It was Monday morning and like most of us, our weekend had been a crazy one. I was rushing around trying to get the kids off to school. I dropped them at the bus stop and then headed to work. I pulled into the parking spot and opened the side door of my minivan to get the extra bags I had. I realized that two of the bags were all the way in the back buried on the floor. I had to climb in the back to reach them under the seat. When I gathered them, I closed the door and turned to my right and found this huge Canadian Goose 3 feet away from me as tall as my chest. I was startled and jumped back. All of a sudden, the goose started hissing and walking toward me. I got a little nervous and I said “GET BEHIND ME SATAN.” That’s a little ridiculous to say to a goose who is hissing at you but in my dramatic world it suited me just fine. I walked quickly into work and was glad it didn’t chase me in.
Sitting at my desk I was thinking to myself just how hard Satan works to get us. He brings fear upon us and attacks at our weak areas. He waits patiently to pounce on our emotions. In John 10:10 the bible says “A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness.” What a blessing to know that Jesus is filled with such hope.
During the day, we had a meeting going on in one of our conference rooms which faces the parking lot where the two deadly geese have now made their home. All of a sudden, I hear my co-worker say “Oh my goodness that goose is attacking that man." This was going to be a problem. How was I going to take out the garbage at the end of the day? I told Kim, my co-worker that we would just have to become hoarders because my life is just too precious to be attacked by a goose. Kim said “this is how much I love you”! She got up and grabbed the garbage and ran outside. Three of us ran to the window to watch Kim take on this horrendous task. Her goal was to go around the geese so they wouldn’t see her. She made a run for it. They must have been distracted by something else because they didn’t really notice her. Oh, how easy she made it look. When we are fearful we can always hold on to the scripture Psalm 23:4 "Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid, because you are with me. Your rod and your shepherd's staff comfort me."
Later that day, as Kim was leaving, she called me from her car and said, "I don’t know how you are going to get to your car because the two geese are laying right behind your car." I realized at that point not only did I have to get to my car to get home; I noticed that there was another garbage bag to go out. DUN DUN DUN! If this is my biggest worry for the day, life is good.
Eileen, my other co-worker, was now running out for something. She parked right next to me so of course I watched from the window to see if I needed to call an ambulance for her. She walked briskly to her car and the geese both started walking toward her hissing. She said, "eh eh" and she got in her car. Eileen called me from the car and told me to “leave now and I will drive you to your car”! It was time to go home anyway. I headed outside and Eileen was waiting for me by the steps with her car. I had to walk along side of Eileen’s car with her passenger window down me leaning on the window and the bag of garbage in the other hand. She actually drove me to the garbage dumpster. I felt like a Macy’s day float or in a parade walking along side of the car. Imagine what the people in the offices above us thought looking at the scene in the parking lot. As I dropped the garbage in the bin the geese were trying to come around the front of the car hissing. I then ran from there to my car. I gave Eileen a wave to thank her for saving my life!
The next day we found out that the geese were actually protecting the little babies that weren’t born yet. Amazing to see how an animal can protect something they love. God does the same for us. Day or night no matter what, the geese watched for anyone who would get next to their babies. Such amazing love our Father has for us. I know when we are helpless like the chicks God is our PROTECTOR.
Eileen had come along side of me in that moment just like Jesus comes along side of us everyday. 2 Samuel 22:3 “My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender and my place of safety. The Lord saves me from those who want to harm me.” Such an awesome scripture when we are going through the bumpy times in our lives.
Next time you see a Canadian Goose, be reminded how much our Father in Heaven protects us. Exodus 23:20 "I am sending an angel ahead of you, who will protect you as you travel. He will lead you to the place I have prepared.”
