God Wink

My friend, LouAnn, is a great story teller and she often ends one that gives her a laugh by saying it was her 'God Wink' for the day.  I know what she is meaning by that...the little something that the Lord gives or shows especially for her to cheer her, make her smile and just let her know that He is present.  I had one this morning.

Now to some this may seem odd, but then again, you know me, so whatever.  When I was working at the County Nursing Home, which was a very stress filled job, I would often find myself praying on my way to work in the morning about whatever was the crisis du jour.  Taking care of 95 elderly with 95 different expectations as to what constituted high quality care is not for the faint of heart.  As became my standard, I would often ask the Lord to give me a blessing in the morning...something that showed me that He was there.  I would get pretty specific... I always wanted to see some type of bird.  Stop the snickering... I can hear you from here! ;)  Usually, I'd ask for a cardinal and sometimes it would be pheasants.  Sometimes I would ask Him to pick it out. (Captivating women...remember this from our study??!!) Once there were some turkeys...not sure what that meant.  Anyway, this was a 'thing' between my Abba Father and me.  Sometimes He would deliver on the request, sometimes not.  I never doubted He was there...because my faith isn't about what I can see, but rather what I know to be true. Still, sometimes the visual is just so.very.cool!

So fast forward to this morning.  I was on my way to work, thinking about all of the things that have kind of turned my life upside down over the past several months...incredible ministry opportunities, my sister's cancer diagnosis, a new relationship in my life...when something in the field caught eye.  There standing tall and regal was a full grown, absolutely incredible bald eagle!!  This creature was statuesque!!! I have seen one up close and I do not believe there is a more beautiful bird on the planet, in my humble opinion.  As I screeched, literally, to a halt and backed up on the highway to try to get a photo of it, it took off and it's wingspan was magnificent! I just sat there in the middle of the road and watched it fly so majestically upward and onward.  And I was awed. Not so much by this beautiful being, but by my Creator.  There isn't one ounce of doubt that Mr. Eagle was my God wink this morning.

I thought about the verse in Isaiah 40:31 that says, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary. and they shall walk, and not faint." Often I have held onto that verse as a promise to be had...but today it is a promise that I am living out fully.  I have waited upon the Lord for many things in this life, and I am seeing so much fruit from that wait...so much so that it renders me speechless and fills my heart with abundant joy!  Yep, there are still struggles, things I wish were different, healing that hasn't come full circle.  Yet, I know my strength shall continue to be renewed, I will continue to run this race and not be weary nor faint because I wait upon the Holy Magnificent Mighty God that calls me His. Wow.