Special Delivery!!

Just be forewarned...there are a LOT of pictures today! But there was no way I could leave any out! This is the day we've been waiting for all spring!  Yes! We received a "special delivery" today of four beautiful Canada Goose Goslings!

I think you can just imagine my joy and delight to see both Mother and Father Goose swimming across the pond to our shore, with their beautiful new family bobbing along behind them.

It was truly as if they brought them right over to us so we could see them.  

They did not seem the least bit afraid of me standing up on the porch crying and saying "Oh Thank You! Oh! They are so beautiful! Oh, Praise God! Oh! How wonderful!"  Over and over again...as I kept snapping pictures as fast as I could, fearing I might miss a single moment of this great event.

I mean, who couldn't resist standing and watching and cheering them on?

Could YOU?

Oh, they are just so adorable!!!!!!!

Father Goose stands proudly at attention, as if to say, "Yes Ma'am! These are my goslings! Aren't they the handsomest things you've ever seen?"

Yes, they are just perfectly wonderful!!!

Mother Goose has survived her long wait, and now she is proudly showing off her pretty babies...

I can't believe they swam all the way across the pond from the island to our shore...they are so little!

Well, we want to keep them moving along. We need to show them more of the pond and teach them more about where it is safe and where it isn't...

And so, after Mother Goose dunked her head in the water a few more times...(I am sure she was hungry and thirsty after her ordeal)

They rounded up the little flock and started on around the shore...

Bye Bye little goslings!  We'll be watching for you to come by again!!

And so they went around the bend a little ways, and there they stayed in a little cove near the shore for a while, resting and probably eating the grasses...

A little while later I saw this Great Blue Heron fly in and land in a tree not too far from where the geese were resting...

Immediately Father and Mother Goose started honking loudly and frantically got their children in a row and started swimming as quickly as they could back toward the other side where their nest on the island is...

Mr. Heron is keeping a very watchful eye on them, and Father and Mother are surrounding their children and hurrying them away to safety...

It is a long hard swim across the pond back to the island, and the water is much deeper there. But they must feel safer taking them across the water rather than back around the shore line.

Hurry, little ones! Hurry! We must get back home to safety!

Father and Mother are keeping a close watch on the children and also a wary eye on the heron to make sure he is staying put...

Mr. Heron is quite interested in this little parade, and stands up tall to watch them go...

Hurry Children! Keep Swimming! We are almost there!! No time to lose!

Just a little while longer and we will be back to safety...

Keep going...don't dawdle...

Are they all still with me?

Wait, I only see three heads...

Oh, Thank Heaven! Look again, all four are there! And we have made it back to our island where we can safely get back into our nest away from Mr. Heron's prying eyes.

That was a close call! But Mr. Heron, you will just have to go away.  Mother and Father Goose are not going to be fooled by you.

As you can imagine, I sighed a prayer of relief when that little trip was over and the family was safe at last.  But I know there are many dangers out there for these little ones, and they aren't "home free" yet. It will take a lot of diligence on the part of the parents to keep them safe until they are able to fend for themselves.

Sometimes we may feel like there are dangers all around us and we need a place of protection from our enemies of fear, loneliness, grief, or just general worries about health, finances or family. Today I was very concerned for a loved one who was having some tests done in the emergency room because of some potentially serious issues. I sought the Lord in prayer, but still felt a sense of panic and worries about the "what ifs".  I asked the ladies at our Bible Study this afternoon to please remember my loved one in prayer as well.

You can imagine my great relief when I got home and contacted my loved one and found out that she was on her way home and that all tests were negative and the news we had dreaded the most was not true at all.  Praise God!

We are blessed to have such a loving and compassionate Heavenly Father, Who is always there for us, ready to calm our fears and carry us safely "home".   Like  those Canada Goose parents, He surrounds us with His love and covers us with His feathers, and protects us from our enemies.

"He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler."

Psalm 91:4

So very thankful for answered prayers today for my loved one, and also for a happy ending to the Goose Family story.  It was a wonderful lesson in the power of prayer and putting our trust and faith in our Heavenly Father.  

Postscript:  If you want to see the sequel to this story, please check out https://adventuresoflilygrace.blogspot.com/2021/04/lilys-goose-story.html to see the next part.

And there is THIS UPDATE...

And then check out THIS post for a happier ending.