The Art of Creation: Songs Rising

Three years ago, I made a discovery—the Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology—and, in that initial enthusiasm, shared it with readers of The Ecological Disciple. For those who don’t know, this is a free phone app that helps identify birds through pictures taken on your phone, a series of question you answer, and/or through recordings enabled by the app, this latter being the function I enthusiastically use.

I wrote about how it expanded my ability to recognize my winged neighbors and this remains true. Over the past three years, my knowledge of the birds around me has continued to grow. I recognize many more birds and their sounds now than I did when I first discovered Merlin and began using it as my personal tutor. I also am much more aware of the diversity and abundance of bird life, and by extension, other creatures, that are present around me even when I don't see them.

In addition to the natural education Merlin provides, this clever bit of technology has become significant to me in other ways as well. I use it when I travel, finding that it orients me to a new place in the same way that a map helps me gain my bearings through geographical features, roads, and other landmarks. Using the Merlin app in an unfamiliar place begins my acquaintance with the creatures who live there.

When I listen to Merlin in a new region of the country or world, I discover both birds which are completely exotic to me (common chiffchaff, Northern cardinal, chaffinch, greenfinch, tufted titmouse, white stork) and those (coal tit, Carolina wren, Carolina chickadee, Eastern bluebird) who are cousins to birds I know. These aural immersions remind me of the bigness of this creation, its diversity, and the connections that stretch across the globe. Because there are downloadable packets for different parts of the world, I make sure to access those before I travel.

Merlin has even become a frequent part of my devotional practice. One of my favorite ways to begin a day is to sit outside under the trees with coffee, bible, and Merlin. As I hear sounds that alert me to what other creatures are sharing that space and time with me, my awareness of being a creature among creatures increases.

Sometimes I see these creatures in addition to hearing them—sometimes I don't. Either way, as I sit in their midst, I become attuned to their presence and attentive to the way they are entering the day with their own form of praise. I experience, on my part, a sort of synthesis of my praise with theirs. Hearing another creature's song can even help me find my own song to sing—whether that song be voiced out loud, written on paper, or just prayed silently in my mind.

To approach God not just as a single individual, but as a creature among other creatures, makes me mindful of the Creator aspect of this God. In the words of Psalm 148:

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
 praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;
 praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
 praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
 and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
 for at his command they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
 he issued a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
 you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
 stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills,
 fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
 small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
 you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and women,
 old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
 for his name alone is exalted;
 his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
And he has raised up for his people a horn,
 the praise of all his faithful servants,
 of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord.

Wherever I am, at home or elsewhere, songs rise around me and Merlin is a tool which helps to hear and recognize where the source these songs of praise are rising from.

I would love to hear your thoughts. You can leave a comment below or email me at louise.conner@circlewood.online.

Louise

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