Why waste time, I wonder?
The self proclaimed “bird nerd”, that’s me. I have always had a “thing” for birds. I was fascinated with cardinals and blue jays when I lived in the city, a place where pigeons, or should I say “rock doves” were the majority. Once while on vacation in Vermont, I visited a bird sanctuary and was struck by the elusive hummingbird and then while hiking in a dry forest in Puerto Rico, I was surprised to catch a glimpse of a hummingbird sitting in her nest. I was actually able to photograph the eggs in the nest after she took flight. Awesome for sure! Now, living in the country, I spend a lot of time sitting outside watching the bird feeders and bird houses I’ve strategically placed within view. I have been blessed to have hummingbirds feed out of the palm of my hand, to watch 32 different varieties of birds feed at the feeders and to be host to black-capped chickadees, house wrens and cardinals nesting in birdhouses and trees nearby.
The bird feeders I have not only attract the birds but they also attract squirrels and so I’m told, bears. Yikes! The bears, however, have not been as much of a nuisance as the squirrels have been. Every morning begins the cat and mouse game between the squirrels at the feeder and my two australian cattle dogs, Foster and Mellow. I often wonder, as I look out my window each morning, why squirrels feel the need to risk their lives hanging in various positions from trees trying to grab the bird seed when there seems to be an over-abundance of acorns at their disposal in the woods. All they have to do is walk half a step and they’ll find one acorn, if not many. I think to myself “running around like little acrobats when what they need is right under their noses.” Did it hit you like it hit me? That’s us! That’s humanity! That must be how God sees us!
You see, to me the squirrel seems to be moving around on auto-pilot – used to the mischief, used to the routine and it fails to see that God provides an easier way for it – a more peaceful way, a less resistant way. Think about it – we are like the squirrel – finding it difficult to stray from our routine, in search of happiness in places it will never be found. We complain often of not having time to relax or to be at peace, while at the same time scheduling and finding MORE things to do. We refuse to sit still one moment. How difficult it is for us to sit in silence and meditate and yet how rewarding it is. What are we afraid of? I recently read that one of the things it could be is the fear of actually LIVING Truth. We all walk a good walk and talk a good talk when it comes to our beliefs, but are we living in obedience to the Truth? Knowledge of our disobedience is probably what keeps us from being still. Oh how we love to point the finger and hate to look in the mirror!
Imagine what God sees from His vantage point. He sees us, the “squirrels” moving around on autopilot, losing our peace in search of peace, when all the while it’s right under our noses. Peace is within us, it’s not “out there” somewhere. It’s in our every breath – focus inward without fear and you’ll find it! God bless you!
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