Have you started hearing the birds chirping again? I first noticed last week. Then yesterday morning, as I got out of my car, I noticed them again. The chirping seemed louder, like there were more of them this time. You might not experience this return of birds chirping thing if you live in a warm climate. It’s a real gift.

A better picture of the American Goldfinch from All About Birds.com

I love to see the colorful finches land on the feeding socks hanging from our tree. We observed them late into December last year, so I left the socks hanging there, hoping they would stay through winter. These socks aren’t beautiful, but they do their job in providing food for our little friends. And our little friends make us smile in return.

God provides in so many ways because He cares for us. He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?
–Matthew 6:25 (NLT)

My husband and I love watching our birds taking turns feasting on the tiny seeds. As many as four will drop down from the branch above. They grab onto the sock while others sit, waiting their turn in the branches of our little tree.

I try to snap photos for my grandson, who loves all living creatures. And now that he has a phone, I can send them to him. These little conversations about the birds keep our relationship active, even though we haven’t been able to see each other more than a few times during this last year.

Even though our visits were few, they have been sweet and brought us joy. It is a kind of joy that energizes until the next recharge. In this way, God is providing for us, too. Because like our little feathered friends, we need food, water, and warmth, but we also need joy.

So, be Observant of the sweet things in life.

A short fluttery visit from a gold feathered friend stirs joy. You click a photo to capture a child’s heart, who has already captured yours. The smile this brings to both of you. And the conversations you will have about all of it later.⁠

Look for your own sweet things, my friends. It is there where we can find much joy.

Joyful reflections

Which of these listed below can you do today to see something good, surprising, or sweet that you might not have noticed:

1. When you step out the door today or tomorrow, take a moment to be still and listen. Look around and take a breath. What do you see?
2. Pick up that book you’ve meant to read, and read with the expectation of learning something new or simply reading beautiful words. Please write it down to make it easier to recall later.
3. Say or write out a prayer, thanking God for the sweet things in life that bring you joy that energizes you until the next recharge.
4. Maybe you’ve found a way to identify the sweet things in life. Please share it in the comments for someone else.

This post is part of the #Write28Days writing challenge. The prompt today is OBSERVANT. Thanks to Anita Ojeda for hosting the event. Check out the other great writers participating in this challenge. Also posting on Five Minute Fridays link-up today.

Goldfinch photo by Adam Jackson on  All About Birds