I was taking a little time this morning to play with Rusty, our cat. He loves to chase the sewing measuring tape. It is one that is flexible an he can't quite hold on to it. He will chase it all over the house no matter how often you pull it away from him. While I was leading him through the kitchen I noticed our back yard was full of yellow finches. We have a metal and stone sculpture next to the back fence. About half a dozen birds were riding around the twirling metal part of it with another eight gather around the cement trough, situated underneath the twirling metal.
I turned around looking for a camera and could only find Joan's cell phone, which I haven't mastered taking pictures with yet. When I turned back to the window only a couple birds were still perched on the sculpture, but at least a dozen were sitting around our bird bath.
I have never seen so many birds in our backyard before. It was exciting, for me anyway. When we lived in Iowa we had birds flying in and out of our yard all day, though never so many finches in one place. I realized if I hadn't taken the time to play with Rusty I wouldn't have seen all these birds.
I think that is true about many of the opportunities God gives us. We are often to distracted to notice amazing events or those special opportunties for connecting with others. If we were only paying attention we could capitalize on those moments.
As we move through Lent our church is trying to practice listening. We are trying to take time to listen to God and to God's creation and to God's creatures. Perhaps we need to be reminded again that opportunities abound if we only will take some time for frivolous play or listen to God's creatures.
Hoping you too will be amazed at an exaltation of larks.
Pastor Randy
