Bye Bye Birdie

I love birds.

And always have... Even before they were trendy. :)

So instead of boring you with my complete bird-loving resume, (one bird tattoo, keeping the nest on the porch, asking for a bird-bath for Christmas...) just trust me that everyone has that one weird quirk, and mine is a child-like obsession with small avian animals.

Onto the blog post :)

A few days ago while driving to work, worship music filtering into my ears and preparing my soul for the hours to come, a swift red blur flew across my windshield just a little too close, crashing with a loud thump against the side of my truck.

A cardinal. :(

Turning off the music, I drove shell-shocked for about another mile until the tears began to swell and the thoughts in my mind began to plummet. The Lord has graced me with a quick and strong assurance in His sovereignty through all things, but that morning the evil one used that assurance against me, planting thoughts in my head like Why would the Lord begin my day this way? He knows how much I love birds. How hurtful, how mean... Instead of trusting in God's sovereignty to provide perfect comfort to my heart, I used it to believe he was against me. Out to get me. Not acting at all the way a father should treat his daughter.

Oh, my silly feeble heart! I called my husband for help and he graciously re-oriented my mind to the truth. Then later in the morning, he sent me the following email:

hey you

keep hoping in the Lord today :) If sin and bad things didn't happen then there would be nothing for the Lord to redeem.  And honestly... with how broken the world is... it's amazing that we don't hit a bird everyday on the way to work.  Maybe the 140 days that we have driven to work without hitting a bird is the Lord's grace! :)

He is good and works all things for your good too :)

Driving 15 miles safely without interruption is the Lord's grace. Having two sweet sparrows make their nest right next to my window is the Lord's grace. Watching from that window three baby birds pop up every so often to be fed by their parents is beautiful, divine grace. God didn't send that bird into my windshield, He just allowed the brokeness that is already in the world to happen. And His grace is sufficient to comfort me, because God is for me. There is only one thing in this world that has not been touched and broken by sin, and that's promise that Christ is making an eternal home for me, a sweet haven where I can enjoy Him forever, because he took all of my sins and bought me back on the cross. What elation. :)

(Is the title of this post too much? Haha, at least you can tell I'm laughing about it now. In conclusion for your enjoyment, a painted bunting) :)

So cute! PS I don't own this photo... I just wish I did.
(Click to enlarge)

Agape,
CC