There is a new family in our neighborhood. We moved “Out Here” in 2017, and now live on the far edge of the metro area. To our east is Standley Lake, a beautiful large lake completely surrounded by open space. I often drive by it twice a day… it never disappoints. There are many routes that bring me to this enclave called Whisper Creek. I jokingly say if Walt Disney designed a suburb, I live in it—clean, sculpted, efficient and very close to nature in every direction. My favorite route home is the longest way. I go north and drive by the the lake as I soak in Long’s Peak and the Flatirons to the north, and look south all the way down to Pike’s Peak. One day a couple of months ago, about a mile from my house. I noticed a huge nest in a Cottonwood tree. Standing on an adjacent tree was a Bald Eagle.
Nearly every day I find a reason to check out the nest. One day it became apparent that the two eagles were “expecting”. The news media got involved to tell us there were three baby eagles. These parents had been trying for five years to have a successful family and this year their patience and persistence paid off. They have a division of labor in their family. One parent is given the responsibility of watching the kids, while the other parent is shopping. In the survival of the fittest they bring back fish, prairie dogs, and bunnies. Early on you could watch the feeding parent handing out strips of meat. Now they just dump a carcass in the nest and the kids dive in.
Soon, the kids have to learn to fly and eat for themselves. Nature is reassuring. Those adult eagles never give up. The nest they built this year survived two 100 mph wind storms. One of my favorite eagle stories is about a nest in southern Colorado that blew out of a tree. In that nest were 13 dog collars. Yes, Fifi and Tippy were snatched out of their back yard to end up as the main course. Three years ago, a woman living near Standley Lake watched her Pomeranian airlifted out of her back yard by an eagle. She went on a campaign to have the Division of Wildlife remove the eagles. It was explained to her that she had moved into the eagle’s back yard. Yes, it would be very hard to lose a beloved pet that way. As much as I love dogs I don’t blame the eagles. A few years ago, Bald Eagles were almost obliterated from our country because of DDT. Because THE GOVERNMENT did the right thing, they are back.
My signature benediction for 45 years in my pastoral work went like this:
“Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount upon wings as Eagles.
They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Onward and Upward,
Mark
Lyfting Me Up 