%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 18 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 13 0 R /F6 20 0 R >> /XObject << /I1 14 0 R /I2 15 0 R /I3 23 0 R /I4 24 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 16 0 R /GS2 17 0 R /GS3 21 0 R /GS4 22 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text /ImageC ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 1.0.2 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20241222103528+00'00') /ModDate (D:20241222103528+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1632 >> stream xWێF}WT6;l`#,EْCvM+g8=-!X F)TS,spv]V5kz_5,яA{o談YWUuV㼟VT|YЉroó_ vm;jFc` _??RgeTUEӪdNq񯛁E>mpb4癟s@PCW~^Nb/IO;3끌%%Q~S(2k;vd'YwՋ?ȁs?/EMTmWFzXʼKhi"p(CF9wfvdvIrGRWHS#)ڄBߊ7iBˍ?Q>j>zR^е<){I' :{!C"+5RjW;A. Q*jH\dIJx9̨`h>S3[YDD16Ee MUJstٛ#)1) o3P*&\P!eެSCtU|C7aؿz ;H 1WUMoBQI.bҦ̗]M3 H*;d'%Р<`?%e>ﲼLʸVg~?p\XB%+F_1 ;)n5ͨbԹ'ɧSD[AW]}dA&$S.Eq F>vp2$9\QE Y0c_ sJ qVW)5`c&|)0N 2,?}Nqtk[i~].c‚6ֵ)LbJ:2 =4ix4+1E[ -`ȓH\WYQtA w,aZ8ke^ynCwG)JwѠfNt M]M0O>C-ۙ 9'/@b%"|b n GTTjؖ8EJbg >|lJ<-]UPv3&IFaK"U8ivA_ߜNvS>RH&O25KΞh 4ӳ4ï|Ѳ$~r J@)6vΔL'òDBTy?~_Ft\$Pܼ+I<׼Kdv=(7)?d1SFYUhK`_]R%+#ݿ,ԭMsRSPƊ&~UZfoo1kƪg/&-=*l-cP|oLozMseM/oDp endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 13 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 19 0 R >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1623 >> stream xWM6x%$Ks)h E-QԺ= ?HlEcy3Cjy-%#Z~L%]5շ7?vd tcJi,!z䭤4c& 5@8Zꅓ/iNU&=J NNڒjl;JH5&SmtPP''RI5,ya%zO'+7͓es^;9:Qk0HGgN泣@+ϋ1gjxl6ILx ,h۹q<ڥ#Ű/$]ɿlAÂ>pa/хh'>}{#^&vjMj"U+3ʺ2Yn2U P$?28(k=` / oj2yA;_!;5$ZIZ$—5p4J6[&IT!/0ֽD(G{5Ac7ncde!je+l'?@^.t r[lY;~٫;^Un:xT`|f{Hu_V`ՁuyGubWlcjUӨjꝒlgeys4x{<5<'n9mdce<ﬞ͂841ǩpbb(Oyj'<&8_G3/O}P2CX7U.7iT5&Dʼnl6$TZ>΄C+o޾|cx:Fr0}/1P^e$Wg叫 X* <)\gJW tbEחd[g s{dFh^,vwv{᫴&[l_ |L[gnkLoѢAI> endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 22 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 23 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj xref 0 25 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000461 00000 n 0000000498 00000 n 0000000647 00000 n 0000000750 00000 n 0000002455 00000 n 0000002562 00000 n 0000002670 00000 n 0000002780 00000 n 0000002893 00000 n 0000002922 00000 n 0000003032 00000 n 0000008607 00000 n 0000009738 00000 n 0000009797 00000 n 0000009856 00000 n 0000009961 00000 n 0000011658 00000 n 0000011774 00000 n 0000011831 00000 n 0000011888 00000 n 0000017463 00000 n trailer << /Size 25 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[] >> startxref 18594 %%EOF We're having a baby! | Caring Magazine

Vol. #28

Grace Uncovered

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

We’re having a baby!

August 17, 2002
3 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

BODY BUILDER

by Major Terry CamseyIt wasn’t planned. It’s just one of those spontaneous, serendipitous events that unexpectedly surprise one and bring a great deal of satisfaction into one’s life. One wonders, in retrospect, that a wheelbarrow as small as the one in question could play such a significant role in this special event.

It’s a few months since we received the small wind chimes as a gift. They were so cute that we immediately hung them up outside our front door. On the top is this miniature wheelbarrow from which dangle a couple of even more miniature garden tools and at one end of which sits an even smaller composite bird. As I say, we hung it up right away and thought nothing further of it.

It is, however, easily seen from the front window of our living room, especially from the seat where my wife normally sits.

This last week or two we became aware that ­ both at the front and back of the house ­ some birds have been active (and somewhat rowdy) flying on and off the eaves. I suggested to Beryl that, maybe, they were looking for a place to nest but there never seemed to be any evidence of that.

We did, notice, however, that the birds fluttering around close to the front door were diminutive humming birds. There are quite a few of these around and they are remarkably bold, not the least afraid to hover right in front of you as if inspecting you carefully.

Beryl thought she saw them carrying bits of “stuff and fluff” as they hovered near the wheelbarrow chimes and, sure enough, as the days went by it seemed as though they were indeed storing this material right in the little wheelbarrow. We wondered, casually, if they were making a nest but dismissed it since the wheelbarrow was surely too small for any bird to sit in it.

We were wrong. A few days later we noticed one of the birds settling on the nest and wriggling her rear end as she tried to make it comfortable. We figured she might be thirsty so we bought one of those special feeders for humming birds that can be filled with the nectar-tasting fluid they seem to love. She took to it right away. Must be rather nice for a bird to have its food right outside its front door.

Now there is little doubt about it. We are going to have a baby if not more than one and, like anxious potential grandparents, we can’t wait to see what they look like and how tiny they will surely be.

It reminded me about the way God’s Word tells us to be anxious for nothing because he will supply all that we need. I especially recalled the way he suggests that since even the birds of the air are taken care of then we shall be too.

Funny how thinking seems to set off a chain reaction, because that thought led me to remember the statement made in 1 Corinthians 12:18 that says, “…God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” He is talking about spiritual gifts and the members in the Body of Christ that is the church. The phrase “every one” suggests that none is missing and that all that are needed have been provided by him.

It is my belief that every church (corps, outpost) has already all the spiritual gifts it needs to grow. The challenge is for us to discover those gifts and, like a spiritual jigsaw puzzle, put those parts together so that they create a living picture of the holistic ministry God has in mind for every single unit. Our difficulties arise when not all the (“pieces of the puzzle”) gifts are “on the table,” or when “some pieces insist on trying to be what they have not been created to be,” or “we try to make our preferred picture of ministry” which may or may not be what God intends.

Just as God unfailingly provides for the birds all that they need, so too he provides for the health and growth of his body…the church.

Just one point…as someone once said to me (and it stuck), “Yes! God certainly feeds the birds, but he doesn’t throw the seed into the nest!” They have a part to play, and so do we. N’est-ce pas?

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like