Articles and thoughts by Steve Green.

I had almost given up…

April 17th, 2010

Since the first year I put up Purple Martin houses, they have returned every year to nest.  It really is miraculous.  The largest of the swallow family spend our winter months in Brazil, some 3000 miles away. 

In early spring, scouts, or adult birds make their way back towards their houses.  Before long, the jet-black males and greyer females that hatched in their particular house the year before return to start the process all over again.  It’s just not spring without them.  Their song is so unique and fills the air a cheerful concoction of Martin sounds.  They have always arrived the last week of March.  Always.  But not this year.  Into the second week of April I began to worry and even made a trip to the local birding shop to ask what was wrong.  Someone had told me that any change to the house scares them away.  Oops.  I told the shop owner that I had put up new gourds and maybe they didn’t like the change.  He assured me that they wouldn’t be bothered by that, but instead, the migrating birds were late this year due to weather patterns.  (Not global warming, mind you.)  He encouraged me to wait, saying they might be as late as May.  That was good news.  So I waited and hoped.  While mowing the yard on the afternoon of April 14th, my gift came.  One pair settled on the roof of the house and sang as if they owned the place.  A few days later two more showed up. 

It’s spring now.  All is well.  The Martins have returned and it’s just another small sign to me of God’s constancy.  In a world of change, it’s nice to know that some things never change.

11 Comments »

  1. Indeed, He is faithful and is keeping every single promise He’s made. The seasons affirm His constancy and control. With you I am grateful for the evidence that brings confirmation and comfort. And then there’s the reality that one day we’ll be with Him where that which is inconsistent in this fallen world is gone forever!!!

    Comment by Dan Page — April 18, 2010 @ 7:00 am

  2. Wonderful! God is good!

    Comment by Jonathan — April 18, 2010 @ 10:21 pm

  3. Ciao Steve, è bello vedere la grandezza di Dio in tutto ciò che ci circonda ed è meraviglioso contemplare la natura in tutta la sua magnificenza, anche gli uccelli del cielo ci parlano di Dio.
    Grazie per aver condiviso con noi le tue riflessioni che provengono dal tuo animo gentile e devoto al Signore.

    Comment by Carmela Ligorio — April 18, 2010 @ 11:55 pm

  4. This is what I thought of when I read your journal: “Summer and winter and spring time and harvest. Sun, moon and stars in their courses above. Join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. Great is Thy faithfulness. Great is Thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.” Thanks so much for sharing, and I’m glad “all is well” with the Martins!

    Comment by Lynn Wilkerson — April 19, 2010 @ 6:01 pm

  5. I love to listen to the birds in the early morning, when it’s perfectly quiet!

    Comment by jonathan abel — April 19, 2010 @ 9:53 pm

  6. I love how the faithfulness of God is seen in his creation. Artic Terns are a great study in biblical principles too! I enjoy your comments.

    Comment by Tim Harden — April 21, 2010 @ 7:16 am

  7. Tim, great to hear from you! Has it thawed in your neck of the woods yet?

    Comment by steve — April 21, 2010 @ 10:01 am

  8. I love your music, Steve!!! When you sing, it’s like you are preaching the song, and you want everyone to know that you want them to know how Amazing God is! He is Amazing! Thank you for what you have done for God in your music ministry!!!

    Comment by Stacie Hilliard — April 24, 2010 @ 4:07 pm

  9. Thanks for sharing such a ’simple’ story. In every little thing we can see God’s faithfulness.
    It’s my prayer that I’ll see more and more these little things, because they’re big witnesses of our God!!
    God bless you!

    Greetings from Holland

    Comment by heleen — April 29, 2010 @ 11:08 am

  10. Steve, a facebook publication of you singing “Find Us Faithful” in the company of the Gaithers has brought me to your website. I hadn’t heard or thought of you in years and I wanted to say how good it was to come across your music once again. God Bless You!

    Comment by Linda O'Bradovich — April 30, 2010 @ 9:04 am

  11. “Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in life. If God allowed us to go through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We could never be as strong as we would have been. We could never fly!” - anonymous

    I’m reminded of Isaiah 40:31 everytime I hear stories about birds. Thanks Steve and God bless you!

    Comment by Mark La Flamme aka. Mc S†re†ch — May 2, 2010 @ 6:58 am

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