A Close Encounter of a 'Bird' Kind

I love this time of year, smelling the cut grass, seeing trees come to life. I have to say that spring to early summer are my favourite seasons.

One morning last week. I was carrying our wee dog Pebbles out to the garden for a run around. (Being a near blind dog, it is wonderful to watch her once her paws hit the grass, her tail goes up and she trots around, nose in the air, off on her adventures).

Well! on this particular morning as I opened the back door of the house I disturbed the birds feeding on the grass. I then spotted a young collared dove heading straight for me on a 'kamikaze' flight path. My reactions kicked in immediately! I blinked!!!

Sometime during that blink and at the last possible moment the bird swerved round me, clipping my leg with her wing, flew threw the utility room and into the kitchen were my mother-in-laws dog 'Pippen' was waiting.

'Pippen' is a half sister of Pebbles, and like Pebbles is 12 years old. We have been looking after her for a couple of years now. When she arrived with us she was a mad and 'hyper' dog. Whereas Pebbles is slow and deliberate in her actions, Pippen is on the other end of the same scale, a 100mph racer.

So this unfortunate bird had flown straight into where Pippen was running around. I heard a bit of a flurry in the kitchen and was expecting to go and see Pippen standing, 'retriever' like with said bird in her mouth. But what greeted me was the bird sitting on the kitchen floor with Pippen's eyes glued to the bird's eyes, nose to nose or in this case nose to beak. No barking, no attack, no aggression, just calm, interested attention. I am convinced that even if I had not been there that the bird would have been left unharmed.

So after putting Pebbles down on the floor, I was able to pick up the young dove, who by this time was minus quite a few feathers that were strewn around the kitchen floor and take the bird outside where she flew off into the nearby trees.

I got a lesson from this encounter. Pippen reacted differently than I expected. Her bark was worse than her bite and I am convinced that she is a real softy at heart. I was sure the young dove was going to be in trouble but I was proved wrong.

I reflected that over the past couple of years Pippen has mellowed and become more like Pebbles and I do not believe that this mellowing is due to her age, she still can move at 100mph. I think it is down to the influence of Pebbles, the 'Mother Theresa of the dog world.

Makes you think that the more time we spend being close with our Lord and Saviour under His influence and His work on our hearts, we become more 'Christ like' in our natures and in our outlook. Putting into our lives His attributes, His love.

Joh 17:21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Finally .......... a thought for to-day

Being Christlike is always in season