“The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.” (Psalm 104:12)
When I think back on my childhood, some of my fondest memories are visiting my Mamaw on her little farm in northeast Texas. Mamaw loved the Lord and loved to garden, she always canned the vegetables she grew. My cousins and I would go visit during school breaks, where she kept us busy outside picking green beans and gathering eggs. As my Aunt Vicki says, “Mamaw was organic before organic was cool.” Back then, I don’t think I really appreciated the homegrown, home-cooked meals that she made for us, but today I would love to have those freshly canned vegetables in my pantry.
Mamaw didn’t only love gardening, she loved flowers, and I think irises were her favorite. It seems every home they lived in had irises in the flowerbeds. She also had a gift for writing poems about her family, and through the years, she wrote a poem about each one of her children and grandchildren. Another love she had was for birds and the pleasure she got from the sweet songs they would sing. I remember her having two or three parakeets, and it seemed like they were singing all the time. She loved to relax and listen to them sing throughout the day. It wasn’t until I was incarcerated that I came to fully understand the love my Mamaw had for God’s creation.
I had been incarcerated for approximately four years, when I got moved to the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas. This unit is not like the typical prisons in the Texas Criminal Justice system, which are usually made up of white cinderblock buildings. The majority of the buildings on the Mountain View unit are red brick buildings similar to dormitories. The grass is green and luscious, with flower beds overflowing with flowers, and towering trees that line the administration and education buildings. If it was not for the razor wire surrounding the perimeter, one might think they were visiting dormitories at a university rather than a maximum security prison. However, even amongst this serene environment, prison can still be a cold and lonely place.
As I reflect back on my time at the Mountain View unit, I realize that I faced some of the worst storms of my incarceration during that year and a half. Even though great hardships, which included testifying against a correctional officer and a custody battle over my youngest children, God continued to show His love in unexpected ways. Whether it was cards of encouragement from friends and loved ones who weren’t even aware of all of the storms, or birds that would perch outside the dorms singing to the top of their lungs, I could feel God’s love through it all bringing me hope and comfort. Almost daily I was woken to the sounds of birds singing, it seemed as if these birds were outside my window singing their sweet songs just for me. I had no clue what types of birds were singing, I only knew it was God’s way of reassuring me that He would be with me and that He would never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 1:5). Their delightful melodies brought me such peace and reminded me of my Mamaw and her love for God’s adorable feathered creations.
As my parole came near, questions would flood my mind concerning my future. Where would I go upon release? How would I find a job? What about a church home? These questions seem to bombard my mind, until one day while walking across the prison yard, I happened to notice a bird singing in a tree right above my head. Truthfully, I’m surprised he was able to get my attention with all these questions consuming my thoughts. As I stood there observing this bird, God brought a scripture to my heart from Matthew 6:26-27. “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet Your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” I couldn’t help but chuckle, a smile came over my face, and I thanked God for that beautiful reminder of how He will always provide for me.
In His faithfulness, God continues to send feathered friends my way. Recently my husband and I purchased a new home. It wasn’t long after we moved in, I noticed a familiar sound coming from our living room. “Tweet, tweet.” I paused a moment to listen again. “Tweet, tweet.” I ambled towards the living room expecting to encounter a bird flying around, but to my surprise, my little friends had settled outside on our chimney, singing enthusiastically. It was like they were putting on a concert just for me and we are delighted to find this happens quite often. There are many times I mute the television so I can share their sweet sounds with my grandchildren, allowing me to pass on to them some of the things my Mamaw shared with me. I pray that they too will be able to see and appreciate the beautiful evidence of God’s love displayed throughout all His creation.
Pauline Clevenger
Today’s post is dedicated to my wonderful grandmother, Pauline Clevenger. I hope I can be half the inspiration to my grandchildren as she was to me.
