Elena's Garden

He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge. Psalms 91:4

Nine years ago, I was house sitting in Southern California. I was taking care of my pastor's house while he and his wife were on a trip to Israel. The evening I arrived I walked up to the house with my suitcase and keys and looked down and there on the front step was a baby bird. It only had a few feathers and its eyes were still closed. It had fallen out of its nest too soon! I looked up where it might of come from and at the top of a stone pillar that supported the porch roof I could see pieces of a nest. I quickly put my things in the house and went looking for a ladder to put the bird back. I found one, but it was out in their garage in the far corner. I did not have the ability to open the garage door. My pastor rebuilt old cars and he had some very valuable cars and tools in there. So, he had secured it very well for the time they would be gone. I very carefully edged between their cars and out through the house with this huge ladder. I just couldn't let this little bird die! I set up the ladder and scooped up the little bird and climbed up to the top of the porch pillar. When I got up there, I could see why that little thing fell out. The nest was pathetic, a few twigs swirled around on a flat stone surface. I thought this has to be the work of a mourning dove. Such sweet birds, with lonely calls, but they are just not very good nest makers! So, I couldn't leave the little thing there to fall again to his death. I climbed down the ladder, went in the house and found an empty pop tart box. I cut open the side, put some soft toilet paper in it and placed the little struggling bird in it and then placed it under a warm lamp. I finished unpacking my stuff and ate dinner. I worried about the bird and wondered how it was going to survive. I went to bed but I tossed and turned, still thinking of the poor little baby. I woke up before the dawn and I decided to put the bird back. My plan was to wind the twigs of the nest tighter and put them in the pop tart box and set that on top of the pillar. In my night gown, I had to make the trip again with the ladder as I had put it away. I placed the pop tart nest back on top of the pillar with the baby bird and an unhatched egg beside it. I sat inside looking out at the porch. The sun had just begun to peek up over the horizon. Low and behold, a mama mourning dove flew up to the top of the pillar. She walked around the pop tart box and then it looked almost like she shrugged her shoulders and jumped in the nest, bringing the little one under her wings and into her warm feathers! I was delighted. During the next 2 weeks she and her mate fed and cared for their little one and then he grew to the point where he flew out of the nest and they watched over him, until he could fly. I climbed back up to the nest and took it. The one egg did not hatch. So, I bought a shadow box and put the nest in it, with a fake baby bird and the empty egg. I have the picture of it below and I hang the shadow box in our guest bedroom. This experience reminds me of the faithfulness of the Lord and how He cares for us and will not abandon us.

To see more treasures and the stories behind them, go to Kelli's blog!