This was written in 2020 but came to mind today so we knew we needed to share it! Hope you enjoy it!

God Is so good to us! He is so Faithful, Loving and Kind! If you don’t know Him and if you are not experiencing His Greatness in your life, we want you to know that He is waiting with open arms to help you! Here is proof of how He has blessed us just these last few days! I am calling this “The Tale of 2 Birds”. Back in the late 60’s early 70’s, my dad’s only sibling, his brother and family, were stationed in Germany with the United States Air Force. We didn’t get to see them very often because of their extensive travel, but I remember getting a beautiful doll baby from them at Christmas one year that came from Germany, which I still have! They also had sent my Grandma, 2 beautiful, white bisque birds! When Grandma passed away in 1983, I acquired most of her knickknacks, which I have always deeply treasured. This week I found out why these 2 little birds were so special! My uncle and aunt had four children, 2 boys and 2 girls. The youngest girl is just a month and a half younger than me. We lost contact many years ago but she found me through classmates.com back in 2010. We have stayed connected and after 50+ years we finally get to see each other again! Yes, God Is So Great! We have had such a wonderful time sharing our lives and seeing how different in some ways but so parallel in other ways that they have been. Now back to the 2 Birds! As I was thinking about her visit, I was praying and listening for God’s direction, He brought to mind the 2 birds. I have always kept them on a wood shelf, which is also my grandma’s, so they do get dusty. As I was cleaning them up before my cousin’s visit, the Lord sure was speaking to my heart! These little birds, which are pure white, look like little sparrows. They have so much detail and they were made in West Germany. As I was gently brushing out the dusty crevices in their wings and looking for chips or cracks, I noticed that 1 was pure white and appeared to be blemish free. However, the other one seemed to have a few blemishes that I could not remove. Noticing them is when I felt the Lord touch me and tears filled my eyes. Do you know the softness of God’s Voice? It is awesome to hear! He told me that even though the one bird looked pure white and perfect, if I looked closely I would see a few places that looked like “scars” or where blemishes had been removed. But the other birds’ “blemishes” were still noticeable! Think about it! Now God wasn’t wanting me to focus on my blemishes and He wasn’t dragging up my past, He was wanting me to know that since I have asked Him for forgiveness, repented of my sins, surrendered to Him and dedicated my life to serving Him, that He sees me as white as the little bird with scars. He went on to tell me that even if we are a “work in progress”, that does not give us the right to abuse His Grace. He solidified in me the Hope and Joy I have in knowing that His Word is Truth and as long as I stand on His Word that He will take care of me! So I finished cleaning the 2 birds and wrapped them up and waited for my cousin to arrive. And Oh! What a reunion and blessed time we had! After our hugs and kisses, I showed her the box and let her unwrap the birds! She said she could barely remember them but she did remember and she was so thrilled! The “2 Birds” are back to their rightful owner, after all these years, and I know that they will continue to be cherished! And I got a blessing by getting a touch from God! To know that my cousin also has Jesus in her heart and if we never see each other again here in this life, we will have eternity together! 

Here are some scriptures for today!

1 Peter 1 New King James Version

Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims

1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

A Heavenly Inheritance

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

Living Before God Our Father

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because

“All flesh is as grass,

And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers,

And its flower falls away,

25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.