Cardinal Madness

The other day a female cardinal flew into our closed sun room window. This isn't too uncommon. Every so often we hear a bird fly full speed into the clear glass. But then she did it again. I walked into the room and saw her perched in the dogwood tree just feet away and she flew off. After I left the room, I heard her again. BAM! A minute or two later, BAM! I stood in front of the window and she flew away again.  This repeated itself all afternoon. BAM! BAM! Short break. BAM!

The next day while writing in the sunroom, she started it again. I had opened a screened window for fresh air and this time I noted something new. She sits in the dogwood tree and chirps for a few seconds before BAM she flies into the window. I begin to wonder if she's off her rocker. This repeats itself almost all day. I bet she hit that window fifty times the second day.

On the third day—bright and early—she's back. I managed to finally get a decent picture of her escapades. Over and over, chirping in the tree and then BAM. I notice her mate lands in surrounding trees and sings chirpy songs to her. I believe he's pleading with her to stop the madness. 

Every now and then, she just flies over and perches on the sill and looks inside. What could she possibly be thinking? Maybe she's suffering from post-partum depression or really bad PMS. I remind God that this little bird needs taking care of, like He needs a reminder from the likes of me.

So I'm feeling really sorry for her and don't have a clue how to help her break this insane cycle. I post the craziness to Facebook. Maybe someone has an idea or been in the same place with a deluded bird.

• One friend did have the same experience for three to four days.
• Another suggested she was water logged and wanted in.
• Another suggested she has a nest nearby and sees her reflection. She has concluded that her reflection is another cardinal after her babies, so she's attacking.
• Someone suggested I hang a towel in the window to dissuade her or break the reflection.

Hubby notes that she's not flying into the window head first but instead feet first. This explains how she is still able to sustain life after days of launching herself into glass over and over.

I decide I have to take action and since she's hitting four to five different windows, I had to be creative. So I hung a quilt in the window to help. This madness has to stop!!

It's been a day and half and happily I can report that her BAMs are less frequent. But I do believe she has developed quite the yard reputation since I've seen her chasing a big, mean blue jay deep into the woods.

So what's the take away?

As I watched her try over and over to win her battle with my window, God spoke to my heart.

If I can fret over a troubled cardinal who is stuck in a losing battle against glass then how does He feel when I am fighting the same battle over and over, without even a prayer for His help?

Or without seeking advice from the Survival Guide He gave us, aka the Holy Bible? 

Or without consulting the Counselor He sent to abide with us, aka the Holy Spirit?

Yep, a new epiphany and a reminder at the same time from a loving Father. Special delivery through the wings of a troubled bird.

Matthew 7:7-8 tells us, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Like my little bird friend, I've spent too much of my life banging on windows. 

Again I'm reminded to seek Him in prayer, read His Word, and consult His Counselor so I can gain His wisdom, learn the lesson and fly to higher blue skies. After all, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31.

What about you? Been hitting any windows lately? Learned any new lessons or had any new epiphanies? Please share.

By the grace of God and perpetual spiritual and emotional renovation, Tammy Van Gils writes and blogs about Hope for the Everblooming Life at Tammyvangils.com. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers Association and Word Word Weavers International. Visit her on Facebook  and Twitter.