Lessons from a bird

For the most part, my husband and I love our little green cheek conure.  But on occasion, the emotions we feel towards her aren't quite so positive.  Particularly when she uses her voice to squawk loudly or her beak to bite.  This morning was one of those loud mornings and we were both getting frustrated.

She wouldn't come to us and she continued to yell and whine from her cage.

Finally I took a little time and was able to coax her onto my fingers.  I gave her one of her favorite treats, a seed, and then she sat with me on the couch.

And suddenly she was a different bird.

She snuggled against my hand while I wrote and made little chirping noises instead of loud squawks.

What changed in those moments?

Instead of being alone on her cage, Jewel was with me.  And she was happy.

How often does loneliness or feeling left out bring on other emotions of anger or frustration.

I wonder if sometimes annoying people actually need the same thing our bird did.  To be included, to be with someone they love, and to no longer feel alone or left out.

Who knew Jewel could be such a good teacher.

First impressions

So last week I was in church and I had an interesting experience.

I arrived a few minutes late and missed the announcements.  During the offering call the pressure was on to give money for the new church roof.  I'm a bit sensitive to strong offering calls, but I was especially appalled when I saw the bulletin insert for this project!

It stated that we needed money for the project and then showed an artists rendering of the proposed new roof.  It was nothing like I would imagine for a modern conservative church.  Multiple tall spires, ornate window treatments.   How could they ask church members to donate money for such an excessive roof!

I was considering an email to the pastor or someone else at the church where I could voice my concerns, but I decided to ask the person sitting next to me about this roof project.  "Do you know what's wrong with the roof?" I asked, uncertain if anything was actually even wrong with the current one.

"It's leaking," was the response.  And suddenly I had a new perspective on the bulletin insert.  It was a random close up of part of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.  It wasn't an actual artist rendering.

It was a joke.

And I was considering an email about this!

So, my takeaways are this:  Before you combine a joke and a call for money, ask yourself if the joke is obvious and if not, if it could be offensive.  And before you allow yourself to be offended, make sure you understand the situation.   Don't be quick to scatter disapproval or criticism.

A couple thoughts from the Proverbs in closing.  

"The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps."  Proverbs 14:15

"The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of the fool feeds on folly." Proverbs 15:14

Ideals

Does anyone remember the Ideals magazine?  Its my kind of publication- full of poetry and pretty pictures.  I found one from summer of '63 and wanted to share a poem that I really liked.

Birdhouse for rent

A beautiful location
Beneath a spreading tree,
Within a lovely garden
If you'll only come and see

You'll surely be delighted
Just bring your mate along...
You'd never guess how cheap it is
You can have it for a song.

And you'll have lovely neighbors,
Of our tenants we are proud
And never heartlessly say we,
"Birdlings not allowed."

So, in our garden rear your young
till they are big and strong
And all the rent we'll ever ask
Is just your happy song.

By Edna Dean Wendt

Lessons from a peacock

Last weekend we enjoyed spending time in nature camping at our church retreat.    There was a mini zoo at the camp that in addition to more exotic animals like monkeys and a lion is also home to several peacocks.  They are quite beautiful large birds, and we enjoyed watching the males strut around with their shiny feathers.

But for all a peacock's beauty, it has an unfortunate trait.  When the peacock opens its mouth to speak, it sounds like a dying fog horn.

The neighboring birds sing and chirp in a beautiful morning symphony, but the peacock bellows and whines in a rather unpleasant voice.

Luckily for the peacock, it doesn't have anything important to share with the world that necessitates beautiful words.  But you and I are different.

We have a message to share with our words and our lives about our Redeemer.  Our song may not always be as lovely as what it was meant to be, but let us not be found like the peacock, beautiful to behold, but unpleasant to engage.

We are Healed

"But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed."  Isaiah 53:5

Today we remember that before Sunday was Friday.  Before Jesus rose victoriously from the grave, He paid the debt for our sin.  He took our punishment, took our place.  He lived a perfect spotless life.  He was our pure Passover lamb.  He provided us with robes of righteousness where before stood  filthy rags. He provided us a path to salvation and everlasting life through his sacrifice. 

Hope replaced dispair

Faith replaced fear

Life replaced death

Heaven became home.

This day is full of solemn hope.  Perhaps it would be appropriate to take a moment to reflect with gratitude and a humble heart on the incredible victory brought forth on this day so many years ago.

All good things

All good things
Do not really end as one might say
But rather find their true beginning.

All good things
Like eternal spring
Do not fade.

They may lay dormant for a time
They may appear lost or hidden
Past human sight

But when the drops of living water fall to fertile soil the seeds of all good things find their everlasting bloom

In that far off country
Of endless day
All good things find their way like tiny rivers of light into the eternal ocean of purpose.

That all might hear. And in hearing believe and in believing mold their lives after the source of goodness. That all might become like Him by wearing His robe of righteousness. And somehow through grace and mercy not yet fully understood that they...that we might go home to the place He has prepared for us. And that in that glorious day that all things might be described as in their beginning: good.

-Kristen