I’ve always enjoyed painting birds, but in the last few years I’ve really taken notice of them in my yard. I have a window that overlooks the backyard, and birds pop in and out all day. I see a little finch that jumps across the clothesline, a few doves that sit on the roof and look down at me, and a blue jay that shouts loudly from the trees. And then there’s the cardinal… I love him. His red feathers stand out against the white snow, and he always makes me stop and appreciate him.
(Signed, matted print available in my Etsy store.)
I’ve been writing poetry about these beautiful birds, and recently started adding red to the birds I paint in honor of that beautiful cardinal. And then, something really interesting happened yesterday.
I saw a friend online post a note about seeing a cardinal in his yard, and how it had warmed his heart. I thought that was nice, but I didn’t really get why he was posting it. He had lost his fiancé last month and I know it’s been difficult for him, so I was just glad he was feeling upbeat.
And then, someone (totally unrelated) emailed me and asked if I had any pictures of cardinals because they say if a cardinal shows up in your yard it is a sign from a loved one in Heaven. It was like God had heard my thoughts and gave someone else a nudge to answer them for me. Don’t you love that? How God is able to answer our questions by connecting us all together?
I was blown away by that, how one minute I’m wondering what the meaning is behind someone’s post and the next minute I’m getting the answer from another person, all without ever asking about it! God knows our questions and thoughts and worries.
I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
Psalm 50:11 (ESV)
And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures,
and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”
Genesis 1:20 (ESV)
So this little red bird already has quite a history. He sat front and center at the Valentine’s Day craft show I did:
I liked how his red feathers went with the Valentine’s Day theme (and my auntie’s tablecloth.)