Turkey Trot

While returning home from a glorious trip to Banff, Alberta, Canada, dear husband and I were enjoying a leisurely drive through Northern Idaho. The beauty of mountains and pastoral scenes surrounded us in peace and quiet as we drove into the gathering dusk. Without warning our reverie was jolted as something banged against our front left fender, lifted up over us, and disappeared! “Wow! What in the world was that?” we both exclaimed as we slowed to see what we hit, or rather, what hit us.

My husband recalled a passing glimpse of a turkey running full bore. Was its lift-off a bit low and it smacked us on its way up? Minus a few feathers left as evidence, and with no blood on the pavement or our car, our assailant was escaping a predator we thought. Not seeing anything in pursuit it was still the only logical conclusion to our question…why was the turkey running?

We drove on wishing that turkey many more days, hoping it was not injured, thankful it was not left dead in our wake. We laughed for miles at how random this event had been, and remembered other game encounters over the years…deer out of nowhere suddenly trying to outrace us; deer skating like Bambi down a dark frozen road in our headlights; deer hitting us. Looking out for deer we understood. But we had never considered getting hit by a turkey! It seemed our surreal, weird bump in the early night was a new twist on an old story…one of another bird crossing the road. Yet, we still wonder what the turkey would say. What do you think?

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Thank You, LORD, for the surprising things that bring delight and wonder to our lives. For the joys of unexpected blessings, and laughter. For Your beautiful creation and the gifts of humor we encounter along the way. Thank You for all the ways You nurture us and lighten our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Job 8:21 “He will yet fill your mouth with laughing,
And your lips with rejoicing.”