A warm summer’s day early July 1960, the family was outside. Mom was helping Dad tinker with things in the yard. My two little brothers were somewhere close to Mom, and I was alone under the big Mulberry. That tree was at the back corner of the house and we used it to shade the rabbit cage and for picnics around the picnic table. Just standing there in the shade and enjoying the fact that I wasn’t working out in the sun is where this gets interesting.
I noticed a bird walking around a few feet away from me at the base of the tree. This bird was very strange to look upon for it had a very long neck, yet it was only a Mexican Dove. The most peculiar thing about it was its attitude. Most friendly and inquisitive it was, for it looked at me and walked to and fro as if it were a dog. I inched towards it and it was without fear. I don’t remember if I tossed it a snack, I don’t think so. I did talk to it, though, in the way I talk to all animals. I said, “Hello.” The dove responded by walking towards me and looking up at me.
Now the one thought this seven year old boy could think of at the moment was this bird understands me. For some reason my Sunday School training kicked in and I started my conversation with it in this way: My little mind was full of joy as I asked it the obvious question, “Are you God?”
To my great surprise I received an immediate answer. “YES” was the deep, rich male voice I heard in my head. I was so stunned to hear it in my head and not with my ears. I looked around for one of my Dad’s friends who may have snuck behind me and spoken, for it wasn’t my dad’s voice. I immediately confirmed I was still alone and looked at the dove standing tall and staring at me. Still not sure this was happening I devised a test question with the hope that I would hear the voice again! The first thing that popped into my head was my birthday party so I asked, “Will you come to my birthday?” “YES” was the same deep-voiced reply in my head!
I was instantly sure at this point; God was coming to my birthday party! I went excitedly over to my Mom and told her the good news. Mom was curious to see the bird and what I was talking about. The dove wandered from under the tree and spent the afternoon with us in the yard. I have pictures of Mom giving it some water from a coffee can. (Sure would be nice to find those pictures around here somewhere before I publish this story )
Mom was in a state of shock but she didn’t show it. Her concern was that the dove wouldn’t come back for the party under the tree in late August, which would ruin my trust in God. My mom told me years later that she prayed every day for a month or more that it would come back. I had no worries over it for I knew the dove would come back.
We didn’t see the bird again until my birthday, all of us except my Mom had forgotten about it. Then the day of the party arrived and as we were eating cake at the picnic table I remembered. Just then my Mom said, “Look, here is the dove!” It had indeed returned out of nowhere, walking at my Mom’s feet and under the picnic table! Then, as we all watched, it fluttered up onto the table top and ate cake out of all our plates! We thanked him for coming! We never saw him after the birthday party, but I’m sure he is still around. God spoke to my Mom one day but that is another story.