Joy like a Songbird:

This past year my word of the year has been joy.  I have been trying to focus more and more on finding joy in all situations.  Every night, I write down one to two things that I found filled me with joy over the following day.  A few days ago, as the weather was getting nicer, I was noticing that I was hearing singing birds outside my apartment or on my walks to school.  This would make me smile, because it reminded me that spring was upon us, and it is nice hearing nature right outside of your door.  I definitely wrote this down as something that has filled me with joy one of the evenings, and it inspired me to dig a little deeper into what it would be like to develop an attitude of a songbird.   

Obviously, we can’t be like actual birds, we are meant to be humans.  But I do believe that songbirds have a joyful heart and mindset that we as humans can learn from. This then inspired me to write this down as a blog post, and I also hope that it inspires you as well.  (It also inspired me to paint the painting at the bottom of this blog entry.)  The beautiful thing about birds is that they sing, obviously.  They sing very beautifully, and they are a delight to listen to.  Do you ever spend time singing and just letting yourself enjoy music, including the music that you as a person can make?  I know that some of you will say that you can’t really sing, but I want to say that anytime that a person is singing, and it is from their heart filled with joy, then it is something beautiful.  This could even be a hum or whistling.  I would even say that kind words and speaking beautifully and kindly to others could also be considered a part of making delightful music.  

Have you also ever noticed how colorful and beautiful birds are? They are filled with colors of all different shades and hues. They can have multiple colors or are just one solid vibrant color.  Even a crow, which may not be considered the most beautiful, is still a solid pretty dark black.  Because of that beautiful song they are singing, birds are then beautiful on the outside.   Similar to when a person who has a good heart and cares about being kind and lovely to others, is also very beautiful on the outside.  Those are the people that others are more attracted and drawn to.  Those who are filled with joy and show it through their speaking and even singing are those who attract the ears and ultimately then the eyes of others.  

Birds sing even when the weather is not the best.  There are times in the spring when the weather is still pretty harsh, yet you will still hear those birds chirping away.  Recently my mom shared with me a song that is called, “Say I won’t,”  by MercyMe.  This is an amazing song, and it definitely makes me cry after the losses that I have experienced this year.  The chorus lyrics are as follows: “I’m gonna run, No, I’m gonna fly, I’m gonna know what it means to live, And not just be alive. The world’s gonna hear, ‘Cause I’m gonna shout.  And I will be dancing when circumstances drown the music out.  Say I won’t.”  The lyrics that hit me the hardest is definitely when it says that they are going to be dancing when circumstances drown the music out.  There are going to be more than one time in our personal lives when the world wants to take away our music, but like a songbird, we need to be able to make our own music.

Most birds, specifically birds that sing or chirp, do migrate in the winter.  This was important for me to remember as well.  Even though that may look like the birds are running away from bad situations, I like to see it as birds leaving a situation where they know it would be toxic for them to stay or would even kill them.  There are times that we can stay in situations as humans, even when they are toxic and harmful to us.  This could be in a job, a relationship, etc.  It is ok to walk away from certain situations or to walk away at least for a time.  Yes things like jobs, relationships take work, but if it is ultimately giving more defeat and despair as opposed to joy or happiness then it is one of those times when it may be best to walk away,  at least for a while.  The Lord knows when it is best to walk away, so He will definitely be open to hearing prayers asking him those questions.   

I believe the Lord uses everything to teach us a lesson, and help us grow closer to him.  These can be life experiences, people in our lives, or even pieces of nature.  I have found that items in the natural part of the world depend so heavily on God for their daily functions that their lives are simpler and less anxiety or despair filled than ours as humans can be.  This even gives way to more time to be joyful like a singing songbird.  I hope that as your year continues, you are more and more reflective about the small word of joy, and how it can better impact your overall life.  I hope that you will spend time singing and enjoying moments of music, even when the world tries so very hard to drown it out.  Eventually others will hear your singing and desire to be more and more like you.  

Again, pictured below is a painting I made of a songbird to have in my apartment.  It will serve as a reminder to me, to sing and be filled with joy as birds are.