Relationship

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 8. Here is what I learned.

The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the seas. Psalm 8: 8 (AMP)

I’m continually amazed at Max, my parakeet. To think a bird, who has the freedom to fly about the apartment, chooses to sit on my shoulder most of the time. He wants to be near me. 

There is a contrast to the birds that visit on my balcony. They fly away when I get anywhere near the sliding door. The birds outside will come to the balcony for food and water, but they don’t want to be near me. There is no relationship or trust with the wild birds. Rather, Max has learned that he can trust me, and that I care for him. 

My relationships with the wild birds vs Max are very different. The wild birds know that they will find food and water on my balcony, so they come when they are hungry or thirsty. There is no interaction. Max on the other hand, talks to me, likes to be near me. When he gets a down feather stuck in his mouth, he flies to me, knowing that I’ll help him. Max knows that even when I trim his nails, something he hates, that I’m caring for him. 

As I think about the relationships with the birds around me, I have to think also of my relationship with God. Do I see God as only a provider of “food and water”? Do I just go to Him to ask for something, but don’t take spend time with Him? Do I understand that even when God allows things in my life that I don’t like, He is help me and teaching me? 

Relationships are based on trust, and getting to know someone. If I only expect God to give me food and water, I miss out on so much. Yet, building the relationship with God is up to me. God wants me to know Him; He is waiting. 

To create a positive day, I need to work on building my relationship with God.

View from my living room this morning!

This was the view out my living room window this morning! Beautiful!

Hug from God

One thing about living with chronic pain is that you never know the type of day you will have. Oh I can plan, but there are things, of which I have no control, that can increase my pain level. Weather, good and bad, can increase pain. A simple movement, like emptying the dishwasher or brushing my teeth can send the pain through the roof. And of course, my attitude can effect my pain. If I am more positive it doesn't really lower the pain, it just better equips me to handle the pain.
Today I had one of those higher than normal pain days. I thought it would be a good day....the day after my chiropractic adjustment usually is. However, when I tried to get out of bed....I quickly realized it was going to be a high pain day. I quickly took my pain meds and did a few other things to lower my pain. Yet, today, I just couldn't get the pain to lower.....at all. In fact as the day progressed, the pain seemed to increase. The clock moved very slowly as I waited for the time for my next pain pill.

At one point, as I was ready to have a "poor me" moment, Max flew to my shoulder and started talking. He had a lot to say. When he was done talking, he simply fell asleep on my shoulder. When I moved....I thought he'd fly to one of his many perches and go back to sleep. But, no he was content to stay on my shoulder as I got up and walked around the apartment. He just wanted to be with me. In fact, he stayed with me pretty much all day.
At one point, he was in his cage eating, and I got up and went into the kitchen. IMMEDIATELY, I heard...'achoo, achoo, achoo'. (That's what Max says when he wants me.) I yelled back, "I'm in the kitchen." Max flew into the kitchen, landed on my shoulder and promptly started yelling at me for leaving him!
As I look back over today.....my pain was high for what seemed like no reason. Yet, the day was not a bad day. Having Max so close to me all day was like God giving me a hug. And any day you get a hug from God is a good day!

The days which you seem to have no control can still be positive if you remember that God loves you. His love is unconditional. The fact that God, the Creator of all, loves you should not only encourage you....but make you feel amazing! Think about it. God.....loves you. A very simple statement with an astounding meaning. Knowing God loves you should make any day a positive one!