Faith Filled Friday

Welcome back everyone. Another Faith Filled Friday is here. Join me for a few minutes.

A lot of stress and anxiety has seemed to be crashing into me lately. The other night while working my mind drifted to when I used to live in a small trailer when I was trying to get back on my feet from being homeless. It was out in a field near a barn and a pine tree. The day I moved into the little trailer. It took me most of the day to get situated. I left to get something for dinner and when I came back it was completely pitch black out there. I pulled in and flipped off the headlights and engine. I got out and I was startled to hear these shrieks coming from the tree and from over by the barn. It was so loud and seemed to come from out of nowhere. I soon realized the shrieking was coming from owls that lived there. They were obviously upset that I had moved into a trailer that was for the most part abandoned and not used by the family that also lived on the same land but in a house. 

It was as if I had invaded their space, which obviously I had. The first week I was there they let me know it every night. Before long the squawks and the shrieking sounds they made became far and few. They had finally adjusted to me being there. I actually came to love them so much. They were my watch dogs and my guardians. On nights where the moon was brighter, I'd sit out in a lawn chair and watch them swoop out of the tree and grab field mice from the grassy fields all around us. If anyone came out my way, I'd always know because they'd start shrieking. They were surely the best neighbors and I have always thought of them as friends while I lived out there.

Sometimes I'd play music for them to hear. Over time one came to branches quite low on the pine tree. He or she never let me get near but it just felt amazing. It felt like the most peaceful place to be. The trailer did not have a working stove or bathroom, so it was hard living, but at least it was shelter and I found comfort there. 

After the bank served the owners of the home and property with papers to foreclose, it was time to move on. I remember being sad to leave my owl friends behind. My last night there I spoke my last goodbye's and wished them farewell.

Now fast-forward to all these years later… I was out the other night and was thinking about how I wish they were around because I have been feeling so much sadness and anxiety. I remember saying what I guess was a prayer out loud, "Where are all of the owls? I could use you guys again."

Now the reason I say it had to of been a prayer is because not even three minutes later I came around the corner and swerved to not hit what I thought was a rock in the road. After all the storms lately, there have been so many mudslides and rocks in the road. But still something in me questioned whether that was a rock or something else. I have always been a most curious person. Something in me said to turn back... and so I did.

When I came back, there in the road was the most amazing little owl sitting right smack in the middle of the road. I was so happy to see an owl from out of nowhere. At first I thought it was a baby owl but later learned that it is naturally a very small owl, smaller than the barn owls I had befriended years earlier. It was 3 in the morning and there is no traffic coming, so I just sat there and started chatting with the owl. He moved his head back and forth like owl's do. I was so shocked he was not flying away. The owl seemed just as intrigued about me as I was with him. 

I wish I had my better camera with me than my smart phone. But I still got a little shot of the little guy that to me was an answer to prayer. I think that's one of the things about prayer, is that sometimes we might not even realize we’re speaking to God. God doesn't always need a prayer to fill a void or gap. I really needed that the other night with so much on my mind and heart: my friend's anniversary of her child that committed suicide was coming up; my sinking business and bad issues with my health, my PTSD has been raging. Those anxieties sent me calling out for my owl friends, and marveling over this little owl trusting me enough to sit there with me and trust me not to run him over.

Was that God in all that answering prayer? I like to think so. I was the luckiest guy on planet earth that night. After about an incredible 5 minutes, he flew away... and I continued with work. We are just two living things passing one another in the night... and God gave us the time to enjoy one another's company. I thanked God for that and I share it with you tonight as I write this.

Let us not forget to keep our eyes open and our curiosity going... God uses it all to help us if we are open to turning around and going back to check on something. Things like this surely make me think "God is Great"... 

Much love and till next Friday, take it easy my friends.

John