Early Sunday morning, we rushed out of our apartment geared to face not only the snow but the icy wind that was going to creep into our skin as soon as we shut the door behind.  We brushed the snow off our car biting our teeth and started scraping the ice off the windshield before our fingers froze inside our thick gloves.  I had already started the heater inside the car, so we wouldn’t freeze before we drove off to church, as it was one of  Iowa’s coldest winters.  We looked forward to that time in the presence of our Creator – a time with fellow believers in our church family – in fact, that was pretty much our family in America.

Grabbing some breakfast  swinging past McDonald’s drive-through, I saw it again.  I have been seeing that tall weed standing out beautifully on the median of the road whenever I wait at that particular stop sign.  Just one single weed.  A few months back it was beautiful in summer with some tiny pink flowers but today on this icy cold winter day, it was being tossed around by the cold turbulent winds and I wondered if it would survive this winter.  I asked my 7 year old son to glance at the weed from my car window during the few secs  we spent at the stop sign. Then all the way to church I gave my little drive-along sermon about how God took care of every single living creature on this earth including the birds of the sky.   As we dug into our warm McMuffins during the ride to church,  I wondered silently in my heart  how any bird would  find their McGrains  in this freezing snow-covered land called Iowa.

After service, we drove back home, carrying all the heavy  bags from our routine Sunday grocery shopping.   I noticed the bunch of  long weeds with a few wheat like grains on their ends just outside by patio.   In fact I have been uneasy every time I see them the past couple of months.   I vividly remember calling out to the guy  who mows our lawns to take care of these weeds but he  didn’t even turn in my direction as he had headphones to protect his ears. Every time I sat in my patio these  ugly weeds  in front of my patio would irritate me, as the rest of the green lawn was trimmed to perfection the end of summer.  I wondered how the guy who mowed the grass couldn’t see such  big weeds.

I forgot all about it as the winter set in and the snow covered the entire lawn.  But today I noticed it again. I didn’t want to move out from my cozy warm living room to just pull those weeds out especially during the bad weather outside.  As I dumped my groceries in my living room this particular Sunday and quickly shut the sliding glass door, not to let the icy cold winds enter the house, I noticed in the corner of my eye something moving in the patio.  It was a little bird pecking on the grains at the top of the weeds.  I stood still.  My heart was racing though.  Viola! It dawned on me  that I was seeing live, the story I was telling my son that morning……….The Creator of the Universe  was thinking of this bird’s feed this cold snowy day,  way back in summer!

Oh my God, My Lord, my heart cried out……I know I am much more valuable than this little bird to you and You have carved my name in the palm of your hand!  The safest place I can ever be ……….He creates each one of us as uniquely as possible, with a unique purpose which He lets us discover as life unfolds.  Through the icy storms of life, Lord help us remember that you care about us and direct our steps. Nothing is a surprise to you, Jesus. Your Grace is sufficient….  He knows the end from the very beginning ….!