Choices, Chances and Changes

 A few weeks ago while talking to my daughter on the phone I was sharing a story with her about a situation on my deck. About an hour earlier, there were 2 or 3 pine needles in one of my flower pots on the deck…the gutters had been really full so I thought they had fallen over into the pot. So I threw them away. A few minutes later, there were “more” pine needles in the pot, which helped me to see that  a bird was trying to build a nest! So I threw them away as the bird wasn’t welcome on my deck…ok so back to the phone conversation with my daughter…I walked out on the deck and was telling her about the nest building attempt and voila…there is one bird egg in the pot, just lying there on the dirt…no nest…just dirt. She wanted me to facetime her so she could see it so I didn’t think to take a picture. A little while later the thought came…time to check the egg! This time the egg had about 3 pine needles on top of it. Next check they had completed the nest and the egg was in the nest! Below you can see the picture to prove what was found, otherwise it would be unbelievable. The dove was smarter than I thought.  

In the meantime, I had done a little “googling” about doves. Found that the female builds the nest with the male assisting by bring material to her and they don’t build nest high off the ground, in fact sometimes on the ground. So doves aren’t always successful in raising their whole brood, in fact mortality is above 50% for adults and above almost 70% for the young. But they are prolific breeders, so not to worry.

They are very faithful birds. Both sit on the nest until the eggs hatch, male during first part of the day and the female for the remainder of the day and at night. I witnessed this first hand. In fact, they were comfortable with me coming on the deck to water flowers because they never moved from the nest. I was told that a dove has no peripheral vision, which could be another reason they didn’t move…maybe they never even saw me!!!

Two days later a “nest check” revealed another egg!!! So mama and daddy dove take turns sitting on the nest. One faced the house when sitting on the nest and the other faced the yard. Another…what in the world is their deal!!???  Ok, I know you’re thinking it by now…don’t fool with mother nature!!!:)

One afternoon, I heard squawking…go to the back door and there are 3 big ol’ black crows hovering in the air over my deck. Daddy or mama, I know not which, chased those crows off! The other just sat there on the nest like nothing was happening. The next day I hear more squawking. That time a teeny little bird chased those crows away, it was pretty amazing to watch! The dove was sitting there on the nest, everything was fine or so I thought. Then she was gone…an hour later…still gone….next morning…still gone! When I realized she was gone for good I check and there was only one egg in the nest. It’s a mystery 👀what happened to the doves or the other egg. I was beginning to look forward to the eggs hatching, but it wasn’t to be.

This week a friend posted a picture on FB and stated that she wouldn’t be driving her jeep anytime soon!!! Guess what???  Doves had built a nest in her wheel!!!

I have thought a lot about this story…maybe there are a few lessons...Choices, Chances or Changes...

-               It pays to be persistent …like the doves when I was choosing to destroy their nest

-               Support one another…we need each other…make the choice to love one another

-               Be mindful of where you are putting your eggs($$$)…wisdom, don't take chances

-               Facing a wall may not be the best position in life…take a chance, get outta the box

-               Our enemy may look fierce…choose to overcome just like the little "crow chaser"

-               Don’t desert the nest in hard times…life will get rough, but choose to stay the course

-               If you hit a snag and can’t drive your car for a while…change the plan

-               If a bird builds a nest in your newly potted plant, take a chance and just let it be. The plant will survive and so will you!!! 

              Life brings us many challenges and opportunities; we can make the choice to change or we chance remaining the same and miss many valuable rewards and experiences along the way. 

Traveling along this Lymphoma journey, I am making a lot of Choices, enduring a lot of Changes and some days Choosing to Chance a little Change in myself ...😄 God is so faithful to me and my family...we have been through a lot of things outside of our Choosing in the health category in the past year...I'm talking serious stuff here...but I keep making the Choice to allow God to Change me through this process and sometimes that seems like a huge Chance, but trusting God is never by Chance...thankfully! He's Faithful!

Blessings and Good Health to You,

Kaye

Oh by the way, I rescued the nest with the egg in it and you will most likely see it in a few months…in my Christmas tree!!!