Sharing by: Pam Crawford pmcrawford1@gmail.com
Matthew 6:26-27
“Look at
the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your
Heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are.
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.”
LET’S
FLY
This summer I was blessed to watch two separate Robins nest
inside my gazebo area on my deck. I have been told that it was probably the same
bird with her second litter, but I have no idea if that’s accurate because I’m
not that bird savvy.
For whatever reason, this year I paid attention to the birthing
process every step of the way. I watched and photographed her from the point of
protecting her eggs inside the nest, to the point that she was instructing them
that it was about time to fly out. It was so cool and I was blessed to actually
catch one of them on the day of flight.
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| Nesting |
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| Instructing
I had no idea the lessons these birds would teach me. These
little creatures which fly around our earth so freely definitely have a story
to tell, just like you and I have. The process of birth is very similar to that
of human beings. These little creatures were formed in their mother’s womb and
after they were born they instantly began to look to her for love, guidance,
protection and nurturing. And when the time came for them to begin life beyond
a nest, they were ready. They were prepared well. I don’t want you to miss that
everyday their father was there to assist mama bird. I often saw him perched nearby making sure everything was going well. Both mother and father had one
thing in mind and that was to help those little birds develop and learn to fly
freely around this earth. I am really grateful that I stopped long enough to watch
the process.
This week many parents are doing or preparing to do the very
same thing as my feathered friends. Whether it’s waving to their kindergartner getting on the bus for the first time, or saying their goodbye’s at a college
dorm room, it’s a difficult transition. I have a lump in my throat and tears in
my eyes as I reflect back on those days in my own life. As my babies were
taking off on their journey out into the great unknown; God began to teach me a
very important lesson,one that reminded me that He is well equipped to take it
from here. All along He has been providing exactly what we have needed for our
children while they were safely in our nest. Now it was time that we let
them fly with the assured confidence that He will be with them every step of
the way. It was time to let go of worry, but is that possible? Mama Robin provides the answer.
As Mama feeds her little one for one last time on my deck, it
appears that the time is near. What came next is something we can all
benefit from so please don't miss this. As the last bird was taking flight, I got to watch the mother
and father bird watching from the distance; one on my deck rail and the other
from our willow tree. When the young Robin took flight I expected that they would
follow behind to make sure it was ok, but the opposite occurred. The parents flew off
in another direction. What! I thought what are they doing? Are
they not going to fly behind it to make sure it’s ok, that it got to its
destination safely? Then it hit me, they
trusted their work was finished and now it was time to let go and get on with life.
If you are not familiar with the Creator of heaven and earth you
may struggle with this a bit. However, if you know the God of the Bible, then you
understand that these children belong to Him. In the nest we have a
responsibility to teach our children about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We
are to help instill morals and values that line up with the teachings of the
Most High. We do this by example and by instruction. Although I did not do this
perfectly, my confidence is now in the One who will guide, protect, comfort and
correct my children every step of their journey. Like the Robin I am now
watching from a distance while I entrust them into the hands of someone greater
than me. And when I am called upon, I
will be available to continue to help them along on their journey.
Moms and dads this season can be a time of celebration, we can enjoy it. It
took me awhile to get this, but today I now understand what is spoken in
chapter 3 verses 5b of Ecclesiastes. “A time to embrace and a time to turn
away.” God has a plan for all people. He planned your life and He has a plan
for your children and it includes them maturing both physically and spiritually. As parents we can pray that our children will grasp God’s
plan so that it will go well for them. If they choose a different route, we can pray
that God will get them back on course. But worry, that would be a waste of time
and energy. The secret to peace is to trust wholeheartedly that God is in control
and now you and me can let go. Let’s fly in the right direction and experience God’s very best in our own lives. As guardians of God's children we can confidently release them when the time comes and watch them soar. Be blessed.
In Christ by grace,
Pam
For further encouragement on this subject please read the following from my
friend Shelby who just experienced the release of her first of 3 to fly her nest. It’s a great
read. http://www.gilgalmoments.com/2012/08/when-god-lets-go-and-we-give-back/marriage/
Psalm 121:3 "He who keeps you will not slumber." Because God never sleeps, we can be at peace. He is always on duty. |
