Eagles

 I feel like I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Perhaps it's because it is the landscape I have grown up with and it's home.

There is something about the nature in BC that reflects the glory and majesty in God in such a magnificent way. Whenever I look outside or am outside, I am overwhelmed with peace and often strongly feel God's presence. I can breathe easy and rest in Him.

 

I have been trying to stop and appreciate my surroundings more and to engage with it and one of those ways has been through photography and taking time to have photography dates with myself to get me out there, taking more pictures. To spur on my creativity and to take time to just rest and be and enjoy it. 

 

Anyway, right now is one of my favourite times of year as there are countless eagles in our backyard. I'm not sure where they've come from or where they're going, but for a few weeks each year, they like to hang out in the trees and fly around in the back. I love waking up in the mornings to see the eagles flying by the windows and I often find myself watching them in fascination. 

In Deuteronomy, when talking about Israel, there is a passage that compares God to an eagle in relation to them.

Deuteronomy 32:11 

Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
That hovers over its young,
He spread His wings and caught them,
He carried them on His pinions.

 

 

 I'm not completely knowledgeable about eagles, but I do know that in order to teach the babies to fly, the mother hovers over the nest, and makes the nest an uncomfortable place and pushes the birds out of the nest to teach them. Before the babies learn to fly, the eagle drops fast and catches the eagle on its wings. This happens continually until the babies learn to fly.

In some ways I feel like God is continually stirring up the nest and pushing me out. It gets comfortable and I don't want to leave, but God nudges me out. He doesn't abandon me but is continually there to catch me and walks alongside me as he teaches me things in the hard, uncomfortable moments. It is such a beautiful picture that reflects God's love and care for us. Thankful for the opportunity to grow even if I don't always know what's going on (as I'm flying out of the nest at a rapid pace), or if it's painful, I cling to God's goodness, grace and faithfulness. 

 

Have been reflecting on these things as I watch the eagles and enjoy their beauty and as I watch them soar with the wind (there's some other verses I could reference here..). 

Anyway, not much else- just wanted to share some photos of eagles, signs of life in winter and a few reflections on eagles. Take some time to enjoy the winter, whether it be snowy, sunny, hot or cold. Take time to stop and stand in awe and wonder at the beauty in God's creation and in how it reflects his character. 

 

Bold, Beautiful, Best

Before I start this post, I want to give a shout-out to my friend Dara. If you enjoy reading about topics of hair, beauty and spirituality, go check out her blog: www.hairsprayandholywater.com And now onto my story about hair. :)

A lot of people make records of significant firsts in their lives. Today was a day I want to mark and remember as a potential "last". And if it doesn't turn out to be a last, that's okay, but I want to remember it just in case.

Today was possibly the last haircut I will get from my mom.

I thought this had happened early last year, but since she's been feeling better, she was able to cut my hair. My mom became a hairdresser as a teenager and would travel around town, going to people's homes to cut their hair. After her hairdressing days were over, she would always cut my hair.

Every time I asked my mom to cut my hair, she would tell me that she couldn't do a good job and I should just go elsewhere to get it cut because they know what they're doing and she's not up on the latest trends. I always tell her I love what she does (except for the first five minutes after every cut when I tell her it's too short), I trust her (except for the times she's burned my head with the straightener), and I feel able to tell her if I don't like it or need something changed. And she understands how cutting curly hair works.

Anyway, as she cut my hair today, I thought of all the times she has cut my hair in the past.  There was the time when she just started cutting, followed by a giggle and proclamation of "Oops, I didn't even ask you how short you wanted it. Hope you want it short!" Or there was today's announcement, "I hope you don't shriek when you see your hair in the mirror." Definite confidence boosters.

As she cut my hair today, it was a really special time that I wanted to cherish. First off because I get this time with her and that is a beautiful thing. And there is something special about having your mom cut your hair anyway. And as she cut it, she told me that this was perhaps the best haircut she's ever given me. And I concur.

After cutting it, she asked if I had any hair dye so we could dye it and I ran upstairs to grab my box of dye that was bought in an impulsively bold moment at the store. Red. And so we went with it. As she says every time she dyes my hair, I should have bought two boxes because it won't cover my hair.. but everytime my hair is mostly the same colour, so I think we're good. 

 

To conclude our day of hairdressing, I love it. It's bold. And beautiful. I told my mom that we both have bold hairstyles now. :) And now when I look in the mirror, I adjust to the shock of seeing my hair shorter and a vibrant colour, but it reminds me of life and the need to embrace life and to live life boldly and loudly, jumping in. Who knows? My hair could have turned orange (thankfully it didn't, although I was a bit worried when the dye was on my head!). 

 A quote I came across today about passion stood out to me:

"Passion gives us the courage to take risks in order to pursue what we believe gives life meaning." -Elizabeth Conde-Frazier

Now obviously dying my hair red isn't the biggest risk in the world, but it is the reminder to risk and live boldly, even when we don't know the outcome. It's the reminder that although love is one of the greatest risks ever, it is a think of beauty and transforms one's life, amidst the laughter, sadness, joy and pain. On days when I want to shut off and hide away, I am reminded that this is the way to go and I need to fully engage.

Take the risk and with it will come something of deep beauty and meaning. Something I'm discovering more and more each day.

So, live boldly. Risk boldly. Love boldly.