Like Flowers and Fledglings

My friend Wende Goode recently put to words much of what my heart has been pondering as I’ve watched flowers blossom on Selah Farm, as well as witnessed a nest–built atop our outdoor speaker–become a home for five swallow fledglings and their patient parents. At first, the parents took turns sitting on the clutch of eggs, and then, after the babies hatched, the mom and dad faithfully cared for their feathered family until each one was ready to fly.

This morning, in the blink of an eye, they did–first to our rooftop and then, into the beautiful blue. Gone, just like that–leaving behind an empty nest.

Wende’s article in her church’s newsletter was published this morning also. Its timeliness speaks perfectly to this poignant moment. I asked her if she’d mind if I shared her devotion, along with some pictures I’ve taken. Combined, it is my hope that they’ll direct us to see again for ourselves how our extraordinary God shows up so often in the ordinary.

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Spring and summertime are tributes to the presence of God.

Tulips, daffodils, peonies, and hostas begin to break through Earth–bringing life to the dark soil above. Soon, with sunshine and rain, buds spring forth and blooms emerge. Flowers are the reward for the patience of waiting for just the right time. Yes, a beautiful cycle.

In past years, I’ve ignored the beauty about me–too busy to stop and smell the roses, to see the creation being born. This year, however, a lesson was taught to me: God is in control. He’s doing what needs to be done for these blooms to appear. He brings beauty from the darkness under the soil. The plants waited patiently for their time to be born and to shine. We too must be patient. We must let God do his work in us so our blooms can appear–that we might become all He created us to be. As His creation, He has great things for us.

Take birds for example. They build nests with anticipation of laying eggs, then to raise their young to grow and fly on their own. The young are dependent on their parents to bring them food while they grow. A nest starts quiet but then erupts in a roar upon the return of each parent, only to grow quiet once more. Soon the parent will teach their young to fly and forage for their own food.

But wait: These tiny baby birds don’t want to do things on their own–although they can fly and could even visit a bird feeder or land on the ground to grab a worm. Instead they decide they want their parents’ help for awhile longer. Lingering at the side of a parent or perhaps in a tree, they wait oh so patiently to be fed. Shaking their bodies, squeaking, frilling their feathers, they protest their parents’ refusal to feed them until, finally, a parent gives in.

Year after year I have seen this, but only this year did it hit me that we should be more like baby birds. We should depend on Him for guidance, growth, and love. We should want to be in His presence, for only there will we gain great reward. We should praise Him without ceasing, though we might protest when we can’t see him.

We should not go at life alone. We should call upon Him daily–every hour, every minute, every second.

With Him, like flowers, we will bloom beautifully.

And like the birds, we will fly out to others–confident in what He’s done for us, ready to share.

(Written by Wende Goode)