Articles

This article appeared in Creation Illustrated in their Fall 2003 issue.

Consider the Birds
by
Sherri Wilson Johnson

Whenever I see the awesome beauty of the birds in my back yard, or marvel at the wondrous variety in all creatures, I cannot help but meditate on our mighty Creator. He holds the power to speak things into existence, yet is gentle enough to be our loving Father. To say that He is only our Creator, a God ruling the world from His throne would be to overlook the details of His creation; the splendor of His earth and all He has given us to enjoy. Psalm 104:24 expresses my thoughts perfectly. “How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” I began bird watching about nine years ago. When my husband, Dan and I first bought our home in rural Georgia, we placed bird feeders on the front and back porches. I bought a bird-watching book and began to log in every species of bird I would see. I was amazed at how each species of bird was so distinct from the others, yet each one within that species a carbon copy. Our God, the Creator of the world, just spoke and these were made. Through the years, we have laughed many times over the bird chases we have had inside our home. Little birds, having nested in our wreaths that adorned our front door, would fly in when the door was opened. We would have to chase them all throughout the house, covering them with a kitchen towel and releasing them. I have been elated to sit in the living room at my computer beside the window and watch as a woodpecker feasted on bugs found in a rotted log on the front porch. On one particular day, I called my husband at work ecstatic because we had beautiful speckled birds on our front porch, nesting in the overhang. He let me go on and on for several minutes, hating to burst my bubble. He finally told me that the birds I saw were Starlings. Starlings nest in the eves of your home and can become quite bothersome. There was also the time I had the mysterious visitor, who would show up alone at my bird feeder on the covered back deck. In the shadows of the tin roof, this bird looked black. Everyday I would sneak to look at him through the curtains on my sliding glass door. Everyday he would leave me mystified over his identity. One day I managed to see him as he landed on my feeder, to discover that he was an Indigo Bunting. The deep, almost black color of his feathers in the shade transformed to a brilliant indigo in the sun. It took me a while to mellow a bit from my enthusiasm over all the different birds that came to visit our feeders. Eventually, the red Northern Cardinal, my high school mascot, became my favorite feathered friend. While I delight in his bright red color, pointed crest and black face patch, he thrills me as he sings to me with his clear whistles. I have also enjoyed the black-masked Chickadee, who has always made me smile with his sweet and happy nature. His traveling companion, the Tufted Titmouse, amazes me with his feistiness. I have seen how the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is gentle, yet quick at the same time, as he uses his needlelike bill to sip nectar from our red flowers. Of each of these species, I have seen several generations through the years, and had the pleasure of holding many of them in my hands. Several years ago, we screened in the back porch of our quaint country home. Included in our 2 acre property is a 100-year-old flood plain. We see an assortment of wildlife such as beaver, heron, muskrat, snakes, geese, turtles, woodpeckers and so much more. While my husband enjoys seeing the wildlife from our dock on the water, the snakes, ticks and mosquitoes tend to keep me at the house. We often fail to shut the screen door to the deck. Consequently, many magnificent birds of God’s creation are trapped. I have become quite the expert at capturing these birds quickly without harming them. My husband and I homeschool our two children, Kayla and Seth. This hobby of bird watching and catching has been very exciting and educational for the kids. A gentle pat on the head or a smooth stroke of the colorful feathers of a bird can fill your heart with an overwhelming sense of God’s power. I was totally overcome with joy the day a male hummingbird was trapped on the deck. It took several minutes to catch the beautiful creature. He was afraid that I would harm him and squeaked at me feverishly. Once I had him in my hand, though, he did not fly away. He was perfectly at peace to let me support him. As I watched him, I was reminded of so many commands God has given us. We are to trust in Him as our provider and protector. He also commands us to work for our living, as this precious tiny hummingbird does when he gathers nectar. Birds never seem to worry either. God has created them with the ability to fly away from almost any danger. He has given us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to keep us safe from harm. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26. The Bible says to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, and as I hear the variance of chirps and whistles made by the birds, I am reminded of how our words must glorify God at all times. We affect others with our words, whether good or bad. We have the ability instilled in us by God to make someone’s day either cheerful or miserable. James 3:9 says, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.” This is something I struggle with daily. It is so easy to tear a person down with just one word, and in the same breath, almost, to praise the Lord. A year ago, we were blessed with another one of God’s creations. After grieving for a year over the loss of my thirteen-year-old Labrador/Setter mix, we became the proud owners of a full-blooded female black Labrador. She was a stray, who came suddenly into our lives through a friend. She instantly filled an empty place in our hearts. We named her Sheba because she seemed so much like a queen. She had such a friendly expression on her face and had kind eyes. She was very eager to please and constantly wanted to give and receive love. She rapidly grew to be an eighty-five pound gentle giant. Not long after we acquired Sheba, she began to capture birds, too. Even after repeated scolding, she continued to catch these tiny creatures. Unfortunately, not all survived. Checking the deck before letting her out has become a continuous practice. One beautiful day last spring, I looked out my kitchen window and to my surprise, Sheba was holding in her mouth a mourning dove. I panicked and screamed at her as I bolted out the back door to stop her from killing this bird. “Release! Release!” I yelled as I held her around the neck and firmly squeezed her snout. This is what the dog-training book said to do. She obeyed and dropped the bird. As the dove sat on the ground stunned and without many of its feathers, I tried to think of what to do. In a flash, however, Sheba pulled away from me and grasped the dove again. “Release! Release!” I repeated. She dropped the bird once more. I yelled for my daughter, then nine years old, to come and get the bird. The dove now had a bald head with a hole through her skull. I knew she would not survive but I did not have the heart to let her go. I got one of our pet carriers and we placed her in there. All we could do was wait to see if she would live. Surprisingly enough, months later she was ready for release. Her feathers had grown back, and besides the partially bald head, she was unaffected. We named her Grace. One day, months after Grace’s release, I was struggling just to find a way to make it through a difficult time in my life. While on the deck, a dove came and landed on my shoulder. Whether or not this dove was Grace, I could not tell because she flew away as quickly as she had descended. However, I felt a peace and an excitement I cannot explain. The gentleness of this lovely dove causes me to reflect upon God’s wonderful grace. God’s grace, although we are unworthy of it, is sufficient and returns repeatedly to us. John 1:16 says, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” Just today, a year later, while working on this piece, my daughter squealed in delight, “It’s Grace, it’s Grace. She’s on the deck.” Sure enough, the same mourning dove had returned and was trapped on our deck, with her mate on the other side of the screen beckoning her. She flew away before we were able to catch her this time. It made me smile to know she had survived the winter. Psalm 55:6 says, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest –.” If asked why I endear the birds of the air as much as I do, I suppose I would have to say because they are so peaceful and trusting of the Heavenly Father. For as long as I live, I believe I will strive to be as trusting as these small creatures. My heart rejoiced when I found Psalm 91:4, which says, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” I am comforted just knowing that God covers us more beautifully and protects us more faithfully than the birds. I would like to encourage you in three ways: to remember always the Creator; never to take the beauty of God’s creation for granted; and to remember forever that you are part of that creation. Copyright 2001