Feathered Friends and a Faithful Father

The sound of hedge trimmers filled the air as workers buzzed about our property, giving our shrubs their annual haircut. While the trimming certainly improved the appearance of our garden, not everyone was thrilled with the landscape makeover. Our feathered friends, who had made these hedges their temporary homes, were notably disturbed by this disruption to their peaceful existence.

Day after day, I gazed out my bedroom window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the familiar birds that usually frequented our feeder. The garden seemed eerily quiet without their cheerful chirping and playful acrobatics. My heart sank a little each time I noticed the untouched birdseed on the driveway outside my office.

When I expressed my concern to Jason, he offered a suggestion that was both practical and profound. "Why don't we make an extra effort to show them we still care? Let's put out more food than usual, maybe even some special treats."

Following his advice, we stocked our feeders with premium seed mix, added some suet cakes, and even scattered some much-loved sunflower seeds. Gradually, our winged neighbors began to return, first cautiously, then with increasing confidence as they discovered the abundance we'd provided.

This experience reminded me of how our Heavenly Father deals with us during times of upheaval. When life's hedge trimmers come buzzing through our  lives—whether through job loss, illness, relationship struggles, or other trials—we can feel displaced and disoriented. Sometimes, we might even withdraw from God, much like our birds initially withdrew from us.

But our Father's response is always to increase, not decrease, His provision. He doesn't simply maintain the status quo. He goes above and beyond to demonstrate His unchanging love and care. As Scripture tells us, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Think about the children of Israel in the wilderness. When their world was completely upended, God didn't just provide basic sustenance. He gave them manna from heaven! He made water flow from rocks and kept their shoes from wearing out. He went above and beyond to show His people that even in their displaced state, He was still their faithful Provider.

Just as our extra effort with the birds helped restore their trust and bring them back to our garden, God's abundant provision during our difficult seasons serves to draw us closer to Him. He uses these opportunities to demonstrate His faithfulness in tangible ways, proving that no circumstance can separate us from His love and care.

So the next time life's hedge trimmers show up uninvited, remember our garden birds. Look for the extra provision God is laying out for you, and don't be afraid to draw near to His abundant supply. After all, He's not just maintaining His care for you. He's increasing it.

Turning Trials Into Triumphs

I wanted to write a beautiful post about love today in honor of Valentine's Day.  I had made plans to write such a post and had been thinking about what to say.  But, the Lord is leading in a different direction.  Well, sort of.  When it all boils down to it, the post is about love in its truest form.  It's just not the approach I had in mind.  But what do I know?  So, here's what the Lord laid on my heart for today.

Last weekend, I received a VERY generous financial gift from a dear friend.  I was blown away by her generosity, knowing that she has recently undergone a myriad of trials in her own life.  On the bottom of the check, it stated "As God leads."  So, I was determined to not spend a dime of that money until I knew exactly where God wanted it to be spent.  I began praying about the matter but hadn't reached any conclusions.  Still, each day, I praised God for His miraculous provision.  Despite Jason's sketchy work schedule for the past month and a half, all the bills were paid and there was still a little money in the bank.  Then, God blessed us with this financial feast on top of it all!  I couldn't stop praising Him!

Thursday, after returning from the grocery store, I went outside to get some firewood.  Upon entering the laundry room, I was greeted by the sight of spewing water.  The seal on the hot water heater had basically disintegrated, and water was everywhere.  Everything was soaked.  Good times!

In days past, this entire ordeal would have had me in a panic attack.  There would have been tears and frustration and accusations toward God.  But praise the Lord, this time was different.  I thought of a post I wrote several years back about how God provided for Elijah's needs before the prophet even realized he had any.  If you'd like, you can read that post here.  Upon that recollection, I began to do a mental inventory.

1) God had already miraculously provided the money to replace the hot water heater.

2) Jason didn't have any jobs all afternoon, which meant he was free to find, purchase and replace the water heater.

3) Jason was home when I first noticed the problem.  According to him, I would have never been able to get the water turned off as it was a struggle even for him.  Who knows how long water would have spewed out before he could get to it?  We may have needed Noah to stop by!

4) Jason works for a carpet cleaning company, so he had all the necessary equipment to clean up the standing water.

5) Jason's boss also works for a natural gas company and was able to help Jason with the installation so that we didn't have to pay a service fee on top of everything else.

Was the situation frustrating?  Sure, nobody likes to have their day interrupted by spewing water.  I mean, this wasn't exactly what I'd call showers of blessing.  On the other hand, God took care of every detail before we even knew we had a need.  He already had plans in motion to provide for us.  So, I can't find it within myself to complain.  Instead, I want to offer up more praises to the One who loves and cares for me so.

So, you see, this post is about love after all--the love of my heavenly Father.  Only a loving God would take such good care of His children.  Only the one, true God would set out to prove His love time and time again.  As if Calvary weren't proof enough, He continues to shower us with blessings (sorry, I couldn't resist the pun).

Do you love Him today?  If so, what are you doing to show it?

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19