, but as though all life flows from that one Name.  Safety is not their first concern; proclamation is.  They announce good news.  But, that announcement makes clear the need for change.  ....What?  ....Change?

These awakeners raise the disturbing questions.  They insist on Spirit as the presence of God rather than offering a simpering nostalgic hope for a bygone day of religion.  When inevitable grief cracks open our illusions, the aggressive minister, even in tears, will assert the presence of God.  "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord."

The aggressive minister makes us uncomfortable.  They are the ones with a dream.  While they can and will use the language of inclusion, that language includes the name of Jesus at the top of the list.   We will find a reason to avoid them and their ways.  They have little or no capacity for the politically correct approach.  They ask too many questions.  They may join your club, but they never actually belong.

The more passive minister who follows the therapeutic approach waits with hands quietly folded on the mop handle until the mess runs under the office door.  The wait is seldom long. 

He is wonderful with people and always understands everything.  Drawing explanations from the language of inclusion, conversations tip toward the more psychological.   The name of Jesus may not be included in the message of consolation.  It will always be implied that we have the ability to manage.   The capacity to nurture and listen is unparalleled.  He is such calm in the storm.  If their presence doesn't bring peace to the valley, it will, for a moment, insulate us from the wreckage we are left to pick up as soon as he is out the door.

While we would hope that a minister would recognize the need for both the preventative and the therapeutic, the prophetic and pastoral, it's just plain safer to wait for the mess. 

Unfortunately, the Apostle Paul didn't get the memo.

 

II Timothy 4: 1 – 8 (King James Version)

¹I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

 ²Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

 ³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

 ⁴And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

 ⁵But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

 ⁶For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

 ⁷I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

 ⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.

Fancy Package

 

Article and Photography

By:  Norma W. Beaird

 

In the last thirty years or so, we have seen various persuasions within the Protestant Christian church inundated with religious leaders who seek to market and merchandise as product their ideas, visions or revelations.  In some cases, they misinterpet the Bible and bring confusion to the Body of Christ.  They may be ministers, pastors, evangelists, teachers, speakers or self-proclaimed prophets.  

Their product list may be in the form of a book, manual, program, study-guide, webcast, CD series or power-packed conference.  If the aforementioned marketer has a special self-anointing, they may share or sell the seven secrets to their latest religious spasm.

Obviously, this unfortunate religious assault usually strikes church folks at their lowest point.  Woven into the religious product you can't live without is the subliminal portrayal of superiority.  The charismatic religious leader cannot allow the common man to read the scriptures and hear the truth for himself.  That is not profitable.  Therefore, these special revelations will always be out of the realm or reach of the garden-variety layperson, only revealed to the charming seller of the secrets.  It will be the latest and the greatest, but most importantly of all, the newest revelation can be revealed with the help of your personal check or credit card.     

This has always amazed me and has mostly aggravated my common sense gene. Why does modern-day Christianity feel the need to introduce one trend after another to get in touch with God or to grow a church?  Do any of these religious marketers ever read the Holy Scriptures?  The Bible is a very straightforward book written by inspired men of God.  There is nothing secretive, complicated, magical, mystical, or unreachable to the common man.  New Testament salvation is attainable for everyone (John 3:16).  The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).   What is so difficult about the scriptures?  For some reason, a successful Christian life requires a 4-pack DVD set with a 3-day conference in the mountains, learning to chant a new word pair whipped up by the latest religious guru.  What happened to the simple act of preaching the Gospel?  

What worked 2000 years ago will still work today.  The Bible has not changed.  God has not changed.  The Message is still the same.  Hebrews 13: 8 says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever".  The Gospel continues to set us free. 

God promised blessings in the Bible and His promises will stand today.  The Word of God does not contain magic formulas, but it requires obedience.  If you need a ten-step program, we've been given The Ten Commandments.   The Book of Acts is proof that evangelism doesn't require slick marketing techniques or a million-dollar budget.  The same Gospel that added folks to the church back then will add folks to the church today (Acts 2: 38 - 47).  It doesn’t require a religious soothsayer to break open a secret code, only revealed to those who purchase the sermon series.

Many leaders in the church have managed to complicate everything that is easy to understand about the Holy Scriptures.  They turn the powerful, life-changing and understandable message of the Gospel into a convoluted equation that would confuse a NASA scientist.  Today's presentation of the Gospel disguises the sinful nature of man and the need for repentance with something less confrontational and more motivational.  Instead of focusing on the truth about sin, the modern religious leader presents salvation as a catalyst to prosperity and success.  Of course, you'll need to purchase their book or CD series to learn how to receive God's blessings.      

Self-gratification, greed, and materialism are very deceptive forces in the church today, and their messages will never reveal the truth to those who need it the most:

Jesus is our Savior, not our Santa Claus.  

In the current religious climate, the church is not affecting the world because the world has affected the church.  Miracles have been turned into magic and salvation has been turned into works. Worship has been turned into a three-ring circus and the lost wander around in a spiritual wilderness.  For many churches, entertainment has simply replaced the Gospel.   So, where has this religious sideshow taken the church in the last thirty years?   The question that begs to be asked -  “Has all of this religious hoopla produced genuine born-again Christians who profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?" 

A Gospel tract and a Bible are just too easy. We would never want the spiritual light to come on that quickly.  A pastor behind a pulpit needs spotlights, praise teams, expense accounts, sound systems and a product table.  A church needs track lighting, theater seats, movie screens and a hip pastor with a Colgate smile.  The layperson needs a big bank account or a high limit on their credit card. 

The message must have a formula or secret, a revelation attached to savvy one-liners, clouded by ostentatious grandiosity.  It must appeal to those with an iPhone in one hand and an iPad in the other.  In other words, the ministry has turned into an expensive and flashy show, complete with actors and their props.  The presentation looks and sounds impressive, but the message is shallow and devoid of truth.  The modern churchgoer experiences an emotional high, but leaves with unanswered questions.

Modern ministry must have a price tag on it.  Let us not forget that the simple message of the Gospel doesn’t produce dollars, it produces salvation, hope, and eternal life.  That certainly doesn’t put a Mercedes in the garage. Today’s evangelism comes with a price; therefore, a clearly simple message must be wrapped in a fancy package.

II Peter 2: 1 - 3 (King James Version)

 1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

 2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

 

 

Copyright 2012, Norma W. Beaird.  All rights reserved.

Lessons from Nature

 

 

Article and Photography

By:  Curtis Beaird

 

The hundred-foot pines behind our home and the underbrush they shade, is home to red-headed woodpeckers, red-naped sapsuckers, brown thrashers, the noisy and always aggravating grackle, white tail deer and a bunch of squirrels.   Once, a broad-winged hawk paid us a visit.

Yesterday was special.   Sleek and beautiful showed up to wait quietly, at least for most of a long moment in the open field alongside the pines.  It was one we rarely see, a red fox.  When he eased out of the trees and into the open, he took a few measured steps and stopped.  He didn't look as though he intended to waste much time away from cover.  But, he didn't seem all that much in a hurry either.

As he surveyed his surroundings, I watched him and wondered.  If a fox could talk, what would he say?  With grandchildren and the books you read to them, imagining talking animals is not all that hard to do.  In fact, in a child's world, it happens all the time.  

As the fox traversed the open field and eased his way through a wooded area, on to the pond for water, he left me this message:

 Pay attention.

 The direct route is not always the best route.

 Avoid obvious traps.

When you move, move with dispatch.

Stealth is not always a bad thing.

 Learn the value of being still.

 Enjoy your goal when you reach it.

 When you're done, leave.

 

I listened.

 

Copyright 2012, Curtis Beaird.  All rights reserved.