We featured the exceptional animal-themed art of Tracey Clarke last Spring, and I've appreciated following Tracey's very thoughtful reflections on her blog The Helium Burden since.  I happened across a post of her's which adds an important dimension to our series on wild birds and their place in our world, often our own backyard.  "The Pressure Washers Meant it for Evil but God Meant it for Good" includes a moral for us as well, in the tradition of many New Testament references to domestic birds (and much like Dean Ohlman's recent post on the chickadees):

For the last several weeks, a pair of barn swallows has been tirelessly building a mud nest on one of the fire sprinklers in the breezeway outside my door.  Over the days, Craig and I have watched that nest built a little at a time as these tiny birds bring tiny bits of mud and twigs to add.  Last week for several days the female was nesting, resting quietly in her work, and I suppose waiting for the next step.

Last Friday the building was pressure washed, and the nest was cruelly sprayed away in a matter of seconds.  I watched the pair fly around the site and through the breezeway for a few days searching desperately for their nest.  They seemed confused, and I was certain that in a few days they would be gone.  I wondered whether they missed the window of opportunity to mate and lay eggs.  After all, this all seems to be a delicate process easily thrown out of balance.

Within a day those two little birds began again.  From the first little blob of mud, they started over doing what they were made to do.  The Lord put in them the desire to build a nest and the ability to do it, yet when all their hard work literally turned to a mud puddle, they began again.

I often feel confused after a seeming failure, and am tempted to give up completely, even to doubt my call.  But I know what the Lord has made me to do, what He has taught me to do, and what He has called me to do.  And when it appears to my eyes like all has been for nothing, I must start again, and again.  I know this lesson is for me ... God help me to remember it when the pressure washers show up.

The swallows managed to bring some hatchlings into the world the year before last, which you can see in Tracey's video clip:

Tracey also sent me a couple of updates last year:

By the way, the swallows have returned.  And, sadly, the maintenance crew has come by weekly to destroy the nests.  Our female laid her egg anyway, but of course without a nest it came crashing to the concrete.  But, like they always do, they have built yet another nest this week and she is sitting in it most of the time now.  She is probably about to have another clutch.

It doesn't matter how hard the washers try, the swallows will always return, and build and rebuild again no matter how long it takes.  It is really heartbreaking to see them struggle so much, and fly around confused, yet I am in awe of the will God has given them to be who they are.

Tracey also mentioned that she managed to convince the pressure washer to leave the nest alone one day, which she counted a small victory.  But, regrettably, he came back and destroyed the nest the following day.

(many thanks to Tracey Clarke for sharing the post, photo and video with us, originally published on The Helium Burden; you can find out much more about Tracey and her artwork on our feature post)

{could you help not one sparrow and our blog?}