Spring for me holds a new promise of life, hope and new beginnings. It’s become my favorite time of the year.
I have come through some very difficult times and springtime seems to be a time when many issues have been resolved. Every time without exception, God has provided. But God not only provided for all of my needs, He also sent me greeting cards in the process.
One such time was in the spring. I had just moved to a small, rental house during a very painful divorce. I was also unemployed and down to my last nickel. As God so often does, at the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute (God seems to work like that!) He provided a wonderful dream job when all of my money had run out.
Living in my little rental house, I did a lot of soul searching and healing. There is a favorite song from my childhood that I used to sing at church and still sing when I am being thoughtful and wanting to feel God’s presence. The song title is His Eye is on the Sparrow, and the lyrics are:
Why should I feel discouraged / Why should the shadows come / Why should my heart feel lonely / And long for heaven and home /When Jesus is my portion / A constant friend is He / His eye is on the sparrow / And I know He watches over me / His eye is on the sparrow / And I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy / I sing because I’m free / His eye is on the sparrow / And I know He watches me.*
That spring, after I moved into my little house, a sparrow had built a nest in the wreath of my front door. Every day, my son and I would pull an ottoman up to the window in the door to look at the progress as the eggs turned into babies.
I took that as a greeting card from God saying, “I am watching over you and you are free.” God was taking care of me, but I felt like this little nest was a tangible love letter to me.
When I remarried and moved into my new home, another sparrow built its nest on our back door.
It’s spring again. I am looking out of my window at the beautiful flowers, grass, trees and, yes, sparrows.
Maybe you have never thought about God sending you greeting cards. Perhaps this post will help you look for them in your life too.
God went even further in the greeting card department by giving me 365 words of encouragement during another very difficult time in my life in being the care giver for my mother. These words became a book that was published by DreamSculpt called God Notes – Daily Doses of Divine Encouragement. You can read samples and the reactions by others here: God Notes
*”His Eye is on the Sparrow was written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla D. Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel.
Jackie Trottmann
April 20, 2010 7:57 pmHi Ginny,
Thank you for the comment. It’s nice to meet you through Carrie, a.k.a. The Barefoot Executive. It’s funny how God works because when I get discouraged and wonder if I am just writing into cyberspace, someone will purchase a CD, make a comment or – like this, someone of someone will tell someone :) and here you are. So, I’m glad you liked the greeting cards analogy. Another card I received was in the winter. It was Christmas time and our choir had just sung the song, “Lo How a Rose E’re Blooming” – the lyrics go – Lo, how a rose e’er blooming, from tender stem hath sprung. Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung; It came, a flow’ret bright. Amid the cold of winter, when half spent was the night. My dog, Duffy and I were out for a walk in the snow and next to the sidewalk was a perfect rose bush blooming in the middle of winder. “That” was quite a card!
Ginny Edwards
April 19, 2010 5:08 amHi Jackie,
I found out about you and your work from The Barefoot Executive and am I ever glad I did! I can’t wait to get your cd and your Guidance Tool Kit, both of which I’m getting ready to order. If they are anything like your posts, they are exactly what I need and I believe the Lord led me to you through Carrie.
I’ve often written about Spring and the beauty of God’s creation to my clients, but I’ve never thought of the different parts of His creation as being His “greeting cards”. Thank you for that analogy. It has given me yet another way to look at Spring and all that God gives us during this season.