For those of you who read these posts...Yes, I am still waiting! The mama Robin laid these eggs over a week ago. Each day we try to co-exist on my balcony. If she were to be given a test on "nest placement", I am afraid that she might have gotten an "F"...You see the nest is in a precarious place at the far corner of the balcony railing. In addition to that, there is no natural covering there to keep the babies safe from the heat and the rain. I have since rearranged things in order to keep the eggs safe...I moved my deck umbrella to cover the nest.

Yesterday it was 100 degrees outside. I decided to move the umbrella after watching the mother for awhile, she had her beak open and was barely able to keep her head up (although she did manage to stare me down through the window each time I that looked out to check on her) The news of impending thunder storms got me moving in the excessive heat pushing tables and chairs and pulling planters in order to make room for the umbrella and it's base on the far side of the balcony. Sweat rolled down my face as I worked diligently to help the new little family. Any one watching me probably thought that I was crazy...the air was thick and heavy and none of my neighbors were outside. Everyone else was sitting in their air conditioning, but I was determined to make shelter for these baby birds. After all it wasn't their fault that there mother failed nest placement 101...they were innocent, and they were going to be born vulnerable and needy.

All of this maneuvering and concern for these fragile little ones got me thinking (uh-oh...you know what happens when I start "thinking"...scary!)...I went inside to cool off and opened my bible...Jesus was born as a little helpless baby...The one with Dominion over all the heavens and earth, the uncontainable Holy King was born helpless and vulnerable...He was born to an every day run of the mill couple...he was born in a stable among common animals...He was born into a broken world.

This Robin is the most common of birds. Jesus was born into a common family in a little common town, to common parents of common means...

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." - Luke 2:6-7

But this wasn't any common child...it was Jesus, the Word, who had created even the place where he was to be born, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. " - John1:1-5

God provided a stable for Jesus' birth. Among the created things he came into the world as a common child in a common place...but there was nothing common about Him.

This Robin's nest has been a gift. I watch the mother bird diligently sitting on the nest in the rain and in the severe heat. God has given her an instinct to protect and tend to her babies until they can manage on their own. I was glad to provide some shelter for this little family. It was the least that I could do. Every mother needs a covering for her and her children's protection. God reminds me that He is our covering...if we step out from under His covering the rain of chaos can sweep us away, the scorching heat of being disconnected form His protection can lead to death.

I am left with a concrete image of a mother and her children under a large red umbrella...God is my covering as I cover my own children...Thank you Lord for the things that you show me through your creation.

In Malawi, I will encounter mothers, fathers and children...There will be orphans and widows and complete families as well...all of them need to be under God's covering, the blood of Jesus...I will take the image of the bird's nest and the big red umbrella with me :) I will share God's covering with them.