Lucy and Dazzy are Canadian geese living on the pond behind our home. Until they showed up, I'd never given much thought to Canadian geese. No more than any of the other wildlife living around our home, anyway. Now they are a part of our every day.

A few months ago, my wife, a great watcher and lover of wildlife, called to me from the kitchen of our home. "Come quick," she said.

I was in the laundry room and left the dirty clothes behind; any excuse not to stay on task being sufficient. When I got to the kitchen, however, my wife was nowhere to be found. A quick peek out the window and I soon found her. There she stood with two large birds before her, a loaf of bread that had been growing stale in our pantry dangling from her hand.

I slipped out the front door and onto the porch as quietly as I could. The birds were a bit startled, my wife warned me with a "shush," then dipped her hand into the bag, brought out a piece of bread, and offered it to the larger of the two birds. He took it gingerly and without hesitation.

Now, all these weeks later, we have named the birds, "Lucy" and "Dazzy." They arrive several times a day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and sometimes a snack. We know they're here because they "honk" as they approach. We call out, "Lucy and Dazzy are here!" and then head for the supply of bread we now set aside for them.

Dazzy, forever the good husband, always leads the way.

Some Facts About Canadian geese:

You'll never see Dazzy without Lucy. That's because Canadian geese mate for life. If either of them ever approaches the door of our home alone, we'll know the other has gone off to the great pond in the sky.

When huge storms and hurricanes come our way, I find myself worrying about Dazzy and Lucy. Would they survive the winds and rain? Would they get picked up by the gusts, only to land at some other yard in another state? But, after every storm, they always come running up right on schedule, not a feather out of place. Canadian geese are resilient.

When Canadian geese mate, it's quite the show. They dance, they bow, they spread their wings and "call out."

Canadian geese care for their young together.

Because "young" Canadian geese are unable to fly, the parents stay earthbound until their children are ready to "spread their wings." I suppose it's the least they can do...after all, the baby birds never asked to be born....

What I Learned From Lucy and Dazzy

The percentage of Christian couples whose names fill divorce court papers and petitions are nearly at the same rate as those who do not claim the faith. Unlike the Canadian geese, they mate only for "a season." When the storm clouds blow into their union, as Hurricane Fran blew into Eastern North Carolina, they lose their resolve to stay together; to weather the storm. A Canadian goose remains with its mate because -- as far as it knows -- it has no other choice.

How strong would our marriages be if we looked at them thusly? No matter what...we stay together!

Love is so precious! It's a gift from God...one that must be nurtured...and one that, when we marry, should carry with it the beauty of "mating!" Our love for each other should resemble a "dance" and a "bowing to each other." This will strengthen our relationship and honor what God has set aside for husband and wife.

When our love results in bringing children into the world, it is now time for "mommy" and "daddy" to work together toward the raising of their "offspring." God's Word often speaks of bringing our children up...but it doesn't speak of it as being one parent's job over the other's. Parenting takes two. Sure, there are a lot of single parents out there and their children have become respectable adults. But, I've never met a single parent who didn't tell me they would have loved a little "help from time to time." The good news is, for those who trust the Lord, there is always "another" to help shoulder the responsibility.

The Final Lesson

Young people across the country -- even from Christian homes -- often feel as though they are raising themselves. Parents off doing their own thing, so to speak. Parents who work countless hours rather than being home with their kids. And they say it's because they want to be able to make more money...buy more stuff for their children. Well, guess what? Their children don't want more stuff. They won't remember the things you buy them past next month. But they will remember the time you spent with them." Make Me Like The Canadian geese, Lord!

I find myself praying to become more like Dazzy and Lucy...to become more resilient in my walk with the Lord and in my relationships, especially in my marriage. I pray to be all that I should be to my wife in the privacy of our relationship and that our love will honor God. I pray we will think like mindedly that the raising of our children is of paramount  importance. That, as the Father did for His children, when He sent His Son to earth to die for our sins; we too, will put the needs of our own children above ourselves.

So, you see, Canadian geese have taught me an awful lot about love. And, in the end, about God!