Under His Wings

Hannah, Lydia and I went on a walk last night just as the sun was setting. The days are getting longer here, so it was around 9PM. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous! We had actually headed out to see the swan family we've been watching, but we got side-tracked by the sky for a while. After about 15 minutes, we walked in the opposite direction to go see if the family was at "home." Sure enough...
As we approached the reeds we could see white objects moving, so we waved to Lydia to hurry up (she was trailing behind). We must have come up on them a little too quickly, because the mother hissed at us, which is strange since she seems to have grown accustom to our presence. What a sight we had as we slowly crept closer! First of all, as usual, the male was in the water grooming himself. Oh brother! The mom was on top of the nest with her babies. After a bit, the babies slid down the side of the nest to join their daddy in the water. One, two, three...seven. I was happy they were all still present and accounted for. Then Mr. and Mrs. Swan began working away to make the nest more comfortable and roomy (?). Apparently it was getting a little TOO cozy. LOL! Mrs. Swan was on top of the nest stretching her neck way down and pulling what looked like seaweed from underneath the water. Mr. Swan was pitching in and dumping beak-fulls onto the nest as well. I can't imagine sleeping in that junk, but...whatever! LOL! Then the mom went into the water for a snack break, and he got up on top of the nest and kept working away with a vengance. He just didn't seem satisfied. It sounded as though he was irritated as he ripped reeds off and worked away. After a bit, the mom got back on too. She fussed a little more at the twigs below her, but then she settled down for the night. But, Mr. Swan kept picking and moving twigs, reeds, and that seaweed stuff into place. Then the babies tried, almost in vain, to get up onto the nest. It looked like quite a chore, and it made us laugh. Finally they were all "inside" for the night. The dad still kept picking a bit, but the babies nestled down beside their mommy. It was a sight to behold! They squished as close to her as they could. I can understand why. If you lived here, you'd know that the wind seems to constantly blow. Anyway, some of the babies were plastering themselves to their mommy and pushing their heads up under her wing. They longed to get into that safe, warm place for the night. As I sat there watching this sight I thought of the spiritual meaning it had for me. It made me think of the old hymn, "Under His Wings."

Under His wings I am safely abiding.
Tho' the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me
He has redeemed me, and I am His child.

It was getting dark, and the wind was blowing through the reeds, but the babies were safely tucked away with their mom and dad. Sometimes the trials of life can make the days seem so dark, and the problems bash against us like stormy winds, but through all these struggles, we can trust the Lord when we are one of His children. He will keep us and make a safe place for us to abide ~ Under His Wings.

Under His wings ~ what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blest.

I think about the painful time I experienced after my mother died. Less than two weeks later, I had to get on a plane and fly away over the ocean that carried me far from her grave and from the shared loss and comfort of my father and siblings. Yes, I had the comfort of the Lord, but in a human sense I was very sorrowful. My heart yearned for rest and healing. I was like one of those baby swans pushing up under the mommy's wing so I could get the comfort I so longed for. I remember time after time lying completely flat on the floor by my bed with my face buried in the rug ~ crying and praying. I couldn't get any lower. I pictured myself ~ Under His Wings...finding comfort so I would be blessed. I was...

Under His wings ~ O was precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life's trials are o'er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me.
Resting in Jesus, I'm safe evermore.

Yep, those babies sure seemed to enjoy squishing up close to their mommy! It made us smile as we watched this precious sight. I wish you could've seen it. It was so cute to see the babies struggling to get under their mom's wing. We laughed. It must have felt like a warm blanket with the wind blowing as it was. I'm sure they feel protected when there, safe from all harm. One thing's for sure, they love their babies. How do I know? Tonight Mrs. Swan hissed at us to let us know to keep our distance. And, a few days ago when Hannah, Josiah and I went hunting for them...well, Mr. Swan let us know without a doubt that he didn't want us coming any closer. They were on the OTHER side of the canal, but when I went to the edge on OUR side, he began swimming towards me with his wings puffed up to make himself look bigger and more threatening. I wasn't gonna wait to see what his plan of attack was, so I backed up enough until he seemed to relax. He WAS going to protect his little ones! I don't know about you, but sometimes I get pretty tired of life's trials and the evils of this world. I think of the verse, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest." Psalm 55:6 I'm glad I can find shelter, protection, and rest ~ Under His Wings.

Refrain:
Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings, my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.

I'm thankful that I'm loved...and that nothing can separate me from the love of God.
I'm thankful that even when everything seems like a mess...I'm safe forever...safe ~ Under His Wings.

Hymn ~ Under His Wings
Text: William O. Cushing
Music: Ira D. Sankey

If you want to see pictures and get more information about the swan family, you can visit my daughter's blog:
http://lydia-joy.blogspot.com/

THE ANSWER

I wrote this poem not long after I got saved at the age of 21. I tried many things that did not satisfy. The break-up of a relationship was one of the factors that brought me to an end of myself...the emptiness and loneliness that it left in its wake. I often hear people say, "Oh, you just turned to God because you needed a crutch!" Ugh! No, I didn't need a crutch, I needed Someone to carry me, and He does!

THE ANSWER

When he left me I felt so empty,
But I really never loved him at all.
I was sad and cried and felt so empty,
But I never heard the Father’s call.
Day by day I wondered thoughtfully…
Where will I go when I die?
Why am I here?
What is life’s purpose?
Is God real?
And then I’d cry.

Still the Father faithfully called to me,
But I never heard His loving voice.
I had to be brought to my knees.
I was not ready to make my choice.
In bed at night I wondered thoughtfully…
Where will I go when I die?
Why am I here?
What is life’s purpose?
Is God real?
And then I’d cry.

I could not sleep…and I felt so empty.
The darkness seemed huge and I so small.
I was sad and I cried and I felt so empty.
Then I began hearing the Father’s call.
Day by day I realized fearfully…
I’ll go to hell if I die.
I’m here for a purpose.
My life has meaning.
God is real.
And then I’d cry.

Still the Father faithfully called to me,
And I clearly heard His loving voice.
He tenderly brought me to my knees,
And patiently waited for my choice.
Then one night I realized joyfully…
I’ll go to Heaven when I die.
I accepted Christ.
Now my life has meaning.
God loves me,
And He is nigh.

Now God has filled my heart that was empty.
I find in Him what I need; He’s my all.
Are you sad? Do you cry? Do you feel so empty?
Will you ever answer the Father’s call???

Written by: Leanne Driessen

Honoring Mom

Today it is 6 years ago that my mother died from ovarian cancer. It was one of the most difficult times of my life. I will not go there, as I try to forget it. One thing I know is, death is a terrible thing, especially when you watch someone you love wither away. I remember for years praying for her to be healed and live, but near the end my prayers became, "Lord, please take her home!" God never intended for man to die, that all came about because of disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Death was then pronounced on mankind. I have a real problem with what seems to be a recent fashion of clothing with skeleton heads/bones on them and other sick stuff like that. Ugh! I think of the Bible verse, "...all they that hate me love death." Proverbs 8:36 Something is seriously wrong with people who enjoy death!!!

But this is not the reason I am writing this post. I want to pay honor to the memory of my mother, Sally C. Driessen. I could say many things about her, but the most important thing I guess I would say is that I'm so thankful I had a mother who stayed at home. It was wonderful to have her there to greet us when we walked in the door from school. On the rare occasions that she couldn't be there...well, we always found a note on the kitchen table telling us where she was and approximately when she'd be back home. It was a comfort to me, even as a teenager, to know my mom was there.

"She looketh well to the ways of her household..." Proverbs 31: 27

Beloved, Mother, we bid thee not "Farewell,"

but only for a little while "Good night."

Thou shalt rise soon,

at the first dawn of the Resurrection day of the redeemed.

It is we who linger in the darkness;

thou art in God's own light.

Our night too shall soon be past,

and with it all our weeping.

Then, with thine,

our song shall greet the morning of a day that knows no night.

Then, at His voice,

thou shalt spring from thy couch of earth,

fashioned like unto His glorious body.

Until then, beloved, sleep.

We praise God for thee

and expect to praise God with thee.

Amen!

Credits: This is the eulogy (somewhat modified) given at the end of the Sheffey movie, during his graveside funeral. This is a portion of the eulogy given by Archibald G. Brown at the graveside service of C.H. Spurgeon.