Baby Birds

A few weeks ago, Jason was hard at work on the yard - pruning trees, weed eating, ripping up weeds, cutting off branches, and remodeling our overgrown, weedacious landscaping. He was hard at work at clearing out the island of rocks in the middle of our turn-about driveway, when he came upon a nest that had been carefully nestled in the branches of a blue spruce. Before this point, the trees, the shrubs, and the weeds had grown so thick around it that the nest was hidden from absolutely everything. And now, Jason had exposed it to the sunlight, to the wind, to the weather, and to us.

We sat and watched these birds for at least half an hour. My kids were absolutely mesmerized by them. How fascinating it was to watch the mother and father bird bring food in to their little ones - five of them, just little, and recently born (days or weeks was unkown). But, what was most interesting was what happened when the parent birds left the nest. A few of the little birds tried to follow, or perhaps not follow, but to venture out on their own. Yet, it appeared that they did this before they were ready.

The little birds would climb out of the nest and fall to the ground, peeping for help along the way. They were so little. They hadn't learned how to fly. Yet they sought their independence. Jason allowed Bryson to help him pick them up and place them gently back into the nest for safety. It wasn't long before the constant chirping of the little ones that had stayed behind, added to the wimpering of the ones who had ventured out, caused the mother and father to come back to the protection of their little ones. And once they knew that they were ok, off went the parent birds again. And... out went the little birdies from their nest... and down to the ground again.

This happened over and over again. I can't remember which birds, nor how many times that we put the birds back in their nest, but as I watched this little process it struck thoughts in my head. I thought about how this was so very much like our own lives. These little birdies are like us in so many ways. Sometimes we think that we can venture out into the world, alone, unprotected, and ignorant to what can happen to us when we are outside the protection of our nest. At the first sight of independence and freedom, the little birdies went... without thought, without hesitation, without limits - not recognizing theirs.

Learning to fly is like gaining a testimony. One doesn't master flying in one attempt, nor does one gain a testimony once. It is an ongoing process, as the winds and the environments change, so must a testimony. Either the ability to fly in adverse conditions gets better, or it worsens - never the same, for the conditions are never always the same. As is a testimony - either it is growing, or it is fading. It CANNOT stay constant and unchanging.

One must not leave the nest until they have learned how to fly. If the little birdie hasn't learned to fly (have a testimony of their own), they will fall when they leave the nest. It is amazing how at some point in life, we all try to lean a little on our own understanding. We try to make sense of life and organize it to fit ourselves. However, we often forget the Master who is involved in the plan. Just as this little bird sought independence, it was not prepared to leave the nest. And unfortunately, through its perseverence of wanting to do what IT wanted to do, it kept falling again and again.

It is only when we rely on our father and mother to teach us how to fly, to give us the proper instruction that we need, so that when it is our turn to venture out into the world on our own, we will be prepared for all of the adverse conditions that may come our way, and stay true to the course. As a mother, I feel overwhelmingly needed to ensure that my children are fully educated and equipped with EVERYTHING that they need to SOAR.

I am grateful for a gospel that gives me so much FREEDOM, when I live it righteously. The Lord blesses me and my family so tremendously, it is breathtaking. I am grateful for parents who taught me well, by example, how to live the gospel. We can find true happiness in the gospel when we live it daily, when we truly practice what we preach, when we are honest with others AND with ourselves, when we remember the atoning sacrifice of our savior and the purpose it FILLS in EACH of our lives, when we take the time to humbly thank our Father in Heaven for all that HE has given us (which is EVERYTHING!)

We have each been given the ability to learn to fly (the light of Christ) as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. However, some of us have more opportunity than others (those of us blessed enough to have the gospel in our lives, and even more so to have been born under the covenant!) Nevertheless, it is the Lord's will that we ALL learn how to fly our way back to Him. It is one of my goal's this year, to more adequately teach my children how to fly, so they will KNOW, with SURETY and CLARITY.

The gospel is TRUE. Joseph Smith was a PROPHET of God. I have knelt on my knees, with quiet reverence, and asked my Father in Heaven to confirm those things to me, in my heart. I know that HE saw the Father and His son. He was persecuted and hated by many, yet stood valiant... even until death... in defense of the truth. Do we STAND as witnesses of God, AT ALL TIMES, IN ALL THINGS, and IN ALL PLACES? Would we give our lives for the gospel that we truly believe in, for the cause of truth?

The scriptures are a testiment of the Savior. They are filled with TRUTH and ANSWERS to EVERY question we have. My dear friend, Amy, has given me the most awesome insight to studying and receiving answers. She has been a light in my life and an instrument in the Lord's hands, for me, on many occasions. If only we partook more of the fruit which we have - in reading them OFTEN!!! The Book of Mormon is true... and ever so SWEET!

I know my Savior lives. I know that HE knows who I am. I know who He is. I cherish my relationship with Him. I am grateful for prayer and for the communication I have with Him, and the closeness I feel. I know when I am troubled, I can open my heart, and He will mourn with me. I know when I am happy, I can express my joy, and He will rejoice with me.

I know that without scriptures and prayer, we cannot have a close relationship with our Father in Heaven. We will not fully receive the protection, guidance, assurity, and love that we NEED to endure this mortal life. We cannot do it on our own, no matter how much we think sometimes we can. There is no one that is without sin. Some just aren't as outwardly noticable as others. But, we all have an everlasting warrant for the atonement in our lives. It is vital that we know how to fly before we leave the nest and that we are prepared for all the adverse conditions that Lucifer will send our way.

I want MY baby birds to know that their mother and father on earth love them beyond words. I want them to know that we promise to do our best in teaching them how to fly... to lead them, guide them, walk beside, help them find the way, teach them all that they must do, to live with Him someday. And... when they get ready to FLY, hopefully they will always recognize and acknowledge the wind beneath their wings.