WACKY WEDNESDAY WISDOM: Yet Another Bird Blessing

     A few months ago I wrote a piece about bird blessings. As you may recall, I have been the recipient of a number of bird blessings in my life. The most memorable of those was a gift one Sunday morning from a pigeon flying above as I, holding a small Stroupe child in my arms, walked into church. I received a bird blessing right smack dab on the head, which oozed down onto my forehead as I scrambled to get to the nearest Men's room.
     The other bird blessings included a murmuration in one instance and in another case, a mama bird building a nest on our front door decoration and us receiving the blessing of witnessing five little birds grow and eventually fly way- leaving only their droppings behind as a reminder of our time together.
     As you also may know from reading my ramblings, I was a college baseball coach for many years until I decided to move on to the next chapter in my life at the end of this past season. I can tell you honestly there has not been a moment since I made that decision where I have had second thoughts. It was time and I still know I did the right thing by moving on.
     That doesn't mean it has been easy. Every once in a while something will happen that will remind me I'm not a coach anymore. Those sudden realizations could be discouraging if I allowed them to be, but I don't.
     But there was a recent day in which the realizations were displaying themselves a little more readily than normal. Our season had ended a few days previous, and I was back at the office wrapping up some of the many details that require attention when a college baseball season ends. I'll admit I was not in an extremely positive frame of mind, which is unusual for me as I consider myself to be an optimistic, positive person. I was not dejected, sad, or grouchy- I was simply having a day where I was struggling to convince myself to count my blessings and accentuate all the positives in my life.
     As all these thoughts rolled around in my muddled mind, I witnessed an event before my very eyes that was destined to rearrange my day. Near the entrance to my office building (former office building now) there is a glass entrance door. Suddenly and without warning, a small bird in mid flight slammed face first into the door, obviously not realizing that the clear door was something to be avoided. The poor little thing's body was flung backwards and he landed flat on his back on the cement below my feet.
     At least he died instantly, I thought. (Sorry, but I'm calling it a "he" because I have no idea of a bird's gender unless it is perched on a nestful of eggs). I stared at the pitiful creature a second or two, feeling sorry for him that his demise had occurred before my very eyes. But to my astonishment, after a few seconds of lying flat on his back with his beak and claws sticking straight up in the air, this resilient creation of God lifted himself up and flew away, looking even stronger than he had before the crash.
     For whatever reason, I chuckled out loud. I was so taken back by the event that I stood in my tracks for at least two or three minutes reliving in my mind what I had just witnessed. Super Bird had taken a lickin' and kept on tickin'. He didn't wallow in his misery. He didn't lie there feeling sorry for himself. He didn't file a lawsuit against the window. He didn't look to me or anyone else for sympathy. He simply picked himself up by his proverbial bootstraps, dusted himself off, and soared toward greater heights. It was a fabulous bird blessing.
     Psalm 145:14 says "The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down." I have fallen many times in my life. And each time the Lord was there to lift me right back up. Let me be clear that I don't consider myself to have fallen merely because I am in a waiting period in life to see what's next. Not even close. I am excited about what's next. Where I could fall would be if I begin to lose faith and trust in God that He is directing my path. I could fall if I doubt God's provision and attempt to manipulate or arrange everything on my own strength. I could crash and fall flat on my back with my beak facing upward if, for even one moment, I entertain the thought that God is unable or unwilling to direct my path for His glory.
     Thank you, little Super Bird, for your impromptu lesson in perseverance and persistence. I hope your little head is completely healed and screwed on straight now. I hope you soar to new heights, providing your fellow bird friends with a few blessings as you are able. And may God use you to provide a bird blessing to a human or two like me along the way as well.