I was delighted to find a turtle shell that was in pristine condition as I was looking for shed antlers a couple of months ago. It was still completely together. The sun had bleached it out to a beautiful white color inside and out and was a unique conversation piece for sure.
I had placed it on the banister of my front porch right in front of my rocking chair and recently I glanced at it and noticed it had splits in it as though someone had dropped it. Suspecting foul play, I interrogated everyone whom I thought could have done it. I picked it up to see if I could repair it and to my surprise, a bird flew out of it. She had built a nest inside it and was sitting on it when I picked the shell up.
Apparently, she wanted some ventilation holes and even pecked out a sunroof to allow light in.
She packed the formerly pristine interior with tiny sticks and soft moss and nestled it down to a nice little nest. As time went on she got bolder and started dive-bombing me whenever I would exit my front door. I discovered the reason was that her chicks had finally hatched out. After days of this, I think she finally realized that my wife and I were not a threat, and she began to calm down some and now “allows” us to sit on my porch in our rockers without attacking us.
I discovered this little delicate bird is absolutely beautiful. She has a yellow breast, a dark blue back, a long 2-inch beak that is colored, and stands about two-three inches high. I love for her to light on the banister and cock her head to each side examining me. I’ve tried getting a photo of her, but she flits away by the time I get my cell phone set up for photos.
So yesterday I wrote about the “God perspective” and quite naturally I was using it trying to discern what lesson God was trying to teach me about this little bird and my prized turtle shell. I mused about this for a couple of days, in fact, every time I look at it now I wonder about it. I suppose the main lesson I got was that God took away my one-of-a-kind conversation piece to give it to this beautiful bird that He created in order that it might have a nice, warm, dry, and protected place to raise her offspring. I am long over begrudging her for her ruining my turtle shell memento and am happy that she chose it because I have received far more enjoyment from this experience than I ever would have had it just been sitting on a shelf in my study.
I wonder how many folks in this impoverished area could benefit from something I don’t really need that they might treasure.
I thought of the song, His eye is on the Sparrow
Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over 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
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me (He watches me)
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches
I know He watches
I know He watches me
Yes my friends God is watching, and Jesus said that we are worth more to him than many sparrows and yet one cannot fall to the ground without Him seeing it. We should emulate Him in loving each other don’t you think?
Matt. 10:29
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered . . .
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!