Sitting on the driveway, in between the two garage doors, is a large planter. This urn shaped pot stands about hip high. I planted some lariope grass in it because the hot afternoon sun hits that side of the house and not much else has survived in that spot. The long blades of grass grow to where they hang over the edge of the pot. One day as I was walking up the driveway heading into the garage, a small brown bird darted out of the planter. I didn't think much about it at the time, so I went on into the house.
The next day I was outside watering my plants and as I put the hose into the lariope pot, out flew the little bird. I'm not usually afraid of birds but, when you don't know they are there, and they come flying out and miss your leg by an inch, well... let's just say the water hose ended up soaking much more than the plant.
As I stood there with one leg dripping with water, I parted the lariope leaves to investigate what was in that pot the little bird was after. There underneath the leaves, was a partially completed bird's nest. It was not your everyday, run of the mill, bowl shaped bird nest. This nest was more like a small birdie condo. It was fully enclosed, had an opening for the door, and a very short foyer that lead into the living room. As far as nests go, I'm thinking this would have high resale value on the birdie market.
I'm sure little bird got very tired of me checking on the progress of the construction everyday. I learned to stand off to the side of the planter and carefully lift the leaves, allowing little bird to take a break from her hard work for a few minutes and fly off to catch her breath . The progress checking technique was well planned, therefore averting a heart attack for little bird... and myself.
It only took little bird a few days to complete her new home. It turns out, she knew she had to sped up the construction. Within a couple of days of condo completion, I finally saw what the hurry was. Peeking into the nest with a flashlight, I saw it. I looked through the door, down the foyer into the living room and there it was... one beautiful, tiny, little egg, cushioned by little bird's own downy feathers. She was expecting.
I checked on the maternity ward daily, just to make sure they were safe and sound. I was even very careful when I watered the plant not to get water by the nest. Then one day when I looked, I couldn't see the egg any more. In it's place was what I assumed was a baby bird. I couldn't even tell one end from the other, so needless to say it wasn't very cute. I wasn't even sure if baby bird had actually made it after it hatched because it was so small and still.
It wasn't long until one day I was outside and I thought I heard something. The faintest little chirp had come from the planter! I ran over and lifted up the leaves and there was baby bird waiting on little bird to come back with a snack. With mouth open wide, baby bird was calling for mama.
On two different occasions when Richard was checking on the new family, he got to witness something that I didn't get a chance to see. I guess Richard didn't have the birdie spying technique down as well as I did. When Richard would lift up the grass, it would spook little bird. Because of the not so gentle man hands, she thought that a predator was after her baby. In order to divert the attention away from baby bird, she flew down to the ground, stuck one wing out like it was broken and hopped around like she couldn't fly. Little bird wanted the predator to think she was easy prey so it would go after her, and not go after baby bird. Twice Richard saw her do this sacrificial act of love. Motherly instincts are strong... even in little birds.
A few days later, the nest was empty. Little bird and baby bird were gone. Nothing was left in the birdie condo but the small feathers little bird plucked out of her own chest to make a soft bed for baby bird. I looked all around but, there wasn't a forwarding address or anything else left after the birds had packed up and moved. They didn't even say good-bye.
Every once in a while, I am reassured that God is good and He is amazing. Little bird had the instinctual knowledge of building a perfect nest. Without any Lamaze classes or attending Parenting 101, little bird knew just what to do. She made everything ready for her baby and then cared for baby bird until it could leave the nest. Watching this miracle from start to finish confirms in my mind, that if God cared enough to give little bird the instincts that were needed to provide, care and protect her baby and herself, how much more does He care for us.
Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are?"
Little bird follows her instincts because she doesn't listen to all the other birds telling her she's doing it wrong or that her nest should be bigger or better. All she can hear is God telling her exactly what to do and when to do it.
If God gave those kind of instincts to little bird, I'm sure He gave us that and so much more. We have let the voices in the world drown out the voice of God. Perhaps if we shift our focus from what the world has to say and quietly listen to what God has to say, we will be like little bird. We will know exactly what to do and when to do it.
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know I am God."
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