Gladys & Parenting

Above all, we [as parents] must make sure that the open book of our lives - our example - demonstrates the reality of our instruction, for in watching us they will learn the most. R. Kent Hughes

This year because our trees in the yard didn’t put on leaves until later in the season, Gladys decided to build her nest in the fan on our patio.  Initially when I saw them both land in the fake ficus on the patio and it started to sway, I thought “I hope they’re not planning on building a place there.”  So we removed the fake ficus and they chose the fan instead. The ceiling fan is hollow around the top so it made a perfect place for the nest.  Since Gladys is not a great nest builder the fan casing holds her nest in place and the Pips don’t fall out the bottom.  Since the fan is right outside our kitchen window we have had the opportunity to see the new Pips in action. 

If you want to see God in action, look at all the nature around you.  How could God not be involved?  We watched these two fuzzy little birds grow feathers in 2 days.  I was watching them this weekend and I took photos.  I think they are so used to my husband and I walking around out on the patio that they just sit and watch us just like we watch them.  It’s kind of like watching monkeys at the zoo.  

    

On Sunday I stepped out onto the patio to take some photos of them.  The babies have gotten so big that they barely fit inside the fan casing.  So I took a picture and when I looked at it, the baby has his head buried inside the fan casing but the rest of his body is poking out of the top.  It’s like he was hiding in plain sight.

One of the things I noticed was that anytime I was outside on the patio, Gladys was nearby.  At one point she was on the roof of the shed in our backyard, another time she was sitting under the patio on one of our chairs.  I would look out the back door and she would be gone but as soon as I stepped out the door she would be back sitting nearby always watching the Pips.  It made me think of Gladys and her watchfulness over her young.  God created in this creature the ability to teach her babies to fly, fend for themselves, find food and to know what to do when danger is near. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, You created everything on this earth.  When I watch nature it gives me a glimpse of how You want us to be.  The mother bird on my patio doesn’t go out and stockpile food for her young.  She doesn’t know to fear tomorrow because she doesn’t think about tomorrow, she only lives in the moment.  We on the other hand are constantly looking ahead trying to figure out what will happen tomorrow when today is all that matters.  Help me to stop searching my tomorrows and live in today for You.      

Scripture: Do Not Worry

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  Matthew 6:25-34