The Lesson of the Ducks

Hello Everyone!

I hope each of you had a very wonderful Easter.

On one of our visits to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, my husband and I stayed on Okracoke Island. It is a quaint little village with beautiful sunrises and sunsets. We enjoyed renting bicycles and exploring the shops, and other places of interest including the Okracoke lighthouse and the British Cemetery.

The cemetery was established during World War II by islanders who found the remains of crew members washed ashore from British vessels who were patrolling the coastline to protect our merchant vessels from German U-boats. These men were identified and buried in a small cemetery that was maintained by the villagers. Later the cemetery was deeded and is now considered "British soil" in North Carolina. The United States Coast Guard Station at Okracoke maintains the cemetery today. A memorial service is held each year in May, with both US and British armed forces attending. We just "happened" there at the right time and were able to attend one of these services. Our trip had many other attractions, but the most interesting for me was the "ducks."

One day, as I was exploring, I noticed a duck resting under a weeping willow tree located by the water, on what I thought, might be a nest. About a foot away, I saw a drake, her mate, sitting by her side. I passed on by. There was a great gift shop down the road and I just had to get there! Does anyone know that feeling? Well, at the shop, as I was paying for my purchases, I noticed a newspaper clipping from the local paper posted up near the register. I began reading. It was about a local person who was a "nationally known" wildlife rehabilitator. "That's great," I thought, as I carried my purchases out to the bicycle "basket" that was becoming full.

Later that evening, as my husband and I walked to a nearby restaurant, I again noticed those ducks, who were in the same spot as earlier that day. "Let's get a picture," I told my husband, who was happy to oblige (photography is his hobby)! As he got closer, the female duck got up. She had not been sitting on a nest as I had previously thought. I noticed she had a band on her leg. You know, the kind wildlife officials use to track their migration, etc. She was limping terribly! The band had irritated her leg and must have been causing so much pain she didn't want to move! She had been in that same spot all day! Each time I had passed, I noticed her mate, the drake, always at her side, even when the other ducks were doing other things. That was the lesson! God's faithfulness! Just as the drake stayed by his mate, even in the bad times (her injury and pain), he continued to be by her side. What a picture of God and His faithfulness to us! He stays right by our side in our injury and pain! He will never leave nor forsake us! He is ever faithful to give us comfort! What a great lesson from the ducks!

Seeing the plight of the duck, I remembered the newspaper clipping I had read earlier. I contacted the person at the gift shop who then gave me the contact information for the wildlife rehabilitator. I called. The person who answered assured me it would be investigated. The next day, I checked on the progress. An attempt had been made to catch the duck to check the band but was not successful. Another attempt would be made tomorrow. What I find interesting, the drake put up a "big fuss" when all these people came to catch the female. He was "protecting" her!

God loves and protects us. He will never leave nor forsake. He is faithful!

Be Encouraged!
Plant Lady