Cardinals in the Cedars

   At the edge of the yard, a few cedars stand. They have retained three green hue even through a long, and very snowy, winter. The cardinals really seem to love those branches, because in the mornings I often see them tucked into the branches, peeking out at the morning. The brilliant crimson of the feathers stand out in the cedar, creating a classic Christmas card look each morning. When the colors are combined with the being struck by the morning sun, it becomes an effect which really belongs more to oil paint than birds and trees. The cardinal is a brilliant color and when it is in the sun, its color is only brighter and more pronounced.

   God made us with unique characteristics, bits of color in our character. We are certainly responsible to grow these strengths. Then, they are to be used to the most honorable and right to forward God’s people and purpose. But, as much as we work on these gifts, it is when the Son’s light is part of the equation that we really see the attributes stand out distinctively.

Cardinal Spots

   We had beautiful big snowflakes falling yesterday, so big that they looked like feathers falling out of the sky. On the branches of the trees sat brilliant red cardinals, tucked in amongst the twigs and bark for shelter. They were brilliant red, showing up as crimson feathered spots in the white and brown lines of snow covered trees. With all of that flying snow about, it is easy to focus on the mass of the motion and not on the one flakes movement or what else is going on. The snowflakes are beautiful and I do love to watch them come down. They can also be very distracting.

   There are other distractions I face, some beautiful and some not so, that distract me from those wondrous moments of life. Distractions, those little diversions and commotions that interrupt and serve to either disturb or amuse; they can upset our days with great joy or great frustration. But good or bad, distractions can interrupt our time with God. I was reminded of how precious that time is when remembering a recent time of quiet and solitude. It was just for a few moments, at a January bonfire when I remembered in the quiet the lovely peace of solitude with God. It is not something that has been lost on me, just in the haze of cold medicine and recovering my energy from the cold it was something that was a bit lost on me.
   Maybe I need January bonfires more often, maybe I just need to remember to look past the flurries of distraction to the cardinals perched in the trees.