I am a critter lover. It is fascinating to watch animals, birds, and other creatures. One way I get to do this is I spend a lot of time and energy taking care of wild birds. It thrills me to have them visit our feeders and birdbaths. My family teases me about the voice I use when I see a hummingbird. Apparently, it is a higher pitch than normal. Ha!

I spend time filling the feeders with safflower seed, nyger thistle seed, black oil sunflower seeds, and of course making nectar for the hummingbirds. This involves work on my part, but it is so worth it! I love to see my efforts rewarded with visits from numerous varieties. They give me nothing in return but the joy of watching them. I’m sure at some level they are “glad” to see the food, but they do not let me get too close. I usually watch them through the window as I sit in my chair.

And there are other critters I habitually enjoy…The squirrels and I have an interesting relationship. I thwart their efforts with some feeders while putting out food especially for them in others. They let me get closer than the birds do. I can be within inches of them while they watch me carefully as they eat. Our dogs are another species. I interact with them more frequently as I raise them, feed them, train them, walk them and interact with them throughout the day. They return my efforts with love and the desire to be with me. They require the most time and energy and yet caring for them gives me life. We had to put two of our dogs down this year. Zeus was eleven years old and Casey was thirteen. They died within three months of each other. That was such a difficult time and I still miss them. They were with us a long time and although they never contributed financially to the family income or did chores (with the exception that Zeus went down the drive to get the paper each morning). They didn’t need to do any of this to earn our love. We loved them because they were ours. Loving them was life giving! Our two new young dogs have already found a place deep in our hearts. They bless us by being with us!

There are so many parallels to my relationship with God, aren’t there?! God provides for all of my needs. This world is equipped with everything I need to be sustained. I have done nothing to make that happen. I have not contributed to the air I breathe or the physiology of the incredible body I inhabit. I move about the day without thinking of these gifts—rarely giving a thought to the one whose hospitality I experience. But I know my God and know that my living life brings God pleasure. The thrill I feel as I watch the birds consume my offerings are just a small inclination of what God must feel as God watches me. Our creator God held nothing back in the offering of this world. The ingenuity that created all this I consume and enjoy is mind-boggling. God gave it for my pleasure just because I am God’s.

When I am at my best, I remember how blessed I am. I remember that all this comes from God and recognize that I have done nothing to earn it. In these times I live with a grateful heart for this God of mystery who loves me without condition. How can this be? And how must God experience my gratitude? My guess is that it is thrilling to God. It’s a moment of understanding, a moment of connection between us.  The eyes of my heart open for just a twinkling to the bounty I receive.  Thank you, God. Thank you.

Every day

I see or hear something

That more or less

Kills me

With delight,

That leaves me

Like a needle

In the haystack

Of light.

It is what I was born for—

To look, to listen,

To lose myself

Inside this soft world-

To instruct myself

Over and over

In joy,

And acclamation.

Nor am I talking

About the exceptional,

The fearful, the dreadful,

The very extravagant—

But of the ordinary,

The common, the very drab,

The daily presentations.

Oh, good scholar,

I say to myself,

How can you help

But grow wise

With such teachings

As these—

The untrimmable light

Of the world,

The ocean’s shrine,

The prayers that are made out of grass.

–Mary Oliver