A Baby Fawn

          Some experiences happen on a regular basis. Though they are special, we tend to grow accustomed to them, and forget their significance. On the other hand, some events happen only once and will likely never happen again. This is the kind of even that happened today.

   

         A deer was hanging out in our yard this morning. This part is not uncommon at all. This deer, however, would not leave.  The dogs would chase her, and she would simply circle around and come back to the same area. Since this is very uncommon, I decided to investigate. What I found, genuinely surprised me, because in the freshly cut area, in a small patch of shade was a newborn, clean, but still very tired from the birthing experience. Since the dogs knew where the fawn was, something needed to happen if the baby was going to live.

   

         I wasn't even sure it it was alive since there was not movement. When I reached out to feel the soft warm skin of this brand new baby, the fawn jerked and drew in a deep breath. Placing my arms around the helpless creature, I picked it up, and carried it to a grove of trees in hopes that mom, who watched my every move, would take over the care of her baby. Though the deer eat our plants, and make messes on the grass, holding this newborn changed my attitude about them.

            As I held this new, soon to be wild, animal in my arms, I thought about how carefully God handles us. We make messes of his creation, and tear up the flowers and trees to erect ugly concrete structures. We live sinful lives following after our own desires. Yet, when we are in a dangerous place, unable to save ourselves, our God gently lifts us up and takes us to a better place. The Bible says, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1 NLT). Two hundred yards from where this tiny fawn now rests is a small lake. I am sure mother was trying to reach that place before giving birth. Soon, this little baby will long for the cool, fresh water.  May I never forget my need for God.

        I don’t know what the final outcome will be for this tiny spotted creature. I hope the mother, who was confused by what was happening, will understand what I have done. For now, I must watch from a distance.

    

Learning From the Birds

            There is an amazing event that takes place every June in the Denver area. The barn swallows come out by the thousands. They divide up into smaller groups, with each group locating themselves around major intersections. At each intersection, the birds swoop and dive, barely missing cars, sometimes touching the ground, and sometimes actually touching cars as they fly by. What they do is pure artistry, like a ballet that takes place all day long. 

            What is the point of the invasion of the birds? Well, there is another phenomenon that takes place at the same time. The month of June brings a brown moth that is harder to see, but present nonetheless.  They enter houses and irritate families when they swarm around lights and windows.

            What do the two events have to do with each other? The answer is fascinating. Cars driving on the roads collide with the flying moths, sometimes on the windshield, and others in the grill area. When the vehicles approach the intersection, they slow, and eventually stop for the light. This allows the moths to fall off of the vehicle and on to the ground. When that happens the birds take advantage of the vehicle’s work and enjoy a great meal.

            Birds know something that we should understand and apply to our own lives. They put themselves in the place of greatest opportunity. They swarm at the intersections with the most cars, because that is the place where the most bugs will be found.

            Are you putting yourself in the place of greatest opportunity? Are you gravitating to the location

where you receive the most blessings? The Bible identifies that intersection as the place of prayer. God wants us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It is like gathering at the biggest intersection knowing that all trials, needs, and decisions travel through that intersection. All blessings pass through the intersection of prayer. Are you in that place?