Black Birds, Herd Dogs, & Grandchildren

A large black bird sat in a recently harvested field.  He had found something delectable to eat and was guarding it with pride and a clear sense of ownership.  I could tell from his body language, as I zipped North on 27 to my appointment, that he had no plans to let any harm come to his lunch and no plans to share it.  He was strutting around his meal just like I do when I bring my nearly-world-famous lasagna to the dinner table.  LOL!

I’m always thankful for the location of Liberty, Indiana, our small town in the middle of corn and bean fields.  It might be part of a fly-over state, but it certainly has its advantages.  One of my favorites is the short drive it takes to get to larger towns and cities for their amenities.  The 12 miles to Richmond this week gave me time to reflect.

LOL…yes, I literally laughed out loud while I was driving.  That black bird reminded me of another guardian from earlier in the week.  When I put my grandson down for a nap, Ranga, our Miniature Australian Shepherd, claimed her post outside the bedroom door.  She laid in the entrance to the hallway, head resting on her paws, intently staring at the door, ears twitching at every sound, waiting and guarding our sweet little boy while he slept.  

I absolutely love my new role in life as a grandparent.  My grandparents were special to me.  My parents are important in the lives of my children.  I am just beginning to understand the depth of responsibility God has given me.  As Tracer’s grandma…call me Ishy…I am blessed to hold his chubby little hand and help him walk up the steps at church to play on the stage after Sunday morning service.  I get to help him eat food with the red fork that was once grasped in his mommy’s jelly-smeared fingers.  I take him outside to explore and inwardly cringe in fear when he stumbles while on a great adventure in the front yard.  We clap our hands and laugh together when we cheer for his daddy’s and his great grandpa’s tractor pulls.  I wipe his runny nose and dry his tears after he throws a fit because I won’t take him outside to see the tractors on a cold, rainy day.  Then I open YouTube for the hundredth time, and we watch videos of red and green antique tractors.  Is he dreaming of the day that he will drive one too?

In the middle of my stream-of-consciousness reverie, God knocked on the door of my heart.  I slowed from 60+ mph to more grandmother appropriate 50.  You have to slow down and turn down the radio when God is talking.  I heard His lesson: He gives me all of this amazing, fulfilling, overwhelming responsibility to love and guard my grandson in much the same way that God loves me.  He guides my life journey.  He provides for my safety and nourishment.  He loves me unconditionally even when I do stupid, scary things that would make any parent or grandparent cringe in fear.  He wipes my tears and holds me close when I am sad.  He rejoices when I sing praises to His name.  He wants me to crawl into his lap at the end of the day and tell Him all about it even when I don’t know the words to say.

God gave these perfect words to Isaiah to write in Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.”  Even though I cannot always be with Tracer, as much as I would love to be with him 24/7, and I won’t always know the right thing to do as Ishy, God will never leave my side, and He will guide me and guard me as His own through this new phase of life.  What a journey it will be!  

Praise God for big ol’ black birds, protective herd dogs, and grandchildren.  Can I have an Amen?

By Shannon Hill

27 October 2022