The bird feeder is a popular place in the mornings and evenings!

One of the benefits of the pandemic for most of us (except for essential workers- thank you!) has been to spend more time at home with friends and family. Many (including me) have also spent more time in the yard or finding ways to enjoy God’s great outdoors. While I have been spending more time at home, I have enjoyed watching the birds at my backyard feeder.

Female Cardinal flying away

As a child, I was an animal lover. My favorite show was Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom hosted by Richard Perkins. The closest I could get to Wild Kingdom was our backyard bird feeder outside our large dining room window in Beaumont, Texas. We would eat meals, visit, and watch the birds. We even got a Peterson’s Book of Wild Birds and would check them off as we saw them, marveling at the many species and colors.

This Tufted Titmouse came in for a quick bite

I still have several birdfeeders in the yard. During the pandemic stay at home order, I saw cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, tufted titmouse, mourning doves, blue jay, mockingbirds, house wrens, house finches, white headed nuthatches, brown headed nuthatches, brown thrasher, red bellied woodpecker, hummingbirds, and even a few migratory rose breasted grosbeaks. Maybe even a few other species that I missed or forgot along the way. That is at least 15 species of the birds of the air who have visited my backyard!

Brown Thrasher- a rare treat!

Thinking about all of these birds reminded me of a favorite passage of Scripture in Matthew 6. “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” Mathew 6:26-27 (KJV). We have had much to worry about during the pandemic. Will someone I love get sick or die? What will happen with my job? What about our students and schools? When will be able to return to church? These and a thousand other questions worry us. But every time I looked out of my window at the birds, I was reminded that God takes care of them. How much more so will God take care of me?

Every time you are worried or stressed or concerned, maybe simply look out of your window at the birds of the air and remember that God takes care of them. Since God takes care of them, surely He will take care of us!

Sunset snack for a male and female Cardinal