Winter Bird

I hung the wreath on my front door.
It is always so lovely to see fresh greens woven together in such a way.
The red bow at the top reminds me that the festivities will soon begin.
There is nothing more welcoming to people and to birds.

The same wreath that can be so beautiful is also an albatross.
The same wreath with pine cones and berries to please the eye, also pleases the palate.
The palate of the winter birds find the berries a convenient feast.
The winter birds find the wreath a perfect resting place.

It has happened twice before.
I remember the night when it was just starting to get dark.
My friend and her daughter stopped by with some Christmas cookies.
Her daughter rang the doorbell.

Just as we always do, we opened the door with a smile and a greeting.
The bird, my friend said pointing, startled by the sudden movement.
As quick as a flash the bird, which was inside the wreath, flew inside the warm house.
Small talk and pleasantries were soon forgotten as everyone went into finding the bird mode.

Birds are lovely.
Red birds and berries seem to perfectly depict the winter landscape.
However, birds in the house do not belong.
Birds flying and perching wherever they choose is unacceptable.

Finding the bird mode was in full swing.
We each ran around flailing arms and shrieking every time the bird flew too close.
The bird perched on the old oxen yoke that is hanging on the family room wall.
The bird perched on the balcony railing that overlooks the foyer and family room.

The bird perched on baskets hanging in strategic places.
The bird perched on the high shelves above the coat closets where I keep my old tins.
The bird perched wherever it chose to perch.
We were seemingly helpless to the flight of the small winter bird.

I called it a winter bird because it reminded me of my snow globe.
A quiet, winter scene is depicted beneath the glass.
A clump of four leafless trees are standing in the wintry woods.
A Golden retriever appears to be a watchman underneath the trees.

A red bird is perched in one of the trees.
The scene is peaceful and still.
One shake of the globe and the snow begins to fall.
On the base, there is a quote from Henry van Dyke.

The woods would be silent if no birds sang.

Our house was anything but quiet that night all those years ago.
Something was displaced.
Something was where it should not have been.
Our intention was not to harm the bird but rather simply to get the bird out of our house.

None of us had a plan until my youngest daughter spoke up.
Why don’t we build a wall of some sort? She asked innocently.
I searched her face and knew that she had the plan formulated in her mind.
What do your propose we do? I asked her, which quieted everyone else.

She was like a commanding officer.
She delegated various jobs for us to do and items we were to retrieve.
She designed a wall of blankets that my tall sons would hold close to the ceiling.
The wall was built in the upstairs hallway.

The doors to all of the bedrooms were closed.
Even the hallway closet that holds pillows and quilts was closed.
The bird flew in there and she knew it was contained.
With the blanket wall, the bird could only fly down the back staircase.

Since that was our laundry room, we were able to close that space off as well.
There is an outside entrance in our laundry room.
My daughter proposed that only that door be opened.
She was sure the bird would fly outside.

By this point, we were frustrated that an hour had gone by with no success.
My friend had long gone deciding that they would only get in the way.
I looked intently into my daughter’s face.
She was so sure her plan would work.

She would be the one to open the closet door.
Ready? She asked her brothers who were easily holding the blanket to the ceiling.
I was at the bottom of the back stairs making sure the bird would indeed fly outside.
My other daughters and husband were stationed elsewhere.

On the count of three, she opened the door.
As if on cue the bird flew against the blanket wall and turned down the back stairs.
It flew over my head and out the door.
I slammed the door shut and yelled, It’s out!

Cheers were heard throughout the house.
Mission accomplished.
The bird was back where it should be.
Praises were freely given to the one who came up with the brilliant idea.

How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near Your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You. (Psalm 84:1-4)

Those who are in Christ belong in God’s Heavenly Home.
Jesus has gone to prepare a place for those the Father has given Him.
It will be a place of quiet and stillness.
It will be a place of peace.

For those who are not in Christ, there will be barriers.
They will not be welcome in this Place of Peace.
God the Father had a plan from eternity past.
A plan that would save His people.

God the Father sent His Son Jesus to be born of a woman.
Jesus came in the flesh to a place He was not supposed to be.
He came so that we could be where we are supposed to be when we come to Him in faith.
In Christ there are no barriers, there is only rejoicing.

Evil and sin are not welcome in this Place.
It’s out! the Lord Jesus will finally say.
Hallelujah will be heard.
Loud rejoicing and praises to our God for all He has done for us will be heard for all eternity.

What will you hear?
It’s out?
Or will you hear the sound of praise for our God?
Hallelujah!

Now is the time to make sure that you are in Christ.
Only in Him will you be where you are supposed to be.