I’ve been noticing birds lately. For the past few years, I’ve been hearing them at the retention pond, and have been paying attention to the ones outside (that the cat likes to “talk” to). I’ve written before about the fantastic Bird Note* on my local NPR station, through them I’ve learned that I’m hearing sparrows (I think, either that or wrens) and yesterday was a delightful bit about cuckoos in classical music.
Not only does this newfound awareness aid me in scrapbooking (since bird embellishments
are very in), but Sunday, I heard one of my favorite passages at Liturgy:
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(Matthew 6:25-33)
Yesterday, I was standing on the back deck of a home I was showing, and was listening to the jays** in the tree, and seeing a squirrel in the yard, and reflecting that I often get caught up in worrying, in trying to control what I cannot. It was a good reminder to stop and listen to the birds.
(photo credit – and a fantastic photo it is!)
*They have the kickiest theme music
**the person to whom I was showing the house pointed out that we were hearing jays
posted by Mimi @ 7/01/2009 03:40:00 PM
14 Comments
14 Comments:
One of the nice things about the house we're living in now is that we get lots and lots of birds swooping through the yard, sitting in the trees, making nests, singing...it's fun to be able to watch them from the living room. I wish I could identify more of them, though!
I love the birdies. We had to stop stocking our feeder as we heard it drew rats and they have been a problem of late in our urban setting. But, we do have lots of big old trees in our neighborhood, so we still get to see lots of them...mostly sparrows, robins, cardinals, pigeons and mourning doves.
Congratulations on your new found birdies and birdie love...
That's such a great passage of scripture...I really love the word picture He paints about the lilies of the field & Solomon. Great reminder - thanks! :)
We really should become more like the birds...I remember hearing that in church, but re-reading it here really made me think about it!
I adore all sorts of bird stamps and embellishments on my cards and scrapbooking layouts!
I too appreciate the reminder of hearing that in church. Thank God.
And birds are so wonderful to see and hear! (My Cat Cleo agrees ;) )
those verses have been close to my heart for years. it was so sweet to hear them during the liturgy. what a nice post. i'm finding i appreciate birds more now too, that i have little ones to show them too. it's so fun to watch them eat from our birdfeeder in the garden.
I love birds! Thanks for sharing.
You touched on the main reason the location of my home brings me so much joy. Being this close to nature reminds me of what is important. We've been eating outside this week and enjoying the fruits of Neal's labor...the yard looks amazing. I'm finally starting to relax and feel like it is summer.
I walk through a huge park in the evening to get to vespers and the trees are full of blackbirds carrolling to one another and the peope below go about with MP3 players stuffed in their ears. I feel so sorry for them.
I think I said that before sometime... just put it down to me not having a very exciting life...
I love birds. I have binoculars (I call them binick-ulars to my kids) I got while in MN a few years ago . . . I watched bald eagles with them first, then all kinds of birds in MD and next birds in Hawaii . . . one of my new favs is a red crested cardinal. I'm happy to say that there are the usual cardinals here as well, but those red crested ones are out of this world.
All of these comments are so lovely, sigh! Thank you. And Margi, not lame at all.
Waves to Angie
This is a lovely post. I'm always smiling at the birds in my yard.
What a pretty post, Mimi! I, too, have really been listening to birds ever since it got warm enough to open my deck doors to the outside world and from here as I sit typing, I can listen and listen well and its been just wonderful. I wonder if people just get more "in tune" to doing things like this as they mature, which I am finally getting more around too, lately! Ha!!!!
Still, thanks for the post and the quote, which again, we always need to reflect on to gain trust with God, hmm?
I am finally back to writing some, but just a start..its been a long while. I've a lovely photo you might enjoy. :) Suzanne
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