Rescue Mission

Recently, as Lindsey was washing dishes she noticed through the window, that the dog was attempting to pick something up out of the grass.  Upon further inspection (as she tore out of the house like she’d been shot from a gun) she found a baby bird in great peril.

The hunter:

The prey:

The rescuers:

The plan was to put the bird (container and all) back in the tree hoping the momma (who was swooping at us the whole time) would return and care for the baby.

The plan worked well for a couple of hours.  We noticed the momma bird had gone into the container several times.  We moseyed on out of the house for a few hours, pleased with ourselves for saving a small life.

We returned, and as I looked out that same window I saw the dog with a very guilty look on his face.  Apparently the first near death experience for the little bird taught it NOTHING.  It apparently flopped or hopped out of the contain and landed right where the dog could get it.  Yeah, not a happening ending.

It WAS however a learning opportunity.  Critical thinking skills came into play as the girls looked for ways to return the bird to its home.  It also gave us a chance to talk about some heavy things. 

For example:
~ learning from our mistakes, don’t do the same thing and expect different results
~ you don’t always get another chance
~ safety in being in your home, and the dangers that lurk when you wander off
~ the nature of the beast, even good animals do “bad” things, but it’s their nature…just like people have a sin nature that needs to be kept in check, or else “good people” do “bad” things
~ sometimes no matter how much we want to help, some choices are out of our hands.
~ forgiveness, they were both angry at the dog, but they had to forgive him.

Lindsey also learned that when you see little feet sticking out of an animals mouth, it’s best to let Dad take it from there.  Dad learned that sometimes you just need to let the dog swallow.