February 2022 - LPNI

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February 2022

Crows and Pigeons

I have a bird bath in my front garden, and my late wife Lynette and I often used to watch magpies, rosellas, galahs, noisy miners, and two pairs of crested pigeons either splashing around in the water or drinking from it. The pigeons always came in pairs – always.

It was just a few days after we’d been able to inter Lynette’s ashes, after waiting from December to October. (Our children hadn’t been able to come to South Australia because interstate borders had been closed due to COVID.) As I drove into the garage that day, I noticed that there was a dead crested pigeon lying on the drive. Perhaps it had been hit by a passing car. Then, a few days later, as I looked out of the window, I saw one crested pigeon all alone at the bird bath … and I was moved to tears.

A few weeks later, there was a raucous noise in the garden. Two large black crows were fossicking around in the bark chips, and feeding their chick. As a matter of fact, as I write this, the same chick is clumsily trying to balance on the bird bath.

These two incidents were a reminder of something Lynette often used to say. I think she heard it first from Dr Marcy Schnorr: Parish Nursing is a ministry from the cradle to the grave.

It’s a ministry that gives you the privilege of sharing the joy and blessing of new life with parents, and being there to support and encourage new mothers … particularly those who are first-time mothers, or who may be living at a distance from their own mothers. And it’s a ministry that gives you the blessing of being with people as they mourn the passing of someone dear to them … perhaps to put an arm around them, to support them and bring them a word of comfort and hope from God himself.

Being with someone who is grieving deeply can be an emotionally draining experience. The week before we interred Lynette, I conducted two funerals. Then came All Saints Sunday, when I led the Memorial ritual at the close of the service, and joined worshippers in placing a lighted candle at the Baptism font in memory of Lynette as the service came to a close.

Reflecting on these experiences, I’m reminded of the words of Psalm 121: I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He who watches over you … will neither slumber nor sleep … The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and evermore. (Selected verses, NIV)

Parish Nursing is a ministry that’s full of ‘crested pigeon’ and ‘crow’ kind of experiences. Especially the ‘crested pigeon’ experiences can lead us to ‘down’ times, when we’re feeling emotionally (and even spiritually?) drained. That’s when we can look up to the hill called Calvary, and see there, in our mind’s eye, the one who loves us with an undying love, giving his life to make it possible for us to live with new and eternal life, that begins and sustains us here and now, and will continue there and then.

Robert J Wiebusch

Hope Valley, South Australia

robert.wiebusch@lca.org.au