My family has had a special relationship with cardinals for over twenty years. Ever since the day of my father’s funeral when my mother and I observed a male cardinal at a window frantically trying to get into the chapel at Queen of Peace Church. 

The bird kept flying up to the window, fluttering his wings and pecking at the glass. There was no one in the chapel, but we could see from the front pew of the church into the chapel. He was a beautiful bright red color. 

Later in the day, another male cardinal appeared at my mother’s house and spent time flying around the front porch. It was so noticeable that my mother came out on the porch to tell me about the morning’s church appearance. I told her that I noticed the cardinal in the same spot. It sent a shiver through my body. 

Now, neither of us were prone to believe that people come back to earth after death, but the number of cardinal appearances after a death is striking. For me, the sudden sighting of a bright red bird flying by my car in the morning offers an opportunity to remember my dad and his important place in my life. 

Well, now my mother is gone to heaven, this summer, we are being visited by a female cardinal. Oh, there is a bright red male who flies around, but it is the mother cardinal who frantically flies back and forth across the stairway, loudly calling out a warning to all who tread the stairs that we use every time we go to the car. 

They have a nest of little ones hidden away in the cedars that line the stairway. Mama makes a special effort to keep any intruders away. I can hear the little “cheeps” from the nest as I climb the stairs, but I cannot see the nest-try as hard as I can. She is a devoted mother. He is a vigilant father. 

Whenever I encounter the beautiful, wondrous creations that populate the earth, I am struck by the miracles that have taken place to have them in the world. These are creatures that have been created with love for comfort to other creatures. The processes necessary to bring them into the world are miracles! We cannot cause them to exist. 

Only a loving God; a God who loves you unconditionally; a God who loves all creatures unconditionally can cause these miracles to exist in this universe. Surrender to the God who loves you so much and enjoy the benefits of His love. The cardinals do. 

Terri