I Wanna Be Like the Birds

I didn't post last week because we were stranded in a little town  in South Carolina. Our diesel truck had to have surgery at the 'Ford' hospital. Since we live in our fifth wheel RV that means our home was stranded too. Unable to limp to a campground we spent several days in a dingy motel where we could walk to a restaurant.

Harvey the RV towed by The Green Beast

With both of our boys in heaven, life's trials sometimes weigh heavier than usual. To make matters worse our patio furniture that we had in the truck bed came loose and smashed our rear window. Did I mention that the forecast was for rain?

As I walked our dog, Marley, along the dreary access road by the interstate the constant hum of traffic reminded me how stuck I feel sometimes. Everyone else was going somewhere. Meanwhile my grief had grabbed onto me and made me feel trapped.

Then I heard the birds. They twittered joyfully away in a fume-stunted tree along the highway. Content in their little pocket paradise, they chirped as merrily as any bird residing in the finest garden. "I wanna be like the birds." I sighed wistfully.

Psalm 104:12: "Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches."

I want to be at peace in my tree of life as chaos whizzes by. I want to rest on my branch tweeting on my computer, knowing my purpose, protected from the ugliness around me. However, in a fallen world that isn't always possible.

Psalm 55:6 "I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest."

But I also want someone to hear my song and be comforted. I hope my blogs and tweets make a bit of music along the busy roadside. No matter difficult my life is right now I know that my Chris and Jarrod are in heaven waiting for me. That is my song!

When I want to stop worrying about the uncertainties of my life I can take a lesson from the birds.

Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Occasionally, God allows miracles. When our Chris was on his deathbed, my husband, Rob, asked Chris to put a feather under his pillow to let us know that he had arrived in heaven safely. Chris outdid himself by sending us a whole pile of feathers! It was as if a flock of joyful birds had soared over us to remind us that God had heard our request. (To read the story click here: http://www.maribethditmars.com/books)

Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."

As Marley and I walked back to my motel room a small feather swirled in the wind in front of my face. I watched it dance lightly back and forth on the breeze, almost as if it were trying to encircle me. I picked it up and brought it back with me to remind myself that I can't see the wind, but I know it's there. God is like that. We can't see him, but we can hear him when the birds sing.