As one of the greatest wonders of the world, humming birds defy the odds of nature and mystify with the speed of their wings and delicate ability to hover. For Christmas my children surprised me with a hummingbird feeder to put in my flower bed. No contemplation was necessary over its destined location. That hummingbird feeder was going outside my office window. The notion of having nonstop opportunities to see those winged wonders was pretty exciting for me.

As the winter dragged on, I sadly gazed at the feeder in its box on a garage shelf for months. Hummingbirds certainly weren’t going to come if the weather never got warm.

Finally, spring arrived!

I carefully mixed the nectar according to the directions and poured it into the feeder’s reservoir. With excitement I lined up the lid to screw it on just the right way and SNAP the neck of the reservoir cracked off rendering the feeder useless.

I was humming with disappointment.

On my next trip to the store, you better believe I bought a new hummingbird feeder.

It was soon hanging in its destined location and I am proud to report attracting a number of humming birds each day. The sight of those sweet little birds brightens my day every time I catch a glimpse of them.

I am not sure what it is about the appearance of those fast flyers that makes me happy, but I do know each cameo is a quick and welcome surprise. They flutter, feed, dart back and forth, and they are gone. It’s is if God is humming in my ear a reminder that He loves me and does really cool stuff for us (like make hummingbirds).

I know bird watching isn’t for everyone and sitting around staring at a jar of red liquid may be a bit like watching paint dry, but I encourage everyone to take opportunities to witness the quick flashes of greatness in the world around us. If not on hummingbirds, set your sights on those luminous lightening bugs in the evening or take note of the blooms that form and flower day by day. Float away with the white puffy clouds or follow the parade of a troop of ants as they make their way to the farm. Give yourself the gift of gratefulness for the favors that flutter your way. Hear the whispers on the wind and let the hum of nature make each day sweeter.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. Don’t tell the hummingbirds I compared watching for them to waiting for paint to dry.