Ruffled Feathers
© 2005 Debbie Turner Chavers
Have you ever had a day where one thing after another seemed to rub you the wrong way?
I had that kind of day last week. One thing after another gave me an opportunity to react in a not so patient way!
I found myself....puffing up. Typing this is starting to make me laugh.
I can just see my frustrated self in my minds eye.
I probably didn't look all that different on the outside....but on the inside....I was ruffled!
I tried to put a smile on my face and keep walking, one foot in front of the other.
But no. Not working.
Still smarting from the aggravation of my day, I heard the still small voice of the Lord tell me to separate myself from the group I was with and take a break for a few minutes alone.
Explaining that I needed to go sit on a bench outside for a few, I left the group, to gather my thoughts and reclaim a better attitude.
I found a bench and sat down, still puffed up and ruffled inside.
Within seconds of my obedience to separate myself and get a grip on my attitude...I saw them.
Under the eaves of the overhang of the building where I sat, were three birds.
One bird was flying in and out attending to its nest, hidden in the eave.
The other two were busy twittering and preening. As I silently watched, I noticed they would quit flapping about and would start to preen. Their feathers were puffed out!
What causes a bird to preen...is ruffled feathers!
They pull their feathers one by one through their beak and cause the small barbs on their feathers to lie down. It is hard to fly when your feathers are ruffled.
To tend to preening...you need to be still.
Thus my call to sit for a while and allow the Holy Spirit to smooth my ruffled feathers.
I needed to be still.
Not deny there was a problem, but allow the Lord to realign my feathers.
Preening peacefully,
~Debbie
Psalm 91:4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
*Repost from this blog from 2010
** If you click on the art parable painting title you will be redirected to its website for more information about the painting.
All writing, poetry, posts, art, and photography, copyright © 2016 Debbie Turner Chavers. Protected by US and International copyright laws. All Rights Reserved. Scripture references taken from the King James bible which can be accessed online http://biblegateway.com Click on these links http://artparables.com or http://debbieturnerchavers.com
