Birds of a feather....don't like espresso....but I sure do

Have you ever closely watched a bird take off from a tree limb or roof? I don't know that I ever have until this morning when I watched a mourning dove land on the edge of my garage roof. I was out to work on my mountain bike I'm building, but got caught up standing outside with my espresso I just made. I was simply enjoying being up and not having somewhere to be (not to mention the espresso....ugh....so good....). Anyway, It walked around bobbing it's head all mourning dove like (like you'd expect to see), cocking its head around checking stuff out. Then I watched it slowly creep to the very edge of the roof and that's when I was really surprised by what I saw. The mourning dove actually reared back before it took off and literally flung itself off the roof to take off. I thought that was odd because it was a lot like what you imagine a skydiver or base jumper would do. I guess I always assumed the moving of the wings part happened before the flinging off tall objects part. It's definitely not the case however because I watched another bird do the same thing.

It made me think that maybe the proper way to fly is NOT to get to the edge and think it over. Maybe the proper way to fly is NOT to check each wing separately to make sure it's working properly. Maybe the proper way to fly is NOT to start from the ground where it's safe and the risk is low. Instead, maybe the best way is to rear back and throw yourself off the edge and fricken' figure it out. Quick. (Ironically...this is how I learned to swim. Thanks a ton Dad!)

I wonder if birds are "afraid" the first time they hurl themselves out of the nest? Or do they just do it...knowing that it's going to work out so long as they do what they were made to do?

Is it any wonder the Bible talks about how the birds don't worry about the things of life, yet the Father of life cares for them. They don't even worry about flinging themselves off things high off the ground. How much more important in the eyes of the Father are we?

Maybe I should be less concerned about the mechanics of how things work and more concerned about knowing it's going to work out so long as I do what I'm made to do. Maybe it's time I should focus on finding more high spots to hurl myself off of so that I actually fly the way I was made to. What if the higher the perch is...the more time I have to figure it out before I find the ground.

More of Him. Less of me.