The Baby Phoenix

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So I told you all about my new bird feeder (see post: Seeds for the Soul)? Seems like some of the birds are getting a mite picky.

The finches love their sunflower seeds. It’s that darn wren. He seems to have developed an advanced palate.

I have a bib my daughter used many years ago. On the front of it is the phrase: “Picky, Picky, Picky.” And she was, so it was a perfect sentiment. Now I have to restrain myself, with every ounce of my being, from dashing out there and throwing it on that uppity little gourmand.

Up to the perch it comes, and starts the selection process. It’s like he’s on a Quality Control conveyor belt. Especially heinous are the corn niblets. His bird beak tips in the air like it smelled something horrid, tossing the offending tidbit to the ground.

Pick, flip. Pick, flip. I have quite a healthy corn crop budding under the feeder.

Rejected, buried, reborn. Tossed aside, pushed down in the dirt, transformed into a new creation. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

How many times do we undergo the pain of rejection, loss or failure? How many times are we buried so deep, it feels like we’ll never breathe again?

Jesus showed us that pain can be transforming. But we have to make the decision to rise up again.

She is tossed aside by her boyfriend of three years. She thought this guy was ‘the one.’ Never saw it coming. He says, “It’s not the same.” And it’s all gone.

She is thrown down so hard that she buries herself in Rocky Road and old weepy movies. Her wrists invite carpal tunnel syndrome from all the texts she sends, asking what went wrong.

It seems like the end, but it’s really the middle, and after a while she sees that too. All the Kleenex is gone, she’s up three pounds and her wrist’s in a splint, but she’s ready to be reborn. It’s going to be okay. She’s going to be stronger.

The mother watches her little one stands up for a breathless second, before he plops back down on his diaper and starts to cry. And that’s the end of standing for about three days. But like a Baby Phoenix, he rises from the ashes of the hallway tiles and stands again. This time it’s for four seconds followed by a great big grin. And the cycle continues.

1) Thrown down

2) Buried

3) Reborn

Maybe steps 1 and 2 are inevitable, but step 3 is all about choice. The worries, bad things, challenges and problems can knock us down and bury us up to our necks. But they can’t make us reborn. Being reborn is a process that is accomplished through the Lord. We have to decide to rise and then, through our resolve to try again, God assists in our rebirth.

I’m going to let that corn grow. It’s a good reminder to pray every day to the Lord, “Please raise me up as a new, better version of myself. I’ve been thrown down and buried, but I want to get up again. Yes Lord, I’m ready.”



Linking today with: Faith Filled Friday , Bible Love Notes , Faithful Friday , Essential Fridays

48 thoughts on “ The Baby Phoenix ”

  1. Yep, I have definitely been there many, many times, but you hit the nail right on the head when you said, “…we have to make the decision to rise up again.” Pain can be transforming and often when things are going well in life we don’t grow in our relationship wit the Lord. It’s easy to become complacent when everything is okay, but when pain or something difficult comes along than that is when we grow and become even more beautiful for Jesus. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s well worth it in the end. Wonderful post, sweet Ceil! Have an amazing weekend.

    Much love!

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    • Hi Sister! So glad you could relate to the post, I know we have all had our crosses to bear. It’s hard to get up again sometimes!

      You have a great holiday weekend too!
      Ceil

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    • Hi Ann! Nice to meet you!

      You are sure right, I am glad God isn’t a picky bird! I love that he accepts all and loves all. That’s quite a model for me!

      Happy Friday!
      Ceil

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  5. “Maybe steps 1 and 2 are inevitable, but step 3 is all about choice”…AMEN! Such a TRUTH filled post, Ceil. I love the way you tie spiritual truth into the things we come across in our every day lives. The applications are wonderful!

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    • Hi Dianna! Thank you so much Dianna, you are such an encourager to me. I am so glad that you found some truth in the post today.

      I try to see God in everything I do and see, and it’s not easy. I don’t do it all the time, but I’m trying! Having faithful blog friends like you really motivates me. So happy we met!

      Have a great weekend!
      Ceil

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  6. Our daily lives have so many things that point us back to the truth of God’s Word. I love the connection between the bird and how we often find ourselves feeling rejected. Hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend Ceil.

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    • Hi Wanda! So glad you liked the post today. I know there have been so many times that I felt ‘buried’ and had to use the grace of God to get that power to try again.

      Blessings :)
      Ceil

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    • Hi Nan! The corn is up to my thigh already. It’s such a delight to see it. And you have that too? That is so amazing.

      So glad you liked the post. I hope you are doing well.
      Have a great weekend!
      Ceil

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    • HI Marcie! How lovely it is to meet a new blog-friend! Thank you so much for joining me here. Now we can get to know each other better.

      Yes, If I will make the effort, he will help me up. It’s that ‘effort’ that is my problem sometimes. I need to have the faith and desire!

      Have a good weekend!
      Ceil

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  10. Oh Ceil,

    I had no idea about the baby phoenix so I went to Wikipedia hehe, but how awesome this bird. and I encouraged how you wrote it with how God teaching us, mold us, and shaping us through the hard and long process sometimes, but Beautiful Ending :)

    Thanks for sharing Ceil. Anyway, I always go to google translate ( i found new words) and Wikipedia like almost each time I read your post… haha.

    I come here to be encouraged and learn. Have a beautiful day friend :)

    Delvalina

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    • HI Delvalina! I don’t doubt you have to look things up, the English language is so tricky, and we have sayings that I are not universal. Thank you so much for trying, and being such a good friend. I really appreciate it!

      I hope we will both have those ‘beautiful endings’.
      Ceil

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    • Hi Bonnie! It’s always fun to meet new blog-friends!

      I know, that bird is very sure of himself. (Notice that I just assume he’s a male!)
      So glad you enjoyed the post.

      Hope to see you again, it would be nice to get to know you better :)
      Ceil

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  13. What a powerful and beautiful post. I can say nothing except, really this sums it up perfectly. The process, the choice…and the power…oh , He gives us the power to make that choice. Without Him, I wonder for those without. I know the difference. The will can only go so far, but His grace, mercy and love do give us wings we never knew we had! Love this. ANd I love watching the birds at my feeder as well! Good teachers, yes?

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    • Hi Dawn! Oh my, thank you so much for your kind words. It’s always a blessing when someone is touched by what you write, isn’t it? I know you are so faithful, and have the learned the difference in being with him or without.

      You know, those darn birds have taught me a lot! LOL!
      Ceil

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  15. “Please raise me up as a new, better version of myself. I’ve been thrown down and buried, but I want to get up again. Yes Lord, I’m ready.”

    ..amen amen amen….thank You Lord God for this day…Ceil, thank you for standing in the gap and praying for my family..((hugs)) blessings.

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    • HI Angela! Thank you so much for encouraging me so much. I really appreciate it!

      I am honored to pray for you and your family, Angela. Be sure to keep us all updated.

      Peace in Christ,
      Ceil

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    • Hi Heather Leigh! Thank you for visiting me here, and joining the blog too. I do have a love for Jesus, and I’m always happy to make new blog-friends.

      Have a good Labor Day!
      Ceil

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  18. Amen, Ceil! We must die daily to our old sin nature before our spiritual self can rise up with new life. And one day our physical bodies will die as we put on incorruption and immortality in our new spiritual bodies — come quickly Lord Jesus! Beautiful post.
    God bless,
    Laurie

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  19. This is a good word, Ceil! Yes it is up to us to rise up again after being knocked down. I have always been an optimist – it’s just my nature – so I am all about rising up again. I know there are many who, being knocked down, just don’t have it in them to try again. I pray they will ask God for strength to believe and try one more time!

    Thanks for the visits to my blog this week. You are always an encouragement – so glad we met in cyberspace!

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    • Hi Jerralea! I am so glad that you liked the post. You are so blessed to be optimistic, sometimes I can get pretty down on myself. I will be a recipient of your prayers. Thank you!

      I enjoy visiting your blog, Jerralea. I am so happy that we are blog-friends too :)
      Ceil

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  20. It’s the middle. Those words are powerful, especially when we can remember that God knows the beginning and the end. Thanks Ceil for once again, “hitting home”. Blessings, dear Sister. Dina ()

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    • Hi Dina! I like your comment about God being the beginning and the end. Yes, that’s right. And here we are in the middle, trying to rise to the next step.

      Thank you for your always insightful comments, Dina.
      Ceil

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  21. What a strong and encouraging word! No one wants to go through these dark times in our lives, but as a christian, God will bring us through stronger than ever! I have been rejected(divorce after 30yrs), Cancer(pancreatic), to name a few…..but my faith is strong and what Satan meant for evil, God has given back and restored! Praise his name! Let the weak say I am strong! Blessings~~~Roxie

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    • Hi Roxie! Oh my gosh, you have had some really tough challenges in your life. I had no idea. How beautiful that you have that strong faith to lean on. I am just in awe of you!

      I will say that you are strong :)
      Ceil

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  22. Oh Ceil. This was such an amazing post! I laughed at your imagery of the picky wren. I could just see him in my mind. And the image of the corn growing at the bottom of the feeder.

    And then I cried at the hurt of a broken heart. The pain of rejection, the sting of not really knowing why. Been there, felt that.

    And a teary smile at the halting steps of a new toddler attempting to toddle into the big new world.

    What a wonderful spiritual lesson you have drawn from all of these images. I am greatly blessed by what you shared.

    Yes, Lord – raise me up, too.

    GOD BLESS!

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    • Hi Sharon! Thank you for your description of reading the post. Wow. It’s such a blessing for me to hear that someone likes the post. It really is wonderful, as I am sure you know too :)

      Have a wonderful holiday today, Sharon.
      Ceil

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  24. Amen! What words you have spun into a fine post, Ceil. God’s Truth is the best. And we grow and learn as we go through the “stuff”. I wish that weren’t so, but we know better.
    Glad I stopped by for I have been blessed, ~ linda

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