Emergency

Ragtag Daily Prompt this morning: EMERGE
The Word of the Day Challenge: PROVOKE

We had an emergency of sorts this morning that led Bob to emerge from the warmth of our home and enter the world of white and cold.

I noticed yesterday afternoon that our bird feeder was almost empty, but Bob had a supper appointment and didn’t get home until late — and dark. So the bird seed was depleted this morning. The sparrows were clustering hopefully but getting nothing; some of them took to hovering in the caragana hedge a few yards from the living room window. From this vantage they can peer in and provoke guilt in their human suppliers.

Alas! The humans were slow in getting around, being occupied with computers and such. The birds’ urgent need led them to try Plan B: a number of them came and perched on the railing right outside the front door. They were making their needs as clear as cheepy little birds can. I took up their cause and a few minutes later Bob went out with a bag of feed and corrected the problem. As soon as he disappeared around the corner of the house, the cry went forth and sparrows swarmed the feeder.

I think their policy is: Go out into the highways and by-ways and tell all your friends there’s a feast ready to enjoy beside the mobile home. Sometimes I can scarcely believe how many sparrows there are on the feeder and on the ground nearby. A couple of magpies intercepted the call; they’ve showed up to try and grab a few sunflower seeds. Our feeder is awkward for them, but hey! Free food’s worth a few contortions.

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121: 1-2

Our sparrows know they can look to us when they have a need — and they have their own small way of making their needs known. Likewise we turn to the Lord for our help, knowing how He’s has taken care of us thus far in life. Though we haven’t been able to attend church services much since March, still we’ve been able to listen to some very inspiring messages — including several yesterday — thanks to modern technology.