UNDONE Gifts # 253 & #254

Watering the Gerber Daisies

Extraordinary experience and gift this morning! Such a reverent, Holy Spirit-presenced moment. The Triune God was smiling at the gift He gave. And I am (as one in the scriptures once said), UNDONE!

While watering my newly planted flowers along my front sidewalk, I heard the sound of fluttering wings. I know this sound. When you turn your head to the direction of the sound, the hum will disappear just as fast as the moment it takes to shift the neck and the focus of eye. My motion isn't quick enough to spy this delicate creature, but I still hear it's presence. I keep spraying and suddenly it comes near the flowers that I am watering. I stand motionless. It flutters around the flowers but does not drink the nectar. It zooms away. I proceed to another section of flowers; where the Gerber Daisies nestle near the Azalea bushes. (I am only four feet away from the bushes and two feet away from the flowers, and less than a foot from the protective fencing; which keeps my chickens out. I give this measurement because of the extraordinary encounter to come!) My little friend, the Ruby Throated Hummingbird, hovers beneath the rainfall of "gentle shower" setting of my garden house nozzle! I am spell-bound!

I hold my breath. He hovers and inspects a cluster of leaves on the Azalea bush that has a small puddle of water in it's yet unfurled center leaves. He lights on the outer broad petal and begins his bath. I continue to spray and watch in awe. He spreads his tiny thin wings and flips the water under them, over his head, through his colored breast feathers. He ducks his head and splatters water around his body. Spreads his minute tail feathers and he then gyrates his little body like a dog wringing out the water from it's fur. He flutters a bit under the spray and then it happens. He flies toward me and sits on the fence in front of me. I could have touched him. I'm sure my breath did! He sits unafraid near me and I watch him go through his "air-toweling".  He swipes his head under each wing. He flutters each wing to fling off the excess water. Another shaking to fluff his feathers. He sits. Head moving side to side, up and down. Looking at me. His iridescent feathers a testament to His Maker's gift of color, texture, and detail. The deep red of his throat is a striking contrast to the emerald green of his body. Tinges of black on his wings and tail feather--just as a period is at the end of a sentence.  No words are needed in front of this period. This extraordinary moment that I have witness speaks volumes.

The Small "Bird Bath" Leaf Cluster

The telling of this gift experience doesn't capture it. How do you capture moonbeams, sunlight, shadows? You see them and their other-world touches all around us. My 7:00 am watering of planted flowers, a morning chore, turned into a sanctuary. His glory, His majesty, His holiness touched all around me and I was in The Presence.

The little Hummingbird flew and came back at least three to four times. I think he was getting drinks of water. He'd fly under my spray and then dart to near-by trees. I could not hold the spray any longer. I closed my eyes and worshipped, spoke out a praise, and through a thick voice of emotion spoke my thanks and gratitude for this extraordinary moment filled with a multi-faceted gift. So many poignant spiritually packed thoughts are in this gift. I'll savor mine.

I write in my "One Thousand Gifts Journal":
 #253 "Most extraordinary gift--Hummingbird takes a bath in the spray of my water hose as I water my flowers--7:00am."
#254 "Hummingbird not afraid of me."

My scripture verse that touched me this morning before going out to do my watering chore:  "In the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge..." Psalm 57:1

I have to say, Hummingbirds have now moved to my favorite bird category. God smiles, I'm sure they are all His favorite, but not as favorite as I am to Him. He is proving it to me over and over again. I am UNDONE.