New Life and an Amazing God

Spring here in the Ozarks has been beautiful! I have been in awe at how something that looked like a war zone during the ice storm in January, start growing in March and then hit a week of frost again in the middle of April (everything new was killed again) could look so beautiful just a few short months later. It is only our all powerful God that could grow new life after everything was put through such a disaster not once but twice. Over the last few weeks we have watched our trees and flowers bud and bloom. We have planted new flowers and are watching them grow and flourish, but the thing that I have loved watching is a turtle dove couple.

On Sunday April 15th (it had snowed the day before) it was in the 60s. We were sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch after church and I looked out the window. I saw two turtle doves building a nest on the roof of our deck. It was neat. After several attempts to begin the building they gave up and left. I think the ledge they were building on was too narrow. I was sad because I was excited about watching baby birds. Here is the male turtle dove bringing a twig to the female bird for her to build with.When I took the kids outside to play on Monday, I found the turtle doves and their new nest on top of our arbor in the backyard. I was excited once again! The momma bird was already sitting on the nest and the daddy was still busy bringing her more twigs. In this picture he hears us playing and is watching out for his woman and babies! What a good man!On Tuesday I was able to get a picture of one of the two eggs that would become a new baby turtle dove.Over the next couple of weeks nothing really happened. We just watched the mommy or daddy bird sit on the nest through sunshine and pouring down rain. On Friday May 4th we were outside working in the yard and the daddy bird got scared and flew away trying to distract us from the nest. Look at the cute baby birds inside the nest!Here they are all snugly with Mommy!Look how much they grew in just nine days!About the middle of last week I noticed the nest was gone. I was sad because I knew I wouldn't be able to watch them grow anymore. They were off and flying. Saturday I walked out on the deck and the whole family; daddy, mommy and the two babies, flew out from underneath the deck onto the top of the fence, then they were off to a nearby tree. I loved seeing the whole family together.

As I type this post about the life of turtle doves I can't help but think of the life of my kids. I am so thankful they are not off and flying on their own in just two short weeks. I treasure every moment with them and love watching them grow and hit new milestones in their lives.

I cannot also help but think that God watches us with that same awe as I watched the baby birds and the way we watch our children. He loves watching us grow deeper and deeper in love with Him. He loves watching us grow from babes in Christ to having a deep relationship with him that is built on the rock.

I have been so thankful for the chance to watch those baby birds and their new lives. What an amazing God we serve that creates everything so intricately and beautifully.

Thank you Lord for giving us beauty to behold within your kingdom. Thank you for Spring and the new life it brings. Thank you for the new life you allow us to start with everyday within you! I love you Lord!