Photo credit: Robert Dekker (used with permission)
How often do we let the day go by without pausing to notice the beauty around us? Being so focused on the next task, a thousand decisions occupying our minds as we blindly move through life, passing a million works of art in our surrounding world, without the slightest acknowledgement of their beauty and complexity.
The daily drive out the long, dusty farm road gives plenty of time for getting lost in the 'to do's' of the day ahead. Once lost to our thoughts, it can be almost impossible to wade out to return to the real world. Very occasionally, a flash of colour or a sudden movement can break through the suffocating entanglement of contemplation to set us free.
The double-barred finches dart between stalks from the golden crop growing in the surrounding fields, providing shelter from the heat of the sun as it makes it's steady ascent through the clear blue sky. These tiny birds seem quite plain, their simple brown and white plumage blending into their surroundings. But something about them causes me to pause.
Turning off the ignition of my old ute, covered in the red dust that announces it's coming down the well-worn dirt track, I sit and watch their petite frames jump playfully through the stalks of wheat and grass, up and over the old wooden fence that does nothing to contain these wild creatures. How peaceful is their sound! The 'peeping' of their call to one another a gentle melody in the still and quiet of the mid-morning hush at the farm road. Their delicate faces, pure white against the red earth surrounding them, is framed in an elegant black ring - highlighting the beauty and perfection within as eyeliner is used to emphasise the beauty of the gaze within. The tiny, jet-black wings, moving at a speed undetectable to the eye when in flight, is intricately decorated with hundreds of perfect, tiny white spots, like glittering sequins adorning the most beautiful wedding dress. A subtle splash of indian red across the back adds a delightful burst of colour to this stunning little creature, completing the tiny masterpieces playing together as I watch through the ute's battered old windshield.
As these stunning little birds jolt me out of my thoughts to see the beauty in what seemed so ordinary, I lift my eyes to the clear blue sky above. How often do I let the days go by without noticing the beauty around me, without thanking the One who designed and formed every beautiful thing for us to enjoy? I am reminded of the countless blessings of my Creator, in each moment bringing light and life and joy in the little things that I so often miss, wrapped up in the busyness I create for myself. Thankful for these tiny distractions, I turn the ignition, eyes open to the beauty around me and praising my Heavenly Father for the reminder of His love. Driving off, the list of 'to do's' of the day drip back into my thoughts... they no longer seem as urgent or all-consuming, as I thank my LORD for the gift of today with the reassurance He has it all under control.
The finch is depicted front-on, modestly concealing the the exquisite pattern of his wings, which can just be seen tucked behind his tiny body. At first glance, the little bird seems quite plain, but on second glance the viewer notices the notes of colour dancing across the small shoulder of wing in view, drawing them in to study the other details of this little bird - the reds and yellows of his plumage, the elegant black outlines framing his face and chest, the deep chestnut of his inquisitive gaze. The viewer is encouraged to look beyond first glance, to enjoy the beauty in the details of this stunning masterpiece of God's Creation.