My husband called me outside last night. He wanted to show me the new home recently built in the neighborhood. I was surprised at at how quickly it had been constructed. The residents have already moved in, and the children will be arriving very soon, indeed.
Right outside our patio doors, a pair of Carolina wrens have built their home. It is safely snuggled under an assortment of flower pots and other gardening stuff, haphazardly stacked in a standing window box planter I purchased last summer. After cleaning and fresh paint, I planned to sell the planter at our booth at Carousel Horse Antiques in Locust. It will just have to stay where it is, nothing will be disturbed until the five speckled eggs hatch and the babies fly from the nest.
Our Carolina wren neighbors are a bit sneaky. I made a diorama in a planter to decorate the bistro table on our deck for Easter. I mounded some garden soil, placed three stick crosses on the mound, inserted a small can to replicate the tomb, placed stones by the "door", symbolizing the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Since I was raised in the fast-food, instant gratification generation, I covered the dirt with moss collected from some shady spots in our yard, instead of waiting for grass seed to sprout. I was quite pleased with myself; but after a few days I noticed the sticks had been moved and dirt was scattered on the table. Our precocious grandchildren had been to visit and I thought they had been playing in it, but my husband said he had seen a small brown bird sitting in the planter earlier. After a few more days passed, almost all of the moss had disappeared. Now I know where the moss went. Our Carolina wren couple, used the moss, along with an assortment of sticks, small pieces of thin plastic, and whatever else they could find to construct their home.
I can't wait to sneak peeks at the baby birds in a week or two. I read that Carolina wrens usually lay up to four eggs, but our family has five. The mother bird sits on the eggs for two weeks, while the father feeds her. That's going to been one crowded nest when all those eggs hatch! Mama bird was sitting on the nest this morning, but flew off when I got too close. I'll have to be careful, because I don't want them to abandon their nest because of my curiosity.
You know, we can find happiness no matter where our homes are...as long as the ones we love are near. Did you know that Carolina wrens are monogamous, working together to build their homes, and the daddies help feed and care for their young? Daddy wrens are beautiful singers, so I think they must be quite happily married. Humans should take lessons from them.
To me, one of the saddest verses in scripture is Matthew 8:20. Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." It's humbling to realize that Jesus, the Son of God, who created all things, became homeless to purchase my salvation.
After Jesus' death and resurrection, He spent forty days with his disciples and others before returning to the Father. When it was time for Him to leave them, Jesus' followers were discouraged and frightened concerning the future. Jesus told them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Then, Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1:7 - NIV)
Do you know the Father and the Son? Is Jesus busy preparing a room for you in God's house? They are waiting...and there's no place like home.
Copyright 2012 Charlotte Laney
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