Trees and Chickadees

Little birds are amazing in their resilience. It is always mind-boggling to me that they can survive winter storms, where do they go? How did the Lord make them so that warm blood flows in their tiny toothpick legs when everything else is frozen? My feet are always cold, I wonder how the little birds feet stay warm. One day I was walking, I had been asking the Lord to help me, I need his reassurance, peace, and help so often. On this walk, I noticed that every time I came closer to small birds, they flew up to a higher place, like a pine tree. The Lord told me he wants me to be like the little birds that are always returning to their tree for safety. He wants to be my safe place, and where I constantly return when I need peace and reassurance. Like the pine trees, with branches that are green all year, his love is always there for me. 

Another time I went on a walk, as a strong wind was ushering in a heavy winter storm.  Tiny balls of ice and snow had begun to pelt the ground. Being outside while wind and clouds are gathering for a storm is awesome if you are dressed warm. I passed a wide and towering evergreen tree with snow and icicles on its thick branches. Close to the trunk of the tree, out of the wind, was a little black and white chickadee. This little bird was chirping insistently, and looking right at me. It kept chirping as if it had a message for me. It seemed to say, "I'm OK, I'm safe, here by my tree." Jesus is our safe place, our shelter, our hiding place, especially in the trials we go through. 

Chickadees are small, and might seem insignificant, but they are hopeful, joyful, and resilient. It is amazing to me that they can survive the cold temperatures and winter snow. How do they keep warm when they are smaller than the palm of my hand? God made them to survive the winters. They glorify God just by being themselves- the joy and trust in God they convey, is hopeful.

Wherever you are, know that Jesus wants to be with you through the storm and in the sunshine too. He paid the ultimate price so that he could do that for you and me. 

He wants to be our shelter and safety, because He's the only way we'll get through life OK. He is the Way and the Truth. He is the Wonderful Counselor who wants to lead you through your trials. Others might not understand, but He does.

After big snowstorms, it is interesting to watch the snow melt from the snowbanks on the hills and mountains. The water runs down the streets and in the gutters, in small rippling waves that just keep coming, all hours of the day and night.  Just as the snow can't help running down the mountain, the Lord's love can't be stopped from flowing toward his children. We are never far from his love, because his love is the very force that gives us breath and life.

God's Love and Snow

My husband's father passed away due to the effects of a stroke earlier this winter. We were all heartbroken, it felt sudden and way too soon. On the day of his funeral, a heavy snowstorm covered everything with a foot and a half of snow. The next day, we went out to shovel the snow off of our driveway. Every twig, every branch of every tree was outlined by white snow. It hadn't melted yet, or been blown away by the snow. Normally snow does not stay more than a few hours undisturbed on the oak trees' twigs and branches. Temperatures change quickly and the wind comes up, or the sun comes out and melts the snow off the twigs and branches, even though the snow stays on the ground much longer. But this snow stayed on every twig of every tree, for 2-3 days. It was beautiful and unusual. It reminded me that just as the snow covered every detail, God's love for us is over every detail in our lives. Because of what we had just been through, we felt loved and felt hope in seeing the snow.

I had seen snow like this before, it was meaningful to me. It was several years ago, a few days before our daughter's biggest surgery. The surgery ahead of her at that time would be complicated and long, and the details of how it could be done were unclear to me. I was worried about so many things- the surgery and complications, leaving our kids at home, staying at the hospital for an extended time.  A few days before the surgery, it snowed heavily. Every detail of every branch was covered with beautiful white snow, and the snow didn't melt for a couple days, which is rare. I felt that in the snow was a personal message for me. Every detail of our daughter's surgery and the next few weeks would be covered by the Lord's love for us, just like the snow was covering every twig of every tree. I hung on to that hope and love because I needed it! And it was true, the surgery went well. Everything that we could have thought of and more was taken care of by the Lord. There were difficult moments, but we could feel the Lord helping us and blessing us.

Snow several years ago, a few days before our daughter's surgery

When I saw the snow on the day of my father-in-law's funeral, especially how it stayed on the branches like it did just before our daughter's surgery, I knew that there was something special about the snow. It was reminding us that Heavenly Father's love covers every detail in our lives. He knows.

Jesus compared himself to a grain of wheat, a seed, that had to die to give others life. "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels- a plentiful harvest of new lives." John 12:20 NLT.  It is interesting to see the different translations of this verse, other translations say a grain falls to the ground and dies. The NLT translates it as a kernel of wheat is "planted". This shows our Heavenly Parents and Jesus' loving intentions for us, in his sacrifice. 

It is easy to think of Jesus when we see seeds on trees and flowers. I especially love to see how the birds are provided for by the seeds. There is a tree with little red berries in our yard, the berries are the seeds of the tree. The day of the funeral, when it snowed so heavily, the red berries were weighed down with heavy snow that looked like snow cones. Small icicles that looked like teardrops were forming on the berries. The berries reminded me that Jesus carries our burdens, weeps with us, and also offers himself to give us life. 

My friend shared this about icicles: In symbolism, icicles remind one to be still - they count the passage of time with each drop of water they emit. Be still and know that I am God. 

A few weeks later, I was still processing everything that happened when Grandpa passed away, and was out on a walk. I passed some dried-out sunflowers. I thought of the beautiful sunflowers and the changes they had gone through since summer. The bright yellow petals of the sunflowers had fallen off, the stems and leaves had lost their green vibrance, the stems had dried out, and they were standing in 2 feet of snow.  It's too bad that the days of summer glory are past for the sunflower, I thought. Then it seemed that the flowers replied, "These are my glory days, I get to feed the little birds in winter!" It surprised me, and made me think of the small and big things we do to take care of each other, it is an honor to do what we can to help others. It also made me think of Jesus, and the price he paid suffering for our sins. 

Did Jesus feel that way about his suffering for us? Did he look at his sacrifice like that? In Jesus' hardest moments, he was feeding us, giving us life. Maybe it is in our winter times, our personal difficulties, that Jesus' love shines the brightest, and we are most grateful for his unchanging love for us. Those are the times when we realize how much God is caring for us and aware of every detail in our lives. In our times of darkness, his light shines the brightest. Our hope is in Jesus and his promises.

I hope that whatever difficulties you have in your life, you can see God's love shining just for you. And that you find opportunities to pass his love on.