Tag Archives: bird watching

Day 28: While

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31 Days of Five Minute Friday Free Writes

“In my time of need, I called to the Eternal; I begged my True God for help. He heard my voice echo up to His temple, and my cry came to His ears.” Psalm 18:6 (The Voice)

Day 28: While

It’s no secret that I love birds and enjoy feeding and photographing them. I start almost every day with coffee, sitting in my chair, watching out the window as the birds partake of their morning feast. That is, until this summer. Something strange happened and I didn’t like it one bit!

Grackles (in the blackbird family) swooped in and landed on the grass under my “bird cafe.”

Fewer and fewer of my regular visitors came to the feeders as more and more grackles arrived. As the number of grackles grew, the fewer finches, titmice, nuthatches, and cardinals stopped in. Pretty soon the lawn appeared black as the flock of grackles daily foraged on it. I’m talking 25-30 boisterous birds. Much to my dismay, they seemed content to stay despite my efforts to discourage them and soon the little feathered friends I love disappeared from my feeders all together. 

Finally, it became apparent that to prompt the interlopers to move on I’d just have to stop filling the feeders, and so I did.  It took several days for them to clean up all that had fallen to the ground below, but eventually they finally moved on. I was overjoyed until……the familiar little birds didn’t come back. I waited expectantly as time passed but they still didn’t return. I. Was. Heartbroken.

What’s a bird brain like me to do when hers are missing? I prayed. Yes, I know it’s silly and I even told God I knew He had more important things to worry about. But I prayed for “my birds” to return anyway. Anyone else pray for goofy things?

Once in a while something happens that fills me with such awe that it overflows from my heart and down my cheeks. The very next day after my plea to God, I looked out the window and couldn’t believe my eyes! (Although I should have.) Scurrying head first down a tree branch toward the waiting sunflower seeds was a nuthatch, my favorite of all the birds! After weeks of their absence, but not even 24 hours after I prayed, God sent me a message through a little gray and white bird. “I hear you,” He said, and I cried.

You see, I’d already been struggling and wondering if my voice mattered to God at all. Maybe you’ve wondered too. A silly prayer and the gift of a bird’s return reassure me it does. They’ve also given me confidence to believe that those BIG things I’ve been praying for have been heard, too and that God is working them out in His time and in His way just like He did at my bird  feeders.

“Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.”
Philippians 4:6 (The Voice, emphasis mine)

When it comes to our prayers, big or seemingly insignificant, what a comfort Paul offers us to know God “longs to hear” them all! Now, we need to watch with expectation for what comes. And when it does, whether in years or hours, we can join in with the Psalmist with thanksgiving and proclaim:

“But surely God has heard me; He has paid attention to the urgency of my request.
Mat the True God be blessed, for He did not turn away from my prayer
nor did He hold back His loyal love from me.”
Psalm 66:19-20 (The Voice)

Generous in the Little Things ~Five Minute Friday

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“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV)

Generous in the Little Things

Family traditions: I love them! From the time our children were little there have been things I’ve done year after year to celebrate every holiday. Gifts, food, activities, and more, some of which I remember my mom doing for my sisters and me when we were little.  Now that I am a MiMi, a new tradition I’ve come to truly cherish is my daughter taking our young grandsons shopping and allowing them to pick out anything they’d like to give us as a Christmas gift. 

Those packages wrapped with lots of paper and way too much tape have become the ones I most look forward to, not because I’m expecting something grand, but because the little things inside were chosen with me in mind and show how known and loved I am by the generous, little givers.

As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t always treat God the same way. After all, I know He is powerful and can do anything. He’s performed miracle after miracle, so when I ask God for something I most often expect Him to give me something BIG. Maybe it’s healing, a new job, a relationship restored, or any of the myriad of things we put on our “grown-up wish-list” to pray for. 

And that’s just what I’ve been doing lately, praying for some pretty extravagant things and yet, I find myself still waiting for God to wrap everything up neatly for me like I’ve asked him to do. Despite knowing better, I’ve begun to wonder if He’s even heard as I’ve shared what weighs heavy on my heart. 

In the midst of my BIG and heavy I also decided on a whim this week to pray for my favorite birds that have been absent from my feeders all summer to return. I know it sounds like a silly, little prayer, especially with so much trouble everywhere, but I prayed it just the same. 

Not even 48-hours later, looking out the window I couldn’t believe my eyes! There, scurrying down a branch toward the feeder was a Nuthatch, my favorite of all the birds. A Nuthatch that hadn’t been to my feeders in months! A Nuthatch that I thought was gone for good. 

Why did God answer my silly prayer instead of the big ones I’ve been waiting on I wondered? It was then that I thought of those gifts from the boys. Tears fell and are falling again now as I type this because I’m certain that the Nuthatch, a little thing, was chosen with me in mind as a reminder that I am known, heard, and lavishly loved by the most Generous Giver and it has left me looking forward to more!

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

Are you like me, waiting for God to give you something BIG but feel like it will never come? That silly Nuthatch was an “a-ha” moment, a prompting to begin to look for the little things. It has shown me, and I hope you too, that because our God is generous in the little things, He can also be trusted in the BIG things. He sees, hears, and knows our every desire. 

Yes, we may think we know the what, when, and who’s we want from God, but “how much more” will we receive when we wait on the good gifts He wants to give us of His outcome, His plan, and His timing, and not just given at special times, but offered to each of us day after day, month after month, and year after year, for eternity.

Read more on generosity at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

 

Observant or Serving

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“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 12:12 (NLT)

Observant or Serving

Look closely. Notice anything out of place in my peaceful bird feeding world? Yes! An intruder! As I watched out the window, I was amazed at how focused and in tune with all the birds’ movements he was. And all the while, they had no idea danger was near! Clearly, he had only one thing on his mind: to attack and consume one of my unsuspecting bird friends. 

You know, there’s a prowler after us, too. He’s observant.  Our words and actions are familiar to him. Patient, he waits for the opportune time to pounce and disrupt our peace. Unfortunately, we also often fail to recognize his presence. He likes it that way. It makes us easy to prey upon. 

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.” 1 Peter 5:8-9a (NLT)

We’re living in challenging times, exactly the kind a predator enjoys! Now more than ever, we must be extra vigilant and on the look out. Alone, we’re readily vulnerable to his temptings and can be easily consumed, satisfying the enemy’s hunger for more. We must ask God to help us control our words, monitor our minds, think before we act, and to protect those weak spots (I) we each have from being targeted. Luckily, after discovering the trespasser, the bird restaurant didn’t stay open long.  Just as I ran off this unwanted neighborhood cat from his hidden hunting place before he was able to have lunch, we can deter the stalking devil before he devours us. God has given us everything we need for the fight!

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all the strategies of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11(NLT)

We spend a lot of our time distracted, watching our phones, TV, other people, our bank accounts, and so much more. Let’s not forget to be alert to the one who lurks in the midst of it all. God has provided a defense so that we can stand firm and be strong in our faith, be a light in the devil’s darkness revealing his hiding places, and victoriously compel him on his way.

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17 (NLT)

May we remain ready for battle, always observant instead of becoming the next “serving” on the enemy’s menu!

Teaming up with http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and #write28days at http://www.anitaojeda.com writing to the prompt “Observant”. Your presence here is a blessing to me. I always pray you leave encouraged. God bless and stay well!