Early in the morning, you hear the most beautiful music in all of the world; it is the sound of birds singing to welcome a new day. Often, I hear them out on the porch even before daybreak. In the darkness, they begin to serenade the day. These creatures do not know what this new day will bring. They only know that the gift of morning is upon them, and they rejoice in song.
Like these extraordinary little birds, we do not know what each day will bring. But when we open our hearts to the gift set before us, we too can find the music that plays deep within our souls. The truth is, we each hear a slightly different tune. That is because God has placed a unique blend of chords within our hearts. The mystery of life is that we each offer a song that is unlike any other ever sung before; no one else can replace the music each one of us brings to the world.
When I was a very little girl, my great-grandmother would let me play with her jewelry box. It was a music box, and two dancers twirled when you opened the top. How I loved that box! Not long before she passed away when I was twelve years old, my great-grandmother gave me that jewelry box.
I have that music box still, and the music is the same as it was when I played it with my Nani. I have never again seen another box like this one, and it came from somewhere in the South Seas. For me, it is a one of a kind masterpiece, something I could never replace with a newer or more beautiful version. The little dancers were lost somewhere along the way, but the music has not changed.
Life is kind of like opening that music box. You open that box and a thousand dreams come to you. I am not the same as that little girl of yesteryear, but I can still dream, still cling to the magic of wonderment.
A New Year will soon be upon us. Each one of us is a finely crafted masterpiece of the Heavenly Father. He longs for us to open our own box of dreams and to sing our own songs.
Sometimes, we must begin to sing even in the darkness of fear, pandemics, moments of melancholy. Perhaps, that is when we must sing the loudest…if only to defy the darkness.
God’s light is with us, radiating within our souls. it is luminous, and comes to us new each and every day. We must cling to that light, and let the music within our souls spill out into the world.
It is almost the New Year, 2022. There is not a moment to waste. I hear the soft chirping outside my window. I see the flutter of delicate wings. The rose-colored dawn stirs my heart in thanksgiving. Like those tiny dancers that twirled so beautifully, my soul yearns also to dance.
At the first light of day, the music begins and there is a flutter within my very heart; it is as if an angel’s wings brushed against my being. I hear the beat, soft and steady; now is the time to sing, now is the time to open that box of a thousand dreams and begin…
Isaiah 43:19: “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
This…”Sometimes, we must begin to sing even in the darkness of fear, pandemics, moments of melancholy. Perhaps, that is when we must sing the loudest…if only to defy the darkness.”…says it all!
Yes! We have all been through so much…separated from friends and family for long periods of time. We absolutely must sing and greet the dawn with high hopes!
A beautiful piece of writing and the photos are beautiful as well. Thank you Linda.
Thank you! Wishing you all good things in the New Year!
Well put! The birds greet the day with song, depending on the Father completely for every need. We should do the same.
So true! God knows our every need long before we know ourselves…There is much we can learn from the songbirds God has placed within our midst.
You have a marvelous gift of writing, Linda. Have you ever thought of recording your reflection? Just a thought.
That’s an excellent idea, Rebecca!
Something to think about! 🙂
I’m glad you’re receptive to the idea, Linda!
Thank you! I can honestly say that I have never given that a thought! But, it is something to contemplate… 🙂 I do love your readings and I often think of them long after I have heard them. I believe that you have a gift for this particular thing. In fact, it is quite enchanting…
I look forward to hearing your voice! Let me know if you would like to be a guest on my podcast!
I second or third the idea! 🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂
much wisdom and such lovely photos, here too the birds welcome the new day even before the sun rises … we are so blessed 🙂
Yes! The birds teach us so much about life. They are a great gift from God to us…They remind us to celebrate each day with a thankful heart. 🙂
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they sure do!
Loved, “chords within the heart”. It’s all about listening. Thank you, Linda. God’s grip – Alan
Yes! There is a great art to ‘listening’. It is easy to get distracted by all the other ‘noise’ out there. 🙂
Waking to the sound of birdsong is one of life’s greatest pleasures! Thank you for the reminder.
It is always a happy thing! 🙂
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This is a lovely story, Linda. A joy to read.
It was a joy to write! I feel so blessed to have grown up in a tight-knit family with so much love. I have such fond memories of my childhood…blessed to spend so much time with my extended family members. I try now to spend as much time as I can with all of my children and grandchildren. The gift of our time is perhaps the greatest gift we can give.
Oh indeed! I didn’t have all that myself, but God then blessed me with a large family of my own. 🙂
You are blessed in a myriad of ways and your poems reflect that beautifully!
I know it’s time for me to sing a new song. The old vinyl record is kind of stuck. That’s quite a challenge Linda as life has been hard for quite a few years now. Thanks for the push.
We all need that push from time to time. We have been through some rough seas in these last few years. Over Labor Day weekend, my entire family came down with breakthrough Covid 19 infections. My husband is a diabetic and had to have the antibody infusion. My mother who is 87 was sick for two weeks and overcame it. All the while, I was sick myself and trying to take care of everyone. I did feel like I was in a deep sea of trouble. I thank God we all came through it. My husband suffered from long hauler Covid for three months, but seemed to do better after the booster shot. I understand that feeling of being ‘stuck’, and I do hope that feeling lifts for you in the New Year. My prayers are with you now and in the coming days. You have been a bright light for me many times as I read your posts…especially on some of those ‘sticky’ days.
Linda, you have described the nature and its bounties so beautifully. Was a treat to read. <3
Thank you! I wish you all good things in the New Year soon to be! 🙂
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Oh Linda, that verse from Isaiah moves me so. My family desperately needs a couple of miracles in the coming year and Isaiah 43:19 bears that assurance.
Praying for those miracles! We do have that assurance that God is always with us. That particular verse assures us that nothing is impossible with God…He will make a way for us.
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Beautiful post, Linda. I loved your story of the music box and how precious it was, and is, to you. A beautiful metaphor for the first light of day and of the new year. Peace.
So much joy is in the little things! I think sometimes if we focus on the little things, the bigger things are so much easier. I reflect on the birds and how they simply start their day…with a beautiful song. In the early morning dawn, it feels as if anything is possible. But our hearts must be open to it. It is as if we must pause each and every day remembering that this is an altogether new day…one that has never been before, and will never be ever again. I wish you peace also…Happy New Year! 🙂
That’s an important reflection, especially as we age. Those minutes only come once, and the don’t go on forever. Wishing you a marvelous new year, Linda.
I’ve experienced moments when music has carried us choral (or ensemble) participants to the gates of heaven as various notes of harmony weave in and out around the melody. Music is such a precious gift God has given us, lifting our spirits in ways that words alone cannot. “Where words fail, music speaks,” said Hans Christian Andersen. Perhaps that’s part of the reason we love to hear birdsong!
You are so right…I do not know where we would be without music! It does lift our spirits and brings us so much joy. Wishing you all good things in the New Year. Keep singing your songs that bring so much happiness to others. Hans Christian Anderson was very wise.
Your post evokes many contemplative thoughts. A good way to close one year and begin another. Thank you Linda! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! 🙂 We need to start the New Year on a good note! Wishing you blessings in the year to come!
Just lovely, Linda! You made me feel very hopeful about 2022…with God, anything is possible. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! 🙂
Such lovely reflections. I love waking to birdsong, too. It’s so cool you still have that special music box.
Beautiful photos, too.
Thank you! Listening to the birds is such a wonderful thing…they are a spark of joy!
I agree!
God’s peace continues to stir in our faith as we carry forward it with hope.
Yes! God’s peace sustains us through all things!