It was a beautiful, bright spring morning. All the birds in the community seemed to be busy, gathering materials for new nests. There was a lot of activity in the backyard. In almost no time, there would be many newly-hatched mouths to feed.

Aunt Belinda was sitting in the den, watching through the big bay windows that took in the whole backyard. Her youngest niece, Elizabeth, was visiting for the day. She was in the kitchen fixing cups of hot cocoa for herself and her aunt.

A large maple tree on the left side of the yard provided lots of cooling shade all summer long. Until then, it also provided safe, secure locations for nesting. One bird was carrying twigs and other materials up onto a branch, after searching for the perfect place to raise a new family.

"I've been watching that robin building a nest," Aunt Belinda said as she was handed her cocoa. Elizabeth looked to the place her aunt pointed toward, out on a slender forked branch of the maple. Leaves were just starting to sprout, ensuring good protective cover for the nesting family in the weeks ahead.

"How is she doing?" Elizabeth asked. "Pretty well, but it's interesting with the trouble she's having," said her aunt. "My attention was drawn to her efforts as various items were falling from, or hanging off of that branch."

Her niece replied, "Nest building must be quite an undertaking." Aunt Belinda said, "That's true. And, this one may be a novice, too. There's a first time for everyone, even birds."

They continued to observe the process. The robin flew into the tree with a good sized piece of paper, and then it fluttered to the ground. Down she flew, retrieved the piece of paper, walked along the limb and tried to incorporate it into the nest. Again it fluttered to the ground.

Over and over again this happened. One time she even caught the paper in mid-air. By now the women's attention was caught up in the robin's fascinating efforts.

Talking about what was going on, they thought of charging out of the back door and setting up a ladder. Then, one of them would pick up the piece of paper and help the robin get it woven into the nest.

After considering that action, Aunt Belinda laughed a little bit and thought better of their idea. She said how absolutely shocking this would be to the robin and decided that prayer would be more practical.

After she had prayed silently she said to Elizabeth, "As I was pointing out to the Father that He might have already noticed this, but, just in case He hadn’t, one of His creatures was having a bit of difficulty, He said, 'Time for a lesson'."

Elizabeth's aunt had long known that prayer can sometimes bring unexpected responses. The girl was still considered young, yet she too understood that prayer responses from above are always appropriate. Her aunt continued to retell what she had heard from their Father.

"Look at how patiently she goes about doing the work I have called her to do. Do you show that kind of patience with the work I have called you to; or do you give up when after a couple of attempts you don’t get the results you think you should?"

"I call you to a task, but I am responsible for the results. I don’t always tell you what the result is supposed to be. Often it is more complex and detailed than you could comprehend. Just trust me and patiently serve as you weave your thread into the whole that is the Kingdom".

Elizabeth carefully considered those words for several minutes. She thought about the gravity apparent in her aunt's prayer and in the way she shared it. A few more moments passed before she said plainly, "I think that lesson might have been for me also. I forget about doing right things sometimes, like when I get distracted by something unexpected. Like a robin trying to build a nest, even. That is her job, not mine, although I can pray she reaches her goal."

Her aunt smiled at the understanding and faith reflected in her words. "Earnest prayer from us always brings an earnest response from God. I often remember the words the Lord shared with His disciples about how to pray."

And with that, the two women said the Lord's Prayer together, further building upon the nest of their faith.

This morning I watched a robin building a nest. My attention was drawn to the project as I saw various items falling from, or hanging off of a tree outside my window.

Nest building appears to be quite an undertaking, or perhaps she was a novice; but she certainly appeared to be having a bit of trouble. As I continued to observe the process I noticed her fly into the tree with a good size piece of paper, and then it fluttered to the ground. Down she flew, retrieved the piece of paper, walked along the limb and tried to incorporate it into the nest; again it fluttered to the ground. Over and over again this happened, one time she even caught the paper in mid-air. By now I was really getting into this, I wanted to charge out of the back door, set up the ladder, pick up the piece of paper and help her get it woven into the nest. Realizing how absolutely shocking this would be to the robin I decided that prayer would be more practical.

As I was pointing out to the Father that He might have already noticed this, but, just in case He hadn’t, one of His creatures was having a bit of difficulty—He said, time for a lesson.

‘Look at how patiently she goes about doing the work I have called her to do. Do you show that kind of patience with the work I have called you to; or do you give up when after a couple of attempts you don’t get the results you think you should. I call you to a task, but I am responsible for the results. I don’t always tell you what the result is supposed to be. Often it is more complex and detailed than you could comprehend. Just trust me and patiently serve as you weave your thread into the whole that is the Kingdom’.