Birds of a Feather

       We have two new residents at Halstad Lutheran this week!  As I came to the church door this morning, I heard lots of little cheeping and noticed (belatedly - it was morning after all) that there were some very excited swallows flying around my head.  I looked up and peeking out of a carefully woven nest were the tops of two tiny and fuzzy chicks.  They went absolutely still as soon as I got near them and I nearly missed seeing them.
       Perhaps that is one of the reasons I love bird watching; they are one of the few of nature's wonders that call out for attention.  Whether in lyrical song or harsh cry, birds draw attention to themselves.  I know I should take time to smell the roses but I often rush about oblivious to my surroundings.  But like this morning, birds can interrupt and draw me into contemplation of God's amazing creation.
       Later on in the day, I went past the pond on the other side of the river and was glad to see that a pair of large swans is still there.  They are such large and beautiful birds and so graceful.  As one caressed or groomed the other, I was reminded that swans most often mate for life.  Both encounters with birds today were reminders of the great love and care with which God has filled creation.
      In some ways it should not be surprising then that the one who took such care in creating everything would then continue to keep track of and care for everyone and every thing in creation (Luke 12:6-7).  And yet there is a long history of religion (often called deism) that believes God created the universe and then walked away to leave it to run itself.  That kind of religion only works while you are able to convince yourself that you or anyone else can really control and handle everything that comes along.
       What I know is this: the miracle of those two tiny fuzzy heads peeping away are new life and are a sign of the ongoing work of creation.  Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that God has entrusted all of this to our care not because God can't be bothered but because they are a sign of how much God loves us!  God gives us life, intellect, heart; everything we need to do the work and also the ability to choose so that we can care for this world and all it contains.
       This is a responsibility that we ignore at our own peril.  From two tiny chicks to the melting polar ice and endangered polar bears to oil-covered pelicans and the choking marshes along the gulf coast, we need to realize that our decisions and interactions with God's creation are a matter of faith and our relationship with the Creator.  It is not a matter of politics or the validity of certain scientific theories.  It is a matter of God, faith, and love: God's love of us, our belief in God and our love for God.
       How we walk upon the earth and what we leave behind us are signs of love.  So along with reading food labels for nutrition information, clipping coupons, and checking out what is on sale, there are other questions I ponder that have to do with the impact of my choices on other people and upon creation.  Jesus repeatedly says that we will be known by how we love one another.  Our responsibility for stewardship extends the implication of Jesus' command to our care of the earth.  Read Psalm 8 (preferably while you're outside).