For the Birds

Male house finch

This here feeder ain't big enough for the both of us, padnah.

Wait. What just happened? I was there first.

Mwahahaha! It's mine now, all mine! (Red-bellied woodpecker)

Male American goldfinch

Female American goldfinch

Taking "spiritual white space" to stalk our birds with my camera reminds me daily of Elizabeth Cheney's poem "The Robin and the Sparrow" (neither depicted above, but go with me on this):

Said the robin to the sparrow,
“I should really like to know,
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry 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.”
― Elizabeth Cheney, from Streams in the Desert, October 10

Ms. Cheney, of course, alludes to the Lord Jesus' exhortations in the Sermon on the Mount to trust our heavenly Father, who feeds even the wild birds and clothes wildflowers in glory:

“This is why I tell y’all: Don’t worry about y’all’s life, what y’all will eat or what y’all will drink; or about y’all’s body, what y’all will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet y’all’s heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t y’all worth more than they? Can any of y’all add a single cubit to his height by worrying? And why do y’all worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell y’all that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for y’all—y’all of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and y’all’s heavenly Father knows that y’all need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for y’all. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matt. 6:25-34, HCSB with "Texan version" edits).

Whatever worries press in on you today, dear Crumble, may you see our Father's care for the birds and blooms and find grace to trust His care for you as well. We do have a Heavenly Father who cares so much that He gave His only Son for our forgiveness, reconciliation, and adoption as His children. How would He refuse such blood-bought children daily bread? May His promises speak peace to your heart today.

With love in the Lamb,
tinuviel

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I thank my heavenly Father today for so much. . .
reminders of His goodness and power everywhere
the butterfly we released last week surviving at least through Sunday
two more delicious meals graciously provided to us
Amore's grace about a change of Memorial Day plans
all his extra work to compensate for my limitations and help me with recovery tasks
the brave men and women who have given their lives in the service of my homeland
my dad's provision of lunches, ice, chore help, and transportation
Mom's company, conversation, and cooking
helpful and not too painful first PT session Friday
a bit of progress in recovering strength
incremental increase in ability to use my right arm again
a trace of needed rain
worshiping with my church family Sunday, my only non-medical outing since surgery
praying friends
(2014 gift list #1403-1416)