The Mockingbird Sang His Song

I’ve always liked Mockingbirds. Even though they are fairly common in residential areas, they are not typically found in denser woods or forests. They prefer wide open spaces with scattered shrubs and trees. They like exposed perches from which to pour out their sometimes non-stop singing, chirping, buzzing and twittering (in the older sense, that is). They are one the few songbirds that can be heard singing at any hour of the night. I love it!

A number of years ago we lived in a rural setting in Massachusetts . Behind our lot were wide-open pastures of a farm. And we had our mockingbird. There was an antenna standing outside and above our bedroom window which served as a favorite singing stage. I remember one night when I heard our bird mimic 23 other bird species. When we moved from there to eastern Washington State , we missed him. There were no Mockingbirds to be found in Walla Walla County .

Then we moved down to the south, and once again we could hear them singing all over the place. That is, everywhere except where we’d built our house. Up until about 12 years ago, our lot was on a forested, undeveloped ridge. Then a small road went up the ridge, and nine lots were developed, opening up some space, but leaving much of the forest intact. To our sorrow, no Mockingbirds came for eight years. Then, last year, a single bird could occasionally be seen moving up and down our short cul-de-sac street.

This year, much to our pleasure, it is back with its mate, and has chosen several of our trees as singing posts. They appear to be nesting in a crepe myrtle in our front yard. Hopefully, they’ve found a secure and inviting spot to dwell. This brought to mind the passage in Psalm 84 where the psalmist speaks of the sparrow and swallow finding shelter and safety in the tabernacle, God’s house (Ps 84:3)

The next verse is what gives me comfort: “Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You.”

If the Mockingbird can sing joyfully about the security of its nest in my crepe myrtle, should not I also praise mightily the one in whose house I dwell? What more can we ask for than the safety of His house?

Have a great day of praising Him, and continued blessings from Him all summer!

Dr. G