When the Wild Comes Near
No one would ever describe me as either a nature lover or an animal lover. Especially when it comes to being compared to the men in my life. My husband's ideal vacation would include the woods and a hammock and little else. Mine revolves around a hot tub. To appease us both, for our honeymoon, my husband found us hot tub in the woods. And then there's the animal thing. My dad loves animals. I mean, LOVES animals. In general, I don't want them to touch me. For any reason. Although, I do think the baby ones are fun to watch.
So, this morning, I'm sitting here on my balcony. It's cool, but the right kind of cool after a hard spring storm. After filling up the bird feeder, I've scattered the extra bird seed all over the balcony. I love watching them. I've even named them. Rich is the red bird. His wife is Peggy. Pip Squeak is the humming bird. They only sneak in for dinner when we're safely inside.
But this morning, a new little friend came to join me for my prayer time. A little sparrow without a name. He landed and delicately walked over to my right shoe. And pecked just a little. Then he circled and came to rest between my shoes. I was hunched over with my elbows resting on my knees. A perfect angle for bird watching when the bird is between my feet.
And I was overcome with awe. This wild thing, so beautiful, so un-tame was with me.
I could have cried.
And instantly I thought of two stories. The first about a lion who is wild and beautiful and un-tame coming close to some children. And the second one about a little sparrow watched by the Creator of the Universe Himself. And the stories mingled as I watched my little wild thing hunker down between my feet.
God, in His holiness coming as a baby... coming to be in my life. In my waking and my sleeping. In my thoughts and in the recesses of my heart that are closed off to even me. In my past that I have yet to understand. In my future that I cannot even imagine. In my death and in my resurrection.
I could have cried.
So, this morning, I'm sitting here on my balcony. It's cool, but the right kind of cool after a hard spring storm. After filling up the bird feeder, I've scattered the extra bird seed all over the balcony. I love watching them. I've even named them. Rich is the red bird. His wife is Peggy. Pip Squeak is the humming bird. They only sneak in for dinner when we're safely inside.
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And I was overcome with awe. This wild thing, so beautiful, so un-tame was with me.
I could have cried.
And instantly I thought of two stories. The first about a lion who is wild and beautiful and un-tame coming close to some children. And the second one about a little sparrow watched by the Creator of the Universe Himself. And the stories mingled as I watched my little wild thing hunker down between my feet.
God, in His holiness coming as a baby... coming to be in my life. In my waking and my sleeping. In my thoughts and in the recesses of my heart that are closed off to even me. In my past that I have yet to understand. In my future that I cannot even imagine. In my death and in my resurrection.
I could have cried.
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