New Life

…I came so that you may have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:10

It’s a big week at school!  The middle lovelies have carefully turned and tended 30 pheasant eggs for the past three weeks and the hatch has finally begun.  I’m amazed that watching a baby bird work for hours to escape from its tiny shell just never gets old!  It’s incredible how 30 boisterous kids can stand quietly, mesmerized by a wobbling egg or a new hatchling.  Hatching with big kids is a new experience and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure how they’d react.  I’m happy to report that the enthusiasm, excitement and joy were equal to their little lovely counterparts!

As I type, it’s late  Wednesday evening and I’m sitting at my school desk waiting to see if anyone else hatches and needs to be moved from the incubator to the brooder.   It’s quiet and still and dark in the school and I’m pondering the day with a sense of wonder and awe.  At one point today there were about 30 middle lovelies crowded around the incubator cheering on Pheasant number 2.  They were kneeling, standing and climbed up on chairs to get a good look. There were more “oohs and aahas” than the 4th of July as he struggled for an hour to make his way free from the sticky shell.  As I stood watching the kids I couldn’t help but think about our struggles here on earth and the cheerleaders we have in heaven.

As the kids awaited the little one, I realized Jesus is awaiting us with the same excitement and enthusiasm.  As the kids would see a beak poke out they would cheer and then it would disappear back into the shell and they would sigh with disappointment.  I assume that’s what Jesus does when we trust in him or avoid sin; he cheers and then we slip back into our old ways and he sighs.  Thank goodness the kids didn’t give up hope until that chick had broken free from the hold that shell had on it; Jesus will never give up on us either!  Sometimes the world gets overwhelming and we can feel alone and misunderstood in our struggles.  Today’s cheering section at the incubator reminded me of the cheering section we have in the Communion of Saints.  Father Joe Krupp once described walking into Spartan Stadium   with the MSU Football team and being overwhelmed by the sight, sound and complete magnitude of the capacity crowd.  He related that experience to a teeny tiny version of the Communion of Saints and their constant cheering, roaring and supporting encouragement of each earthly soul seeking heaven.  Watching those kids cheer on the pheasant today reminded me of that story and of how lucky we are.  The only job of the Communion of Saints, or heavenly souls is to help us get where they are.  I guess today was a vivid reminder that we are never alone in our struggle and strife!

It’s been a good day.  I didn’t get any papers graded like I needed to tonight and I didn’t follow the lesson plans I’d made but the day was filled with lessons far better than any I could pencil into a box in a book.  I’ve told myself I need to go home even though there are several eggs working hard to enter the world.  I guess God has one final reminder for me today as the incubator has become quiet and still like the halls of the school and it’s as if he’s telling me to go home, tomorrow is a new day, brimming with hope and life and surprises.  That’s enough to make me sleep happy!  I think my last thought as I melt into the covers tonight will be, “thank you Jesus for such sweet, simple joyful reminders of your love, support and presence in this world!”

A Seed To Plant: Just take a minute to thank God for life!

Blessings on your day!