Look what I found outside my house today!

I was going to use this terra cotta planter this afternoon until I saw what lay inside. The large “nest-like” thing is actually a man-made thing my mom gave me. But inside of that, this sweet little mommy bird built her own nest, complete with six little brown-speckled eggs.

Do you know how long I had to stand there to get this shot? I believe this is a Bewick’s Wren, but I may be wrong.

I watched her come and go every few minutes with a piece of something special for her nest. Diligently, hard at work to make her home for her soon-to-come babies. I observed as each time she came and went, she did so cautiously, on guard for any danger. As I watched her, I realized that she didn’t stop. Not once did she sit and rest inside with her little eggs. She kept going and going, popping in and out to keep building her nest, which quite frankly, looked just fine to me. And then I thought, this is what it means to be hard at work, building your home.

It all ties together with what God revealed to me while reading “A Woman After God’s Own Heart” by Elizabeth George. In her chapter called “A Heart That Makes A House A Home,” Ms. George addresses Proverbs 14:1:

The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.

After writing about ‘creating the atmosphere’ and ‘building a refuge,’ Elizabeth says,

The wise woman is aware that she’s on assignment from God and knows that building a home is a lifelong endeavor. The teaching of the Bible is clear, and so is the sharp contrast between the wise woman and the foolish woman. Wisdom builds - and builds and builds - avoiding any attitude or act that doesn’t build.

Just like my little wren, building and building. Cautiously so, wisely so, busily so.

Also much like God. He is always at work in us. Refining and edifying us until we are glorified with Him in heaven. Praise God that He never stops! But ceaselessly works on our hearts.

May I be inspired by my little wren, as I watch her build her home, as I observe her caring for her soon-to-be-babies, to be busy at work in my own house, making it a home, a refuge for my family.

Update: OH NO! This morning I found the nest on the ground with all six little eggs cracked. I’m not sure if it was wind or a cat jumping at the bird and knocking the nest to the ground in the process. I’m betting on the cat. I returned the empty fake nest to the planter, pushed it closer to the wall so that it’s safer, and I’m hoping that she or another bird will reuse it. I don’t even know if it’s possible for her to lay more eggs this season. I’ll have to check into that. One more reminder that only God knows what tomorrow will bring, and that He is Sovereign over all.

Update #2: The cat deposited something FOUL and suspiciously fowl - as in it looked like it had feathers in it and it REEKED of decomp - on my living room floor. I suspect he ate the momma bird after all. Such is the way the food chain works. :(