This week’s Tail Feather is brought to you by Patty Wysong. I got so inspired when I read this short devotional I had to share her insight with my readers I pray you are all as blessed as I was.

You got to stick your neck out sometimes to get to where God wants you to be. Holding up in your shell makes you an easy target for the enemy to come along and well you’ll get the picture. Now on with this week’s Tail Feather.

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Turtle Crossing by Patty Wysong

It’s the time of year when the turtles come out and we often see them crossing the road.  Just the other day there was a little box turtle three-quarters the way across the road and he was just sitting there, hiding in his shell.  He was so close to safety, but he couldn’t know that with his head pulled in like it was.

So many times I do the same thing.  I get three-quarters the way through the hard time or problem and then pull into my shell in an attempt to forget what’s going on, or to protect myself from perceived danger.  All I’m actually doing is making myself sit in the situation longer, and leaving myself in a place where I’m more likely to be run over.

If that little box turtle would just come out of his shell and get back to walking, he’d have a better chance of making it across the road safely than he does all pulled into his shell.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;”  2 Timothy 4:7

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com <a href=”http://www.faithwriters.com“>CHRISTIAN WRITERS</a>

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 (ESV)

Jesus did not eat anything for 40 days and 40 nights. At the end of that time, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”Matt 4:2-3 (GW)

Once more the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms in the world and their glory. 9 The devil said to him, “I will give you all this if you will bow down and worship me.” Matt 4:8-9 (GW)

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” Job 2:7-9 (ESV)

Be careful, brothers and sisters, that none of you ever develop a wicked, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Encourage each other every day while you have the opportunity. If you do this, none of you will be deceived by sin and become stubborn. Hebrews 3:12-13 (GW)

The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I (Jesus) came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. John 10:10 (ASV)

Lk 18:15 (GW) Some people brought infants to Jesus to have him hold them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people not to do that. But Jesus called the infants to him and said, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me! Children like these are part of the kingdom of God.”

I have been blessed this past week to have spent a delightful time with a good friend of mine’s nieces. They were such a joy and delight to be around all week. I came away with a great appreciation for parents and a deep regret for not being one myself. I can echo the words of the psalmist when he states:

“Don’t you see that children are GOD’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?” Psalm 127:3

What a privilege parents have been given to be endowed with such an honor. Children are indeed a heritage to treasure and a resource to be valued. Whom is it that can look upon the face of a child and not see the hand of God? The week I got to spend with these lovely blessings from God had a great impact upon my life.

Not being a parent it is hard to understand the love a father has for a child but being entrusted with the safety of another’s child was very humbling to say the least. Parents have set certain standards for their households and their own children so when I was given the responsibility of caring for these children as a surrogate, I was awestruck with the enormity of the task. To think that these parents trusted me enough to be a watchman over these precious souls.

What should you allow and not allow? When is bed time? What do you serve for meals? What allergies do these children have? Are they afraid of anything? What level of responsibility should one allow them to assume? Are they permitted to make their own purchases at the store? Candy free zone? What personality types are we dealing with? What bad habits do they have? What do you do when one of them gets sick? My mind was numb with questions. There was no instruction manual to read and no internet course I could study to become a caretaker. I had to rely on my instincts and my own experiences as a child growing up.

Being raised in a dysfunctional household did not lend itself well as a model for good parenting skills. Therefore I could not rely on my own experiences I had to look for a different model. An example of fatherhood that is reliable and trustworthy.

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“He’s passé. Nobody cares about Mickey anymore. There
are whole batches of Mickeys we just can’t give away.
I think we should phase him out.” — Roy Disney, Walt
Disney’s brother, 1937

Having first of all the knowledge that in the last days there will be men who, ruled by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things, Saying, Where is the hope of his coming? From the death of the fathers till now everything has gone on as it was from the making of the world. _{2 Peter 3:3-4 (BBE)}

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Three theme parks and billions of dollars later it would appear that Mickey the Mouse is more popular today than in 1937. Billions have heard and seen at least one Mickey Mouse cartoon in their life time and many have purchased Disney Licensed merchandise.

Had Walt Disney given up on the idea of Mickey Mouse like his brother suggested in 1937 than the whole Disney franchise would have been nothing more than a dream. Instead it has become one of the largest, if not the largest, entertainment conglomerates in the world.

Christianity has been under attack by scoffers and nonbelievers since Christ walked on the earth. For over 2000 years naysayers would have us believe that Jesus has lost his appeal. Scoffers say nobody cares about Jesus anymore. There are churches closing their doors each year and we can not seem to give religion away. Therefore we should just phase Jesus out of our life.

Regardless of the Roy Disneys of the world, just like Mickey, Jesus is still influencing millions of lives all over the world. Even without theme parks, although there are several in the works or already operating in the United States, Jesus is still alive and well in 2008.

Said the Robin to the Sparrow,

“I should really like to know

Why these anxious human beings

Rush about and hurry so.”

Said the Sparrow to the Robin,

“Friend, I think that it must be

That they have no Heavenly Father

Such as cares for you and me.”

Consider the crows. They don’t plant or harvest. 

They don’t even have a storeroom or a barn. 

Yet, God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds. 

Luke 12:24 (GW)