Dive Bombin' Male Cardinals

Remember my post about the blue heron?

Apparently this year, the male cardinal is the new feathered friend God is using to speak to my life.

It started in the Spring. There was a male and female that every day for weeks would visit our yard and chat. I don't mean just sing, I mean they would position themselves at the right angle so I could see them. One time they were so close they were on the deck and just talking away. To me. I'm not kidding.

One day I was pulling in the driveway after an odd act of obedience at Starbucks and the cardinals greeted me and flew with me until I parked, and I didn't see them for about a month.

This summer, it has been all about the male cardinal.

There was a male cardinal following me both times I was in Upstate NY. There is a male cardinal in our neighborhood that is often in our yard. I believe three times a cardinal has dive bombed me either while I'm driving or walking.

I am convinced this is a God message for me.

What's funnier, is it isn't just happening to me. Kim is experiencing the same thing, and so is a friend of ours, author Joy Chickonoski.

Our research so far has yielded the distinct ardinal call, which to some sounds like "pretty". This would be a good message as I know I struggle with self esteem issues. We've learned that the male is a defender and guard. That's a good thing to know as each of us are moving forward in ministry to places, people, and situations we've never known. There is a saying "new level, new devil" and for me, it's accurate. I hunger so deeply to know the Lord more intimately and each step forward seems like another blast into the wilderness.

Kim shared that the word cardinal, from Wikipedia, means:

The word cardinal comes from the Latin cardo for "hinge" and usually refers to things of fundamental importance, as in cardinal rule orcardinal sins.

Both Kim and I were both reading about Daniel and without the other knowing, wishing he were around to interpret this cardinal thing for us. I believe in His timing, we will know, and it will be good. This I know because He is good.

I just am thankful so far the dive bombing cardinals are not leaving me any messy presents!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."

You can also find Julie the third Thursday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.