IF THE BIRDS THAT HAVE SO LITTLE CAN BE SO HAPPY…

Today has been a little unusual for us–OK it has been VERY UNUSUAL.  We very rarely get the occasional snowflake.  But today we got blowing snow, icing roads and about 2-3 inches in snow accumulation.  Everything–and I do mean EVERYTHING–shuts down in Alabama when we have this kind of weather.  Schools close, businesses close and you are stuck inside at home until the ice melts. 
So, my day started out trying to get a few orders filled–orders that I had all packaged up and got ready to ship out.  When I first left the house, there was just the occasional flake.  But by the time I had driven about half the distance I needed to drive, it was snowing really hard and my car was beginning to slide a little bit. Within 10 minutes, I was driving in very unsafe conditions.  I turned around and headed back home.  I wasn’t mad, but I felt all out of sorts because I really wanted to get the orders out and I needed to make a few more stops–nothing earth shattering, but just errands that I needed to get done.  But that wasn’t happening today. 
Me, Tori and Jayce (my beloved Yorkies) got all safe and snug back in the house.  I still had that out-of-sorts feeling.  I called to check on my husband who was stuck at work.  He couldn’t get out of the parking lot and it looks like he will be there all night.  I felt so bad for him.  We talked off and on all afternoon.  He even tried leaving one time, but after seeing everyone else slide at the first red light, he went back into his office building.  So, he is stuck at work with no blankets, nothing to rest on and probably no food except for what is in the vending machine.
And here I am huffing and puffing about not getting to get some orders out and errands run.  I think God convicted me.
And then I saw the birds.  And I watched them for a long time.  I have bird feeders set up right outside a home office.  I love to watch them while I work sometimes.  They help me feel at peace. 🙂

I took this picture today as it was snowing.  I apologize for the quality of the image–I took it from inside through window glass and an outside screen. 
The birds seemed so happy–it was 15 degrees, wind blowing and snowing.  They were just happy to have the bird feed and a little ledge to hover on.  About 10 different birds flew in and out, each of them sitting a little bit, pecking at the feed a little bit and then flying off to wait their turn again. 
And they were soooo happy! 
I guess I didn’t have anything to complain about.  At least my husband didn’t leave the building and have a wreck.  He is safe and warm inside the building.  He just has to wait it out.
And me?  I am warm, I am safe and I have food to eat.  I, too, just have to wait it out.  If the birds that have so little can be so happy…I who have so much can be so happy too! 🙂
~–Charity M. Richey-Bentley–~