February 7th - Bearing fruit and sensing them?

The story...

My dad and I shared many things in common - he passed on to the next life.  I inherited some of his physical features, picked up some of his habits, learned some of his life principles, yet there are some traits that reflect more of our inner man.  For example, we both were compelled to do cross-word puzzles, eat sardines out of the can, and find enjoyment from feeding the birds.  This is my bird feeding scene at present.

It's the only bird feeder, that I know of, in this "neck of the woods."  I was surprised that I had a need to show you a picture with the variety of red-headed wood peckers that are often there - vanity?  Yet, this picture reflects more of how the scene normally looks.  I truly love the birds that congregate here and sense this in my inner-man.   It costs me money, time, and space to provide this bird sanctuary and sometimes I'm concerned about them.  Hawks and owls can grab them, two chickadees were clamped into the squirrel protection device, fierce weather, and even my neglect to refill the feeders may have caused my bird friends to doubt me. I obviously don't watch them continuously.  Yet when I do spend my time focusing on them; love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness and self-control seem to ooze out of my inner man.  

I wonder what God experiences when he focuses on the only church in town where those he loves congregate, worship and praise Him? 

Just for today...

"...I always compared myself to others, particularly my family members, and vowed to be better than them.  I sought the elation of winning and wanted to be praised.  My constant  comparing and competing gradually edged most people out of my life.  Ultimately I was not even good enough for myself, and attitude that led me to harsh self-abuse."  Hope for Today (p. 38)