"trying to save his children"

The "broken wing" dance of the Kildeer!

I love creation and the lessons that I learn. (the way the leaves rustle in the wind, the bunnies that are ALL over our yard these days, the way the fox in our yard runs with his tail straight out behind him, the bluejays that have become God's direct "kiss" to me, the fuzzy caterpillars and on and on) However, I have to admit that I was a very S-L-O-W learner this past weekend. Let me explain.

On Saturday, Alvin and I went to the Henderson Land. We were working around there (okay, ALVIN was working, I was sitting and reading as there was nothing for me to do yet!) When we got there and walked up onto the area that he has already readied for the shop foundation, we saw and heard a kildeer.

I have (in my lifetime) seen hundreds of kildeers running ahead of me as I walked, especially on Springfield Road. I have seen them on our Henderson Hwy. land too but not so close to us, and not on the pad that Alvin had laid out. The three hours we were there on Saturday, we watched as the Kildeer would do the "broken wing dance". This was the first time I actually saw it like this. I ahd heard about it, and told my kids about it, but to see it was quite something. The wing would go up and out at this weird angle and the Kildeer would flop around and move like it was very wounded. As we would walk closer, he/she would keep flopping and moving farther away. (distraction technique to take us AWAY from his nest).

It seemed when we went closer to one side, the activity got more pronounced. It went on, along with his calling, for the whole time we were there. At one point I said to Alvin "can't believe he would spend the whole time trying to get us moving" to which Alvin replied "but what he is doing is worth it - he is trying to save his children".

The next day, we spent a few hours hanging out there again. This time there were two kildeers walking/calling/doing the broken wing dance. One of them would come very closer to us and call and try to lure us away. He was incessantly committed to sticking close by and chirping. I grabbed my camera and tried to get a couple shots. Shortly after, Michael and Ashley came by and so as the guys did a bit of work, Ash and I sat on lawnchairs on the pad and read/talked for a couple hours. I explained to Ashley how the Kildeer was pretty worked up. We wondered where the nest may be. We figured it was in the tall grass on the other side of the foundation. And then I spotted them.

Up close they are a little more obvious - but how disguised these eggs are amongst the stone!

EGGS. Right there, only a mere feet from us. No wonder he/she was so uptight! In fact at one point, we were amazed that Alvin's size 12's didn't trample them! (that would have been so sad!)

So, Ash and I got some wood pieces and set up a bit of a guard around them - more for our sake than theirs. And, we moved our lawnchairs into a far off side. That seemed to bring some relief too. No wonder they were so uptight! It was even more of an eye opener when I looked back on the pics I had taken, and saw that she was standing right over the eggs!

Look real close - you will notice she is standing with her feet on either side of her eggs!

They were just so blended in. (I really don't think they had been there the day before though, so sometime between the two visits, they were laid). AMAZING. simply and truly amazing! Creation at its finest!

So since then, I have thought about what I have learned. And I realized that the kildeer wasn't just wasting time trying to lure us, but that instead he/she had good reason to be anxious. And, as Alvin said the day before "he was just trying to save his children". Ah.... yes. Nature teaches us what we already know, and feel ourselves.

You see, we would also do what it took to save our kids! From the time they were babies to the ages they are now - in their twenties. Alvin and I would give whatever we had to - for our kids.

When we lost our little Jay, both of us said we would have given our lives for his little life!

But on the bigger scheme of things - that is exactly what Jesus did for us.

Except it cost him WAY more (I am not trying at all to compare us to him)

Jesus swet "great drops of blood falling down to the ground" while talking to his Father in the Garden. And, Jesus went to the cross for me. For you.

He wasn't just "trying" to save us. He DID SAVE US!

And we have the choice whether to accept that gift of salvation or not!

Hmmm.... creation declares the glory of God.

We need to live our lives with eyes wide open, and take in those teachable moments wherein we see God's creation, his glory and then ~

we can revel in his grace and mercy as we soak it all in.

I hope that we will be able to see the eggs hatch.

Hopefully no animal will kill them, or steal them before that time.

We will be careful not to stress them out any more now that we are aware of their presence.

And, as we watch ~

we will be reminded that Jesus watches over us - and gave HIS life for His children.

Creation continues to teach me and to affirm His amazing love!