This sweet little nest sits inside a bird feeder hanging from our porch. It was a project the kids made at their previous preschool. I’ve been staring at that bird feeder all winter, planning to get rid of it as soon as I started cleaning up the yard. It’s been hanging there for two years now and was a constant reminder of their old teacher, who abandoned our kids earlier this year when she closed down her preschool and blocked all contact, not even saying goodbye to our kids who spent two years with her. I didn’t want the reminder. This change led to the most stressful period of our life, second only to my postpartum depression after Ethan was born. If you know us well, you know that we have not been ok these last few months. It’s been survival mode, exhaustion, and what I’ve called “beyond burnt out”.
So imagine my surprise when I look one day and see sticks poking out of the feeder. I asked Paul to sneak a closer look and sure enough, we have a nest. A nest and two tiny precious eggs. We have all been watching mama bird come and go while listening for the tiny chirps of new life.
You see, God makes all things new. He takes things that seem old, that I was going to throw away, and he turns them into a new home. Just the same, he’s taking this current period of our life and shaping it into something new. While we anxiously await the end of this semester to get some relief, I know this season will not be a waste. We have learned some valuable things the past few months. We’ve learned how to ask for help and advocate for our family. We have learned what is truly important when we trim all the excess. We’ve learned how to teach hard things to our kids like disappointment, sadness and how to pivot and be flexible. Most of all, we have learned that we cannot rely solely on ourselves. No matter how much we try to control our lives, we don’t really have control. We need God and those around us to keep us moving. It’s been a humbling experience to say the least.
I’m ready for new life after this hard winter and I’m finally beginning to see the light.
kellymlang 