I sat on my deck contemplating what to write for this week’s blog. The warm sunshine and the bright blue sky complimented by timid green leaves of spring made the perfect setting to write. That in itself was exciting, but then, I was thrilled to see six orioles at the bird feeder! I had been trying for years to attract orioles and hummingbirds, and this year, I have both! I stopped thinking about the blog and watched the flurry of activity at the feeder. The beautiful birds lingered at the feeder, flew to a nearby pine tree and back to the feeder again and again.
As I watched the bright orange and black entertainment, I noticed something odd. The male orioles ate while their female counterparts waited for their turn to slurp the sweet grape jelly. One female oriole ventured to an empty place, but before she could even get her beak into the tasty purple jelly, one male bird chided loudly in bird language, “Find your own place!” Which she did – in the nearby pine tree.
The scene reminded me of a time my teen girlfriend and I sat down with her family for supper. We were just about to eat when my friend’s brother entered the kitchen. He glared at my friend. “Find your own place,” he demanded. “You know this is my spot!”
Okay, I thought, this is awkward.
My friend piped up, “I don’t see your name on the chair!”
Then their mom stepped in. “All right you two. Stop.”
The brother begrudgingly grabbed an extra chair, slid in at the table and flopped down.
My mind snapped back to the task at hand – my blog, ironically titled, “Find Your Own Place.” But then, my mind drifted to job fairs, and how eager and hopeful college students look to find their niche in the work world ~ their own pace to earn a living.
I thought about my church that is having a ‘ministry’ fair on Sunday, May 22. Several different ministries will be displayed, and people will meander from table to table looking for their own place to plug in. The tables will be staffed with enthusiastic people eager to explain the many different opportunities to be a part of their church. Some will look for areas to serve that are familiar; some will seek a new ministry to stretch themselves beyond their comfort zone; and some will look to where the need is greatest.
Enthusiasm will run high, for sure. It is for me. I just know I will find my own place to serve God as I serve others. And I’m sure that I will be more thrilled than watching orioles at my bird feeder, too. I’m certain that everyone there will find their own place to plug in!
Sometimes the words, “Find Your Own Place” may have negative connotations as it did with the orioles and with my friend and her brother. But then, those same words could be a motivation to spur people on to greater opportunities to make a difference ~ not only on planet Earth, but for eternity.
“Okay, Rita, you have got to focus on what you’re going to blog about,” I chided myself. “You’ve got the title, ‘Find Your Own Place,’ now what to write? hmm?