The Joys of Nesting
Mother’s Day came and went, but not really. Loved being honored by my sweet family. I’m just so thankful that it’s not just one time a year. We mamas should be honored daily.
Speaking of mothers, my neighbor and I were visiting outside when we heard a loud, strange noise up in a tree by her patio. She knew what was up. It was the Papa Wren giving warning signals to Mama Wren who didn’t notice a “no vacancy” sign. She set up her nest in my friend’s patio flower pot—just in time for her eggs to be delivered. My friend, who has a feisty sense of humor says: “Just look around at all the trees in areas that Mama Wren could have chosen to make herself at home, but, nooo, she had to choose my patio!”
I don’t think I’ve ever heard that kind of sound from birds before so I checked out Google and indeed that song we heard was from a Southern House Wren. You see the eggs-in-waiting here. That mama is on a mission to bring life into this world. We, women relate to nesting, not only in birds, but when we, as expectant mamas, are getting close to the birth-day of our baby. Sometimes that urge is the sheer anticipation or the frustration from still being pregnant. It is also knowing that the baby’s care is going to take lots of time and energy. We want everything to be ready-set-go!
Yesterday, Mother’s Day, I was pondering about the thoughts I had before my babies arrived. We already had their names picked out long before their arrival day. I worked tirelessly on their nursery, being sure it was all set up for our tiny, new occupant. My bags, with my baby’s going home outfit, was packed and ready to go. Everything was ready for the big debut.
Though I am no longer in that season (thanks be to God) of nesting because a baby is on the way, I still find myself nesting in times of sweet reflection, peace and quiet, and pondering God‘s goodness and mercy to me. Oh, pondering. Mary, the mother of our Lord, perfected that term–she pondered all those angelic messages in her heart.
That Mama and Papa Wren remind me about the importance of being still, nesting in our Lord. It’s a given that He abides in us, but when we spend time refreshing and reviving our relationship with Him, to really know Him, His peace comes over us and all the clamor and activity around us is as nothing. I love the protective noise that Papa Wren was making. It’s a reminder of Psalms 91:4, 11 where we read about how God protects us: “He covers us with His feathers and under His wings we find refuge.”
For the next several days, I won’t be nesting. I’ll be scrambling around in full-on-flight mode as I get to be the grand-mama bird who cheers her family on when they leave the nest. I’ll be seeing after my two grandsons. Here’s the good news – whatever season we’re in with our families — waiting, anticipating, preparing, nurturing, encouraging or simply praying–it’s comforting to know we don’t do it alone. The watchful, ever-present eye of our Father is on us –caring more about us than we could ever care for our own.
For the next several days, I won’t be nesting. I’ll be scrambling around in full-on-flight mode as I get to be the grand-mama bird who cheers her family on when they leave the nest. I’ll be seeing after my two grandsons. Here’s the good news – whatever season we’re in with our families — waiting, anticipating, preparing, nurturing, encouraging or simply praying–it’s comforting to know we don’t do it alone. The watchful, ever-present eye of our Father is on us –caring more about us than we could ever care for our own.