As I have written, my wife loves birds and cares immensely for the little ones. But there is one thing that she doesn’t do. She does not let the birds into our house.
I recall Ed and Marie, members of a church I once pastored. They let birds into their home. They loved birds. They rescued birds. People brought them wounded birds. The first time I visited them I noticed all their furniture was covered with plastic. Birds were flying around the house. These weren’t just parakeets. There was even a seagull in the mix. They were pooping all over the place. I chose my seat carefully and tried not to breathe in too deeply. Some would say that Ed and Marie were not living in healthy conditions but they loved the birds. They didn’t have children and needless to say, they didn’t have many visitors. But I loved them for their concern, and yes, visited again.
We read in Psalm 84 that in God’s house, his Temple, even the ‘sparrows found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young- a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God.’ (Verse 3 NIV)
The Apostle Paul wrote that we are the Temple of God’s Spirit- it’s where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live. So am I the place that welcomes others in Christ’s name? Is my life that place? Together we are to be a sacred place for all people. Jesus said that God’s house is a place for prayer for all people. It’s within that sacred space of our hearts and minds that others find God and love and acceptance. But I confess that my heart is not always a place for all people. There are some I let in and others I keep out. Some say it’s good to have boundaries so that you don’t have poop all over your house but what I have done is build a moat to keep others’ kingdoms from encroaching upon mine.
I know who the people are in my life that are ‘outside’ and just maybe by the grace of God someday I will put in a bridge with a welcome sign on my little door. We’ll see. I just don’t want to have to cover the place in plastic. May God rest the precious souls of Marie and Ed and all their little bird friends.
Grace Matters 
I am crying here from the laughter! What a wonderful story, and what a wonderful, honest admission. I just encountered one of the little birds at the local grocery store. David and I were emptying our “mini-cart” at the check out. The position of the cart was awkward, and we were emptying it onto the conveyor. From behind, I hear “Excuse me, could you please move your cart so I can get my things onto the belt?” (tone, more accusatory than polite.) I literally shoved the cart to the right to accommodate her request. “Well, you didn’t have to make that big of a deal about it, my things are buried here.” Smiled, no comment.
We finished our transaction and the woman, without missing a beat began on the cashier, “Oh? You’re ready for me? Well, I am not ready for you. My things are buried.”
I looked at the young lady doing the packing, and mouthed “Have a nice day.” She returned my smile.
That was the most I could do to build a bridge for that customer. She was clearly in need of attention. And I also did not want to carry her with me. But she made it this far, and that is far enough. I did say a prayer for her, and for me to let her go. Like that seagull.
Thank you George. I needed that.
Thanks, Linda. I’m encouraged by a fellow traveler.