Saturday, November 13, 2010

Resident Woodpecker



I have a resident woodpecker who is making a nuisance of himself! Instead of pecking his heart out on any of the thousands of trees I have surrounding my house (yes, I live in the woods), it has decided that the clapboard siding and painted trim are more attractive. Needless to say I am not happy. It has pecked holes in the cranberry trim and continues to come back for more. Why, you might ask? The bigger question is, what can I do about it? I can't be here 24 hours a day to shoo away lunatic woodpeckers.

Then I got to thinking. Maybe if I hung tin pie plates it would keep him away. So, I put some strategically placed shepherd hooks and tied dental floss from the tin plates. As I write this the plates are waving and clanking against the hooks. And, wonder of all wonders, NO MR. WOODPECKER!

How often do we have those irritating things that we just can't seem to get rid of? We know they are doing damage but we are at a loss for a way to keep them from coming back. Is there a spiritual pie plate that we can put in a strategic spot that will keep them away? I know this is a stretchy metaphor but I think I may have something here. Identify the pesky thing. Set up a flashy signal, one that makes a little ruckus of its own, and maybe we can be free of the ongoing trouble.

What kinds of annoyances do you have? Any that you need a tin plate for?

Being proactive to keep destructive annoyances away is important. It could keep your house from crumbling.

Pass me another tin plate....

Jeanne

6 comments:

  1. I have a ton of annoyances that would fill a book. Keeping on the full armor of God helps me, so my house will not crumble. I pray this prayer twice daily.

    Sometimes, though, stuff sneaks up on me and boy do I have to scramble for God's help.

    So my shiny pie plate is the God's shiny armor he provides for me.

    Nice topic, Jeanne.

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  2. Annoyances can come in so many forms. As we pray about them, God will show us how to deter them with His help.
    The armor is a perfect example of a powerful tin plate!!

    Thanks, Jean for your thoughts.

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  3. Actually, I have had a resident woodpecker at my house too. This is the first year he wasn't here. He would peck on the metal part of the chimney. The sound resonated throughout the house and sounded like a machine gun. It was so incredibly loud and sounded so very much like a machine gun, that it scared my son and I at first. It was very hard to concentrate on my writing, our homeschool and anything else. I was never able to do anything about it. We lived with it for the first two years we were here. I'm not sure if he died or decided to machine gun someone else. I'm just grateful we don't have to hear it anymore.

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  4. Thanks for letting me know that I am not the only one dealing with pesky woodpeckers pecking holes in my trim and siding! You are right though...life is filled with so many pesky annoyances but prayer is one of our most powerful tools in combating life's annoyances and/or pesky woodpeckers! Thanks Jeanne for your wonderful insights :)

    Lisa W.

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  5. You're welcome, Lisa! There are lots of pesky things that want to rob our joy. Last year it was squirrels throwing nuts at my car. :)

    Jeanne

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  6. At first I said..."where is Jeanne going this time? and can I follow?"

    Wow...yes...as I process this blog some personal and ugly things that are part of me came right up and I realized even more so how much I need to remember HIS Grace and grow in Christ's Light.

    Thank you Jeanne.

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