Spring Songs

Yesterday I heard the spring song of a chickadee as I filled the bird feeders with sunflower seeds.

Phoebe    Phoebe    Phoebe  

Almost as if that little bird was perched on my shoulder -- it was so clear.  It seemed that even Ellis could have heard it if he had been there.  This sound is just out of his range of hearing.  The stories behind his hearing loss have something to do with a big fire cracker as a child and target practice without hearing protection as a young man.  One of the jobs he had involved feeding hungry pigs that screeched for their breakfast.   But the guys used hearing protection then.  Yes, I'm almost sure they did. 

At any rate, now he can't hear the spring song of the chickadee.     . . . or half of the things I say because I mumble.  =)  riding in a car and trying to have a conversation is very interesting when he is driving and I'm in the passenger seat.  You guessed it, the hearing loss is worse in his right ear.

We have had some go-arounds about this whole thing.  Sometimes I get seriously peeved - like really irritated, cross and annoyed all at the same time.  Ellis does too.  That would classify as a pity party wouldn't it?  Both of us have worked through this and it's much better than it used to be.  By this time you would think we'd be all grown up and past this type of behavior. 

Maybe this is a continual work like the verses in Philippians 2:12, 13 . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.    

Since God is working with me I am trying to memorize this math *problem* in II Peter 1.  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord . . .  giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

I am thankful -- God doesn't give up on me.