An Eternity Of Birds ...

*heavy sigh* I am deeply sorry for having missed posting yesterday ... on the bright side, you get ^two^ posts today! ;D

[You are out on your afternoon walk (just before tea-time =) - there is a very light snow quietly drifting down, tenderly caressing the earth in it's placid merriment. You dust the whiteness from your coat, as you approach the door, and are almost instantly greeted by your effervescent child-sister; who is predicting, quite adamantly, that you will receive more birds today. You laugh to yourself as she begins naming possibilities (inwardly cringing at the word pigeon). Entering the 'Bird Cage' (which was formerly your study), you make your way around the cooing/clucking/calling/honking occupants, towards the window that overlooks the backyard. And there, as if to defy your {wishful} doubts, are ^seven^ svarns* a-swimming - it's as if they came down with the snowfall, they look so peaceful and white. You sigh with relief, to find that they do not match your sister's list of candidates. As you make your way to their location, your eye catches something bobbing in the water - you gently pull the note from the bottle and discover the significance of this gift.]

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a-swimming.

"Seven swans symbolize the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Just as baby swans grow and change from "ugly ducklings" into beautiful graceful birds, so do God's children grow and change through the work of the Holy Spirit. The various gifts of the Holy Spirit are distributed for the benefit of the entire body of Christ.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. ~ Romans 12:6-8"

*I have been having fun researching the different animals that take part in The Twelve Days of Christmas, and found that 'svarn' is Old Norse for 'swan'. Possessing a great fascination for languages, and a joy when it comes to learning new words, I thought perhaps some of you might enjoy it as I did. =)

Ta-ta,
Phia