A SPARROW'S FLIGHT

                                 

                                            AN UNEXPECTED GUEST  

     

     Not an expected visitor to my wee little home ... but one that gave me a glimpse into its life story - though fleetingly touching mine. It left a sweet, sweet presence in my storehouse of memories.

                               

                                THE JAWS OF DEATH

     I heard a banging and crashing noise behind me as I sat at my computer desk. I turned and saw Jack, my  80 pound black Lab, and Thomas, my cat, chasing something.  I dreadfully imagined it was a mouse! A flurry of feathers escaping from Thomas's claws, I watched horrified as a tiny bird flew across the room, crashed into the window at my art corner, and dropped behind the jar holding paint brushes. Thomas was right on its tail feathers and Jack barked madly, causing a ruckus. I brushed Thomas off the art table and reached behind the brushes to find a sparrow, cowering and shaking, terrified, but very much alive and not bleeding.

     I picked it up and held it close to my heart ... it didn't stir or open its eyes. I carried it outside, leaving the two attack animals inside, and scanned the garden for a safe place to set the frightened bird, in hopes it could fly away. I set it on top of a huge wheel in the garden - an old tractor wheel. As soon as I set it down it flapped its wing - with a few feathers missing - and flew away, landing on a high branch in a nearby pine tree.  Did it linger a moment and look down at me to say thank you ... or just long enough to catch its breath before flying off to a safer place. You are welcome, little sparrow.

                               MY CHILD, MY SPARROW

     The dangers and pain that comes into our children's lives often breaks our own hearts. As in this sparrow's frightening near death encounter, we  hold our children close to our hearts, walk hand in hand as they go through trials, and nervously set them on a high place,  away from danger ( as in God's hands) before turning them loose. They will find strength to find their refuge and safe place to overcome the immediate danger, sadness, emptiness they face because we gave them wings and taught them how to soar.

     Did this sparrow have time to consider its potentially disastrous fate? How frightened it must have been, caught in the sharp claws and jaws of a cat, chased through an unknown realm, slamming into what looked like an opening into the garden, but crashing into its cold hard surface to hide behind a small array of bristled paint brushes. And how its tiny heart felt it would burst when plucked from its hiding place by a monstrous human hand. Did the sparrow feel any comfort or safety as I carried it close to my heart on our short journey to safety?

After releasing the bird and watching it ascend into the trees and disappear out of sight, I remembered the scripture, "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth  much more than they?" Mathew 6:26

I sensed the fear and awe of the Lord as He carries us in the palm of His hand and sets on a high place to rest, then soar like an eagle - even though we are mere sparrows.

                               EAGLE'S WINGS

     My own child Vicki flew on eagle's wings most of her life. The time came when she had to fly alone. My heart broke beyond what I thought could be mended. I held her close to my chest so she could hear the beat of my heart. Courage was kindled when she whispered,  " God is good." And she flew gently, confidently into His care ... into His arms.