Nugget One

I love to have my quiet time on our front porch swing as soon as the weather is warm enough. About a month ago, I was looking at the small birdhouse hanging at the far end of the porch. One of our kids gave it to me some years ago for Mother’s Day, but no birds had ever nested there.

“I would love it if some Mama and Daddy birds chose our birdhouse this year to build their nest, Lord,” I whispered.

Soon after that, Donn and I noticed birds flying into the birdhouse with nesting material in their beaks! Eventually, we were sure they had chosen our birdhouse. My birdsong app identified them as House Wrens which also fit their appearance.

Eventually I could hear baby birds chirping in the nest, and later, I saw Mama and Daddy taking food to their growing family. During all this, I told the Lord, “I would so love to see these babies leave the nest and learn to fly!” We had observed this some years ago in Sandy Lake, and it was one of my fondest memories. A few days ago, I wasn’t going to take time to go out on the porch because I had a doctor appointment in the morning, even though I knew the birdies exodus was getting near. Then Donn told me, “I saw one of the babies stick its head and half its body out of the hole. I think he’s about to fly!”

So I dropped everything and stood at our front door. The next fifteen or twenty minutes were priceless as I went outside to get a better view. I got lots of pictures and videos, and my heart was overflowing with gratitude at God’s loving kindness in the little things.

Nugget Two

When our son, Robb, was dying, a song called When We Fall Apart become popular and was the first time I noticed the Christian Recording Artist who sang it, Ryan Stevenson. The timeliness of the song meant so much to me. Recently, Ryan released another song called Preach that also spoke to me.

After Preach was released, we went to the wedding of a young couple at a church in Hermitage. We arrived early and to pass the time, I began to read the bulletin board. I noticed that Ryan Stevenson was going to be doing a free concert by the river in Sharon—not far from Hermitage and an easy drive from our house.

I was so excited and marked it on our calendar. This was a concert I didn’t want to miss even though the weather on that day was very hot.

As we waited for the concert to begin, I knew there were two songs I hoped to hear. About an hour into the concert, Ryan sang Preach and it was even better in person! A few songs later, Ryan and the group were going to take a twenty-five minute break, so we walked up the street to get ice cream as the moderator had suggested people do.

The line was long and I began to get nervous that our twenty-five minutes might be up, but we were getting so close to being next in line that I didn’t want to leave. So I prayed fervently, “Lord, don’t let him sing When We Fall Apart until we get back!”

We got our ice cream and headed back down the sidewalk in time to hear Ryan finish a song I didn’t recognize. Then, we walked to our chairs just as he started to sing When We Fall Apart. Tears fell from my eyes at this special gift from our Heavenly Father.

I don’t know how God manages these things, but I was overwhelmed again at His goodness to us. And once again I realized, it’s the little things that remind me of how much God loves us and how much He loves to show us through the little things.

Heavenly Father, I am in awe of the amazing ways you show us your love and your ability to show us in ways that are exceeding, abundantly beyond what we could ask or think. Amen