May 2017 - Pastor Dan

 The backyard of our home has become a blur of activity. We have an island of Palo Verde trees, a few saguaros, some prickly pear and a whole host of other variety of cacti. It is pristine in that we do nothing in regard to yard work in that island. It has its own eco-system. And right now, there are so many critters with their very busy-ness that it's funny to watch early in the morning as they tend to bump into each other as they scurry about. There's lizards, ground squirrels, rabbits, doves, quail, an occasional snake and other larger birds. In the shadows of early morning the eco-system island seems to be in constant motion. What a wonderful place for wildlife.

 Then there's the dustpan dove. That one critter who follows the beat to its own drumming. We have a bakers rack on the patio. It stands against the wall, right next to the door into the laundry room. The bakers rack has a bunch of odd ball stuff on it like a bag of charcoal, some work gloves, some empty flower pots and the dust pans for when the patio is swept. With the pristine eco-system just twenty yards off, this dove decided to make a nest on a dustpan. It was the worst looking nest I had ever seen. It pretty much was a few sticks on the dustpan. I had chased her off several times, but she was bound and determined to make her nest there. I went out on a Sunday evening to get the charcoal to grill and there she was, sitting on the dustpan with two eggs. I thought, You are the stupidest bird and you're going to be the worst dove mom there ever was.

 Momma dove sat on her nest for weeks and she got used to our presence going back and forth. At first, she would fly off and leave the eggs. But after a few days, she just sat there and watched us. She's raised her chicks and they are healthy and getting ready to fly. It's been fun to watch her and the chicks grow. The two have gotten so big that there's no room in the nest for mom, but she still hangs out in the dustpan. What an odd place to raise a family. And in reflecting, it's probably one of the safest places for that mom to raise her youngsters.

  This May, we will have five students associated and attending Mount Zion who will graduate High school. In some very real ways, Mount Zion has been that different but safe place for these young people grow. You, in a loving and gracious way have been a part of the development of these young men and women. I ask that you keep them in prayer as they continue to grow in their faith and in their character as they get ready to fly from the nest and continue a path toward adulthood.

In Christs love and service,

Pastor Dan