April 16 – “Mocking Momma”

We have an extra boarder at our house.  Actually it's in a bush in front of our house.  Chris was rocking Cailyn yesterday when she noticed movement out the front window.  A careful study of the situation at first revealed only an occasional swoop of a mocking bird down to the bush, a brief pause, and a dart back into the sky.  But the swooping continued, over and over again.  As it turned out, the mocking bird was busy for a very special reason.  There in our Texas sage bush, hidden fairly well, was a tiny baby mocking bird who I suppose got pushed from the nest and was trying to get the hang of the flying thing.  Apparently it wasn't doing much flying, so momma bird was bringing it a steady diet of bugs.    When Cailyn woke up we took her out to see it, warning her not to touch it.  She was absolutely fascinated by the tiny creature.  And of course she wanted to touch it.  We managed to keep her away, though.  Personally, I was more concerned about getting dive-bombed by that momma.    This Sunday is Palm Sunday.  One of the traditions I started at Seaside several years ago involves making crosses out of palm branches.  We have always had a sego palm tree in our yard.  Two actually, one in the front and a pretty big one in the back.  The week of Palm Sunday has become my week of trimming the palm trees every year.  I saw off the branches that are sagging and use the fronds to form the small crosses.  Some years I even bring one of the full branches to use as a visual of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before his death and resurrection.    Since we were outside anyway, I decided to get the trimming done.  I grabbed the trimmer – one of those poles that disappears into itself so you can raise the saw end up higher and higher – and headed for the front yard tree.  Just as I was raising the saw to the lowest branch, I noticed some movement.  It wasn't much, but it did get my attention.  I pulled the saw blade down and peered into the greenery.  There it was again.  It slowly came into focus as if I was turning the knob on a pair of binoculars.  Actually, since I didn't have my glasses on, it was just my distance eye switching into gear.  There it was.  A second mocking bird baby was perched right next to the branch I was about to remove.  I called out to the ladies (April was here to pick up Cailyn).  They came over and provided the expected oohs and aahs.  I picked up my tool and started back to my task at hand.  But that resulted in a cry of dismay.  Chris decisively informed me that there was another tree in the back yard with palm branches on it.  Now to those gentlemen out there who haven't yet learned the finer points of female communication, that particular statement carried a deeper meaning than just reminding me of our landscaping scenario.  A rough guy translation would be, "Don't you dare do anything that will disturb that poor little birdie.  Go to the back yard this instant and cut a branch from that tree."  I considered arguing.  For about a second.  There was a branch or two back there that really needed to come down.    What I didn't tell Chris was … when I cut the branch back there, a dove burst forth from the treetop and lit on the power line.  I think there was a nest up there somewhere.  I was careful.  My branch was nowhere near the suspected abode.  I just hope one branch will be enough.  Who knows what other little creatures are hiding up there.   Micah 6:8 says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."   Father, that walking humbly is a full time job.  It'll take three of me to get this job done.  Help.  Amen.