The Way of an Eagle

 

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. Proverbs 30:18,19

Have you taken children camping? The wide-open spaces are fascinating. This week we saw our grandchildren marvel at the rocks, the trees, the shapes of the clouds, the tiny schools of trout in the stream, and a "hawk" that landed late in the evening in a tree across the way.  Actually, I spotted it first and called the children, ages 8 and 4. Its wing spread must have been close to 3 feet. I felt like we were stepping into our own version of  Owl Moon. Since our grands had never been owling, silence was not part of their hunting technique. The bird flew off again. This time they saw the massive bird in flight. 

Slowly, quietly, we walked up under his new landing space, a large branch in an oak. I whispered, Let's observe the bird." We noticed the orange on his beak and talons. We saw a brown head, wings, and sparse tailfeathers of black, gray, and white. We saw it was not an owl but some sort of "hawk". He swooped down into some Virginia Creeper vines and then back up and away. We couldn't see if he took his prey. 

Back at the campsite, the eight-year-old drew the bird and then correctly painted the various parts. The four-year-old drew the bird several times as if making sketches for further reference. 

The next morning Papa called them to see the "owl". He had watched as a huge bird flew across the drive and landed in the tree above our camper. It seemed the "owl," "hawk" or whatever was back, sitting and watching, before swooping down again and away.  

What did the children learn? Observation skills, bird habits, vocabulary - talons and prey, combining shapes to make a recognizable picture, and probably lots more if I looked at the state standards for their age levels. 

What more could they learn? Bird identification, the lifecycle for this species, food chain, and prey. Older children might investigate flight, create models, and transfer their knowledge to build a mode of air transportation. History of flight.  Protection of endangered species. Speaking of endangered species -

What did we learn? Yes, we learned the bird we observed was a Golden Eagle, once endangered but now on the comeback. 

Our scripture says the man doesn't know the way of an eagle in the air. Neither did the Wright Brothers or DaVinci, but their observations and experiments have brought us into the space age. The Lord expects us to observe and wonder and research all that He has made to give us a better life and to give Him glory. 

Heavenly Father, help us not lose the marvel of a child in observing your Creation but to use it for the furtherance of your kingdom. In Jesus' name. Amen.