Perfect porch perching weather this morning. The sun is working its way across the sky, burning the vanilla clouds away. When the sun’s through with her morning chores I’m sure Mother Nature will rev up the heat. I washed the bird baths and filled a few feeders with no sweat stinging my eyes. The cicadas are singing so loudly I can’t hear the songbird symphonies. Hope they aren’t yelling a snake alert! I have so many feeders I’m sure the rats and mice feast on the seeds on the ground and then the snakes feast on them at night. I’m very cautious stepping in the pine straw under my old water oak when I fill the feeders.

The pastels Father Sky used to sketch the sky are so beautiful in their pale shades. He used alabaster and pearl on his white clouds, cool gray and dove gray on his cigar smoke clouds, and swirled periwinkle and powder blue clouds through the overcast layers. Staring for a few moments at the clouds, I can see the different colors snuggled up together trying to block the sun’s rays. The sun just broke free of the clouds and immediately it’s hot and humid, so I’m headed in the house with Penelope.

The hummingbirds waged a serious battle this morning. The generals in command of the troops at war were two tiny hummingbirds, too feisty keeping the territory around the feeder safe from the enemy invasion to enjoy the fresh nectar. I could hear their chest bumps and beak sword clicks and their fighter jet wing engines. The battle will rage on till dark. If you watch the hummingbirds you are watching moments of magic in flight.

When life gets challenging, hummingbirds remind us we can find hope and beauty even in difficult times. We can face dark days with faith and a joyous spirit. We can weather the darkness of life’s storms searching for the God’s light just as the hummingbird keeps flying seeking the light. I love this anonymous quote about hummingbirds. “In a world full of eagles and hawks, be a hummingbird: vibrant, unique, and capable of reaching places others cannot.” I love that folklore says the hummingbirds are messengers between earth and God.

The hummingbird is a symbol of endurance and resilience. The colorful little birds remind us we can find happiness in the smallest things. They teach us to appreciate the beauty of the world that surrounds us and remind us that beauty can be brief but still leave a lasting impression. I’m watching the little birds fly up and down and backwards and sideways around the feeders thinking maybe these tiny birds show us how to navigate unexpected changes in life, teaching us to embrace adaptability.

Just as the little hummingbird must constantly feed on nectar to survive, we must nourish our Christian faith through daily prayer and Bible study.

“All of God’s Creation glorifies our omnipotent Creator, even His tiny hummingbirds.” — Job 12:7-10