What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Saturday, March 25, 2017

The Secret Garden Chronicles: Waiting and Watching

I bought this beautiful old antique bowl today at the local flea market....


with the idea of using it for a bird bath in the Secret Garden.  So, I've set it up here


And now I'm just sitting here waiting and watching to see if the birds will try it out.  They probably won't while I am sitting here...and where it is placed it can't be seen from the inside of the house...so I may have to rethink this plan.  It is so pretty...I do hope the birds will appreciate it!

Meanwhile, while sitting in the garden my attention was drawn to Lamentations 3:22-26, which speaks a bit about watching and waiting:

22.  "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed.
Because His compassions fail not.

23.  They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

24.  'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul,
'Therefore I hope in Him!'

25.  The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.

26.  It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord."

What are we waiting for?

We are waiting for God's mercies and compassions...
they are new every morning.
We hope in the Lord..
We wait for His goodness,
because He is good to those who wait for Him...
We wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord...

In verses 40-41, as we sit and wait on the Lord:

40.  "Let us search out and examine our ways,
and turn back to the Lord;
41.  Let us lift our hearts and hands 
to God in heaven."

If we already know the Lord, we have nothing to fear...but it is good to take time to examine our hearts and repent of any lack of trust, lack of faith, and lack of honesty before the Lord. Let Him cleanse our hearts anew and refresh our spirits so that we are able to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

This is a wonderful time...during the Lenten season leading up to Easter...to prepare our hearts for renewal and revival.

I noticed that one of our local churches is having a revival this week...and I wondered in my mind, "Do people still go to revivals?"  And if they do, who goes...the "sinners" or the "saints"?
It's been a long time since I attended a true revival, and it seemed as though only the "saints" were there...but guess what?  A lot of "saints" recognized that they were also "sinners", and there was a lot of soul searching and repenting going on.  So, I guess a revival is a good thing for both the saints and the sinners...we never know when a "lost sheep" will come home to Jesus and be saved...and perhaps there might be some sheep who truly needs to make things right with the Lord as well.
So I'm praying for this church and its revival services. May the Lord do a mighty work that overflows into our whole community, resulting in a true revival where hearts are changed and souls are saved.

While sitting there reflecting on the words of the prophet Jeremiah, the author of Lamentations, 
I couldn't help but start singing this favorite old hymn:

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

1 “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

2 Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Refrain

Amen!

Oh How Great is the faithfulness of our Lord!!! Yes, we who know the Lord are truly blessed with all that we have ever needed...and beyond!  May we watch and wait for Him every day with hope and faith!  

Back to the Secret Garden....after waiting all that time to see if the birds would try out the new bird bath (note the pictures of the birds above...they were all watching and waiting for me to leave)...I decided to go back inside, but I moved the birdbath to a location where it could be observed from inside the house.

And then I came in the house and started writing this into the computer...and it wasn't long before my attention was brought back to the window...


And there was Mr. Catbird...taking a drink from the new bird bath.  I had put a smaller bowl of water inside the large one, which is also filled with water,  in case the birds were fearful of the deep bowl.  After he took a drink from this one, he then flew over to the other smaller birdbath that is in the garden:
And there he sat and took a bath...even though it sits a little cockeyed.  Then Mr. Cardinal also came and drank from this birdbath:

And so I decided to go back out and take out the smaller bowl from the new birdbath and lower the water level a little bit to see if they will try it out that way.
I'll keep watching and waiting!
Meanwhile...
May your day be filled with the joy and blessing of the Lord!!

For another post on this topic, click HERE

15 comments:

  1. you could also put a stone in the center so the smaller birds can get in and out. Beautiful bowl!! maybe a little deep for the wee ones though.

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    1. I am still debating on whether I want to use it this way or not. I brought it inside last night because I was afraid the bears would drink out of it and knock it over...it is so pretty, I don't want it to be destroyed! But your idea is a good one IF I decide to leave it out there!

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  2. You will enjoy this so much. Great idea. Your garden is peaceful and so pretty.

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    1. Thank you Karen. I am enjoying the bowl...brought it back inside last night because I didn't want the bears to tip it over and break it...So I am rethinking this whole idea... Thank you, yes, the garden is so peaceful...with or without this bowl...and perhaps my peace will be better if i don't leave it out there. Not sure...

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  3. That's a beautiful bowl! As someone else said, put a stone or something pretty in the center to raise the center for them to stand on. They don't like deep water and they need to have a little island in the middle! Enjoy!

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  4. They were just waiting for you to give them some privaticy Pamela, after all we don't like to be watched as we bathe.
    Great post as always.
    Have a blessed Sonday!

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    1. Thank you Sylvia! I guess the birds have some modesty too! LOL! Yes, they do like their privacy! I hope your SONday is filled with joy and blessing all day long.

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  5. I love the bowl you found, Pamela, and I think the birds will eventually warm up to it. Beautiful photos, and of course, inspirational Scripture. Waiting with you! Blessings!

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    1. Thank you Martha Jane! By now you must be high in the mountains...hopefully enjoying some gorgeous scenery and blessed R&R. I pray your time away will be very profitable for refueling your hearts and minds and spirits.

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  6. The bowl is so beautiful!! I like the idea (above) of adding some stones to the bowl. It will make it less likely to tip and will be more shallow for the birds. Always and inspiration - thank you!

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    1. Thank you Terri. I am still debating about whether or not I want to leave this bowl outside...as I said above to others, I'm afraid the bears will come and tip it over and break it...so I'm rethinking this plan...we shall see...it's too pretty to destroy...or maybe I'm being selfish and I want to keep it with me...

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  7. Pam, The bowl you found is beautiful! Thank you for the wonderful reminder about God's mercies and faithfulness. Revival...I recently preached on that topic--it starts with God's people and then goes out from there. The American church truly needs revival. Truthfully, I need some reviving too!

    Blessings!

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  8. Thank you, Pamela. Your day too!

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  9. Your secret garden is such a special place, filled with birds, love, beauty, peace and the joy of the Lord! I love your new innovative bird bath, and I'm sure once the birds get used to it, they will enjoy it :) It sure is a beautiful dish... and I love the sign hanging on the old crib bed, so lovely! Wonderful truths you shared too from Lamentations, and I do so love that powerful song! Hugs to you today :)

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    1. Thank you SpicingUp Idaho! (I need to find out your real name!) :) Yes, it is a special place, and I love how the Lord has put it all together. It has become my refuge each day for a time of peace and calm and listening to the Lord speak to me. As for the birdbath, I take it inside at nights so the bears don't come try to drink out of it. I'm afraid they might knock it over. I still can't quite relinquish it to the birds. Ha Ha!

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