"I hold on to You for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post..." Psalm 63

Monday, September 6, 2010

A look at the birds...

This is where you'll find me on any given morning.  It's where I have my quiet time of reading in the morning, where I do most of my blogging, and where you would have found me all afternoon yesterday reading a book.  The last few days I've had to grab a blanket to sit out here in my pjs.

If I look off to my left, this is what I see. 
And if I turn completely to the left, this is what I see....

The other day I decided it was time to feed all the birds I spend so much time listening to out here.  My mom always had a bird feeder on this window and we were always fascinated by them.  I sort of thought it's something that older women do when they have an empty-nest...maybe a replacement of the children that have grown and gone.  {sorry, mom!}  So, either I was wrong or I've now become one of those older women...even though my kids are still here and need me.  Whatever the reason, I hung a feeder in the same spot since it seemed to work in the past.  In a few hours one bird discovered it and told the rest of the birds in Lancaster County to come too.  Mom warned me that it would be a fulltime job keeping them fed! 

She didn't warn me that it would be a fulltime job watching them.  They are totally distracting to me!  Their little chirping and singing sounds distract me from everything I do out here....making me take twice as long to finish up!  But, I love it.  They just keep coming back for more and bringing more friends.  This morning I had to do a google search to try to identify one particular bird that keeps coming back. {See...I've totally bought into the old lady thing} 

 I still haven't figured out what it is...

She's small like the chickadees that come, but much more timid.  Her head and breast are much redder than the picture shows-her back and feathers are brown. I watched her for a long time as she hid in the branches of the tree until a chickadee started feeding...then it was safe for her to hop on too. 
Anyone recognize her?  Mom?

Anyway, like I said...this birdfeeder is totally distracting to me.  I try to entice the kids to come out with me and watch them, but apparently it's not cool to sit out here in the quiet and watch.

Amidst the distraction is a verse that plays over and over in my head like music...

"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life— Look at the birds.
They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.
And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?" 
 Matthew 6

I keep thinking about the birds...they just keep coming back, trusting that there will be more....and it's been a reminder to me that this is how I am to live also.  Instead of worrying about how we will pay the bills or what direction I should be looking for a job...I need to just keep coming back to the source of my nourishment.  Worrying about all the "what-ifs" does not give the answers.  Resting in what I do know, will. 

So maybe that's why I keep coming back to this same spot day after day.  It represents my place of nourishment...the place where contentment is found.  The place that never goes empty or forgotten. 
The place where I "Look at the birds" and find my heart's rest....


2 comments:

lindsey said...

What a beautiful spot to have a seat and relax and listen to God and the birds in your garden. I too love to feed the birds and watch them as they go about their business.

Sharon said...

Okay! This is your mother! I TOLD you that would be your favorite spot!...and that you should have a bird feeder on the window!...and that you would love watching the chickadees...and the finches (your little red bird)...and the tufted titmouse...and the love birds who will get on it and tend to send it crashing down...and the squirrels who do their best to figure out how to get to it (hence the reason mine always hung half-way down the window so they couldn't lean down from the gutter and reach it!). Now anytime you want to borrow my little bird-calling machine, just give me a holler! (I have turned it off here today in honor of you and your sister...silly girls!) Happy meditating!

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