Find a sparrow...

"Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God..."
Luke 12:6

I actually thought of this reading this summer as I gazed at the tree in my neighbor's backyard. Oh, I didn't tell you about the tree? Well, after my retreat, I got more in the habit of just sitting in my backyard, in silence. I finally noticed, after living here four years, a beautiful pine tree towering over my yard. It has pine cones that hang from the branches like Christmas ornaments. Somehow, I had never noticed it! One day, as I sat out there, the sun was just coming up, shining extra light right on that tree. I noticed a small bird, in what I presumed to be a nest, deep in the branches. I watched that bird for a long time, just appreciating that it had chosen that tree to nest. I thought of that tiny bird and how God was completely aware of that bird and how precious that creature was to God. It was so special for me to have this front row seat to God's creation, right here in my backyard! It was a gift. The gift was the awareness, finally, of all that was going on around me, that I hadn't really noticed before and wouldn't have noticed ever, had I not gone on retreat and learned about just sitting still with God. This weekend, take any opportunity to notice a "sparrow" in your world. Find the time to see and appreciate some tiny, yet profound manifestation of God. Love, heidi