The Killdeer

In a Tibetan village I noticed a crowd of people standing under a burning tree and looking up into the branches. I came near and discovered in the branches a bird which was anxiously flying round a nest full of young ones. The mother bird wanted to save her little ones, but she could not. When the fire reached the nest the people waited breathlessly to see what she would do. No one could climb the tree, no one could help her. Now she could easily have saved her own life by flight, but instead of fleeing she sat down on the nest, covering the little ones carefully with her wings. The fire seized her and burnt her to ashes. She showed her love to her little ones by giving her life for them. If then, this little insignificant creature had such love, how much more must our Heavenly Father love His children, the Creator love His creatures!  Sadhu Sundar Singh

Most of you know by now that I love to watch nature.  I love to watch nature because it is like seeing God in every movement. Birds are interesting to me.  When God made birds he was extremely creative.  Where else would you have a bird whose body is too big for its legs, but that can stand upright without toppling over?  You already know about my past experiences with trying to construct a bird nest for Gladys and the Pips.  Only God could create something that can build a nest like that.

In the spring and early summer on my parents farm there are always opportunities to see nature at work.  One of the birds I see at the farm is the killdeer.  The reason it is called a killdeer is because that is the sound it makes.

One of the interesting things about this bird is where it builds its nest.  I don’t know if they do this everywhere, but at the farm they build their nests in the middle of the shell driveway.  I don’t think this little bird has knowledge of what kind of predator a car is because they certainly build the nest in a dangerous place.  Anytime you drive out of the driveway the mother bird will run out. There is also a rock pile that we use for planting lavender and they will build their nest at the top of the pile on the rocks.  Their eggs are also camouflaged so you can’t tell them from the rocks.

Another interesting thing they do is they will play like they are injured if you get near their nest.  They will flop around like they have an injured wing and they make a lot of noise to get your attention.  They do this do draw predators away from the nest. 

When I think of God’s creation and how it is all intended to work together, I don’t understand how others can’t see we were created by an amazing God. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, when You created the earth, You also created amazing creatures to live on it. If I want to see You, all I need do is sit still and watch nature.  The amazing capacity of survival that you created in the birds of the air is a small example of Your Greatness. I can barely fathom the uniqueness of these small creatures. You tell me if I seek You all these things I need will be added to me.  You are my Savior and Redeemer.  I praise Your Holy Name.

Scripture: “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