Learning from Mr. & Mrs. Goose!

Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well. Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be only your own, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, and be embraced in the arms of a seductress? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his paths.
--- Proverbs 5:15-21

At this time of year I see them every morning on my morning walk. I changed my schedule a bit. I roll out between 4:30 and 5 AM -- I sleep in a while now that I am "retired" -- before retiring from the United Methodist ministry I got up at 4 AM each morning.

I have my devotional time -- the Bible reading part of the devotion time takes me through the whole Bible once and the New Testament a second time in a year plus the other trips I take, especially time spent with the Old Testament prophets. And as mentioned in yesterday's post -- it's a great experience since the World's Greatest Theologian is always present to tutor and guide in these sessions!

I used to leave the house at about 6 AM for my walk. As you know, it's a bit dark at that hour at certain times of the year. So I have changed to leaving the house at about 7 AM, but I'm still up by 5 AM -- I just continue in prayer mode on my walk.

Anyway, during my walk I hear them coming -- their honking tells me they are on the way -- a pair of Canada geese. Often they fly very close overhead and barely clear the tree tops at times.

I submit that we can learn a thing or two from this pair.

• This species mates for life -- no "revolving door" for them in the matter of changing partners as is so common in United States' culture and the way we humans relate to one another with our adopted philosophy that "sex is fun with anyone (or more than one anyone at the same time) anywhere and at any time -- just name when and where!"
  
  
• They are committed to family -- both Mr. & Mrs. Goose are involved. We have seen some of those families at Duman Lake Park near where we live. I recall one occasion of a gander standing with head and neck extended as he kept looking about while the female and the young 'uns were eating at the breast works of the dam. He conveyed something by his very appearance -- "Don't bother me or my family or there will be big trouble!" That's the kind of commitment that has pretty much disappeared in our republic as family break down continues unabated!
  
  
• They know where they are going -- I'm not sure where Mr. & Mrs. Goose are headed -- but each morning they are coming from the same place and are headed toward the same place -- which is more than can be said for most humans. The main problem is that the majority have bought into a false system of values -- the idea is that if we accumulate enough material goods, including lots and lots of money, and pursue a myriad of pleasures we will gain happiness and fulfillment, or will we? Consequently we're not sure where we are going as we compete in the "rat race" of life! One fellow who thought he had arrived and had it all put together was bluntly told, "You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" Ah, for verification on that take a look at Luke 12 in the New Testament.
  

Yes, Virginia, things such as fidelity, commitment and knowing one's destination are still things that make for a very profitable and satisfying life experience! Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Goose, as you fly overhead for reminding me of this each morning!

And now a PS: This piece, as many of my rantings and ravings in this blog tend to be, was in the "incubator" for a while. Today, 08-04-02, as I took my walk the honking was extremely loud and it was obvious that more than 2 were involved -- and then I saw them again coming from the same direction and flying low as usual -- but there were about a dozen! Mr. & Mrs. Goose had some friends with them on the flight this AM! Hey, there's a lesson there too -- Christians, having been born again by a miracle work of the Holy Spirit, are the only people on the face of this planet who are absolutely sure of their destination -- ought we not be at the business of inviting others to travel along with us? Jesus has made it possible for all to travel to that sure and certain destination known as Heaven, has He not? Thanks again, Mr. & Mrs. Goose, for conveying another great lesson for us humans as we trod this sod called earth!

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." --- Jesus in John 14:1-3