singing birds

I saw this hanging in someone's house the other day and had to snap a picture of it for you... 

I remember going running one time last spring together, and you (Elizabeth) told me how much you loved the spring mornings when the birds are up early singing to welcome the season.  (Had it not been for you dragging me out of bed to run early in the mornings, I never would have heard them.) 

When you first talked about the birds, I had not tuned into them at all yet, but once you mentioned it, I could not believe how loud they were.  I was amazed too that I had totally missed them and did not even realize that they were there until you directed my attention to their morning greetings.  

Almost every night, I sing the song to Anna and Taylor from Zephaniah 3:17-19: 

"The Lord our God 

is with you. 

He is mighty to save. 

The Lord will take 

great delight in you. 

He will quiet you with His love. 

He will rejoice over you with singing." 

And that song comes to mind as I am hearing the birds again this season.  They are singing loud and clear here in Seattle in the mornings now as spring is approaching (or practically already upon us quite a bit earlier this year!)... There are so many ways God sings over us and we totally miss it because we are focused on other things. We just need someone to direct our attention every now and then to the song that is right there for us to hear if only we will listen and tune in. 

so... today may you take time to listen for the birds, trust that God is rejoicing over you with singing, and know that I am praying for God to open your ears today so that you won't miss the songs all around you that are meant just for you four there in Malawi today.