Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! – 2 Corinthians 3:17

Following and Trusting : Encountering God Out of the Box

Overheard in an Orchard (A Lesson on Anxiety and Worry)

As a little girl visiting my mom’s childhood farm in Kansas, I remember my loving grandmother had a wooden plaque on her wall with a painting on it. There were two birds on it and a poem. Portions of this poem was in my head this morning around 9am as I walked across my frosted front lawn to my car in the cool morning. I really wanted to remember the full poem so I did a search and found this…

Overheard In An Orchard

Said the Robin to the Sparrow
“I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”

Said the Sparrow to the Robin
“Friend I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.”

–Elizabeth Chaney – 1859

Lines of this poem has come back to me several times through the years and I’m certain it was inspired by this verse…

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” – Matt 6:26,27


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5 responses to “Overheard in an Orchard (A Lesson on Anxiety and Worry)”

  1. Eugene King Avatar
    Eugene King

    My dad got me this poem in 1946 as a nice plaque with as robin in upper left corner and a sparrow in lower right corner looking at each other. I was 7 then and now 75, but never forgot it. How true! Just listen to the many complaing people about not having this or that, and worring what the other person has that they don’t. Ridiculous!

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  2. Yvette Avatar
    Yvette

    I, too, share your experience. It was back in the seventies that I saw the plaque with the the very poem and the picture of the the two birds.
    I was sharing portion of the poem with a co worker. Powerfulness the message indeed.

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  3. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    God is good ~! This has been rolling around in my head for years, not sure the last line…we, too, had this plaque in our living room in the ’40’s; I almost cried in finding this as it was so much loved by our family for years.

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  4. Lola Afeaki Avatar
    Lola Afeaki

    Thank you for this post. I first heard about this poem while doing my own personal bible study. The pastor is one I found on youtube who is so great if anyone would like to hear his sermons and teachings – Skip Heitzig.

    I was raised Christian but the last couple of years of my life, I have been the furthest from God than I have ever been. In 2023 I was diagnosed with a chronic illness and at the end of 2025, my symptoms and my life just spiralled out of control. I was relying on alcohol, smoking and drugs to get me through life. I was filled with so much anxiety and fear about my life and about my identity and who I was in Christ.

    Once I stopped all my bad habits and set my eyes on Christ, my anxiety continued to get the best of me. And then as I was doing my bible study, this poem came up and it provided me with so much comfort. I am so grateful for His love for me and guidance toward Him. It’s poems like this that provide comfort that I never thought I could experience.

    God is good! Thank you again for sharing!

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    1. merri ellen g :) Avatar
      merri ellen g :)

      Thank you Lola for sharing! 🙂 His love is indeed soooo good and His comfort and wisdom beyond human belief! 🤩 Bless you with even more of Holy Spirit to rest and flow in what God has for you! 💕🙏🙌

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