June 25th

The Blue Jays were particularly noisy that sunny June morning. There were several of them in the box-elder trees which shaded our back deck, where I was sitting shelling peas freshly picked from our garden. Our ten-year-old son Jim appeared sleepily in the doorway, having been awakened by their noise rather earlier than he had desired on his first day of summer vacation. His request to help me was happily granted, and we sat with our hands busy and freely chatting over the Jays’ raucous calls.

Jim noticed it first. Two Jays were noisily scolding us from the branch just above our heads. Two others were swooping at our orange cat Pounce, who was lying in a patch of sunshine on the sidewalk some twenty feet from us. Pounce lay quite still, cocking his head to watch as time after time the birds dived at him, coming closer and closer to his head.

We decided to see what was going on over there. As we moved from the deck, the Jays which had been so demanding of our attention suddenly turned their attention to Pounce, and the cat became the target of all four screeching Jays. Upon nearing the cat we could see between his paws a huddled fledgling Jay, still as still could be, but alive and unhurt. The moment that I instructed Jim to take Pounce into the house the Jays stilled their antics and perched warily in the overhanging trees. Jim and I decided to move back to the deck to see what would happen next.

The fledgling sat frozen in that brightly-lit spot, vulnerable to attack from any direction. It was a long time before the adult birds were able to coax him to take even one hop. They would call to him from a few feet away, then hop close and reassuringly chatter at him. They tried hopping to show him how and many other antics to lure him away into a more protected place. He was still huddled and they were still encouraging him when we had finished our peas and gone about our day.

Several hours later I saw him about 400 feet down the lawn hopping and huddling, hopping and huddling, moving towards a patch of day lilies near the fence, all four Jays still encouraging him and protecting him. How patiently they worked! How very vulnerable the fledgling was. How brave they were to risk the cat for his sake. How trusting they had been to call for help when they were helpless!

I thought of my own parenting skills and how many times I had called upon my Heavenly Father when I was helpless for the sake of my children during illness or danger. I remembered how vulnerable they were as babes learning to walk and how patiently we had taught them, rescued them, cleaned up the messes into which they had fallen so easily; and I was thankful that my Lord had been faithful to help in it all.

We kept Pounce inside the house that day, but he had not forgotten his prey. He chose a sunny spot at the sliding doors in the dining room, where he watched the action for hours, twitching his tail and sometimes chattering his teeth, his patience as great as that of the Jays, but unrewarded.

I was reminded of the enemy of our souls who ever waits for the unguarded moments of our lives to attack as we seek to learn to walk with our Savior. We need not huddle in fear, however, like the fledgling Jay did. He was unaware that the cat could not get him. In Christ we walk in victory and freedom even as the adult Jays, who knew that the enemy was under control.

FLY AWAY HOME!
My God has entrusted my children to me,
The ones I hold dear,
The ones I want near,
The ones I release in my heart to be free.

He tells me to tend them, to watch o’er their needs
With love to enfold,
But loosely to hold
So that my concerned grasp no spirit impedes.

I am to push them away from the nest,
To encourage at length,
To reinforce strength,
To pray that each one with God’s wisdom be blessed.

And when they soar out over life’s stormy sea,
My blessings I send,
And perhaps in the end,
Their heart’s way will lead them once more back to me.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for helping me with my family. Please, Father, keep them close to You.