Sacrificing through love

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Ephesians 5:25

This morning I watched as a father chickadee brought food to the mother sitting on their nest. The bird feeder was right beside the birdhouse, but he chose to fly farther off for the needs of his spouse. Back and forth, back and forth he flew while other birds flocked to the feeder. Once in a while he went to the suet basket to take a bit of fat. She watched for him, barely poking her head out of the small hole that led to their nest. No birds or squirrels seemed to notice the mother or the nest, though they were all around it trying to get the easy food.

I wondered why the father chickadee didn't take advantage of the feeder full of sunflower seeds. Was he bringing in sweet morsels of healthier tidbits for his spouse? Was he bringing water? Was he risking flying farther off to keep other birds and animals from discovering their nesting spot? The farther he ventured, the more he endangered himself by hawks and cats and other predatory animals, but the closer he stayed perhaps the more he endangered his family.

The Lord had a purpose in creating all that He did. We will probably never discover all the reasons for creation, but I love watching all that happens out my window and in my yard. I can learn so much by just observing. How precious to see the father bird care for his spouse and babies. The mother bird, hiding, yet watching for her spouse to return, warmed my heart with the love even animals seem to have for their family. I could make other analogies to the family, but families today are in such disarray that I felt the Lord say, "Watch how even nature teaches us to put our families first."

Forget that the culture tells us that we need to take care of number one. There are more important people than just me. Jesus put us before Himself. He gave His life for us. Is our selfish desires putting our families at risk? Are we the cause of others destroying the homes we have created for our children, the homes we promised, committed before God, to keep until death do us part? Jesus committed to die for us before the world was ever created. Revelations 13:8 says, "slain from the foundation of the world."

May we all take a moment this week to evaluate how we can put our spouses and our children above our own personal desires and needs. It may be a little more trouble, but a safe home, a peaceful home, a home where we are willingly sacrificing through love, is the best home.

Blessings on our families,

Gail

Hey Kids:
What's your favorite backyard animal?
This may be a good week to take a notebook and/or a sketch book out to observe just how that animal interacts with his/her family and the other animals in the environment.

Here's a few things to think about.

Does this animal have a mate? If not how is it attempting to attract a mate? (You won't believe the antics mocking birds go through trying to impress a female!)

Where does a mated pair construct a nest or bed or home?
(You may have to do a little research or just searching your yard to figure that one out.)

How do they protect their home and why?

Who are their enemies?

How do they provide their family with food and water?

When, if ever, are the young left alone or unprotected?

How do they train the young?

You might ask your parents for help in understanding how you can apply this to your own family?
What scriptures does God give us about taking care of our families?

In Honor Of Mother's Day

When I call to remembrance the unfiegned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. II Timothy 1:5

My favorite book is When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant. Hers was a mentor text for me to write in honor of my Grandmother. Hope this post brings fond memories to your remembrance as well.

When I Was Young

When I was young, I lived just up the path from my Grandma and Papa. The privet hedge that separated my house from the path was my time tunnel. I lived in the twentieth century but they lived in the past.

When I was young, I helped Grandma draw water from the well. We drank sweet water from a common dipper in the bucket in Grandma’s kitchen.

When I was young, Grandma would hold me up so I could see the robin’s nest in the hedge just outside her bedroom window. We would watch the mother bird feed her babies fat juicy worms and little green bugs.

When I was young we sat under the oak tree and peeled peaches for peach ice cream. We took turns cranking the ice cream churn until our arms ached and the crank no longer turned. Then we would eat peach ice cream until it gave us a brain freeze.

When I was young, we chased birds around the front yard with a salt shaker. Papa said if we put salt on a bird’s tail, we could catch it. In the evening, Papa would call bob whites up to the edge of the yard. I tried to whistle too. Sometimes the bob whites would answer my call.

When I was young, Grandma taught us to play mumbledy peg with Papa’s pocket knife. It would easily stick in the pine boards of Grandma’s kitchen steps.

When I was young, we spent winter evenings around a coal heater in the sitting room, playing checkers while the sleet beat against the windows. We didn’t have any story books but Grandma was a good story teller.

When I was young, Grandma made all my dresses for school and church on her treadle machine. She tatted lace for my collars. Once she let me help serve when the Women’s Missionary Union met at her house.  She always made me feel special.

When I was young, I never wanted to go to the city. I never wanted to fly in a plane. I only wanted to slip through the hedge and down the path to my grandparents’ house.                                               Based on When I Was Young in the Mountains

 

Perhaps you have a favorite book that brings special memories of your mother or grandmother to mind. Please let us know.   Blessings.