More Unexpected Blessings

 I am writing this on Wednesday evening, but it is intended to be posted for Thursday...we shall see...I may go ahead and post it tonight. Let's see what develops as I write...

This morning I reposted an old post from about 9 years ago entitled Unexpected Gifts.  It just seemed appropriate to share it again after so many years, and especially on a day when I think many of us were needing some encouraging thoughts.  I was listing some of the many ways God has surprised us through the years with "unexpected gifts"...blessings from "out of the blue" that were a total surprise to us.  The neat thing about most of them was the timing...in every instance it seemed as though these "gifts" were sent to us one way or the other at a time when we needed it most.  Only God could have orchestrated that because He was truly the only One Who knew what we needed and when. That is what made these events so significant in our minds.

Today (Wednesday, January 20, 2021), was another of those kind of days. This morning as we watched  our President and the First Lady bid farewell and walk up those steps into Air Force One for the last time, it was a rather emotional moment for us, and I expect for many of you as well. If not, well, then, just please just try to appreciate and respect the rest of this story because it was special for me.  

As I stood there watching them depart on Air Force One, it was a bit overwhelming in many respects. And I was at the point where I couldn't bear to watch another minute of the news broadcast as things were shifting from one story to another.  Right at that very moment my husband called my attention to the window to look out into the back yard at this sight:

Yes, Goldfinches all over the thistle seed sock that I had recently hung up in the back yard in hopes they would come.  And they chose this very moment to show up!

What a delightful and joyful time this was to watch! They were flying in and out from the trees faster than we could keep track of them.  

And then, almost as fast as they came, they were gone again...but they accomplished their mission. Not only did they help take our minds off of a very difficult moment, but they also gave us hope.

Here is what I believe God was telling me:

Do Not Worry  (Matthew 6:25-34)

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

After this we decided to turn off the TV (news) for the rest of the day, and we went and took our morning walk:

It was so peaceful there, and I could hear many little birds twittering through the trees...possibly more finches and chickadees and Tufted Titmice.  They were going about their morning routine of finding insects and things to eat and singing happily as they flew about...without a care in the world. Again...God was taking care of them...and I know He cares for me...

I took a picture of this little oak tree showing off it's beautiful red leaves as a last nod to autumn here in Florida. The sunlight was shining through the leaves giving them such a glorious scarlet hue...yes, it is just a scrubby little wild oak tree, but it was decked out in its most beautiful dress and it seemed to want to be noticed, and so here you are...another unexpected "gift"...

We came back home and I stayed busy baking banana nut bread,

(had a couple of overripe bananas calling out to me that it was time to do something with them before it was too late!) 

Oh, and I already had made some blueberry bran muffins for breakfast

 because I had some blueberries that were starting to dehydrate in the refrigerator also calling out to me to do something! 

 And then, while the banana nut bread was baking in the oven, hubby was "calling out to me" and said something about cookies...and so I whipped up a batch of coconut pecan cookies. 

 (Recipe can be found at https://southerndiscourse.com/perfect-coconut-cookies-with-pecans/ )

I guess you could say these were "unexpected gifts", because I never expected to do all of that today, but the overripe bananas and blueberries and the need for cookies for the "cookie monster" all came together at the same time to inspire me to go on a baking spree. Doesn't happen all that often anymore, so gotta get them while they last!  Kind of looks like a bakery here!  (It smelled like one too, while they were baking! Yum!)

After lunch and our "afternoon nap" (yes...after all that work I needed one!) we took another walk. As soon as we drove down the little dirt road to our usual spot to park the car, I looked up in the top of a very tall pine tree and saw this beautiful hawk sitting up there watching us.

Because of the brightness of the afternoon sun the lighting is kind of difficult to see his full colors, but I believe he is a Red Shouldered Hawk, which is typical for that area.

Just as I was getting up and out of the car to step a little closer, he flew away...but I considered him another one of those unexpected gifts for today...because I was grumbling on my way over there that I wanted to walk somewhere different for a change because we rarely ever see many birds or other interesting things on this walk...and God just had to show me that I was wrong...He had this surprise waiting for me.

To top it off for this week, in one day I received two different messages from two people that I've never met in person...both bloggers...one that I've really only read a couple of times and made some nice comments, and the other has become a special friend who has very similar interests...anyway, they each are surprising me with something special coming in the mail soon! Totally out of the blue! When these things arrive I will be sure to share them with you...but wow! In one day to receive two such special "unexpected gifts"...well...all I can say is God is so good. He knows how to bless His children and sometimes He goes above and beyond to do so.

All I can say is, Thank You, Lord. I don't deserve such grace and mercy and love.

But Jesus loves to bless His children.

So, if you are feeling a bit discouraged or sad or disappointed...or worried about the future...keep looking up...up...up! Up to Jesus...because He has promised to take care of His children.  He knows what we need even before we do...and often the "unexpected gift" is already on its way before we even realize we are in need of being blessed. It's not always material things...it may just be a lift to your spirits...a touch of healing...a comforting warmth that comes over you when you need to feel loved or remembered...a word of encouragement or an answer to a prayer. 

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." 

Proverbs 25:11

(internet photo)

Have a blessed and beautiful day today...and be sure to keep an eye out for those little "unexpected gifts" that God may be sending your way! I hope you will write them down when they happen and share them with us if you can.  Sometimes they may be too personal to share, but just the acknowledgement that something special blessed you is an encouragement to the rest of us!

Be Blessed!