A Nevispages weekly feature by Curtis Morton Sr
The way I see it, even the birds and the animals can test your faith and resilience.
Nearly two weeks ago, one of my newly acquired fowls, escaped from the fowl pen and left the yard. Honestly, I had given up on it, because I reasoned that it was not accustomed to the yard and would never return.
However, two days later, the fowl reappeared in the yard. It was feeding close to the fowl pen as if she had come to say hello to Mr. Cock and her fellow hens.
Well I newa!
The moment I got close to her, she sped away and headed to the fence and flew away.
So, I reasoned that okay, she will come back and I decided to set a trap. I placed some fowl feed close to the door of the fowl pen and true to form, the next day, she appeared. I waited until she was comfortably eating by the door of the pen and then I asked my wife to go below the same area and I cooped my way quietly to the top. I knew I had her cornered finally…and then I made my move.
I must have grabbed too quickly because all I came up with were some feathers and that naughty fowl flew away again! It came back to the yard at odd times, during the ensuing days and I was plotting how to catch this thing and I must admit, I was getting frustrated.
Then I decided to try to catch it in the storeroom. I started to place the fowl feed near the store room’s door and left the door open. I also placed some feed on the inside. The next day, I watched her eat on the outside and then enter the storeroom. I did not make a move then. I wanted her to get relaxed and accustomed to feeding in the storeroom.
The following day, I watched her go through the same routine again and then she entered the storeroom. I decided to make my move, I bolted towards the storeroom, from the back area. I felt that I got there more quickly than Usain Bolt himself. I slammed in the door, confident that I had the delinquent caught, once and for all. My wife was laughing loudly. Just before I slammed in the door, the creature had passed between my feet and flown away.
Well, I newa!’
I came up with another plan. I tied a rope on the handle of the door to the storeroom and hid behind a curtain in the room and waited. The fowl never came.
My wife also came up with a plan. She now tied the rope on the outside doorknob and put it around a nearby tree. Well, I woke up the next morning and I actually included in my morning prayers, to ask God to help us to catch the fowl. My wife waited in the yard and I waited by the kitchen door, looking through the window. It was a covert operation if there ever was one!
I remember my first covert operation. It was many moons ago. A boat had been found stuck on one of our beaches and was suspected to be carrying drugs. The Police asked me to come along with my video camera so that I can record the operation. Before we got there, I was told in no uncertain terms that when I got there I was to record from the bushes. I was not to come out, under any circumstances, until everything was over, as there may be gunfire. I was really scared. I did not have to be told twice! Well, no one appeared to challenge the officers and they came away with a huge marijuana haul that day.
This operation was a lot less scary and so I waited and waited. Then, the fowl appeared. It seems as if someone had tipped her off. Twice, I saw that fowl eat the feed on the outside, peep into the storeroom and then bolted.
We waited and then the fowl marched into the storeroom. I was hoping that my wife was watching. I did not want to shout at her. She was watching. I saw her move quickly and pull the rope……. I did not see the fowl. It was finally locked in. But, that was only half of the job done.
Now, I had to go in the storeroom and catch it, hoping that it did not knock over everything stored in there, in the process. I told my wife to lock me in the storeroom. When I entered, the fowl flew up on the highest shelf and then I made my grab. I had one of her feet and despite her intense noise and efforts, I refused to let go. The fowl had been finally caught! I threw her back in the pen and an hour later, saw that she was happily reunited with the remainder of her family.
It was kinda stressful but catching her gave a great sense of satisfaction and relief.
Makes me wonder if that is how Satan orchestrates his covert operations to catch us in sin, but God keeps coming after us, despite our best efforts to resist him, because, he wants to get us on the right path, where we will truly be safe.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?