Sometimes all you can do is sit in surprise and wonder at the gifts God gives you.
I was sitting on my porch one Sunday afternoon just enjoying the mellow golden moments.
Suddenly I was jarred out of my half stupor by this crazy ragged screeching. I sat up and squinted into the sky across the road to see a huge wing span alight on a pine tree branch.
The noise continued as I made out the crooked beak of an eagle as he surveyed the land below his perch. One way, then another. I wondered what he could see. I have heard they can see a mouse running in a field.
A couple of human runners headed up the hill, all wired up to their ears. Cars went up and down the road. All the time the eagle screeched at them all, but no one noticed.
I was amazed. Here this magnificent bird was squawking up a storm and no one noticed!
I didn’t know how long he meant to be there and I wanted a good look at him, so I took a chance and ran into my house and upstairs to fetch my binoculars. I prayed he’d still be there when I got back. The noise reassured me he was when I returned to my own perch on my porch.
I held the glasses up to my eyes and found him. He was outlined against the sky. The crook in his beak was pronounced as it moved up and down, side to side. He had a few white feathers in his breast, but it was mostly brown. A teenager, I’m told, by his color. I couldn’t get a good photo of him, I’m sorry to say. He looks like part of the tree branch.
He kept shouting. I think he must have gotten disgusted with being ignored because as suddenly as he came, he spread those great wings and glided away. His screeching never stopped, though. I listened to the noise fading as he flew to become a speck in the sky and finally disappeared.
I sat in my chair again gazing at the tree limb, thanking God for the wonderful gift he gave me that late golden Sabbath afternoon.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” James 1:17.
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