A bird in the hand, (unless it’s a starling…)

It appears a male starling is making advances to the female, who in turn is playing hard to get.  At first, I hear sweet tunes, which quickly have turned into unpleasant assertions.  Then arrives male #2 and the competitors have at it, chasing each other through the branches while the female ignores them, rearranging her coiffure and powdering her beak.

One of the males is run off (how can you tell them apart?), and the young couple is left to negotiate their terms of endearment.  Not that I care; good grief, it’s not like we need more starlings in the world.

Despite their interpersonal drama, the tree they are in continues to be beautiful, the sunshine making the leaves various shades of green. The other birds in the neighborhood are singing beautifully.  Our dog, Buckley, is completely unaware and is enjoying his morning repose on the cool concrete of the patio.

In other words, life goes on.

Which is actually a comforting thought, a normalizing one.  Not that what the future Mr. and Mrs. Starling are experiencing isn’t important (to them), but the security of the free world doesn’t depend on their nest.

Segway…

When Bob’s dad died unexpectedly at only 50 years old, our little world was rocked.  A state legislator for many years, a private businessman, and one of the founders of a large church in their city, his passing was more than a ripple in our little pond.  And in the midst of his own shock and grief, I’ll never forget my soon-to-be-husband’s response:

“God is still on His throne.”

This doesn’t negate the importance of the situation, but it does help put it in perspective, as well as bring hope concerning future events.  The things that are catastrophic in my life are not going to bring down the Universe, and the sun will still come up tomorrow, whether I want it to or not.  That’s stability.

For another thing, it means I don’t have to understand all the “why’s” of life.  The sooner I relinquish that self-proclaimed “right”, the better for my mental health anyway.

Best of all, God is not shocked.  Saddened, yes, as He feels my grief even more than I do.  But being infinite, He is not bound by the perspective of time, as I am. 

In times of frustration and pain, I am so thankful for that Rock of Ages that doesn’t change based on my thoughts, feelings, or circumstances.  And He cares in ways I’m not even aware of.

Even for the starlings.

“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.”

Matthew 10:29 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.