Flying Solo

One morning as I came in to work at my job as a church secretary, I was greeted by the sharp, intense call of a bird. Although I could not see the source, the sound was coming from somewhere high in the branches of the Oak of Hope (an ancient oak here on the grounds of First Christian Church.)

Mind you, this was not the usual soothing sound of birdsong that I've become accustomed to as I walk up the sidewalk each morning. Instead, this was a call of distress and it didn't take long for me to discover what all the excitement was about. As I glanced around, I noticed a baby bird sitting statue-still on the ground beneath the grand old oak that graces the grounds here at the church. Apparently, this baby was out on its first solo flight and had run into some difficulty... ( Sorry, my imagination sometimes tends to run away with me ) and now it became my turn to be alarmed. I quickly scanned the grounds for signs of predators (an occasional cat is known to prowl these premises. Assuring myself that no enemy was about, I reluctantly decided that it would not be helpful for me to stand sentry duty as that might encourage the mother bird to flee rather than to attempt a rescue mission. And so, grudgingly I retreated to the church, convinced that I could safely keep an eye out for danger from the window of my office.

For most of the morning, I typed the bulletin and peeked out the window ran the copies. and peeked out the window. And finally, when I wasn't convinced that I had a bird's eye view, I peeked out the glass doors in the lobby. I suppose some would call me Mother Russia and some might even call me obsessed, but I was determined to do all I could to save that baby.

And, once he (or she) was safely back with Mom, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was then that I gained a better understanding of my purpose in this situation and in life. I am not the Savior I am here to serve the Savior. And though at times I tend to be determined to lead the charge, I've come to realize that every life has a purpose according to His will and no amount of good intentions or never-give-up determination can succeed without His intervention. And so, I am grateful that His eye is on the sparrow for I know He watches over me.

~ Linda Lee Gleason ~