Fear Not

March comes in like... well, like a wet dog. It is raining on this first day of March 2009.

Did you know; that on this first day of March in 1781, The Continental Congress of the young United States adopted The Articles of Confederation? Remember from your Jr. High days, when you had to learn about things like the Continental Congress? Maybe of greater interest on March 1st, Yellowstone National Park was established as the world's first (not just the nation's) National Park in 1872.

We also have some black eye's on the 1st of March. 1971, The Weather Underground takes credit for an explosion from a bomb hidden in the Men's room of the Capital. Just to balance the evil scales between the Left and the Right, in 1974 indictments for the Watergate Scandal were delivered.

On to current events. Way back in early February I discovered chives already coming up in the herb garden and I got a little excited. Here they are on the 1st of March. I am not convinced that they have made any real progress. But they are still there. One thing new since I last looked at the Chives is that the dogs have discovered the soft soil of the garden is fun to dig in.

Sadly, I did not get any peas planted in February. It isn't too late yet, Saint Patrick's Day is my personal traditional day for Pea Planting. Lettuce should go in today (spinach and radishes too).

Apparently March is not traditionally a month of Good Luck. Not being one for tradition (never mind the Pea post) or luck, good or bad, I truly appreciated Amy Carmichael's passage for March 1 in Edges of His Ways.

Fear not

I am more and more impressed as I read the Bible, by the reiterated "Fear not". There are so many promises, that it would not be strange if there were no "Fear not"; the promises are enough to rest upon. We should not need to be told not to be afraid, and yet there it is over and over again, in one form or another. This strong, loving encouraging "Fear not" of our God. Fear not, nor be afraid" (Deut 31:6-8 LXX) neither be cowardly (it is good sometimes to face the truth that yielding to fear is cowardice); "it is the Lord your God that advances with you in the midst of thee... And the Lord that goes with thee shall not forsake thee nor abandon thee."

It seems to be God's plan to allow all sorts of things to happen that would naturally cause fear, but to forestall them by the assurance of His presence. The Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, so Fear not, neither be dismayed.

I do not know what tomorrow brings, but I know who goes before me, Fear not!

Happy Birthday Yellowstone National Park! Ray took this picture of me in front of the Paint Pots during our vacation to Wyoming in 2005.

By the way, congratulations to the winner of The Great February Bird Count, Pittswood Birds with a total of 46 birds seen from his yard in February. Mighty impressive!