Sweet Surprise

Last spring I had a wonderful view out my kitchen window of a pair of Flycatchers as they built a nest in a blue birdhouse on the railing of our deck. A tuft of feathers on top of their head stands up on end like a mohawk. They sing, “Sweet, sweet,” repeating it twice. My husband and I were going out of town for a long weekend and I was afraid I’d miss seeing the babies take wing.

Late the night we got home, my husband looked out the window. “The nest isn’t on the railing....” Panic set in. “Oh no!” I said. A storm had blown in while we were gone, but we also have a very sociable white kitty in the neighborhood. I wondered if she had gotten to the nest and if the babies had died.

Thankfully the nest had fallen on the deck, and not another six feet down to the grass. Dave shined a flashlight inside. “Oh no, there’s only one baby," I said, "and it's dead! Its wings are spread out and it’s not moving.”

He said, “No, it’s breathing...” We breathed a sigh of relief. The next day I was thankful to see Mama and Papa taking turns feeding their little one. I called my husband to share the good news.

A couple weeks later, one evening as I watched, Mama Bird coaxed her babies out. Yes, babies. It was after seeing three of them fly off that I realized mama had spread out her wings to protect her young. But now the sun had set and another baby had stuck its head out the small hole, but was too afraid to leave its comfy home.

Would she leave this little one alone during the night?

The following morning the Lord awakened me. I knew I had to go straight to my kitchen window. Low and behold, Mama was there ... feeding this baby. She flew off and her baby took that great leap of faith. Wobbly and unsure it flitted until it reached a branch. Another three followed close behind, stronger, for they had flown the previous day. Mama had lovingly brought this lone baby’s siblings back, and she had joined them to keep this little one company throughout the night.

We too, are sometimes wobbly and unsure of ourselves, weak. We feel alone. Isn't it reassuring to know the Lord is our strength, that he never leaves us?


Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap, having neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them. How much more are you better than the birds? Luke 12:23,24 MKJV


Lord, thank you for your tender care for us, that you, O Lord, will never leave or forsake us. Help us grow in our faith and trust, in Jesus name. Amen.


Blessings,

Danie