I saw him for a brief moment, flying up from the ground, his every wing flap changing the soft air around him, and the glowing light, gold, peach and magenta colors reflected on the cloud-like air around him. I instantly knew that this was not on earth.
He had come into my life right when I needed him the most, through my dear friend, Élizabeth. She settled on naming him 'Ting, after a conversation with a friend of hers who almost scolded her for daring to name her lovebird Anointing - I mean, was he supposed to be a pastor or some religious leader?! So she settled on the last four letters: 'Ting.
I was privileged to birdsit Baby 'Ting several times and he instantly brought joy to our home! Not three months later, Élizabeth had come to realize that she wasn't able to give him the care he needed and to my sheer delight, she asked me to adopt him! Little did I know that Baby 'Ting was to be a healing anointing to my aching heart.
Only a year prior to adopting him as our companion bird, my little sister had passed on to eternity. She was my best friend and I was still grappling with not having her around. Now little Baby Ting had suddenly become our focus, and being taken up with caring for him and researching all that was needed for companion birds, it was a while before I even realized that I was living with new joy and purpose again! Funny thing is, in my grieving for my sister, I hadn't even tried to look for consolation in a companion bird ... nevertheless, he was divinely sent to me!
Baby 'Ting was what they term a 'velcro' birdie, attached in every way and loving to sit on the shoulder or in the hands, willingly receiving all the scritches and smothering kisses we could give him. He would gladly accompany my guitar practices with his happy chirping, join us for meal time, and snuggle on us at tea time. Before his flight feathers had grown back in, there were times when I was out too long, and he'd be waiting for me at the top of the steps, hopping down each step to greet me.
He was only 14 months old when he passed from an accident in the home, which never should have happened had I been careful enough. It was a dark day and I blamed myself and wondered so much if I would ever see him again in Heaven. After all, there is the truth in Luke 12:6 that not even a single sparrow that falls to the ground is forgotten before God, so I knew Father God hadn't forgotten my Baby 'Ting. And all God's works are known to Him from eternity (Acts 15:18), so He must love him more than I do, since He created Baby 'Ting, who ultimately belongs to Him more than to me. And there's the truth that God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5), which includes Baby 'Ting and implies that old things like Baby 'Ting's earthly body would be made new. For weeks after that dreadful day, I was encouraging my heart with these truths and by the veritable promise that "the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the glorious liberty of the children of God". Right around this time came the dream...
It was like a flash, but I noticed every detail! It was a God-dream: short, sweet, and to the point. I saw Baby 'Ting's blue belly and I knew it was him! In that swift, rapturous moment, I noticed how he was flying up from the ground and that the motion of his wings changed the soft golden air around him. He was flying up to me! To me!!! I knew that very moment that he still loves me and holds nothing against me for not protecting him when I should have been more careful. I was instantaneously released of the guilt! It was an incredible feeling to be free of guilt. And my grief for him also completely disappeared!
This was the first dream I ever had that changed my grieving into joy! Ever since the night I had the dream, I continue to say that the encouragement that accompanied the dream was even more vivid that the dream itself! And I am so grateful!
I know that where Baby 'Ting is now, he can never be hurt again and he is free to fly the way he was created to, without the constraints of earth life. I feel so privileged to have been anointed by Heaven's wings and I thank God for the dream that released my guilt and grief. God cares for the littlest of creatures He has created - and so how much more does He care for us as humans! He cares so much in fact, that He would use one of those littlest of His creations to show me His love through this dream!
I still miss my Baby 'Ting intensely, but I know that the next time I see him, he will be flying toward me in Heaven, just as I saw in this dream!
I hope you find inspiration and encouragement in my mixed media piece, Anointing, which was inspired by that divine dream. The dream holds true not only for Baby 'Ting, but for all of God's creation, past, present, and future, who will be liberated from the shackles of death to enjoy the same freedom as believers in Jesus do in Heaven.
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