Never in my dreams would I have the opportunity to hold a “wild” hummingbird and I wonder if one thinks never in its dreams it would be held by a 40 year old wife and mom.
Last week was one I had been looking forward to for a while. The kids were at grandparents and church camp all week, so I had several things on my “want to do list”. Brainstorming and a little bit of journaling was one of the things on that list.
Wednesday I finally got the opportunity to do that. I didn’t have to be anywhere and was in my comfy clothes, no make up on and time to just breathe. Some favorite music was heard throughout the sunroom and I was in my little happy space.
In the middle of the afternoon I was typing away and I heard our dog in the screened in porch bark to come inside. I had left the door on the porch open so he could go in and out to the yard on this muggy summer afternoon.
Something dark caught my eye on the other side of the screen when I opened the door. I immediately realized it was a hummingbird that had flown into the porch by accident because the birdfeeder is right beside the porch door. This isn’t the first time a bird has flown into our porch but this was the first time a hummingbird had.
Hummingbirds’ wings flutter at least 55 times a second. The possibility of ever trying to catch this bird was I thought zilch.
The hummingbird looked frantic trying it’s hardest to find a way out. It’s tiny, long beak would stick through the screen and wings flutter wildly. I ran and got a broom to try to redirect it towards the door but it didn’t understand what I was trying to do and flew further away from the door.
With no success, I finally decided I’d try to get a hold of it so I could set it free. But I thought, what are the odds I’ll get a hold of it?
As the wings kept beating, I pulled a chair up to the screen and to my surprise, it stopped moving. It just sat there clinging to the screen. Clinging for it’s life.
I gently reached out, expecting it to begin to desperately try to escape again, but it stayed still. It was as if it was waiting for me to pick it up.
So I did.
It was lighter than a feather. It was weightless. It was not lifeless, it was life-full.
The words to a song rushed through my head: “And the weight of glory, if you held it in your hand, it would pass right through you, so now’s your chance.”
It was like holding the weight of glory.
It was the weight of glory because it had become a God–moment to me. A weight where you so strongly feel His Presence yet it’s a weightless feeling of transparency and revelation of God’s glory. The weight of glory is a mountain-top experience where you simply feel is Presence. One of those experiences where you don’t want to have to climb back down that mountain.
As it’s green feathers glistened with gold as the sun shined on them, I was holding onto something I never imagined possible. I was in awe and joy at the same time.
It was simply beauty.
It’s little eye blinked…or was it a wink to me as a gift from Abba?
Was it to remind me…or urge me… to rest in the hand of the One who rescued me and Who holds me in His hand after I’ve gone in the wrong direction? Was it a gift for me to share?
But I knew I couldn’t hold it forever. I stepped outside and after a moment I reluctantly began to open my hand although I honestly and selfishly wanted to hold onto this beauty a little longer. But, I slowly opened my hand expecting the hummingbird to immediately fly away. It didn’t. It stayed there on the palm of my hand.
It was a time to simply enjoy the moment just a little bit longer.
Then a minute later, I could hear its wings humming before I realized it had lifted and then it flew away quicker than I could blink my eye.
Was that little bird a gift from God delivering a promise of hope to come? A message to lift those wings and fly? Go after dreams never thought possible? But more than that – a simple, yet holy, experience.
Isaiah 40:13 says those who hope in the Lord will soar on wings like eagles.
Well, this summer afternoon, my hope was soaring on the wings of a wild hummingbird in our backyard.
The chorus to that song that went through my mind earlier keeps coming back to mind ever since. “Would you fall to pieces, would you fall to pieces, would you fall to pieces, in the high countries?”
Well, I kinda fell to pieces after that experience in my little cottage, (or screened-in porch and sunroom) in my little high country place as I write. I mean, why would catching a hummingbird get your heart-felt emotions stirred up? Because God can take the smallest and most simple things in our everyday life and make them holy moments. We just need to pay attention and notice them. Take time to slow down for a moment each day and simply thank Him for His grace and goodness and your eyes can be opened to the beauty of His glory around you.
Would you make a comment below and share a God-Moment you’ve had?
Not only thankful for that high country moment but also for these things this past week:
#1563 Rescuing a hummingbird from being trapped in our porch
#1564 The God-Moment that catching a hummingbird became
#1565 Our daughter spending the week with grandparents and cousin
#1566 while at grandparents playing dress up, cooking, shopping, laughing and making memories
#1567 some time with my sister
#1568 daughter starting to bloom
#1569 Son at camp and the fun he had with our church’s student ministry
#1570 The leaders who went with all our kids and the heart they have for them to experience Jesus more
#1571 How the leaders shared with me how during music at camp our son sang with hands held high in worship and was not ashamed.
#1572 A fun and special bridal shower for a dear friend.
#1573 The opportunity for friends to share and give a wedding charge and blessing
#1574 God’s description of love 1 Corinthians 13
#1575 Being able to help make a wedding day special for a dear friend
#1576 the rain stopping right before the service
#1577 celebrating this day with life long friends
$1578 the love a bride and groom have for each other on a wedding day…yet, as a friend said that evening…in years to come will be the day they love each other the least.
#1579 dancing with friends!
#1580 son in his first diving competition
#1581 son not hitting his head on the board!
#1582 summer flowers
Joining in today with Ann Voskamp’s Joy Dare
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