For the Birds

If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be? Having been an elementary teacher for many years - this was inevitably part of a discussion during the school year - thus I have always known - I would be a bird.....to fly  - to live in the trees - to be above it all - Oh! the life!

This weekend - P-day Week 16 - we went to Marquesa Park where we experienced the most amazing thing ever: a natural butterfly garden and an aviary filled with tropical birds! These pictures are the real deal... WE took them, although they could pass as "pretty as a picture postcards".  

 I loved getting up close to the birds to notice every detail. Their colors, features, and personalities were right there to observe. These "twins" were right as we walked through the door. Don't they look fake?

The multi-colored ones were breath-taking! I was surprised how many there were.

My favorite? One large, beautiful, milky-peach-colored bird was peacefully sitting there and I got closer to appreciate its beauty. It seemed to connect with me, because it hopped right on to my arm! We had been instructed not to touch the birds, so I was a bit surprised and didn't know quite what to do. However, it was so sweet and lay its head on my shoulder! It was such a precious experience for me. It brought me to tears. After awhile, the supervisor came over and helped my newest friend get back on the post. 

I believe that every animal, plant, and living thing in nature fulfills the measure of its creation by bringing joy to another person or living thing. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the spirit and I am brought to tears when I encounter an animal or living thing in nature. This was the case yesterday.

On the fifth day God created every creature - all the animals great and small. How grateful I am for the blessing of animals - these magnificent birds brought me great joy.

Genesis 1 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

²¹ And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

²² And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

²³ And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

God is great!