My wife and I put a lot of bird food out at our house. We've got several feeders and try to give our pretty feathered neighbors seed and suet, honey and fruit. What I've noticed, though, particularly at the feeder outside our upstairs window, is that it's more often consumed by squirrels than birds.

Now, some people don't like feeding these fat, rat faced varmints. I mean, we have these certain expectations. The food we buy is heavy on the black sunflower seeds because the birds seem to like it the best. We don't buy junk brands, or fillers to put in with it. Every consideration is given to benefit the birds, even to the point we occasionally buy shelled seeds to make things easier. For birds!

Our feeders themselves are of course designed for the birds. One is the traditional gravity fed type with slots at the bottom, which the little birds like best. One other is a flat bottomed screened box, with an extra roof over it to keep the seeds (and birds) dry. The bigger birds, jays and crows (and amazingly enough the occasional turkey!) like this style of feeder over the other.

We envision mom and dad birds coming in gently for a landing, lighting on the feeder with hardly a ruffle in the air and calmly, even daintily eating the food in a non-rushed and hopefully non-threatening atmosphere. Sure, occasionally the bigger birds bully the little ones but that's to be expected, not everyone gets on well all the time. Overall, we had this kind of neighborly idea, where migratory birds sort of fly in at certain times of the year with "news from down south" or just passing through on their way to points north of here. The "locals" would take this all in stride and build homes where they had plenty to eat and a place to take their young fledglings for a bite out.

But these squirrels! The red ones are psycho, and the gray ones are lazy. Careless, sloppy eaters they dump half the feeder out on the ground getting the choicest morsels. They chew on the feeders and damage them, sometimes cutting the strings that hold them up and the whole contraption goes crashing to the ground. And they eat so much! Not content with just filling their stomach, they stuff their mouths full until they double the size of their heads, rush off to hide the booty, and come back for more. Greedy and crafty, they arrogantly chase away the timid birds and literally "dive in" for the feast!

In my mind, I sort of play the role of God. I provide good for my children, and arrange things such that they are well taken care of. The evil ones, though, trample through my world to the harm of those I would bless. Beastly and carnal, caring only for themselves, they ravage the feasts I have arranged, without any regard or gratitude. What must the true God make of those who run rampant and sow destruction? Is there no justice?

And yet, much seed, the blessings, fall to the ground. While it may be true that it is knocked there by careless and bullying squirrels, we have other birds who don't like either of our feeders. These birds come out at the end of the day, when things are finally peaceful and calm, and with a serene grace and dignity happily eat what was "lost." Fitting, isn't it, that these birds, Mourning Doves, are so often mentioned in scripture in places where God demonstrates that he is in control.

Those crazy squirrels end up caring for my gentle doves. Bad behavior used to achieve good results. God cares for even these, in nature; don't you suppose that when things seem bad he is also there to care for us?

Randy