Michael Cardinal

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

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?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Salomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "what shall we drink?" or "what shall we wear?"

For the pegans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow willl worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
(Matthew 6: 25-34)

Twig by twig a cardinal constructed a bowl-shaped home in the bush outside my office window. Soon she laid an egg and kept it warm until it hatced. I named the little bird Michael. Although he was tiny, he had a huge appetite. His parents worked hard to keep him fed and safe. In a few months, Michael was ready to leave, and I was there to witness the amazing event.

When Michael left, so did mom and dad. The nest remaind empty untul next spiring. When mama cardinal returned, I was happy to see her but also dad. We had sold our house and I was concerned that the new owners might chop down the bush. But my concern soon turned to amazement. As I dismantled my office, mama cardinal dismantled her nest. By the time left, so had the cardinal family. Mama cardinal's God-given instincts had told her to move.

This brought to mind another nature lesson. Using birds and lilies as examples, Jesus urged people not to worry. Since God takes care of birds, surely He will take care of His people (matt 6:26-30).

When concern for our own wll-being leads to anxious thoghts, we can look at the birds and be assured of our value to God and of His care for us. --Julie Ackerman Link

I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me -- Martin

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We need fear the perils around us because the eye of The Lord is always upon us
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