Sunday, August 30, 2009

Sabbath gifts


This evening Denis and I sat on the back porch for a little while, each with a cup of hot tea. There are frost warnings out for northern Minnesota tonight and it was already chilly enough that I wrapped up in an afghan. We sat recounting our weekend -- I was here and he was in St. Louis. A rabbit settled beneath the hedge and closed her eyes, but her ears still twitched. A humming bird came to the feeder right in front of us and we could hear his feathers give a tiny rumble as he downshifted to hover mode. Denis said he's like a semi that does jake braking. He drank, sat on the clothesline, drank again, sat back down, scratched his ear with a leg. Flashed to the nasturtiums, ate a couple gnats for protein then, gone. A bird with a “Purpose Driven Life.”

We pray to receive the coming week as from God’s hands, to be as content with our limitations, work, pleasures, finiteness as the creatures we witnessed tonight.

7 comments:

Sandra Oster said...

Thank you for reminding us to think about all the gifts in life. Cups of tea, wondering at how birds can fly, cool weather, warm weather, spring and fall. The picture reminds me of many times sitting there with you.

Alina said...

I love when you write about birds. They are such simple reminders of our plenty in life. Inspiring, as always.

Margie Haack said...

Sandy, we do miss that, too. I wonder if we'll be able to actually see you someday in NZ.
Alina, so glad you share this love. I should credit my daughter, Marsena, who inspired the post. She mentioned on fb the delight of watching a sand piper run and pick its way along their shoreline.

TJC said...

Thanks for this little meditation on beauty and purpose. It was helpful to me today in a way I can not fully explain... but very helpful.

Travis said...

you and birds. i seem to remember a little something you wrote about wanting to kill the birds outside your window.

i guess that which causes pleasure can also be a source of torment.

love you. miss you.

Margie Haack said...

Trav, I don't like people remembering my inconsistencies, besides, THOSE were English sparrows not exactly birds. Let's fight. I miss you, too, lovey.

Tim said...

It's nice to see your back yard again. It still looks like it did in 1996, but nicer.