A Follow-Up To My Backyard Friends

Remember this little guy?

Since this is a family blog, I declined to show you the photographic proof of his "maleness" in my previous post.

But, then some of you looked for the proof.

I do have the proof... in case you were wondering.

The End.

My Backyard Friends

This little guy visits my backyard every day.


He's a cute little guy - and yes, it's obvious he is a guy! He gets into everything in the yard including my bird feeder. So, despite the fact that I keep the squirrel feeder well-stocked, I've discovered that he'll leave his feathered friends' food alone if I scatter a little seed on the ground.

Look at those little paws. No wonder he can get into mischief!

The birds aren't afraid of him and sometimes they flutter down from their feeder to help gobble up the seeds on the ground. (See the Cardinal behind the rock?)

Here's a better look...

This bad boy is quite mean to the other birds - he'll even run off my doves that are twice his size. But, he's fun to watch in the birdbath!

And then there's this wild critter...

Max is none too happy to share the yard with the rest of them.

And the answer is...

This...

is the inside of this...

And is the new instrument being played by this happy boy...

Who used to play this...

Signed,

One very proud percussion mom

What is it???

Can you guess?

I did not stay up 'til 1:00 AM last night.

I did not go back to bed after Bud left for work this morning.

I did not allow the kiddos to sleep until they woke up on their own.

I wouldn't feed my family cinnamon rolls out of a can for breakfast.

I did not stay in my jammies 'til noon.

I will not eat a very late lunch at a restaurant with my kiddos and friends today.

I will not spend the entire afternoon wandering around the outlet mall with the same kids.

I will not let my kids stay at the pool until well after dark.

I will not let my kids stay up late for the second night in a row.

Actually...

YES, I would!

Welcome to summer vacation 2009! Woohoo!!!

Sabbath Blessings

Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing.”

And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
belong to the one sitting on the throne
and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

(Revelation 5:11-13 NLT)

Mama Bear

May is such a hectic time for everyone, it seems. The month can be overwhelming at times with all the end of school year activities, programs, concerts, ceremonies, etc. - all piled on top of the regular calendar of activities and commitments. When I'm in a season like this, I'm likely to be more easily angered, more quickly offended... and I'm more likely to bare the mama bear teeth and claws, and to growl loudly at all who would dare to threaten my cubs.

This train of thought reminded me of a post that I wrote last year. When I looked it up, I was surprised to find that it was posted on May 20, 2008. Exactly one year ago today. Reading it brought back the memories of what we were going through at that time, and how similar the circumstances were to those of this year. It also reminded me that "this too shall pass."

So, rather than trying to rewrite what I've already done, I'm going to repost the original.

***************************************************

A quick search on the internet revealed several sites that describe the qualities of mama bears. They all had a common theme.

• Mother bears will not leave their cubs. They are fiercely protective. She will hide her cubs nearby (to keep them safe) while she hunts or fishes. She will put them in a place where they are still nearby, but where other animals are not likely to notice the cubs. If a mother bear feels that her cubs are in danger, she will fight to the death to protect them.


• Mother bears are fiercely protective and extremely devoted, attentive, sensitive and affectionate with their young cubs.


• The mother will fiercely protect her cubs from any perceived danger.


• Mother bears are fiercely protective of their young. You especially don't want to get between a mother bear and a cub.


• A mother bear with cubs will be fiercely protective.

Fiercely protective. Sound familiar? Are you a mama bear? I am.

My kiddos can vouch for this. They say they can see the transformation begin in my eyes. Then it moves to my jaws. The clinching begins. The timbre of my voice drops and sharpens as the volume slightly rises. Sometimes more than slightly. Push me beyond this stage and you’re likely to see the claws, snarling teeth and flying fur appear.

It doesn’t have to be a life or death situation to bring about these protective instincts. And, it doesn’t matter the age of your child. I’m certain that my parents still feel the mama bear tendencies arise when they believe my sister or I have been wronged.

Wronged. Aggrieved. Mistreated. Persecuted. Maltreated. Victimized. Offended. Ill-treated. Injured. Harmed. (I have a great thesaurus. Let me know if you need more words.)

The dilemma in these situations, I’ve discovered, is finding the discernment to know when to unleash the mama bear. Or, when to take a deep, cleansing breath, step aside and let my cubs fight their own battle. Especially as my kiddos are getting older.

How am I doing with this dilemma? Well, it’s a day-to-day process. Some days I get it right. Some days I don’t. My prayer, though, is that my kiddos will know that whether I jump into the fray in their behalf or step aside and allow the battle and its outcome to be theirs, Mama Bear is there. Praying for guidance and protection from the One who loves them even more than I ever could.

And then I return to our family verse:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. " (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT)