Little Bird Miracle



   Last Friday we got a bird in our dryer vent. Michael pulled out the nest, hoping to discourage the bird from coming back. Unfortunately, all day we heard the skitter-skitter of little bird feet above our heads. We think that moving the nest encouraged the bird deeper into the ventilation system, looking for it's nest. Then it couldn't find it's way out. 5 am the next morning, it woke us up trying to scratch and peck it's way out of the vent in our bedroom. We left the house, hoping it would find it's way out.

   But the next morning, Easter Sunday, it was the same story. The bird was in our bathroom, right above our fan. I showed Michael where the sounds were coming from and he pulled off the vent cover to see if we could find the bird and entice it out. Sure enough, we could see the little beak peeking out from between the ceiling and the fan. It had been trying to dig through to the light.

   Michael pushed the fun up high enough that the bird could escape. The poor thing was so desperate for freedom that it didn't even back away from him, as I'm sure its instincts were screaming to. It just perched on the side of the opening and looked at Michael as if it were saying, "What next?"

   At this point we realized that the bird had been stuck in there for three days without a source of food or water. I ran to get a piece of bread and Michael offered it to the bird, who flew out willingly and perched on the edge of the garbage can that Michael offered it. Then it pecked at the bread. I also brought back a little measuring cup of water and the bird abandoned the bread in order to satiate it's thirst which I am sure was tremendous. 

   Michael placed the bread and water in the bottom of the garbage can and the bird hopped right in. Then he covered it and took the bird outside to offer it freedom. The bird either didn't want to leave the water source, or it was merely too exhausted to fly away. Michael put his gloved finger in the waste basket and the little bird hopped trustingly on. Then Michael gently lifted the bird into the tree branches where it hopped off. It rested there for a few minutes and then flew off to find more nourishment. 

Here is our little bird friend.

 

 

  I am so grateful that the little guy survived! It was thrilling to Michael as well to play hero to a little bird. But all the rest of that day we kept seeing parallels with the bird's story and our own lives, especially because it was Easter.

   The bird got stuck by its own methods: whether it was curiosity or searching for a safe place, the bird trapped itself so that it was not only lost, but unable to escape by its own powers. The bird did the only thing that made sense, and went toward the only light it could see. But it was not very light and completely inaccessible. Despite using all it's strength and ingenuity, it could do little more than peck a centimeter sized gap that only allowed its beak to break through its prison. Although it let in more light, the bird was quickly starving and weakening.

   That's when help came: outside help that was desperately needed. Still it would not have saved the bird if the bird had reacted with fear and run away from the movement. But instead, the bird recognized that this was the only option that would save it. So the bird trusted the help and came out. Then the helper offered the bird bread of life and water to quench the bird's thirst. Those life-saving acts quickly helped give the bird strength to continue. But the helper (or should we call him a savior?) didn't cage the bird and take away it's freedom, but placed it back into the world where the bird could have its freedom to choose, and take care of itself the way a bird is supposed to. Even if it meant the bird would go right back into the dryer vent and lose its freedom again.

   Luckily, the bird had learned its lesson and is building a nest somewhere else much safer.   Anyway, I hope the analogy is as clear to you as it was to Michael and I. Really, the whole experience made Easter for us. It gave us a clear understanding of how necessary a Savior is to us. What a wonderful reminder!

 

 Matthew 10:29-31