what happens when you notice.....

 Today I drove over to a local coffee shop to meet a friend for lunch.  She's a special friend, that pours herself out in ministry to help all children know Jesus, through adoption, through orphan care, through support and foster care....she works full-time in this ministry without pay and has dedicated her life to this work.  I wish we could have lunch every week but we do seem to manage a few times each year to get together.  It's been raining and cold in northwest Iowa these last days.  Spring is like that here.  I pulled into a parking spot and before I got out of my car, I saw this bird.  It was a robin and it was swollen and looked ready to lay eggs.  It was likely working on a nest for the eggs and stopped in a tree for a rest and a break from the rain and cold.....it was so close to me.....and it was nestled in the branches of a beautiful little tree with fresh spring buds just begging for some sunshine to burst open.  Everthing about it screamed hope to me.  

Mama bird, ready to lay her eggs and hatch her babies.....a tree on the brink of blooming.....and me meeting my friend for lunch on a Thursday at noon.  

We are living in a hard season of history.....and maybe on the precipice of a really important part of the story of humanity....and in that pregnant pause I find myself admiring a swollen robin that looks cold and frustrated and a bit ruffled, frankly.  I'm like her, I think.  Planning and caring and hoping and believing in all that is expected to come next, but needing to pause on the branch of a pretty tree and rest a bit.  When I consider the political climate, the social norms that are pressing in and challenging traditional social norms....changes in the church....the raised awareness of systemic racism.....the effects of the pandemic on our economy and our mental health.....I am happy to rest on the branch of a beautiful tree....a Jesus tree....and take some deep breaths.  

I have opinions but don't share them on social media.  I don't find that to be a platform that is useful to me.  I would rather use social media to share goodness and hopefulness and love.....and sometimes a picture that stirs my soul.  Sometimes a song that touches my heart.  Sometimes a funny story....but never anything that would cause division or pain or do harm instead of good.  I just won't.  I don't find it to be wise.  Oh how I long for wisdom.....

This little bird was maybe hiding or taking a break and not crying out for attention but so much of the world is doing just that....crying out to be seen, to be heard, to be felt and to be validated.....and we can do this.  We can.  We all can.  We can see and hear and feel and affirm the lived experience of those around us.  Simply that.  Nothing more.  Let people know the matter.  All the people.  

I'm grateful for this robin in the tree in the rain today....I feel like I was gifted with a fresh wave of hope and beauty just because I noticed.