A friend just asked how do I keep my birds safe from the three cats.

So here is a picture of the flights, I hope to add a couple more white cages to the top and will sell the little black canary cages along with Canary Singers this coming winter.If you want to learn more about the Lady Gouldian Finches and Raza Espanola Canaries, go to their page , the link on the side reads Akezia Aviary. I'll be putting pictures there, and will give more information on these wonderful little birds that brighten my corner of the living room.

Six months later, I'm back..

I think I should post five things that I'm thanful for or that are new idems.

1, My five pairs of Raza Espanola Canaries have babies in the nest.

http://robirda.com/flock15.html <----scrolling down there you can read the only

article I could find on the net on this very interesting, great songed little bird. Maybe I should

write one myself, and include pictures.

2. Made a new friend last week....and I'm sure she will be a good one....Hi, Beth.

3. My children and grandchildren from Prince George BC are coming for breakfast in the morning...opportunity for many hugs and pictures.

4. Farm papers are starting to take some of my photos for publishing, and hey I get a check in the mail...<grin>

5. Nellie, made it out to Sweden without too much difficulty, and she has held her color and she loves her new owners the Horkebys.

Psalm 5:1-3

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

It has been weeks, and weeks since my last entry here.  I have been enjoying an almost snowless Winter thus far in Central Alberta. I think I have only shoveled twice...and the lack of snow has made it great for the peafowl, chickens, and pot bellied pigs, for they have been able to enjoy being outside except on those high windy days.

I have been enjoying riding Treasure my QH mare and using her to pony the others... I  have even riden Herc my oldest QH Stallion 5 times; the longest being a 3 hour ride... Amanda you will be proud of your mother's efforts to get some training accomplished on him, for I've owned him now for 6 years, and he had never been riden outside of a round corral when I purchased him at 4 years of age.

I read this gem out of Miller's book  Life of Character about six weeks ago now, and I want to share it with you readers.

taken from page 60 part way through Miller's thoughts on the topic of THE RESPONSIBLILITY OF GREATNESS.

" GOD'S WAY WITH US

That is God's way with us. He does not make life easy for us. He does not promise to lift the burden off our shoulders even when we cast it upon Him. It is God's gift to us, this burden of ours, and lay it down would be to lay down a blessing. It is something our lives need, and it would not be right to take it away. Surely it is a wiser love that puts new strength into your heart and arm, so that you can go on with your hard duty---your heavy responsibility, your weight of care--- without fainting, than would be the love which would take all the load away and leave you free from any burden.

EXERCISE MAKES US STRONGER

 You may think you would prefer the latter way, which would be easier, but you would miss the blessing, and your life would be weaker and poorer in the eand. God's purpose always is to make something out of us, to bring the out the best that is in us. Therefore He does not clear the forest for us, but puts the ax into our hands and urges us to cut it down for ourselves. And while we prepare the ground for cultivation we grow healthy and strong ourselves through the exercise. He does not drive out the enemies for us; He puts the sword into our own hands and sends us to drive them out. The battle does us good. The wrestling makes us strong.

THE PLACE OF HONOR IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST

Still another lesson from this incident is that real greatness should show itself, not in demanding favors or privileges, but in achieving great things. The people of Joseph thought that their prominence entitled them to a portion larger than others. *NO* said Joshua, *your prominece entitles you only to the privilege of the finest heroism and the hardest labor.* So he gave them the hardest task. The way a commander honors the best regiment on the field of battle is not by assigning it to some easy post, to some duty away from danger. He honors it by giving them the most perilous post, the duty requiring the most outstanding courage. So it is in all of life---the place of honor is always the hardest place, where the most strenuous and difficult duty must be done, where the heaviest burden of responsibilty must be carried.  It is never a real honor to be given an easy place. Instead of demandng a place of honor as a favor of friendship, which sets no crown of real greatness upon our head, we should win our place of honor by worthy deeds and services.

THE LORD'S PLACE OF HONOR NOT GIVEN, BUT WON

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RANK IN CHRIST'S KINGDOM ACCORDING TO SERVICE

 Then our Lord went further and explained the principle on which places are assigned to His disciples. * Whoever would become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant* Matt. 20:26. 27.  That is, rank in Christ's kingdom is in proportion to servic. He who serves his fellow men the most sacrificially, in Christ's name, is the highest among men. Or, to put it in another form, instead of claiming rank by appointment or favor, you must win it by serving your fellow men, by using your strength, your abilities, your greatness, in doing good to others. The only privilege your superiority over others gives you is the privilege of doing good to others in superior ways.

AGGRANDIZEMENT IS NOT THE LAW OF LOVE

This truth is far-reaching in its applications. It should sweep out of our thought forever all feeling that others owe us favors, all that superiority complex which shows itself in self-seeking, in claims for place or precedence over others. It should make us despise all the miserable attitudes of self-importance and aggrandizement in which so many people play such farces. What are you doing with your life? Is the only question that is asked, when rank is to be measured. The law of love is that with whatsoever we have we must serve our fellow men. Selfishness debases a life. The least talented man in the world, who use his little powers to  serve and help others, is higher in rank in God's sight than the most highly gifted man who uses his great power only to advance his own interests.

The most highly endowed life that this world ever saw was that of Jesus Christ. Yet He demanded no recognition of men. He claimed no rank. He never said His lowly place was too small, too narrow, for the exercise of His great ablilities. He used His greatness in doing good, in blessing the world. He washed man's feet with those hands which angels would have kissed. He took the place of a servant. He gave His very life itself to save the lost. He was the greatest among men, and He was the servant of all. That is the true mission of greatness. There is no better or more worthy way of using whatever gifts God has bestowed upon us. Instead of claiming place, distinction, rank, position, and attention, because of our gifts, abilities, widom, or name, we must use all we have to bless the world and to honor God.

My girls know that I have always been into self-help books and articles. I found this today, and the principles put forth seem to work. WHY??? My guess why is from some biblical principles stated. Reader what do you think?

http://www.depression-guide.com/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy.htm

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is a cognitive-behavioral approach for treatment of stress, depression, hostility, anxiety etc. developed by Dr. Albert Ellis in 1955.

According to this therapy, emotional and behavioral ailments are the result of irrational thoughts, assumptions and beliefs. This therapy identifies those problematic and erroneous ideas and replace them with more rational, reality-based thoughts and perspectives.

REBT- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy since its inception, has flourished and spawned a variety of other cognitive-behavior therapies. Its effectiveness, short-term nature, and low cost are major reasons for its wide acceptance and popularity.

Information on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).

REBT's (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy) overall approach works for individuals who desire a scientific, present-focused and effective treatment for coping with life's problems, rather than one which is mystical and largely passive.

People who take REBT are taught and encouraged to accept personal responsibility for their own thoughts, feelings and behavior. They are empowered to change reactions and beliefs that are mal-adaptive, distorted, interfere with their goals and effect their enjoyment of life. Gradually with practice, the new ideas become part of the person and it integrates into their way of living.

Simple Principles of Rational Emotive Behavior (REBT) Therapy.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is based on the following simple principles having profound implications:

• You yourself are responsible for your emotions and actions.
• These harmful emotions and dysfunctional behaviors are the after effects of your irrational thinking.
• You can imbibe the realistic view in yourself and then practice them to make it your life's part.
• You can experience more satisfactions in life by developing and following a reality-based perspective. By this you will tend to accept yourself more

How Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) Works?

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) distinguishes between practical problems and emotional problems. Practical problems are actual events and situations that are problematic, whereas emotional problems are reactions to such events and situations that are inappropriate, inaccurate (over-reactions or under-reactions), and actually or potentially harmful. While one cannot always control things that happen in life, one is responsible for what one makes of it and how one handles it. REBT addresses the emotional suffering by helping you in the ways as mentioned in the simple principles above.

A number of techniques are used in this active approach, such as rational-emotive imagery (in which people imagine themselves thinking, feeling and behaving in ways they would like to think, feel and behave in real life), role-playing, homework assignments, desensitization, and assertiveness exercises. The goal is freedom from emotional upheaval and a more authentic and joyful engagement in life.

Does Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) devoid you of Feelings?

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) Bottomline

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) technique will help you if you relish quickly taking control of your own life, rather than depending upon a therapist for years. By giving you tools for identifying and overcoming the real cause of your difficulties, it will enable you to act in many ways as your own therapist. And by helping you to enhance realistic, self-benefiting beliefs, it will help you to eliminate present emotional and behavioral problems, and to avoid future ones.

Behavior therapy

Behavior therapy techniques include assertiveness training, systematic desensitization, exposure and response prevention, and modifying the environment and activity schedules to improve mood and functioning.

Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) - Rational-Emotional therapy is built on the belief that how we emotionally respond at any moment depends on our interpretations--our views, our beliefs, our thoughts--of the situation.

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I've been posting some of the writings of JR Miller here... and last week I found a wonderful archive of his writings at this link.

http://www.jr-miller.com/

J.R. Miller D.D.

James Russell Miller was born on March 20, 1840 at Frankfort Springs, Pennsylvania and died on July 2, 1912. Besides authoring over 80 books, booklets, and pamphlets, Dr. J.R. Miller was the Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication and a very active pastor in a succession of churches.

The crucible of J.R. Miller's education was his service with the United States Christian Commission, an agency set up to minister to the troops, during the civil war. When the war ended Miller completed his theological studies and was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867. On June 22, 1870, when he was thirty, he married Miss Louise E. King.

The end of life on earth came without warning on the afternoon of July 2, 1912. JR?s wife, Louise Miller, and their only daughter, Mary Wanamaker Miller (Mrs. W.B. Mount), were present, but it was impossible to summon the sons ? William King Miller and Russell King Miller. One moment Dr. Miller seemed to be resting quietly; the next he was at rest.

JR Miller DD was one of the best selling Christian authors of his era. Rev. Miller?s books had a total circulation of over two million copies during his lifetime and in 1911 the Presbyterian Board of Publication, under his direction, published over 66 million copies of its periodicals.

This site is dedicated to publishing JR Miller?s works and providing some snippets about his life and times. This is not a short term project as it might take several years to gather all of James Miller?s works and publish them on the Web. Hence, all offers of help will gladly be accepted. If you have typed up some of the Rev. Miller?s texts, which you would like to share, please e-mail them to me and I will put them on-line, giving you the appropriate credit.

Dr. J.R. Miller?s Works Online

The Archive Miller site first became active on October 27 2004. Since then we have published thirty-five books and fifteen pamphlets which Dr. Miller authored, one periodical distributed under his editorship, Dr. Miller?s biography written by John T. Faris, and five other books by other authors in some way related to J.R. Miller. You will find the list here as it is now too long to include on this page. Paula Kuczynski merits the supreme accolade as she has transcribed most of these works.

Another of these principles is purity.  "Whatsover things are pure," says the apostle, in the same breath with "whatsoever things are true and just and honorable." It is a canon of art that an artist who lives badly never can paint a good picture. Nor can one who lives badly ever build up a beautiful character. Only he who has a pure heart can see God to know what life's ideal is. Only he whose hands are clean can build after the perfect pattern. Purity is an essential fundamental principle in the perfect character.

One of these principles is truth. Ruskin tells us that in a famous Italian chathedral there are a number of colossal figures high up among the heavy timbers that support the roof. From the pavement these statues have the appearance of great beauty. Curious to examine them, Ruskin says he climbed to the roof and stood close beside them. He was bitterly disappointed to find that only the parts of the figures which could be seen from the pavement were finished. The hidden side was rough and unfinished. It is not enough to make our lives true only so far as men can see them. We have only scorn for men who profess truth, and then in their secret life reveal falsehood, deception, insincerity. There must be truth through and through in the sure foundation. A little flaw, made by a bubble of air in the casting, had been the cause of the breaking of a great girder years afterward, and the falling of the immense bridge whose weight tested upon it. Truth must be in the character, absolute truth.

Remember, three things come not back;

The arrow sent upon its track-----

It will not swerve, it will not stay

Its speed, it flies to wound or slay;

The spoken word, so forgot

By thee, but it has perished not;

In other hearts 'tis living still,

And doing work for good or ill;

And the lost opportunity

That cometh back no more to thee-----

In vain thou weepest, in vain dost yearn,

Those three will nevermore return

                                                      From the Arabic

There is need always for comfortable words. Always there is sorrow. Everywhere hearts are breaking. There is no one who is not made happier by gentle speech . Yet there is in the world of comfortable words, some people scarcely ever speak them. Their tones are harsh. There seems no kindness in their hearts. They are gruff, severe, querulous.

 Even in the presence of suffering and sorrow they evince no tenderness.

"Speak ye comfortably" is a divine exhortation. That is the way God wants us to speak to each other. That is the way God Himself ever speaks to His children.  ~~~~~more later~~~~

Page 170 continues:

The Bible is full of comfortable words. We would say that in view of the wickedness of men, their ingratitude, the base return they make for God's goodness, the way they stain the earth with sin, God would be angry with them every day. But instead of anger, only love is shown. He is ever speaking in words of lovingkindness. He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth on the just and the unjust. Every message He sends is love. All His thoughts toward His children are peace. The most wonderful expression of His heart toward the world was in the giving of Christ. He was the Word, the revealer of the heart of God. He never spoke so comfortably to men as when He sent His Son.  ~more later~

 Who can measure the comfort that was given to the world in Jesus Christ? Never an unkind word fell from His lips, never a frown was seen on His brow. Think of the comfortable words He spoke in His mother's home. He was a sinless child, never giving way to angry words or violent tempers. His youth and manhood were without a trace of unlovingness. Then we know what He was during His public ministry----having all power, but gentle as a woman; able to call of legeions of angels to defend Himself, but without resentment, returning only gracious love for cruelty and bitter hate.

Think of the comfortable words He spoke to the sick who were brought to Him for healing, to the mourners sitting beside their dead, to the weary ones who came to Him to find the warmth of love in His presence. The ministry of His gracious words as they were uttered by His lips and fell into sad and discouraged hearts was marvelous in its influence. 

In His life Christ set an example for us. He wants us ever to be speaking comfortable words. We shall not meet a man tomorrow in our going about who will not need the comfortable word that we are able to be speak. The gift of  speech is marvelous in its possiblilities. Man is the only one of God's creatures to whom this gift is given. This is one of the qualities that makes him godlike. It is never meant to be perverted----it was intended always to be beautiful and pleasing. Dumbness is very sad----when one cannot speak. But would not one better be dumb than use his divine gift of speech in anger to hurt others? Yet how many are those who never speak to give pain? The hurt that is done any fairest day by words is incalculable. War is terrible. Who can describe the ruin  wrought by shot and shell rained upon a city of homes, leaving devastation everywhere? Words may not lacerate, mangle like the missiles of war, but they may be almost as deadly in the cruel work they do. God wants us to use our speech to speak only and ever comfortably.

~~~~and so on~~~

Katrina's comment....wow, this was great!!!  Our speech is to godlike always beautiful and pleasing. May my words, Lord be that ever spoken to bring blessings to the listner's ear.  Reminds me of James chapter 3;  and what a challenge it is to control my tongue.

 James 3:9 **With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.(10) Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.** 

**Finally, brethern, whatsover things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsover things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things.** ~~Philipians 4:8~~

The building of character is the most important business of life. it is matters little what works a man may leave in the world; his real success is measured by what he has accomplished along the years in his own being.

True Character Built on Divine Patterns

True character must be built on divine patterns. "Every man's life is a plan of God." There is a divine purpose concerning it which it should realize. In the Scriptures we find the patterns for all the parts of the character, not only for its great and prominent elements, but also for its most minute features, the delicate lines and shadings of its ornamentation. The commandments, the beatitudes, all Christ's precepts, the ethical teachings of the apostles, all show us the patterns after which we are to fashion our character. It is a great thing for us to have a high ideal of life, and ever to seek to reach it. Said Michelangelo; "Nothing makes the soul so pure, so religious, as the endevor to create something perfect; for God is perfection, and whoever strives for it strives for something that is godlike." The seeking itself makes us nobler, holier, purer,stronger. We grow ever toward that for which we long. this is a desire which is rewarded.

Every building requires a good foundation. Without this, it never can rise into real strength and grandeur. The most lovely building reared on sand is insecure and must fall. There is only one foundation for Christian character. We must build on the rock-----that is, we must have as the basis of our character great, eternal principles.

Katrina's comment:

A divine purpose, the Lord has one for me, He has one for you the reader.I like the word Ornamentation used to describe the making of our Character.  And Real Success in this life should be measured by the building of our own being. I like that, made me think about my girls' dad; Grant Soles and how he grew during those 5 months of pain before he departed. Truly this was of great wealth. Then in reading Michelangelo comment on the soul becoming more pure, in endeavor to create something perfect; for God...made me think of my breeding efforts with my ponies, poodles,goats and even my lovely little finches   ...and truly it is the Lord who has caused these critters to be genetically beautiful. The Sermon today at the Worship service was on the same topic, of realizing The Lord's Design on all of Creation, and that man is without excuse for The Lord has shown Himself even to the man who can not read a word, but can with his eyes see, the beauty; the complexity of all on this earth and cosmos;know that they all came to be because of the Same Designer's hand & word. 

Hello folks that drop by!

I promised my girls specially Amanda that I would get with blogging. To make an effort to stay more connected to family and for my grandchildren to get to know their Grandma's heart though I live so far away from most of them.  I also want to make my thoughts written here to be of use and of the nature of encouragement to those who visit...Some times we all go through challenges and we might loose our focus on what is really important in life. That of keeping on, that of remembering why we are here, that the purpose of our life is to honor the Lord and to learn how to enjoy Him today and forever!

 I love what I have read so far in this book titled A Life of Character  making Biblical Decisions for the Christian Walk. by JR Miller. James Russell Miller, an American Presbyterian clergyman and author was born in Hashaville, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1840, and died in Philadelphia on July 2, 1912.

I have been reading the book over the last week, and find the thoughts there though so deep, so easily for me to grasp, I thought I'd share some of it here...

 I will start the next two entries with sections from The Building of Character and from the second book included in the one Publishing titled Life's Open Door  the two are meant to be read together each day as a devotional.  I will add my thoughts at the bottom of each entry, and dear reader be sure to share what the Lord brought to your mind.

Blessings!

~katrina~

Mother to Belinda, Amanda, Tammy-Jean, Doralynne, Jody ,mother-in-law to Mark, Joshua, Shawn, Jordan. Grandma to Calvin, Baillie, Geneva, Joshua Grant, Emily, Adeline, Amos, Natalie. daughter of Ruth,