I am just finishing up my eleventh week of staying home due to the pandemic. Except for visiting a drive through farmers market I haven’t gone out in public. I have established a routine of walking my dog each day, exercising, and working from home.
The truth is I don’t miss going out. There are so many wonders I have seen just by being in my own space.
One of the true little blessings has been getting to see two birds build their nests in my yard.
The first bird, a robin chose to build her nest in a bush in my backyard. It was very secluded, and I probably wouldn’t have even known she was there if it wasn’t for the fact that my dog discovered her.
I would watch her each day as she would bring worms to her babies in the bush and when she wasn’t there, I would peek in to see how they were growing. There they were 4 little bodies of fluff with beaks wide open waiting for mother to return with their nourishment.
They grew really, quickly and one day there were only 3 in the nest. The next day another brave one was perched on the edge of the nest but later settled back in for the night.
The following day the nest was empty!
Another smaller bird chose to build her nest in the wreath that I had hanging on my front door. At first, I didn’t even notice it for it blended in so well that it looked like a decoration!
This was an inconvenient place for me because it meant I had to stop using my front door!
But what made this interesting is that she had built her nest in view of my front door peephole so I could watch her movements every day.
One day my husband mentioned that the nest had 4 little blue eggs the day before, but on this day a larger spotted egg was in the nest. Well we knew it didn’t come from that little bird as she had already laid her eggs and this egg was much too big.
So, my husband did a little research and found out that the cowbird often lays its eggs in another bird’s nest and then deserts it, leaving the other bird, unaware, to hatch the egg.
Other than the fact that this bird shirks its responsibility this didn’t sound too bad too me, that is until my husband continued.
When the invader bird hatches it will displace the original birds from the nest, basically killing them!
Oh, no I couldn’t let this happen on my watch.
This bird thought she had found the perfect place to build her nest where it would be protected.
So, not wanting to watch this carnage at a later time, I had my husband remove the predator egg.
Those babies have now hatched!
They are little and so helpless, much more so than the robins had been, and they are taking longer to mature. Mother bird attends to them with such love, it’s so beautiful to watch!
As I watch her I think of my own nest. My grandfather used to have a saying to not defile your own nest. His meaning was that we should protect our family at all cost. We need to care for one another and protect each other.
We should examine our nests daily to see if there is anything that needs to be removed. It could be something physical that endangers us or it could be an emotion such as anger, resentment, jealousy, pride or fear. Anything that is not for our own good or the good of others should be swiftly removed. God wants us to have a secure nest and he provides the foundation for us, but we need to continue to build it into a home in which God would chose to dwell so that when our time is done God will call us home to his eternal dwelling where we will live with him forever.
Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young- a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Psalm 84:3-4
Perspectives: From Lynn 