A Backyard Moment
It hadn’t rained for a number of days in North Alabama.. So a couple of weeks ago, I turned the sprinkler system on for the first time this season, then went to the backyard to play ball with Charlie & Molly Doodle... and it happened again.
Our sprinklers start at the front of the house and over about a two hour period and 7 or 8 stations, it will slowly work itself on and off around the house.
While we were in the backyard, actually dodging a few raindrops (but not enough to turn off the sprinkler), the sprinkler began to do it’s thing on the grass, shrubs and trees near us. After I threw the ball to the far side of the yard, I heard a lot of scurrying about in the shrubs and trees where the sprinkler was sprinkling. So I turned to look and saw a most curious sight.
A handful of birds were seemingly dancing in and out of the leaves and the limbs. Dancing in the water. Soaking in ever drop that they could. Then, with the sprinkler still spraying drops of the life giving water upon them, the rain picked up a bit and the handful of birds dancing in the trees and shrubs turned into a larger number.
There was a bird party going on at the sprinkler station. And birds of all sizes were dancing and jumping about. Singing and chirping as the waters fell upon them. It was almost as if they were singing praises for the water and the rain.
As I stood amazed at the site of the dancing and praising birds and Charlie nudging me with the ball so that I will throw it again and again, my mind starting thinking back to a familiar GDA scripture ~ Psalm 150.
“Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!” - Psalm 150 NLT
The birds in the trees and the shrubs were reminding me to praise.... to dance like David, unashamed before the Lord.
The birds reminding me to sing to the Lord a new song. A song of praise. A song of thanksgiving.
The birds reminding me to soak in the Living Water of Jesus and praise Him for what He has done.
As the quick, one minute rain shower subsided and the sprinkler station moved to another location and another tree/shrub combination, the praise party moved as well.
Following the life giving water where ever it led.
A bird reminder to follow where ever He leads… singing praises all the way.
Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem
