Expect the Unexpected

Mark 8:18
Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?  And don't you remember?

If you have followed "Meditations of My Heart" for any length of time, you know my husband, Danny, and I love living in our cozy house tucked into the forest, and observing all the wonderful creatures who share this space with us. One of our favorite pastimes, featured in a previous post here, is bird watching.

For years, we have purchased bird seed from Costco.  The brand name is Audubon Park, and it comes, plastic-wrapped, in a brightly colored cardboard container.

Forty pounds of bird seed for the modest price of $14.95 just can't be beat.  Best of all, the birds love it!

When we've run low in the past and there's no time for a trip to Costco, I've made the mistake of ducking into Publix for a bag of seed.  Do the birds know the difference?  You bet they do!

What a waste of money that was!

So, recently, as our supply of Audubon Park dwindles, I make the trek to Costco for a restock.  Imagine my chagrin when there is no bird food to be found!  How can that be?  They've always carried it.  Why stop now?

I visit the store later that week.  Still, no bird seed.  What am I going to do?

In a panic, I ask my friends, Sherran and Rob, avid bird lovers, what seed they would recommend using.  It's a mix by Pennington.  The birds go nuts over it!

But, it's prohibitively expensive.  Ten bucks for ten pounds?  When we were getting 40 pounds for less than $15?

"Unless we can find the Audubon brand again," Danny says, "we may have to forgo feeding the birds."

"But, Danny, we can't just stop!"  I protest.  "They've grown used to being fed.  And, here it is, winter.  Where else are they going to go for food?"

"Someone else's feeder?"  he jokes.  "Seriously, call Costco and ask if they've gotten a shipment in before you make a third trip."

Good advice.  I take it.

"Yes, ma'am, we have the 40 pound bird seed by Audubon."

"I'll be right there!"

Trip #3.  Up and down the pet aisle I go.  No bird seed.  C'mon!  What's up with this?  I'm going to hunt up an employee to ask.  This is the last straw!

A kind associate named Cassandra is promoting Kirkland coffee.  As that is our brand of choice, I take it as a sign that she is the perfect person to ask.

"We should have it," she assures me.  "Go along the pet aisle and it should be right there."

"I just did," I sigh, "but, I'll look again.  Maybe, I missed it somehow."

I don't hold out much hope, but off I go anyway.  I want my bird seed!  The Pennington supply is running low.  I love those gorgeous birds at the feeder . . .

Suddenly, a bright yellow, gargantuan stack of bags catch my eye.  Audubon Park!!!  Here it is!  No wonder I didn't see it before.  Their packaging has changed completely!

Gratefully, I hoist the bag into my cart, relieved that it is so much easier to maneuver than the box was.  I head for the check-out, but not without remembering the year of "love", and spinning back to Cassandra to thank her for her help.

And, I get to thinking . . . Aren't there times when we are so used to seeing one thing, expecting to see it alone, that we miss out on the many miracles God wants to show us?  Or, we think God hasn't answered our prayers because we hope He will do one thing when His intent is to do another? 

How we do miss out when we fail to have eyes to see and ears to hear!

~

Are you watching for miracles in your life today?

Please join me in prayer:

Jesus told us, Father, to open our eyes and ears to what You are doing and saying in our lives.  May we be ever mindful, awake, and aware, expecting Your unexpected miracles around every corner.  Amen.