Monday, October 4, 2010

Dead Bird on the Sidewalk of Life

What does the death of a bird represent in your life?  When you see a dead bird, does your heart go “aaahh, poor bird” as mine does?   Some believe they are omens. In our case, this dead bird came before a series of threes that ended with Steve losing his job....I’m not superstitious, but oddly coincidental?  Of course Anthony had to pose with it before cleaning it up...silly boy! 
 
Dead birds are often s a reminder to me that everything is mortal, everything dies or ends in time and it is just part of the life cycle.  These creatures that fly high in the sky yet eventually end up becoming apart of the earth again.  They are both of the sky and earth.  Interconnected.  Aren’t we all connected by the shared experience of being simply being alive, no matter what species? As Christians I’d like it if we’d remember this more often, look at the dead birds in our lives and come away with more compassion and understanding for each other.
 
We all know this old hymn (or at least the refrain) with words by Civilla D Martin:
 
1.      Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
o        Refrain:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
o         
2.      “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3.      Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
 
Mrs. Martin must have felt the “aaahh poor bird” moments in life too and she took that and turned it into something positive.  So, go find the sparrow in your life and be free knowing He watches you!

1 comment:

Dee said...

That is my favorite song val...I know these are uncertain times for you and your family and you will need to lean on the Lord as you go through the unknown but I do believe that God will replace what is lost because just like with the sparrows..he has his eyes on (you.) That Anthony is so funny! :)

Popular Posts