Mother’s Nest

Kaylee did our FHE tonight and shared a sweet mother’s day story from an old Friend magazine. She had a cute question game at the end about me. Then we went outside and played. Jacob brought the ladder out to check the bluebird house because we have been seeing a lot of activity in it. Sure enough there is a nest!

After listening to Kaylee’s story and seeing the nest, I was reminded of another story on how a mother should build her home. I have always loved this example and have saved it in my Mother’s file. I found a copy of it on the web tonight to share:
Robin Ruff Van Wagenen, “A Lesson on Nest Building,” Ensign, Oct 1999, 30
“An object lesson on mothering was right outside my front door.

I never would have thought a bird could teach me how to be a better mother. But that’s what happened several years ago when I found a bird building her nest in our front-yard almond tree. I was impressed that she positioned the nest high in the tree so that animals would not likely disturb it and that she chose two strong, sturdy branches to provide solid support and protection against the elements.

I peeked in on the nest only occasionally so I would not disturb her growing family. First I saw four eggs appear, then I could hear the chirping of baby birds. As time passed the chirping subsided, so I decided to check on things. My heart sank when I realized tragedy had struck. The danger had come not from without—but from within. Two of the four young birds had grown up and flown away, but the other two had died, tangled by their feet in some plastic strands in the nest. They had struggled to pull themselves free but could not do so.

I realized what went wrong. When the mother bird had built her home, she used the usual twigs, branches, grass, and reeds. But she had also been attracted to some colorful plastic strands that she wove throughout the nest. They looked similar to natural materials, but they were a little flashier, a bit more shimmery. They were not the same, however. The plastic had no give, and when the two remaining baby birds had tried to get free, the artificial materials pulled tighter.

I have often thought of the lessons that little nest taught me as a mother in my own family. First, I need to build my nest using the proper materials. Our prophets have counseled us to build solid homes with materials such as family home evening, scriptures, family prayer, Sabbath day observance, and service to others. These tools give me the best chance of success with my family.

Or I can build my nest with flashier substitutes that may be more popular, more exciting, or easier to use. I want my own nest to be as safe and secure as possible. I want to minimize any outside influences that could be harmful to my children, whether physically or spiritually.

Some children remain strong no matter what influences are occasionally brought into the home. Two of the birds in my front yard were able to free themselves and fly away to start building their own nests. But for other children who confront harmful influences, the results may be disastrous, as they were for the remaining two birds in the nest.”

Looking at the nest in the bluebird house tonight, I could see most of our BLUE trampoline pad thread. Maybe that’s attractive to a BLUE bird. I hope the babies won’t get stuck in it. I wanted to reach in and take it out, but knew that I couldn’t. I wonder how many times Heavenly Father looks down on me knowing that there is something in MY home that he wants to reach in and take out because it could hurt my babies.