Encouragement From a Little Bird

Sometimes it is the simplest of things that brings a blessing and I am convinced that at times, God sends birds to encourage me.

My last post concerned a lost cat that wandered into our yard.  He was here for a couple of days during which time I became somewhat attached to him, going so far as to give him a name - Buster.  But through a tattoo in his ear I was able, reluctantly, to return him to his owner.  This  brought back memories of my dear departed Pokey, who died in her sleep at four years old, in December of 2011.

I began to search for cats online but since we live on Vancouver Island, i am limited as to the number of shelters in my area.  Every time I would see a cat that interested me, it would be updated with "adoption pending."  Not only that but being a senior lady, I think that the cat would outlive me, not to mention that I am allergic to cat scratches and we have a little dog that is not used to cats.  It seemed that my desire for a cat was not meant to be.

A couple of days ago I was sitting in the back yard thinking of the last "adoption pending" cat while watching the constant activity of the birds coming and going in the yard.  As I sat in my chair, I felt a bird land on my shoulder!  This was a first.  I turned and it left my shoulder to land on the fence a few feet away.  It was a little Pine Siskin, a type I have seen only a couple of times in our yard.

Surely this was not an accident.  In the bible, in the book of 1 Kings chapter 17, the Lord tells Elijah the prophet to hide by the brook called Cherith, and that he has commanded the ravens to feed Elijah by the brook and "the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening..." (verse 6).  God is in control of everything and I believe he sent the little Pine Siskin to encourage me, just as a couple of years ago He sent a hummingbird to hover in front of my face when I was sick and again in our back yard.  I asked the Lord if  I was going to go to heaven and immediately the hummingbird came in front of my face.  Since then I have been feeding the hummingbirds and at times when I am sitting and watching the hummingbird feeder, and praying, a bird will come to the feeder.  In the case of wanting a cat, thus far I do not have one but I have the many birds that come to our yard for food and water.

I don't know what is going to happen.  Perhaps I will yet find a cat, perhaps it is not the Lord's will for me to have a cat, but I know that as long as we live in this home, I will have the company of the birds and for that I am very thankful.

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