It's incredible how many preconceived and misinformed ideas I have 
about God's creation. 

For example, I had this idea hummingbirds are always on the move, 
flitting from place to place. 

There is a group of hummingbirds that visit our backyard and do all 
of their expected aerobatic maneuvers with unceasing energy. All of 
them are humming around constantly except for one. This one hummingbird
flies down, sits on a bare branch, and simply sits there looking around. 

This has been going for the last week. It's almost like I want to yell 
at this bird and say, "Come on, start moving. What's wrong with you? Are 
you sick or just lazy? You're not doing what I think a hummingbird should 
be doing. Flap your wings a million times a minute like I think you're 
supposed to. Live up to my expectations of what it means to be a hummingbird." 

My expectation of what it means to love God and live the Christian life 
are very much like my expectations of hummingbirds. "Flap your wings a 
million times a minute and do what a Christian is supposed to do." It's 
hard to simply sit on a bare branch and look around. 

The busyness of life, even the Christian life, tells me there are times 
when I need to find a bare branch, simply sit there, and look around. 
This weekend, maybe you, too, can find a bare branch and simply sit there. 

By Glenn White