So the other evening my Mom told me about this bird's nest that was in her hanging tomato plant. She had been careful not to fertilize her tomatoes so as not to harm the eggs and she said that my Dad had reported that the eggs had hatched, yet she was too short to see them. So I went out with my camera to take a picture to show her and low and behold, I caught the very last one jumping out of the nest. My Dad was concerned because he was too little to actually fly, but we looked for him on the ground to put him back into the nest and he was gone.
I couldn't help think about the scripture passages where God speaks about taking care of the little sparrows and the little ravens. Surely, our good God would look after this tiny little bird that had escaped a bit too early.
6"Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.7Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows." (Lk 12:6-7)
And then I went home and I saw that my hibiscus tree was finally blooming. This, too, is a miracle!
See, my plants are often neglected, or (at best) poorly cared for. I absolutely love gardening! But gardening on a balcony is not the same as gardening around my Hermitage. And my poor plants have too small of pots for their large roots, and are often over watered or under watered since it's hard to measure what goes on on that balcony. Yet, somehow mysteriously, my hibiscus tree does an incredible job blooming forth these gorgeous flowers. They look like fire- bright yellow, with orange and red swirled within. And I think once again about the Bible passages saying how God clothes the flowers of the field.
"Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.29But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.30If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? (Mt 6:28-30)
Well, He takes care of birds and He takes care of flowers, and that same God will surely take care of me! God has provided incredibly for me over the years (for more information on this, see my podcast on Divine Providence). And He has done it again for me this year.
It was pretty clear at the end of last year that I was not to stay in downtown Chicago working near the Magnificent Mile as a nanny anymore. Between the transit, and the crowds, and the city lifestyle in general, I was completely drained and He wanted to call me back home towards Elkhart. And God provided in incredible ways for me coming home without a solid job in place. As He often takes little scraps of cloth to make the most beautiful quilt or tapestry, He found little things for me here and there that He wove in to a beautiful blanket of my life this past year. In fact, I ended up working 80 hours a week in December, January and February. I had my normal different nanny jobs during the day, and a family hired me to help with their newborn twins at night. And unlike normal night nannying, they allowed for me to sleep while the babies slept -so I would get five or six hours of sleep at night, which was enough to work then during the day. And yet I prayed for something more stable and constant. And God again has provided me with a very solid job for this upcoming year. For this I am very grateful.
I have to mention that I also owe the success of my job search to a little lady named St. Xenia of Petersburg. She is an Orthodox saint. Whenever I order icons from Greece or Russia or the Ukraine, the stores often send me a free one on top of the package -and it has always been very providential for me. Once when I was very active in the healing and exorcism ministry, a random priest in Greece sent me an icon of St. Anastasia, exorcist and healer! She quickly became my good friend. Well, this year I received an icon of St. Xenia of Petersburg. She is the patron saint of people needing to 'arrange things with job or business matters.' Every day I would kiss her icon and lay it on my top pillow after I made my bed in the morning and say, 'Xenia! Please help me!' And she has... the past two weeks (after securing a good nanny contract) I still lay her on my pillow, but instead of calling her in a frustrated voice, I simply say, 'Thank you.'
So, this post leaves you with two thoughts. One... the intercession of the saints works, even when the saints you choose are random (or maybe especially because of that because they aren't so busy as the more famous ones 😇). And secondly, trust your Heavenly Father's plan (even when you don't see His Hand holding on to you)... if He takes care of little birds and flowers, He will always take care of you. God is the great Artist and He is very industrious. Because of this
He can take even little 'scraps' of what seems useless in your life and make it into a beautiful quilt or tapestry or work of art!
Dependence on God (Luke 12:22-34)
"He said to [his] disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear.
For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.
Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds!
Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life-span?
If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest?
Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides.
Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."
"He said to [his] disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear.
For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.
Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds!
Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life-span?
If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest?
Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides.
Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be."
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