May 2nd

Boom-boom, our Peking duck sitting in the wooden crate provided for her nest, had twenty-seven eggs at last count. Her name was aptly chosen to match her waddle, for her tail area nearly hit the ground at each step. The other ducks in the pen ignored her most of the time and made good use of the large water-tub filled with water. She sat patiently in her crate while the others sported in the water and greedily ate the cracked corn brought to the pen daily.
It had been a warm spring, but it was still too early in the season to release the ducks to the lake at our beach, so we generally ran water from the hose into the tub twice daily to clean it out.
One day I stood holding the hose and watching the flock as the water cleared in the tub. I realized that there was something different happening. The ducks were not clambering into the tub immediately! They waited until the tub was full and clean, then lined up in two rows from the crate to the tub, rather like troops at attention. I almost held my breath!
There was a sudden movement in the crate, and out raced Boom-boom between the rows of ducks directly into the tub. She played and splashed and cleaned her feathers for several moments while the troops waited at attention, then scrambled from the tub and raced back to her nest. Only after she was cozily settled again did the ducks break rank for their own morning swim!
What a lesson for this greedy world in which we live! One simple unselfish act shines like a beacon in our cultural rat-race. The gracious acknowledgment that others have needs besides ourselves…. our family, our church, our country and the deference to serve them is what our Lord desires from each of His own children. Let us take a lesson from the ducks.

CHOICES
The choices we make as we live out each day
May either uplift or bring sharp dismay.
Do we hinder or help with the words which we say?
Do we choose a smooth path or more difficult way?

Do we see ways to serve and then turn our backs?
Do we cast off necessities someone else lacks?
Do we build a new bridge or fail to mend cracks?
Do we follow the Lord or make our own tracks?

Often we fail to see wrong from right,
Or we don’t trust enough in the power of His might,
But He always forgives if we are contrite
When He shows us our slip by His guiding light.

Each day of our lives brings moments of choice,
And it always is right to heed Jesus’ voice,
For His way is God’s and our hearts must rejoice
In the knowledge that ‘love’ is the only right choice.

Prayer: Dear Lord, You said that You would have gathered your people as a hen gathers her chicks, but they would not. Help my choices to be Your choices for me.