Missing The Cardinals
God and I have a thing about cardinals. Guess what. Turns out, He doesn't grow cardinals in California. Nobody told me that before we moved here. Boo. And now I'm missing the cardinals.
It's been almost ten years since the Lord sent a cardinal to me. Scott and I had gone away for a weekend trip, and he went to a driving range to take his aggressions out on a bucket of golf balls. I stayed at the inn for a little quiet time. I took my Bible and journal out on the balcony of our second-story room. My heart was aching with regrets about some decisions made way back in my past, when our sons were little guys. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the scarlet flutter of wings - a cardinal! I sat on that balcony, rocked in that rocking chair, scoured the Word for comfort, poured out my heart with anguish and tears - and the cardinal stayed in that same tree the entire time. The Lord's peace finally came to me. He reassured me that the past was gone, that He would redeem anything lost by bad decisions, that He would take me forward in hope and purpose. There was no reason to mourn. The door to a future - directed by His loving hands - was mine to step through. When my heart was calm, I raised my head and caught one last glimpse of the cardinal before he flew on to his next stop. I sat in the glow of God's presence for a while longer, but the cardinal never came back. It was as though God had sent that bird to just come along side me until my heart could accept release from the past and hope for the future. And then his work was done.
And what an appropriate color for that bird with a message for my soul! I look at that deep red and can't help but be reminded of the precious blood of my Jesus - carrying an almost identical message. He paid for my past with His life-giving, hope-infusing, soul-saving blood. And His blood purchased a hope and a future for me with Him. Regrets gone. Bad decisions covered over. Forgiveness lavished. There's a reason the cardinal is red.
A few of my friends know of my fondness for cardinals. And one (Miss Kim - I love you!) sent me an unexpected blessing a few weeks ago. I picked up an envelope from the office here at our apartment and saw the return address. Couldn't imagine what would be inside. I pulled through the protective packing, and there it was - my very own cardinal ornament with "Peace" dangling beneath a sweet red bird! So "Peace" and that cardinal found a place of honor hanging in my kitchen!
Yesterday, I went out to run a few errands. You might or might not know that one of my pet peeves is stores decorating for Christmas beginning in October - or earlier. As much as I dislike that, I was actually thankful to run across some Christmas ornaments yesterday - one being a bright scarlet cardinal sitting on a perch! Guess what - he's now hanging next to "Peace" in the kitchen!
I can't tell you how many times the Lord has sent a cardinal to me at just the right time to encourage me about leaving the past behind and going forward in hope. And even though He doesn't grow them in California, He still sends a cardinal in one form or another to my Texas heart. Thank You, Lord, for speaking to me in such a sweet, personal way!
Your "special thing" with God probably isn't a cardinal. But I bet there's some little something that always takes you back to a milestone moment with Him. Whatever that gift that God has used to surprise you with encouragement in the past - I pray that He'll send you one today!
It's been almost ten years since the Lord sent a cardinal to me. Scott and I had gone away for a weekend trip, and he went to a driving range to take his aggressions out on a bucket of golf balls. I stayed at the inn for a little quiet time. I took my Bible and journal out on the balcony of our second-story room. My heart was aching with regrets about some decisions made way back in my past, when our sons were little guys. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the scarlet flutter of wings - a cardinal! I sat on that balcony, rocked in that rocking chair, scoured the Word for comfort, poured out my heart with anguish and tears - and the cardinal stayed in that same tree the entire time. The Lord's peace finally came to me. He reassured me that the past was gone, that He would redeem anything lost by bad decisions, that He would take me forward in hope and purpose. There was no reason to mourn. The door to a future - directed by His loving hands - was mine to step through. When my heart was calm, I raised my head and caught one last glimpse of the cardinal before he flew on to his next stop. I sat in the glow of God's presence for a while longer, but the cardinal never came back. It was as though God had sent that bird to just come along side me until my heart could accept release from the past and hope for the future. And then his work was done.
And what an appropriate color for that bird with a message for my soul! I look at that deep red and can't help but be reminded of the precious blood of my Jesus - carrying an almost identical message. He paid for my past with His life-giving, hope-infusing, soul-saving blood. And His blood purchased a hope and a future for me with Him. Regrets gone. Bad decisions covered over. Forgiveness lavished. There's a reason the cardinal is red.
A few of my friends know of my fondness for cardinals. And one (Miss Kim - I love you!) sent me an unexpected blessing a few weeks ago. I picked up an envelope from the office here at our apartment and saw the return address. Couldn't imagine what would be inside. I pulled through the protective packing, and there it was - my very own cardinal ornament with "Peace" dangling beneath a sweet red bird! So "Peace" and that cardinal found a place of honor hanging in my kitchen!
Yesterday, I went out to run a few errands. You might or might not know that one of my pet peeves is stores decorating for Christmas beginning in October - or earlier. As much as I dislike that, I was actually thankful to run across some Christmas ornaments yesterday - one being a bright scarlet cardinal sitting on a perch! Guess what - he's now hanging next to "Peace" in the kitchen!
I can't tell you how many times the Lord has sent a cardinal to me at just the right time to encourage me about leaving the past behind and going forward in hope. And even though He doesn't grow them in California, He still sends a cardinal in one form or another to my Texas heart. Thank You, Lord, for speaking to me in such a sweet, personal way!
Your "special thing" with God probably isn't a cardinal. But I bet there's some little something that always takes you back to a milestone moment with Him. Whatever that gift that God has used to surprise you with encouragement in the past - I pray that He'll send you one today!
