My guest blogger today is my online friend, Jeanne Doyon. I've enjoyed reading her blog for quite some time, but her post about a woodpecker caught my attention, and I just knew I wanted to share it on my nature blog. Please enjoy her words below, and make sure to connect with her on social media. I know you'll love her work, too, just like me!!
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| (Picture from Pixabay) |
Noisy Woodpeckers – And the Rat-a-tat-tat of the Enemy
I love the wildlife here. My house is
nestled on the edge of a state forest so there is never an end to their visits.
This summer was fun to watch a doe and twin fawns graze on the field.
Butterflies flit from flower to flower. We see turkeys, foxes, hear the
crooning of coyotes, and tell-tale signs of a possum that roots around under
the porch looking for insects. There have been sightings nearby of black bear,
fisher cats, bobcats, moose, and mountain lions. And, of course, there are
noisy woodpeckers.
We have
several species of birds visit. I especially enjoy it when a hummingbird greets
me by hovering in front of the screen porch each morning while I sip my tea.
I also
enjoy seeing the variety of woodpeckers that tap on the trees nearby. Except
when they decide the clapboard siding is fair game. That’s when I put up a
metal pie plate nearby to scare them off.
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| (Photo by Jeanne Doyon) |
The other
strange thing about woodpeckers is their springtime habit of pecking the metal
state forest signs on nearby trees at the edge of the forest. Maybe to get the
attention of potential mates – do drummers get all the girls?
The
ongoing rat-a-tat-tat on the echoing metal can drive me crazy especially before
the sun rises.
The
woodpecker isn’t able to hurt the metal sign. It’s just annoying. Though I
marvel at how God made woodpeckers able to peck with that kind of force.
Just Like Our Noisy Enemy
The noisy
woodpecker reminds me of Satan who just loves to make a ruckus in our lives. He
makes all kinds of noise trying to attract our attention elsewhere. He can’t do
anything to harm us. He just likes to raise the noise levels a bit hoping to
wear us down. In the meantime, we struggle with the excessive noise raging
around us and long to put up a metal pie plate to scare him off.
Well,
there is a proverbial pie plate we can hang nearby. His name is Jesus. He is
the only thing that wards off Satan: His blood. His word. His victory. And when
we keep our eyes and ears focused on His Truth, the enemy flees. So, that’s
good news.
I Need This Message
As I
write this message, my heart cries out because I NEED this message today. I
have been struggling with fatigue, foggy brain, and been overwhelmed by all the
confusing noise. It’s an ongoing battle. And the rat-a-tat of the enemy fire
hopes to wear me down.
So, I am
more aware of my need to put Jesus, my banner out in front of me as a reminder
that He is the one who knows all things. He gives peace. He provides rest. And
He sets the enemy, who simply delights in making a bit of noise, to flight.
Is there
a woodpecker making noise in your ear today?
(Photo credits:
Metal State Forest Sign - Photo by Jeanne Doyon
Woodpecker Image by Larry
Doucet from Pixabay)
Jeanne
BIO:
Jeanne Doyon writes what's on her heart, and speaks at
women's events and retreats. She lives in the quiet corner of Connecticut with
her husband, John. They have three grown children, a daughter-in-love, and
three grandsons who call her Lao Lao. Connect with Jeanne at JeanneDoyon.com or by email at Jeanne@JeanneDoyon.com
Jeanne loves to cook, enjoys connecting with friends, sharing tea and scones, and relaxing on the porch.
Other ways to connect with Jeanne:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeannedoyon
Twitter handle @jeannedoyon
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JeanneDoyon
Loved the post earlier, and if it's possible, even more now Ms. Jeanne. I've been TDY for the past few weeks, working impossible hours under lots of stress. The constant barrage of requests, demands for my time, etc. can become overwhelming. It becomes just like that pesky woodpecker (Satan) who keeps pecking away at my peace, trying to break through and pour doubt, feat, discord into me. Am so grateful for my barrier of protection, Christ. :-) God's blessings ma'am. I need to go spend some more time thanking Him for his protection this mornining.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments, J.D., and I pray that some of the demands on your life recently have lifted and you're not as overwhelmed. Sometimes it can come in seasons, can't it? I've had those seasons too, with a barrage of pestering from the evil one that threatened my peace and sanity, too! Blessings!
DeleteThanks, Julie. I appreciate you sharing my woodpecker story. And, J.D., thank you again for your encouragement. You are such a kind gentleman to take the time to share your thoughts. I understand overwhelming and TDY. I am preparing for a women's retreat, hubby is in the middle of a renovation project with tools running. And I am having a kitchen floor installed on Friday. The distractions...just like this crazy woodpecker and keeping my focus flitting about in too many places.
ReplyDeleteJeanne, you really do have a lot going on right now! I'll pray that God gives you wisdom and discernment and peace to get it all accomplished. Oh, I am so glad God pulls us through these difficult times! May He richly bless your women's retreat, as well as you house projects, too! Thank you so very much for allowing me to share this story, because it really resonated with me the first time I read it - could have been because I was in one of those "crazy seasons" like J.D. mentioned where so much was vying for my time and attention that it was as pesky as that woodpecker!!! Blessings, and thanks again for these wonderful, thought-provoking words!!
DeleteWe have woodpeckers and they are so annoying when they attack our house. But, sometimes I think I'm the noisy woodpecker! Have you ever been really stubborn in holding on to unforgiveness or self-righteousness? It's kind of like that noisy woodpecker--we just don't know when to quit. But, as you point out, Jeanne, we NEED Jesus to get us through. I love these lessons that nature teaches. Thank you Jeanne and Julie.
ReplyDeleteWow, Katherine, now you're just stepping on my toes here .... haha! YES - I've never entertained the idea that I (I would bold that word "I" if I could) might be a noisy woodpecker! But you are so right, and I thank you for pointing that out. And I am so glad Jesus is available when I am the woodpecker and when an outside source is that woodpecker. Thank you for commenting - you always have such great insight!! Blessings, my friend!
DeleteKatherine makes a wonderful point! I certainly have been like the noisy woodpecker. The enemy was at work in me then too prompting me to take pride in my self-reliance rather than trusting God.
DeleteGreat post!
I agree, Candi - I, too, have been that irritating woodpecker at times, and I'm appreciative of the reminder to resists the evil one's noise and turn my thoughts to Jesus instead.
DeleteJeanne, I can so relate! I've been experiencing similar distractions over the past several months. They can feel (and sound) defeating but you're right -- the Lord is the only One who can clear the way and as long as we keep our eyes focused on Him we have all the clarity we need. Blessings!
ReplyDelete"Defeating" is a good word to describe those situations and distractions, Cathy! And I love the end of your last sentence - I need to be reminded often to keep my eyes on Jesus and that's the clarity I need and the "noise-reducing earphones" to help me ignore those distractions! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteThank you for your thoughts, Cathy and Katherine. I can relate to the rat-a-tat-tat of my own thoughts, stuck like a skipping record album (I'm dating myself, I know).
ReplyDeleteMy very loud woodpecker is fear for my children who have health problems. I was snapping at everyone yesterday because I'm so worn down. I'll put up the Jesus pie pan today by having my quiet time. Thank you for the encouragement.
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your children's health concerns. Philippians 4:6-9 has been my resting place in these times of fear and worry.
DeleteI can so relate, because concerns for my children can wear me down quicker than anything else - whether it's for their college classes or a friend situation or a potential future mate or their financial situations and on and on .... I can get really caught up in "worry" about them if I don't turn that focus back to God and realize that He loves them infinitely more than I do and they are in HIS hands .... not my worries! Thanks for commenting!
DeleteJeanne, I pray the Lord will encourage and strengthen you--that He will remove the fog and protect you from the enemy's distractions. I love your description of the enemy's tactics. Too many Christians give satan authority where he has none. Every attack of the enemy is a distraction to prevent us from remembering we have authority over him as children of the King.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Joshua!! We either give him too much credit or too little.
DeleteThank you, Joshua, for the reminder to ignore the enemy's distractions and not give in to the enemy's tactics. It's a comforting thought to keep in the forefront of our mind, that we are children of the King!
DeleteThank you for sharing. It reminds me of the verse about how the enemy roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. That enemy is making noise, but we have the victory in the Lord. God triumphs over all the racket of the enemy.
ReplyDeleteHe does indeed, Joanna. I call it the deadly D's...discourage, distract, and defeat. He tries his best, but in Christ he has now power over us.
DeleteJoanna, I love this sentence that you wrote: "God triumphs over all the racket of the enemy." Wow, thanks for that powerful statement and once that I need to remind myself over and over!
DeleteAs I was reading this, a downy woodpecker was tapping out his noisy taps on the side of my house. We have at lease 4 varieties we see here in very southern Pennsylvania. They sometimes drum out on a few of my bee boxes, but not for very long. My favorite is the Pileated. You can tell how hollow the tree is based on the loudness of the drumming. My backyard view is about 1,000 acres of the Eastern Continental Divide. SO we get to see a lot of critters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the connection to that master deceiver that is out there to annoy believers to take their focus off of God and on some pesky little problem that keeps us from service the Creator