The Elders speak… “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them – are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26)… “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).
The rains have stopped, and the silence that follows our afternoon summer thunderstorm is suddenly broken by a steady “twit, twit, twit” - a sound I quickly recognize as that of Cardinal. At this time of the year, my cherry tree is loaded, and there is usually a daily feeding frenzy as cardinals, sparrows, blue jays, and doves fill up for breakfast. More recently a Crow and a Mockingbird have been the loudest partakers of this feast, & I have watched for the last 3 days in a row as this unlikely pair screech loudly at each other with a cherry between them. Hmm…. There’s enough to go around, yet I wonder at the significance of this 3-day message from the Winged Ones. Messages come to us in all forms, and so listening to the cacophony of my two feathered friends bickering over a single cherry, I watch from the privacy of my screen door and wait….. And then I hear the song my Great-Granny would sing: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches over me”.
His eye is on the sparrow
This song, if you’ve ever heard it, is a beautiful gospel hymn sung by many and is a great source of comfort for those who understand (see link below). And so today I hear Granny softly humming to me: Yes, my child; you are not alone. Take comfort knowing that you are watched over and cared for. I smile at the memory of her voice, and turn away from Crow and Mockingbird as they finish their debate, knowing that all God’s creatures - even the sparrows - are cared for. I pause by the table in the foyer, and there is my sand bowl, feathers collected from my daily walk proudly displayed with donations from the Winged Ones in my neighborhood. There’s blue jay, duck, geese, egret, ibis, wild Florida parrot, and yes, Crow and Mockingbird. I remember my then 5 year-old nephew pausing at this same table, inspecting my feather collection. “Whaddya think, Elijah?” I asked. He contemplated for a minute before wisely replying: “I think you have enough to make a bird”. I laugh to this day, and whereas a moment before, I was feeling lost and alone, my heart is again warmed by a love I know is ever present - even in the innocence of a child (he still brings me feathers, by the way :-)
Lessons from the Winged Ones
Each bird brings a message. For me, these messages have personal significance, just based on my daily observations and the passage of time (you can read about my experience with Anhinga here: http://tinyurl.com/md9ze3r). Crow tells me to take a closer look at what lies below the surface. Blue Jays are fierce when it comes to their territory and will fight back at birds larger than they are when their home or loved ones are threatened (I learned the hard way mowing the lawn one day!). Ducks advise me to not let things bother me & just let it “roll off my back”. Owls remind me to trust the wisdom of my inner knowing. My lovebirds demonstrate unconditional and lasting love. I love listening to the sound of the morning doves – they remind me of the first sound I heard when I woke the morning after my move to Florida a decade ago. I know I will miss the sound of the seagulls; wherever I am and I hear them, I immediately taste the salt of the ocean, smell my piña colada flavored Coppertone, and feel the warmth of the Ft. DeSoto sun. That familiar “twit, twit, twit” of Cardinal encourages me to be my unique, colorful self, and the squawk of our wild parrots declare “speak your truth!” And then there’s sparrow: the sunflower trees in my garden shelter several families of these delicate little birds, and they reward me with a frolic in several birdbaths placed around the property.
A Gift from Above
Next time you’re out and about, see which bird calls to you during the course of your day, and if you should look down and “find” a feather, consider it a message from the Winged Ones. Pay attention to not only the type of bird who gifted it to you, but also whether the feather is that of a wing feather (strong and stiff to support the bird in flight), secondaries (that allow the bird to soar), or coverts & down feathers (on the underside & lower body) that provide insulation. If you are interested in the hidden meaning and symbolism of the Animal Kingdom, start your search with 2 great reference authors on the wisdom of birds (and other animals): Steven Farmer and Ted Andrews. For now, enjoy Lillie Knauls and friends with my favorite rendition of Granny’s song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaxliheB7w.
Audrey Steele, L.Ac
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com
His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Civilla D. Martin & Charles H. Gabriel)
Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for Heaven & home?
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me.
I sing because I’m happy!
I sing because I’m free!
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me.
The rains have stopped, and the silence that follows our afternoon summer thunderstorm is suddenly broken by a steady “twit, twit, twit” - a sound I quickly recognize as that of Cardinal. At this time of the year, my cherry tree is loaded, and there is usually a daily feeding frenzy as cardinals, sparrows, blue jays, and doves fill up for breakfast. More recently a Crow and a Mockingbird have been the loudest partakers of this feast, & I have watched for the last 3 days in a row as this unlikely pair screech loudly at each other with a cherry between them. Hmm…. There’s enough to go around, yet I wonder at the significance of this 3-day message from the Winged Ones. Messages come to us in all forms, and so listening to the cacophony of my two feathered friends bickering over a single cherry, I watch from the privacy of my screen door and wait….. And then I hear the song my Great-Granny would sing: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches over me”.
His eye is on the sparrow
This song, if you’ve ever heard it, is a beautiful gospel hymn sung by many and is a great source of comfort for those who understand (see link below). And so today I hear Granny softly humming to me: Yes, my child; you are not alone. Take comfort knowing that you are watched over and cared for. I smile at the memory of her voice, and turn away from Crow and Mockingbird as they finish their debate, knowing that all God’s creatures - even the sparrows - are cared for. I pause by the table in the foyer, and there is my sand bowl, feathers collected from my daily walk proudly displayed with donations from the Winged Ones in my neighborhood. There’s blue jay, duck, geese, egret, ibis, wild Florida parrot, and yes, Crow and Mockingbird. I remember my then 5 year-old nephew pausing at this same table, inspecting my feather collection. “Whaddya think, Elijah?” I asked. He contemplated for a minute before wisely replying: “I think you have enough to make a bird”. I laugh to this day, and whereas a moment before, I was feeling lost and alone, my heart is again warmed by a love I know is ever present - even in the innocence of a child (he still brings me feathers, by the way :-)
Lessons from the Winged Ones
Each bird brings a message. For me, these messages have personal significance, just based on my daily observations and the passage of time (you can read about my experience with Anhinga here: http://tinyurl.com/md9ze3r). Crow tells me to take a closer look at what lies below the surface. Blue Jays are fierce when it comes to their territory and will fight back at birds larger than they are when their home or loved ones are threatened (I learned the hard way mowing the lawn one day!). Ducks advise me to not let things bother me & just let it “roll off my back”. Owls remind me to trust the wisdom of my inner knowing. My lovebirds demonstrate unconditional and lasting love. I love listening to the sound of the morning doves – they remind me of the first sound I heard when I woke the morning after my move to Florida a decade ago. I know I will miss the sound of the seagulls; wherever I am and I hear them, I immediately taste the salt of the ocean, smell my piña colada flavored Coppertone, and feel the warmth of the Ft. DeSoto sun. That familiar “twit, twit, twit” of Cardinal encourages me to be my unique, colorful self, and the squawk of our wild parrots declare “speak your truth!” And then there’s sparrow: the sunflower trees in my garden shelter several families of these delicate little birds, and they reward me with a frolic in several birdbaths placed around the property.
A Gift from Above
Next time you’re out and about, see which bird calls to you during the course of your day, and if you should look down and “find” a feather, consider it a message from the Winged Ones. Pay attention to not only the type of bird who gifted it to you, but also whether the feather is that of a wing feather (strong and stiff to support the bird in flight), secondaries (that allow the bird to soar), or coverts & down feathers (on the underside & lower body) that provide insulation. If you are interested in the hidden meaning and symbolism of the Animal Kingdom, start your search with 2 great reference authors on the wisdom of birds (and other animals): Steven Farmer and Ted Andrews. For now, enjoy Lillie Knauls and friends with my favorite rendition of Granny’s song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaxliheB7w.
Audrey Steele, L.Ac
www.Acupuncture4YourHealth.com
His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Civilla D. Martin & Charles H. Gabriel)
Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for Heaven & home?
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me.
I sing because I’m happy!
I sing because I’m free!
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me.
