TGIF!

How often have we said, "TGIF" in our lives?  I know I've said it frequently throughout my years of employment...and even during my times of unemployment. There is just something special about Friday.  Today I am particularly giddy because I completed my first full week of my new job and survived.  Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I have Friday afternoons off...that's almost as good as a four day work week! 

So today I celebrated by rushing right home to enjoy an absolutely gorgeous afternoon by dining out on my patio for lunch, surrounded by the joyful melody of so many birds I can't begin to count them! The bright yellow goldfinches are enjoying the thistle seed I put out for them.  Their golden bodies are such a bold contrast twittering back and forth against the spring green background of newly budding trees in the little copse of woods behind my house. Just as beautiful are the brilliant red cardinals and their more subdued colored mates as they chip chip chip away at the safflower seed in the other feeders. 

Earlier I heard the loud cukcukcukcukcukkkk of the tall pileated woodpecker as he flew from one tree to another in search of dead wood to peck away at.  There are several other red-bellied woodpeckers hopping up and down the tree trunks and on the ground in search of bugs, larvae, and acorns. 

A few minutes ago there was a war between the red-tailed hawk and our Barred Owls...apparently the hawk flew into the wrong territory...I am expecting the baby owl(s) to make their debut any day now. We are hearing a lot more owl activity at night....last night the adults were calling back and forth to each other from opposite ends of the woods, then just as I was watching out our back door (it was dark), I saw one of the owls fly pell-mell across our yard, calling "Who Who Cooks for YOU?" very loudly as he flew in the direction of his responding mate.  I think she was letting him (or vice versa) know that she had found some tasty rodent for dinner.  Food becomes a major issue when they are feeding newborn owlets.   

I know, this is a lot of jibberish about birds and stuff...but tomorrow is the first day of Spring...and all of God's beautiful creation is celebrating!  This is just the way He intended it to be right from the start...

Genesis 1:20-22  "Then God said, 'Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens...and God saw that it was good...And God blessed them, saying, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.'"

And yet even more significant is what Jesus taught His disciples about the sparrow...

Matthew 10:29-31 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; YOU ARE OF MORE VALUE THAN MANY SPARROWS!"

Yeah, I know, maybe being more valuable than a little sparrow doesn't sound like much to you, but the fact remains that we were created for a noble and unique purpose...not to worship the "creation", but the Creator, and to one day dwell with Him forever...ONE DAY may be sooner than we think...so we may as well start celebrating now!

Revelation 5:13 gives us a bird's eye view of heaven at the end of the age...

"And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

'Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!'"

Amen and Amen!