Are You My Mother?

What do you think of when you read that title?  You may be thinking that I'm off my calendar because Mother's Day isn't until May.  Well, what got me thinking was actually the P.D. Eastman book, Are You My Mother?  Do you know it?  Maybe you remember it from grade school or from reading it to your kids?  I have a bilingual (Spanish/English) copy that I used in teaching. 

I loved the book when I was growing up.  First, the little bird is adorable.  Also, I found it interesting that the little bird was so adventurous.  I don't know if I would have stepped out of the comforts of my nest to go look for my mother, had I been that little bird.  But, it did.  Of course, being a little bird, it thought it would be able to fly.  It got a shock as it fell down to earth that first step.  Instead of thinking too hard and long about not being able to fly, the little bird realized it could walk and set out to find its mother. 

Since the little bird didn't know what his mother looked liked, he walked past her once.  Throughout the book, the little bird asks one character after another "are you my mother?"  At first, he is fairly calm through the process, but then he begins to panic when he cannot find her.  He even follows an airplane, thinking that might be his mother.  In desperation, he gets up on a "big thing" that he thinks is his mother.  Then it "snorts" and begins to move.  Here is when the little bird really panics and realizes he needs to get out of there.  But, he cannot fly and the machine has lifted him off the ground.   The machine deposited the baby bird back into its nest.  Soon after, the mother returned to the nest with food and asked the baby bird if it knew who she was.  By that point, the baby bird knew, without a doubt, who she was.  He went through the list of who she wasn't and then declared, "You are a bird, and you are my mother."

What a great book!!  If you haven't read it, I encourage you to read it!  Sorry for the ending spoiler.  Hopefully it won't really ruin it for you.  If the book is too juvenile for you, find a child to whom you can read it.

Why in the world did this book come to mind the other day?  First of all, random things tend to pop in my mind.  Sidenote--Several years ago, a friend, who is now in camel land, got me into the world of random thoughts.  Random thoughts are often not as random as they seem. 

As I was thinking about this book and the little bird, I was thinking about the adventure this bird experienced.  As I have just now re-read the book, I see all sorts of life analogies.

Sometimes we think we can do things that we're not quite prepared to do.  Like the little bird who knew it should be able to fly, we step out of the nest only to fall to the ground.  Our reaction is important.  Will we, like the bird, realize that we can walk and get up and go?  Or will we sit there and cry and focus on the fact that we cannot fly?

The little bird had no idea what his mother looked like, but he knew he had a mother.  He knew he was created.  So, he goes around asking everyone and everything "are you my mother?"  The little bird is tenacious and doesn't give up easily.  He is bold and courageous.   I realize that he didn't run into the big, bad wolf-- but that's another story.  He was kept from serious harm in this story.  I think of Psalm 139 and how we are created and woven together by God.  I think of how we spend time in our life searching for our creator.

The little bird starts to panic when he cannot find his mother.  He knows she exists somewhere, but cannot find her.  He knows who his mother is when she comes because he has already learned that the others are not his mother.  The little bird went through a thorough search to find his mother and was able to declare with certainty that he knew this was his mother. 

What about you?  Are you still searching?  Or have you found your Creator? Genesis 1:27 tells us that "God created mankind in his own image".   We were created for fellowship.  Fellowship with God, fellowship with one another.  Prayer is a way for us to grow our relationship with God.  Spending time with one another in community in a variety of ways helps us grow our relationships with one another.

One way to grow both relationships is table fellowship.  Gathering around a table and sharing a meal.  Whether it's for a holiday, for a family get together, or just because, table fellowship allows us to not only gather, but to talk and to share.  As we share a meal, we share our hearts and our lives. 

Maybe you're gathering with family and/or friends this week.  If you're in the United States of America (to distinguish from the United States of Mexico or Canada), you might be celebrating Thanksgiving.  As you gather and share food and fellowship, may your relationships be strengthened, with your Creator and with one another.

I am gathering with family this week.  Not only is it going to be a Thanksgiving celebration, but my Mom celebrates one of those "big" birthdays that end in a zero.  For me, it is a time to celebrate my thankfulness for many things in life, including my mom's life.  (I wouldn't be here without her.  Plus, she's walked with me through some tough times in my adult life.)

As you think about the little bird (not the turkey) and about table fellowship opportunities, what things have come to mind?  Any challenges?  Any affirmations?  Any action steps needed?  Share these things with someone who is on the journey with you.  Share them in a comment here.

Blessings on your journey! 

May you travel like the little bird, knowing that your Creator is out there, waiting for you to return home!

~Debra