To say that Doug and I enjoy feeding the birds at our summer trailer would be an understatement. Syrup water for the hummingbirds; niger seed for the red and yellow finches and chick-a-dees; black sunflower seeds for the blue jays, mourning doves, nuthatches, woodpeckers and very often the chick-a-dees; and various flavours of suet for anyone who
can get to the cage first. Of course peanuts are a must for the woodpeckers and the occasional nuthatch.
This year we’ve had families of blue jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and mourning doves, and at times our feeders take on the resemblance of an airport at 
prime time. (And as I write this, I have declared war on the black squirrel who is relentless in getting its share!)
Keeping a supply of bird food is a must when there are so many birds anxiously waiting for their breakfast, and they have no problem letting us know they are hungry at too-early-of-an-hour each morning.
As to the chipmunks… yes, we do feed them, which might cause some to question our sanity, because, after all, they are part of the rodent family… and who would want to feed a wild rodent? Nevertheless, we can’t help smiling when they coming running to our tut-tut-tut or the rattle of the seed can. (Would it be so awful to admit they know my voice as well?) We have been feeding these little creatures for close to 
twenty years, evidenced by the picture of two of our grandkids at a much younger age. (Ben now 23 and Laura 20!)
I have to admit that warfare happens when the ‘alpha’ chipmunk is eating out of my hand and another one, who is lesser on the pole of importance, dares to sneak in for a treat. Like a bullet, the alpha chipmunk turns and the race for survival begins. And this continues off and on all day. Rather amusing since the lesser always gets away!
There have been times when guests do not respond very well to their sudden appearance, and for that we apologize. But these little creatures are quite harmless and yet can generate a loud squeal from an unsuspecting person who just happens to be sitting in my favourite chair when the chippes come for a visit! Happily, this year has seen the addition of young neighbourhood children who don’t squeal at their sudden appearance, but rather, beg to feed them!
But in all this pleasure this year, the unexpected happened when one very friendly chippie didn’t make it across the road to add to his stash for the long winter ahead. All the precious food he had stored in his mouth ended up on the road in front of our trailer as his little life was snuffed out by a passing vehicle. As sad as it was—and it was certainly sad for four-year old Simon who had fed it moments earlier and had witnessed the accident—it was a reminder to Simon and the other small children to be very careful and cautious when crossing the road to visit us and our ‘family’ of chipmunks.
The untimely death of a little chipmunk may not measure high on the scale of importance as the world turns. Even so, it is a reminder to us adults that care and caution must be taken as we journey through life. We need to be mindful of the enemy who is always prowling around like a lion ready to pounce, ready to devour anyone who is reckless in their spiritual walk with God. In a moment, a wrong choice, a mistake, and life can change instantly. Every thought we have, every action we take, every choice we make carries with it a consequence: a tug away from God when we make the wrong choice, or a tug toward Him when we strive to walk worthy of our calling in Christ. The wrong choice will rob us of the life God has designed for us, but the right choice will enable and strengthen us to cope when the unexpected happens.
“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”
Isaiah 30:21
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore,
to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
Hebrews 2:1
Follow Me!