Fiesta Wreath Invasion

Fiesta in San Antonio is officially over! The Fiesta wreath on our door couldn’t come down quickly enough. During Fiesta, many people place beautiful wreaths on their doors, as do we. The wreaths are bursting in color and cultural flair, usually adorned in handmade paper, plastic flowers, colorful mesh, and a PERFECT spot for a bird to build its nest.

Every morning, we’d open the door slightly and shake the Fiesta wreath, and greet the birdies. Sure enough, they would fly away immediately. Many a time, we’d leave or come home and forget the birdies. We were never quite ready for them to fly out right at us.

To top it off, over the two weeks of Fiesta, three times, a birdie got into the house and would fly from room to room. Each time, they overstayed their welcome. We found out that the Reacher grabber tool was the perfect implement for guiding the birdie out of the house.

The birdies might have thought the Fiesta wreath was a pretty and cozy place to choose for their new home. They didn’t know the temporary nature of the Fiesta wreath. They didn’t realize when it flew into the house that it was trapped from its real home, the great outdoors. They were just drawn to the beauty and glitz of our temporary Fiesta wreath.

I felt sorry for the birdies. They looked exhausted and irritated each time they had to leave their Fiesta wreath's temporary home.

Often, we can live a lot like these birdies.  We can be drawn to the beauty and glitz of the world around us, not realizing how temporary it is. Worldly ways often emphasize materialism, personal desires, and worldly success. Worldly ways are all about us looking good, being good, feeling good, and making an impression. Wordily ways, though glitzy and fun, leave us feeling empty.

When we find our home in Christ, we recognize Jesus as our source of belonging, security, and purpose. Our true home is not a physical house but a spiritual connection with the God of the universe. He’s not a temporary home but an eternal home. We can find comfort and strength with Christ as our home in difficult times, knowing He is our anchor and source of peace. We all long for safety and refuge—and we can find it only in God, our safe refuge.

As you start your day, take a moment to meditate and pray through these verses. Thank God for being your safe, secure, and eternal home.

Psalm 4:8 “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 16:8  “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Psalm 27:5 “For in the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in the shelter of his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tent; he will set me high upon a rock.”

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.