A male Pine Warbler stands on the Peanut Butter Tree Spread and declares "This is Mine!"
Article and Photography by Norma Beaird
Finding wonder in the colors of sunshine! Some days may be gray, but if we try hard enough, we can find sunshine on a cloudy day. It's not always easy, but it's necessary to look for the positive aspects in a negative situation. As you start out a brand new year, you may find that some days are more difficult than others. Some days you may get up and feel as though you could walk a mile before your first cup of coffee. You bounce out of bed with a new zest for life; and, on other days, you need a forklift to move you off of the mattress. It's on those "forklift" days that you need to find wonder in the color of sunshine.
On this particular day, I found wonder in the beauty of God's sunshine and in the brightness of the male Pine Warbler. I have learned that if you wake up and don't feel very energetic; or, you just plain feel bad, it really helps to walk outside and breathe in the fresh morning air. It helps to feed the birds, refresh the birdbath, clean out the feeders and talk to your feathered friends! Birdsong and sunshine have a way of invigorating a weary spirit, mind and body. A "blue mood" can be instantly lifted with a call from a Carolina Chickadee or a visit from a Pine Warbler.
Susie Baltimore (Oriole) is checking out the Orange Buffet while the Pine Warblers are working on the Peanut Butter Tree Spread! Glorious!!
As we pass 40 and 50 or.....anyway, you get the idea! As we get older, bouncing out of bed isn't as easy as it was when we were 25 or 30. Sometimes aches and pains or muscle cramps grab us as our feet hit the floor. As well, this has an effect on our mind and emotions. Therefore, as we age (sorry folks, but it's life), we need to find new and inventive ways to overcome the physical impacts of aging. Now, I know that there are people who are older who have always been energetic and full of life. They bounce out of bed with the wonder of a child on Christmas morning. And then, there's the rest of us. We're the ones who really need to walk outside and feed the birds.....while the coffee is perking! I've always been a night owl and was told that I get my second wind at 7:00 p.m. That's the truth. I tease morning people that they catch the sun coming up and I catch it going down! I sometimes get my most creative ideas as the clock strikes midnight.
My grandmother was an inspiration to me. She lived to be 90 years old and she thanked God for the blessing of life and health. The last three years of her life, she was in a nursing home and was confined to a wheelchair. However, before she ever went to a nursing home, she celebrated every year that God gave to her. When ladies would refuse to tell others their age, she would gladly tell her age and give glory to God for allowing her to live that long. She would say something like this, "Well, there's an alternative to getting older......" And, she was right, the alternative was not breathing. Therefore, she celebrated her age with joy and grace.
So, the next time that you're feeling "old-er" or "blue" or "achy" or just plain tired, remember that the alternative is.... not breathing. Every single day, we need to thank God for this glorious life that He has given to us, even if it requires two Advil and a cup of coffee. Walk outside and hang up a bird feeder, fill up a birdbath with water, gaze at the cornflower blue sky, feel the breeze of the cool morning air and find wonder in the color of sunshine!!
Psalm 136: 1 - 9
1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.
2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for His mercy endureth for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for His mercy endureth for ever.
4 To Him who alone doeth great wonders: for His mercy endureth for ever.
5 To Him that by wisdom made the heavens: for His mercy endureth for ever.
6 To Him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for His mercy endureth for ever.
7 To Him that made great lights: for His mercy endureth for ever:
8 The sun to rule by day: for His mercy endureth for ever:
9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for His mercy endureth for ever.
Copyright 2016, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
