Nothing is Wasted

Last week when the sun was shining I found it much easier to get out of bed and start the day. Yesterday I was woken by the dawn chorus and so was up very early but today it’s dull and not having a routine made it seem like there was no reason to leave the warmth and comfort of my bed. But then I remembered that I do have some routine and lying in bed meant that I was missing my half hour with Chris Packham, live on Facebook, talking mainly about wildlife. He’s always very positive and I have learnt from him over the last 3 weeks. For instance, although Coronavirus is a terrible thing for us humans there are positives for our natural world and wildlife.
We have arrived at spring when our wildlife, especially our birds start to set up nests and start to breed. There are birds who nest on the ground like Skylarks, Curlew and Lapwings all of which are found in the fields around Crosby and whose numbers are dropping. During 2001 when much of the countryside was closed to visitors due to Foot and Mouth disease, the numbers of these birds grew because people and dogs weren’t disturbing the nests. A similar thing could happen this year, not only in Britain but throughout the isolating world. I am hoping that this year Sefton Council will not cut the verges along the Formby Bypass. This area should be a great place for insects which feed our birds such as Swallows, swifts and House-Martins. Sadly by cutting these verges every couple of weeks the insects are missing, and therefore, so are the birds.
One thing Chris said was “In nature there are no redundancies. In nature nothing is wasted. There is a point to everything.” Doesn’t that relate to God too? With God there are no redundancies, nothing is wasted and there is a point to everything.
The world is being given a time to heal some of the wounds we humans have inflicted on it. NO, I didn’t say that God sent the virus to do this. What I am saying is that God works good out of every situation.
Another part of my daily routine is listening to Malcolm Duncan via Facebook. He posts a prayer and a blessing each evening and during this crisis has shared a time of prayer. I share it each morning because when he is live on Facebook I’m asleep in bed!
Here is the prayer and blessing for today.

Father of mercy and giver of hope.
We pray today that you would help us to remember one another.
As we go through today, watch over us.
Give strength to the faint-hearted; bring rest to the restless; bring peace to those who are troubled; bring comfort to those who are mourning, and grace to those who are angry.
Bring faith to those who feel like their trust is beginning to fail.
Father, our encircler, we ask you to encircle those who are vulnerable
Jesus, who knows our frailty, we ask you to give courage to us all.
Spirit of comfort, we ask you to bring comfort to those who are in distress.
Lord, help us to stand with the lonely: to weep with them; to kneel beside them; to let them know we are with them in heart and spirit, even when we cannot be with them in person. Amen

A blessing
May we be given grace to help one another and carry one another’s burdens.
When we feel helpless at the plight of others and we do not know what to do, may we remember that showing them that we love and care is enough.
May our actions give others hope.
Take care and stay safe and may God bless you today
Jane Stephens