Honk, If You Like Geese!

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A Story of Salvation
— Author Unknown

"There was once a man who did not believe in either the virgin birth of Christ nor the spiritual meaning behind it, and was skeptical even about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in the faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her belief and mocked her religious observances."

“It’s all nonsense — why would God lower himself and become a human like us? It’s such a ridiculous story,” he said.

"One snowy day, she and the children left for church while he stayed home. After they had departed, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening."

Geese.jpg​
"Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window… And, still another thump. He looked outside but could not see anything. So he ventured outside for a better view. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese. They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles."

"He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, the barn would be a great place for them to stay. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he opened the barn doors for them."

"He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. Nevertheless, they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear."

"He went into the house and came back with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on."

"Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety, and shelter. Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, “Why don’t they follow me? Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?”

"He thought for a moment and realized that they just would not follow a human. He said to himself, “How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them. Then I could save them. They would follow me and I would lead them to safety.”

"At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: If only I could become like one of them, then I could save them. Then, at last, he understood God’s heart towards mankind… and he fell on his knees in the snow."

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
John 3:16-17
 
Every evening about sundown they fly overhead honking thier horns like mad motorists who have all lost their brakes. They are headed for their nesting spot on the other side of the lake where I live after a long day of feeding at the college campus pond. Their honking reminds me that it's time to come in and start dinner. It's a nice arrangement we have.
 

A short history of geese in Ireland​

By Dick Warner
1351328_1_articlelarge_ie-321012_49579131d1a44c5bad8e5165dae9bf44.jpg



"My boat is moored in Ballinasloe, on the River Suck, and about a week ago I was sitting on deck, soaking up the spring sunshine, when a wild and beautiful sound made me look up into the sky."

"A small skein of wild geese was flying in a north-westerly direction and honking."

'Honking’ is a quite inadequate word to describe the sonorous, musical calls that geese use to communicate with each other in flight.

Calls that are also useful when identifying the species of goose. These were Greenland white-fronts.

‘Skein’ is a good word. When applied to birds it should only be used of wildfowl — normally geese, but swans or ducks are possible — when they’re in flight in a vee formation.

‘Skein’ is also used to describe a length of wool, or other yarn, that’s roughly coiled and knotted. I don’t understand the connection between the two main uses of the word.

The skein flying over Ballinasloe the other day was quite small, maybe a dozen to 15 birds, and they were migrating. (READ MORE)
 
Meanderer said:
A Story of Salvation
— Author Unknown

"There was once a man who did not believe in either the virgin birth of Christ nor the spiritual meaning behind it, and was skeptical even about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in the faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her belief and mocked her religious observances."

“It’s all nonsense — why would God lower himself and become a human like us? It’s such a ridiculous story,” he said.

"One snowy day, she and the children left for church while he stayed home. After they had departed, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening."
"Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window… And, still another thump. He looked outside but could not see anything. So he ventured outside for a better view. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese. They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles."

"He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, the barn would be a great place for them to stay. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he opened the barn doors for them."

"He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. Nevertheless, they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear."

"He went into the house and came back with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on."

"Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety, and shelter. Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, “Why don’t they follow me? Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?”

"He thought for a moment and realized that they just would not follow a human. He said to himself, “How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them. Then I could save them. They would follow me and I would lead them to safety.”

"At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: If only I could become like one of them, then I could save them. Then, at last, he understood God’s heart towards mankind… and he fell on his knees in the snow."

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
John 3:16-17
Click to expand...
that's a beauty!
 
As a kid in the land of the 'beatles' we could never afford turkey for xmas along with many other thousands of people - so before xmas day came we were familiar with the image of a goose hanging by its neck on the wooden handles of the glass doors of our insert cupboard. In those days we were disappointed we never got turkey but now I can see the metaphor - the duck gave its life and hung on a sorta wooden cross for us each Xmas!
 

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