Hoping for a bit of inspiration as I sit here this morning with my post-surgery foot propped up on a pillow, I open my Bible in rather random fashion and am pleased to discover three small feathers. One is brilliant green, the other two are iridescent blue. The date “2018” is written on the page where these feathers are nestled, and judging from the passage in Isaiah where I put them, the boys and I were reading Lord Byron’s poem “The Destruction of Sennacherib” that morning in our backyard in Peru. It was one of those satisfying homeschooling moments when history, literature and the Bible dovetailed perfectly, albeit with no actual planning on the part of the teacher. 

The homeschooling inspiration was quickly forgotten, however, when Danny found the three brilliant feathers, tiny souvenirs from the sparkling violetear hummingbird that made his home in our backyard capulí tree. Yes, we were awed by the Isaiah 37 account of God’s complete power over the enemies of his people, but we were even more impressed by the absolute beauty that he chose to give to this diminutive bird. 

I keep the three brilliant feathers in the pages of my Bible as a source of inspiration. From time to time I need to be reminded of God’s love and care for all of his creation. At other times I need the reminder that God is present in even the most mundane tasks of our daily lives… as anyone who has homeschooled for several years will understand. 

This morning, as I struggle with feelings of being stuck - confined to this chair because of a broken foot - waylaid in the U.S. due to unforeseen circumstances - mired in the bleak, gray landscape between seasons - these three brilliant feathers hidden in the pages of my Bible inspire me to look for sparkles of beauty hidden all around me. And I know that I will find them, because our amazing Creator God, whose very heavens declare his glory, has made everything beautiful in its time.