Snow Owls

When you face heartbreaking circumstances in life, how does your heart react? 

My first reaction is anger. I admit, I put up a wall in my heart, refusing to even turn my thoughts to God or think of his unfailing love and soverign purposes because frankly, I just want to be stubborn and try to figure it out on my own.

When this passes, the tears flow and my heart realizes I have absolutely no hope, joy, peace, or purpose unless I cry out to God at that very moment, turning my heart back to Him.

The amazing thing is he accepts this wayward heart back each time, this heart of little faith, this heart of broken vows.

How do people face this life on Earth without the hope of Jesus? Without feeling His presence, knowing his faithfulness?

I do not know what will happen in the next moment, yet God knows every detail of life, and these plans are for good, not to harm, to bring a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

We, as fragile humans, just will never understand the ways of God. This God who created every twinkling star, every colorful bird, every grain of sand, every dazzling sunset also made us. He knows how many hairs are on our head (Luke 12) and every thought before you think it. (Psalm 139). How amazing to know He loves us with unfailing love, enough to offer us His gift of grace, which we are so unworthy. (Romans 8:38, Ephesians 2:8, 4:7)

Who am I to question God? 

Yesterday, when I was going through the anger phase of reacting to heartbreaking news, I was outside at recess with my 2nd graders. 


I noticed a group of black, ugly crows circling us overhead and wondered what they were doing. I also couldn't help but think what a hideous bird they are-so black and the noise they make is not exactly beautiful or sing-song like other birds.

One of my sweet girls walked to me, grabbed my hand and said, "Mrs. Friel, did you see the beautiful snow owls?" Thinking she was playing an imaginary game, I exclaimed, "No! Where are they? I must see!"

She leaned her head back turned her gaze to the black crows, and said, "They are there, Mrs. Friel, flying above us. They are beautiful snow owls taking flight, flying on that breeze up there. I think they like to watch us play."

As she ran off to play, my anger wall broke down and I was glad I was standing by myself. God used that little girl to remind me that there is beauty all around us, even when our life circumstances seem black and dark like the crows.

Snow Owls are truly beautiful. Another little girl in my class brings books into class and makes paper snow owls. She wanted to learn more so I looked them up on Arkive.org and we looked at photos and videos of this majestic animal.

Our lives are truly beautiful as well. God gives us treasures of beauty, even on those dark days. May we be wise enough to see this beauty around us, to pray for an open heart and eyes to see this beauty even on the darkest, hardest days.

Psalm 27:4 "One thing that I ask of the Lord: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life (dwell in His presence), to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, delighting in the Lord's perfections." 
(NIV and NLT).