A Spiritual Lesson from Sonny and Cher

We have a couple of new residents here at our home...

Please meet Sonny and Cher (unfortunately, their sibling didn't make it)

These little darlings were hatched/born on May 23rd, 2011

I'm in love.

I have loved birds for a quite a while now but it's been an extra special amazing gift getting to watch these sweet wild little babies grow everyday.

Their Mama built her posh little nest in one of the glass lanterns I have hanging on my deck - as someone said on my Facebook, she must have known that I was a decorator and would appreciate her pretty little digs. :)

I've been watching Mama bird take care of her babies every day (Daddy bird tag teams) from my kitchen window and I gotta tell ya...it's inspirational!

I often am reminded of this verse:

Look 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? Matthew 6:26 (NIV)

♪♫ His eye is on the sparrow...(and the Robins)...and I know he watches me... ♪♫

I've been checking on the babies everyday and watching them grow (FAST!). It's sad to know that one of these days very soon, they are going to learn to fly and they'll be off on their own...

But for now...what a precious site to behold...

These last 2 pictures were taken just yesterday...you can tell already that they have grown a great deal since they were born. And they are getting all of those pretty soft feathers! Quite a difference from their little peach fuzz they were born with. :)

I'll tell you what, it's a good thing that that last egg didn't hatch - they would be quite crowded with a 3rd baby in there!

God knows what we need before we do...and though it's sad that 3rd little egg didn't hatch, he KNEW what was best...he always has our best interests at heart...even if we can't understand at the time.

This can apply in every area of our own lives...2 things I try to remind myself when I am struggling with answers to tough questions...

First a Bible verse:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55:8

Or even better, The New Living Translation, says "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine."
Isaiah 55:8

This song has brought me peace on a few occasions...and I often send it to a friend who is also struggling...I find it to be an unbelievable source of comfort when we are trying to rely on our own strength and understanding in trials...

Trust His Heart
by Babbie Mason

All things work for our good
Though sometimes we don't see how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth
Our Father knows what best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don't see Him
Remember you're never alone

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart

He sees the master plan
And He holds our future in His hand
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him
We see the present clearly
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry
He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart

He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart

When you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart

I know that this started off happy and cute with the sweet little bird babies but all of this brought me to a place where Trey Love and Gabby Vogel come to mind. Trey Love, you probably already know - he is quite the little celebrity in these parts. Trey has neuroblastoma and he is currently fighting for his life. In the coming weeks, he will be receiving more treatment. Trey is 5 years old - please be in prayer for him and his family. You can read his story here. His mommy, Missy, updates regularly on his status. Gabby Vogel is my cousin, Kelly's, neighbor. She is 5 years old as well and the doctors just discovered a mass in her brain. Please be in prayer for Trey, Gabby and the numerous other children who have been diagnosed with cancer. I personally cannot even bare the thought of my own children going through anything like that. I cry for those parents and what hell they must be going through inside. In our frail human minds, we cannot even begin to understand why in the world God allows something like cancer to come to our children. It is unfathomable to me. But his thoughts are not our thoughts...and his ways are far beyond anything that we can imagine...we just need to learn to trust his heart, rest in him and pray...in whatever we are going through. It's literally all we can do.

I'm sorry to be such a downer there at the end...this post started out so sweet with my little birdy friends...

But just as a reminder...in the same way that God takes care of the birds of the air...how much more will he take care of us?! As his word says, Are [we] not much more valuable than they?

Take comfort in that today, my friends! I love you all!
XOXO