Contact Me

If you enjoy my blog and would like to contact me, you may reach me at this email: dena.netherton@gmail.com

Some of my stories are published in:
A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers and Daughters (Adams Media, 2009)
Chicken Soup: What I Learned from the Dog (2009)
Love is a Flame (Bethany House, 2010)
Extraordinary answers to Prayer (Guideposts, 2010)
Love is a Verb (Bethany House, 2011)
Big Dreams from Small Spaces (Group Publishing, 2012)

Monday, October 4, 2010

Trickle-Down Economics of the Animal World

We have a nice bird feeder that hangs out over our deck, suspended about twelve feet above the ground. It's high enough off the ground that we don't have to worry about bears or elk reaching it.
On rare occasions we've seen raccoons climb up and run along the log banisters, hoping to claw some seed out of the feeder.
I love the feeder because it draws such cute little birds: purple finches, house sparrows, chickadees --even a very small greyish bird that doesn't have a seed-eater's bill and has to deposit a sunflower seed on the corner post and whack the fool out it until he can extract the meat inside.
It gives me great satisfaction to know I'm keeping at least some of God's creatures fed and sustained.
But there are some critters I hadn't intended to feed: ground squirrels, mice, chipmonks.
I love the chipmonks.
But the mice? Those varmints!
Our feeder has drawn them closer to the house and, eventually, our garage.
Observing the little animals on the ground has helped me draw an illustration about life, even spiritual life.
The good that you do for an individual or group of people will eventually trickle down to others --those "varmints" -- that you hadn't even intended to bless.
That is God's good way.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matt. 5:43-45)

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