At first, I was disappointed that this was the only bird that first showed himself to me. We were at Sam Nail’s old homestead in the Big Bend. I was wanting fancy, colorful birds and I get the fairly common White-Crowned Sparrow. Just like my fate with butterflies, birds and life, I am destined for the common it seems. As always, we can learn from patience and trust. The sparrow was only the first to come. The Cardinals, Mockingbirds and Finches stayed in the shadows and allowed the sparrow to test the waters. They let the common little bird see “whose eye was on him”, if it was safe for the fancy birds and then they came. So don’t dismiss the sparrow or think him common, he is a leader, brave and handsome.

“Let not your heart be troubled,”
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth,
but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me”

Civilla Martin, who wrote the lyrics, said this about her inspiration to write this song based on scripture:

Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” was the outcome of that experience.

—Civilla Martin

Whose eye is on your journey?…enjoy†††nada te turbe…jim