An Avian Revelation (05/01/2025)

I was sitting on my porch, trying to welcome in the morning with the LORD. The damp chill in the air was occasionally punctuated by a wet breeze as the wind stirred about. I was reflecting on my week, an abscessed tooth and an appointment with the dreaded dentist to have it drained, the appointments for my upcoming surgery, and the routine appointment with my oncologist, time in waiting rooms, everyone’s desire to draw my blood. And then it started. To my right were birds singing and chirping in spite of the rain, and to my left were the crows squawking and cawing in complaint. And I laughed out loud.

“Oh, LORD, how do You do it?” Here I am complaining when You’ve just given me another day. And it is the Easter season, a time to truly reflect upon the length and breadth of your love for me and all my sisters and brothers. Grant that I may joyfully reflect that love even when the sun isn’t shining on my face.”

I was taught that the best sign of being a true believer is joy even in the midst of adversity. This morning, the songbirds to my right reminded me of that calling – to be joyful in the LORD. I hate to give crows a bad rap, but this morning they did embody my capacity to complain. I promise to work on that. And my hand made its way to my pocket cross. I am not alone. The LORD is with me even on that misty and chilly porch on a random Thursday morning.

“Into every life, a little rain must fall.” I remember learning that adage as a child. This morning, as I reflected and prayed, I realized that while I don’t enjoy the rain, I don’t want to surrender the good that it brings in the long run – the beautiful flowers, the bountiful harvests, the plush and dense forests, water for us and all the LORD’s creatures. And the “suffering” of my life has brought its own good over time. It may not be obvious to onlookers, but I know that the person I am has been formed through those less than perfect moments.

As followers of Christ, as believers in the love of our LORD who will give all for us to have eternal life, we are called to be joyful even on rainy days, we are called to bring that joy to the world especially in times of need. I’ve been taught that. I’ve been shown that through the lives of so many. I regret having forgotten it for a while, but I give thanks to the songbirds and crows who vividly called me back to “the Way.”

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.