A question that's been on so many minds this past week...."why do they die"?

Sometime between 9am and noon today a little bit of "spring" at our house died. About 2 weeks ago a pair of morning doves returned to our front porch to build a nest where they had successfully raised a baby last year. We watched in great awe and anticipation as the parents brought twigs and grass a built a beautiful nest. A pristine white egg was laid, and for the past 10 days it was never unguarded or left alone. I was amazed at the mother's patience and resilience - through cold, wind, rain, heat....she never seemed to move - or if she did change places with the father - it was a smooth process.

We all tiptoed around the porch until proving to her that we were no threat to her baby. Every morning, including today, we looked on in wonder at what must be growing and developing inside that egg - nestled safely under her belly.

However, at noon today, Matt came in, quietly as ever....but then announced that they were gone....yes, GONE! No sign of mother or egg.

I had noticed some noisy activity in our back yard this morning with a huge black crow irritating our robins (who, also have nests in our trees)...and I wondered if they had somehow caused this dove to lose her chick.

I finally found the egg, crushed and broken under a bush near the nest....and will wonder... did a predator attack? or did the mother accidently knock it out of the nest??? Will never know....we often don't know why or how someone/something dies. It just does.

Explaining this to a 3year old grandson was a trip....he was upset at the same time curious. We talked about the flowers he had just picked in the yard - about how beautiful they were now - but that they would die today because they were picked....about the birds who live so shortly and then die...about all God's creatures and living things that are born, live and die - only to go on and enjoy Heaven with him. To me that makes sense...to my 3 year old....it doesn't. He simply wants things to stay the same....and he cried.

....from a prayer I read this morning...." Therefore will I trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me and You will never leave me to face my perils alone."