Motherhood Lessons From Nature

This year my kids and I learned about a live feed on YouTube of a bald eagle’s nest in Big Bear Valley, California. Just about every morning while I’m doing our read-aloud, my kids are glued to the TV as I play this feed in the background. Honestly, I’m glued to the feed as well. It’s been so peaceful to watch this mama eagle lay on her eggs. If you’re lucky, sometimes you get to see her mate bring her a fish to eat. This last weekend those three little eggs hatched and we’ve been enamored to see her feed her sweet babies each day. Watching this mama eagle care for her young, I’ve noticed a few things I can relate to, and learn from:

1. She is content simply serving as a mama, she’s not trying to do too much else right now. She knows if she leaves her post that her babies may freeze to death (it’s been snowing where their nest is) and that her purpose is to be at home for this season. Can you relate? Are your little ones heavily reliant on you right now? If so, have you ever felt overwhelmed and stuck caring for them? Be honest. Or have you only felt 'joyful' about being planted where you are? This season of motherhood with young ones is so exhausting at times, that we can be tempted to flee because we feel like we're called to a bigger/different purpose outside the home. Mama, these babies aren’t gonna keep. You WILL be able to explore more, do more, create more, work more--one day. Right now though, soak those little souls in and accept the truth that YOU ARE DOING MORE than you'll ever do later in life. Raising the next generation is the most important job. Before you know it your littles will be grown and gone and that heavy nest will be empty. (Did you know, an eagle's nest can literally weigh a ton because of the years the mama and her mate have been rebuilding it in the same place?). What an honor to care for and raise up future mothers and fathers!

   I felt some conviction in my heart while watching this mama eagle work so diligently on caring for her babies. She's intentional and focused. Sometimes I can get TOO focused on outside endeavors other than caring for my children. Whether it's hobbies, side businesses, or ministries outside the home, I encourage you, mama, to ask the Lord if you’ve strayed too far from your nest and if those little hearts are feeling like they aren’t the first priority. I know, it can be scary to quit things. You’re doing so much outside the home because you want to provide for your children, and you also enjoy it! However, you are the ONLY mama they have. No one else will ever passionately pray for and care for your children, or even see their heart’s desire like you do. Children are a gift, not a burden. If you’ve been feeling like caring for your children is a burden, confess that to Jesus right now. Mama, you’re not alone. This motherhood task is harder than we all thought. Listen to the wisdom of the mamas who now have older kids and want to encourage you with this truth–you will get to leave the nest again! You will thrive, not simply survive. Your children will learn to feed themselves, clean up after themselves, and even pitch in with chores! I'm excited to watch these little eagle babies grow and learn how to hunt on their own one day! A new season is coming. For now, ask the Lord to help you take inventory on all you’re doing in and outside the home. Is there anything you need to lay down for a time in order to be more fully engaged with your vulnerable needy babes inside your nest? This will be a lifelong tension we need to learn to walk in–caring intentionally for the blessings God has given us in our home, and still walking out our purpose, passions, and giftings that He’s given us to do which might take us out of the nest sometimes! God is faithful! He can help us do both! 

   

   
   

2. She is content in simply tidying her nest. While she lays on those little babies to keep them warm she also keeps herself busy cleaning up their breakfast and tidying by rearranging some of the sticks in her home. Her nest is the largest of any bird in North America. It’s often eight feet wide and sometimes even five feet tall! Bald eagles keep reusing the same nest year after year and adding to it. It’s even been found that their nests can weigh almost a ton! My home is a sacred provision from the Lord. When I'm overwhelmed or stretched too thin I can feel the "weight" of running and managing this home, instead of the miracle that it is. Seriously, receiving our current home was a miracle. (Check out that God-story HERE). When I'm caught up in the way of this world, I can feel the weight of this home in a negative way. However, when I'm walking in the truth of God's Word and holiness of motherhood, this home and all the responsibilities within it feel like an honor, a gift, and I feel spoiled with such a high calling and purpose. The most important work I'll ever do is within the walls of this little home. May I never forget that.

   

   
   

3. She is on guard at all times, even in her home. We’ve spent a lot of time watching this incredible mama and her babies. Even though we know (and can see) her home is high up in a tree and away from potential predators, we haven’t seen her truly rest her eyes until it’s nighttime. She may close her eyes for a minute or two during the day, but she is diligent in keeping watch. My daughter actually saw a crow try and enter the nest early one morning and the mama eagle was ON IT! My daughter says that the mama immediately started spreading her wings and shoo-ing that old crow outta there. She was on guard. Mama, sometimes we can let our guard down, especially in our own home when it comes to protecting our children. We can find ourselves only serving junky treats, watching toxic shows, and even speaking shameful talk instead of nourishing our kid's bodies and souls with nutrient-dense food, life-giving books, movies, and conversations that build up. We must protect our kids from what is harmful around us, but also from ourselves at times! I must protect my kids from my own tongue and critical nature when I want to be extra bossy, controlling, or harsh. Mama, you and Jesus are the gatekeeper to your home, don't let your guard down.

   

   
   

4. She and her mate work together. It's been fun seeing the "daddy eagle" as my kid's call him, swoop in and bring 'breakfast in bed' or a treat for mama and the babies. While we can't always see him nearby on the camera, we know that he is busy hunting to provide for his little family. The weight of provision isn't solely upon him though. We've watched him and mama eagle take turns keeping those little ones warm. He handsomely swoops in, then mama says, "see ya," as she flees the nest to take a breather and maybe hunt while daddy eagle tenderly cares for those little babies. I, too, am blessed to be a part of a beautiful team. My handsome husband, though he is currently the only one working a paying job between the two of us, comes home and serves our family in humility. People always ask me how I'm able to do all that I'm doing right now and my answer is two-fold. 1.) I'm intentional with my time and 2.) I have an incredibly selfless partner who cheers me on and serves our family in huge ways. We each give 100% to this marriage, home, and raising our kids. Not 50-50, but rather 100-100. I love being a part of this team and serving one another. We've been growing as a team for almost two decades and have learned a lot of "death to self" in that time period.

   

   
   

5. She's experienced great loss, but remains faithful in her calling. Everyone has experienced some level of grief in their life. Whether it's the death of a dream, career, family member, or even a baby inside of the womb. For me personally, I was surprised to feel how heavy our early miscarriage loss felt so many years ago. The only reason I even knew we had miscarried was because I took a pregnancy test super early, then miscarried shortly after. Mama eagle had three beautiful eggs that hatched into three beautiful chicks. Watching her feed all three was heavenly. However, one morning last week we turned on the live feed to discover that there were only two eaglets in the nest. Something tragic must have happened in the storm the night before, leaving a mama without her little chick. While this is all part of the life cycle, our hearts ached as we searched for that little eaglet on the screen. I don't presume to know whether eagles have feelings, but I know I do. Seeing this little chick go missing reminded me of seasons where I was grieving, and yet had to weakly march onward in motherhood because little souls were relying on me. Mama, there's grace for grief. There's also time to shakily and bravely step forward and into the present. If you've got little souls relying on you (whether they're young or grown) and you're struggling to move forward, do your children a favor and get help, mama. I highly recommend this Bible study by my friend, Lindsey Bell. She takes a deep-dive into scripture studying how biblical heroes rose above their pain and how you, too, can rise unbeaten. Lindsey leaves no stone unturned and asks every hard question you've probably asked during trials of your own. I pray for the mama reading this who needs help in her grief and a spark of joy to reignite her day to day life. Lord, be with this mama and give her strength to get back up and love on the kiddo(s) she does have, and the purpose you've called her to.

Conclusion

If you are breastfeeding or postpartum you may be emotional watching God's creation at work, ha! His beauty is all around us, and there are biblical lessons to be learned. Isn't it incredible the lessons from nature that we can learn? God can use an eagle thousands of miles away to convict me and equip me in my own journey of motherhood.