~and we are doing very well~

The other morning while sitting at the kitchen table, I heard the sound of birds singing right outside the front door.  They were so loud that I fully expected the porch to be filled with them, but when I checked outside there were none to be found.  I heard their songs many more times throughout the rest of the day.  As I watered the outdoor plants this evening, I found out why their music was coming through so loud and clear.  

The hanging Boston fern had become the local maternity ward.  No one had knocked on the door to ask permission.  It had happened.  Just like that.  The most beautifully perfect nest had been woven smack dab in the middle of it all.  I marveled to see it, the construction work of a bird who knew just what to do before the baby arrived.

I'm not sure why, but seeing that nest, woven of old grass, sticks, and even a swatch of a cotton ball, made me think of something from the Good Book.  Matthew 6:26 reminds us that just like God watches out for the birds of the air, He watches out after us as well.  It's amazing to me how birds know just how to gather up the materials needed to bring new life to fruition as well as finding a safe place to tuck their temporary resting spots inside of.  The nest we found was one that brought a smile to our face and satisfaction to our hearts in knowing that we provided a place to build it that was safe from predators.

Our house here along the Red River in north Texas was thankfully constructed with something other than bits of twigs and random building materials strewn upon the ground.  Our house is safe and provides us a place to call "home" and one at the end of the day, we are grateful to live in. It's not fancy and with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom is rather modest by today's standards. There is no swimming pool in the backyard, no hot tub sitting on a deck.  We were able to purchase it at a price that was well within our means and by the time were are 74 or so, we will have paid it off.  

I'd say Mike and I are pretty lucky
Nah, on second thought I'd say we are really blessed.  

Every once in a while times are tight, at least they are for our little family.  I'm sure the same can be said of any of you as well.  Seeing that little nest made me realize just how fortunate we are indeed. Although we don't have everything that we want, we definitely have more than we need.

All things considered, I guess you could say one thing.
We are doing very well.

This was us a year ago during our first summer as Texans.  We were living in a little rental house that was on the other side of town.  We had no idea that in six months more we would find a new house to buy.  Now our names are written in the red dirt of this land in the Red River Valley.