hummingbirds vs. vultures

Have you ever stopped to think about a hummingbird?

I rarely rarely ever did and still rarely do.  Yet, an analogy that a friend gave to me a year ago has stuck with me and has recently come up.

He said, "Hummingbirds search for the sweet things in life.  They search out and choose only the sweetest of flowers.  On the other side of things, vultures will circle and wait until something dying is totally dead.  They search for the dead things in life."

and then he said, "Be a hummingbird.  Don't get consumed with people's bad points or the areas where people aren't cutting it.  Be a hummingbird and look for the good things, the sweet things in people.  Be an encourager first and always."

So this summer has been difficult for me.  Harder than I could imagine.  I had expectations (darn those stinkin' things! They always get me into trouble) and my expectations haven't been met.  For a dreamer I'm always surprised at how sometimes I can't let go of things.  You'd think I'd be more "go with the flow" but no, I'm kind of a dreamer as in, "it's gonna go this way!"

But things in life don't always follow my plans and deep down inside I'm thankful (truly) for that.  But it takes me away to let go of my dreams and expectations.

So I was having a rough day.  I'd cried once already and was on the verge of crying again.  I hadn't gotten super sweet indepth sharing our deepest hearts desires with the girls on the team... and I hadn't really figured out who I wanted to get to know better from the BEST club with a dwindling three weeks remaining.  So I was pity-partying... yes, I know, sad but true.  I had this inner battle of "Let go!" and "No!" ha ha ha

And then this friend's words came back to me and I realized.

I am such a vulture! I look for the dead things in life (including unmet expectations) and I focus on those dead things.

So I don't want to be a vulture anymore.  I want to get a BIG FAT picture of a hummingbird and stamp it on my forehead.  I seriously don't want to be this silly vulture anymore.

Let's all focus on each other's sweet things and encourage those sweet things... and the dead things, the annoying habits, and the unmet expectations... let's just leave those to the Lord, shall we?

Hummingbird.