The March of My Bread Bowl Drum

Now it’s not hard to guess that I’m a bird lover, however for one month out of the year I’d rather they gather at another location.

I don’t mind a few backyard visitors but when they tweet out the news that our orchard is the location for a daily rave it’s where I put my foot down! Like a wild Comanche I ran through the orchard loudly yelling at them to take their party elsewhere! I returned to my senses as my feet reminded me that in my haste I had forgotten my shoes. I limped back to the house with a hoarse voice, angry and frustrated!

I didn’t like the emotions that were inside of me just as much as I didn’t like the black cloud of starlings that had descended on our ripening cherries. I reminded God of His promise that “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Psalm 91:10…and added “Wouldn’t you think these pesky starlings could be considered a plague?” I continued, “I know You have the power to send them away. I also know You’ve promised that if I had the faith as small as a mustard seed You would hear me… I know You have gifted me with faith so please help me.”

Now God has a funny way of dealing with us. I believe with all my heart that if He wanted to He could send the whole hungry flock packing! But that’s not what He did. Instead He put a thought into my head. I lost no time in acting on the thought. I darted to my kitchen, pulled out my large metal bread bowl and found my favorite mixing spoon and headed back to the orchard.

“Bong”, “bong” I rhythmically beat my bread bowl drum. A large flock of birds rose from the trees and circled above. I continued my march down the rows until they flew off in the distance.

As I returned to the house I was keenly aware that not only had the birds disappeared but so had my frustration and anger. Maybe, just maybe God saw the bigger picture. It was the “plague” of anger He was more concerned about than the pesky birds.

I left my bread bowl drum by the back door and promptly set my timer to remind me to return to to my bread bowl march.

“Create in me a clan heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 KJV