Bluebirds

"I want to see the sunshine after the rain
I want to see bluebirds flying over the mountains again
Oh, where is the silver lining shining at the rainbow's end?"

The words of this song were important to me over ten years ago, in a dance track (not the original) as I revised for a resit in Negligence Law. The words resurface occasionally in the soundtrack that plays in my head most of the time. They came back again recently:

The other morning I was sitting in the Edgehill Chapel with a couple of other people. We were sitting in silence, the sun was streaming through the windows, and the birds were singing in the trees outside. It was beautiful. It was peaceful.

Afterwards, someone commented on the birdsong. It brought to my mind a conversation many moons ago when a friend described their conversion. She said from that point she could hear the birds sing. She hadn’t been deaf before she met Jesus, it’s just that knowing him made birdsong sound different, better, in some way.

At the time I recall thinking, “I don’t ever remember a time when I couldn’t hear birds singing, when they didn’t minister to my soul in some way.” Of course, my friend’s experience is not going to be the case for every person, but I believe Christianity should in some way make you feel more alive. The Way can stand its ground through logical reasoning, but the element of ‘faith’ brings an experiential side that we often miss, and can be the difference between guilt and delight in our attitude to mission.

Most mornings I am woken by my phone at some horrendous time by a noise that does not overly impress my beloved. The words are as follows:

Everyday is a new day
I’m thankful for
Every breath I take
I won’t take you for granted (I won’t take you for granted)
So I learn from my mistakes
It’s beyond my control
Sometimes it’s best to let go
Whatever happens
In this lifetime
So I trust in love (so I trust in love)
You have given me
Peace of mind

I feel so alive For the very first time I can’t deny you I feel so alive I feel so alive For the very first time And I think I can fly (fly)

Sunshine upon my face (sunshine upon my face)
A new song for me to sing
Tell the world
How I feel inside (Tell the world how I feel inside)
Even though it might
Cost me everything
Now that I know this
So beyond, I can’t hold this
I can never
Turn my back away
Now that I’ve seen you (Now that I’ve seen you)
I can never look away.