Before the rain stopped Bessie looked to the East as the sun began to rise and saw a faint rainbow over the tree line. The rainbow brought her much happiness and hope that morning as she slowly walked to the kitchen for a cup of tea. The old, sick woman enjoyed few pleasures during the last five years of her life due to pain and suffering from leukemia, but after she saw the rainbow another surprise delighted her weary eyes. You see, each morning after breakfast, Bessie sat on her back porch to feed and observe the birds in her yard. For years she tried to get birds to eat peanuts from her hand but they were wild and skittish. After seeing the rainbow that morning, Bessie was determined to experience the joy of feeding a bird from her feeble hand. With a song in her heart and some peanuts in her hand, Bessie waited. The Blue Jays were aggressive and ate nuts on the porch near her chair as they did every morning. Then, a White-Breasted Nuthatch spied the outstretched hand, latched onto Bessie’s index finger and ate the small morsels. The blessing was over in a few seconds but the touch of the Nuthatch on her finger was more than incredible. Bessie treasured the glorious experience and before she died she encouraged her grandchildren to feed the birds from their hands, and told them not to give up. It was twenty years later, when Peggy walked through a forest at a nearby park on a cold winter morning. With some peanuts in her pocket and a fond memory in her heart, she thought about grandma Bessie feeding a Nuthatch from her hand and she slowly stretched out her arm. As the snow began to fall, several birds gathered on the tree branches and Peggy stood still and waited. Peggy became impatient after 20 minutes, and then it happened. A small Nuthatch landed on her index finger and ate from her hand and her grandma’s story came alive with wonder and joy. The legacy passed on to Peggy’s children and grandchildren and an old woman’s joy became a blessing to all who would reach out their hand. Could it be that God’s presence is like an open hand waiting for us to come to Him? I believe people enjoy blessings every day but often forget to thank God for them. Let us reflect upon our many blessings today and give thanks to the Holy One who is waiting patiently for all of His children to come to Him. For there is no difference between Jew and gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” (Romans 10:12-13) NIV.