what have you thanked God for today?

Matthew 6:26 30, 31
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
…But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."

In the year and a half since I have moved into my new home here on the prairie, I have longed for cardinals. In my old neighborhood, I had several pairs and their song was great comfort to me, especially during the long winters, as I placed seed out for them and they stayed all year round. Although here I have ample mourning doves, goldfinches, house finches and other wonderful birds, I did not have any red birds. I missed them.

This spring, I heard the call of two cardinals, but didn't see them. I increased the black oil sunflower seeds and waited. Every now and again, I would hear one, but never saw it.We also have many pine trees, which they like, so I was hopeful that someday...

Tonight as I was making dinner, I heard, once again, the call of a cardinal. "Oh, God, if only one would come to my feeder, I would so love to see it," I thought. I opened my window a little more, listening to its call.

Then it happened. Almost as quickly as my "prayer" had been uttered, I saw a flit of red and down on the ground it came. It went to the feeder and checked out the supply, then flitted amongst the pine needles, scattering the sparrows there.

God heard me. There was "my" cardinal!

Now, you may say, "the world is going to hell in a hand basket and you're praying for cardinals?!" 

My reply is....how can you ask God for the "big things"...if you don't pay attention to the little things? Sure, we pray all the time for peace in the world, but that is a huge request. How about asking for peace within your heart first, a peace that will spill over into someone else's life? More doable, wouldn't you say? Or, many people pray to win a lottery. When it doesn't happen, we tend to lose faith. But how often do you notice the small details of life all around you? A rainbow at storm's end, a steady job, a happy family...these are gifts that we tend to take for granted! When you ask, do you also remember to thank? It is so easy to be a fair weather pray-er...when life is good, we forget that God is even among us. Yet when skies turn cloudy and all heck breaks loose, we pound heaven with our requests.

Today, begin by noticing the gifts all around you. Share it with others. Praise God for even a beautiful day, for your friend, for your own life! So many precious things we have....praise God...praise His Holy Name!