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By Marie Harrison

For the Clemmons Courier

Last week, when my sister and nephews came over to swim at our pool, I walked outside to say a quick hello. But almost as soon as I stepped out the back door, I smelled it — a smell so vile, so disgusting, it almost took my breath away. My husband had already gone outside and when he saw my face, he knew I smelled the less-than-fragrant odor wafting from the backyard.

My husband had surmised that maybe the smell had come from the trashcan, sitting outside in the heat, cover on, and the last sip of milk left in the bottom of a coffee cup, or the peel of a banana thrown inside, may have rotted or spoiled and produced the odor. Jumping into action, my husband had already emptied the trashcan and was now heavily Lysol-ing and spraying it down, in the hopes of getting the smell to dissipate. But wouldn’t you know it, as I walked outside the very next day, the wind began blowing and suddenly I smelled the smell again, possibly even more putrid, and vile than the day before, how could this be? The trash can was empty. I racked my brain trying to come up with an answer.  

My whole family gathered outside that evening and walked around, a family meeting of sorts, but with one unique goal — find where the odor was coming from. A comedy for the neighbors, I’m almost certain, as we walked around the backyard, noses in the air, looking, searching and trying our best to figure it all out. Yet, every time the wind changed direction, the smell would come or go.

Just when we were on the scent, a big gust of wind would blow, and everything would smell normal again. After much time spent “sniffing,” we came to the only conclusion that made sense — there had to be a dead animal in the large, wooded area behind our house. Living near a lake and a large, forested area, we frequently see deer, coyotes, fox and raccoons, so any one of these animals could be lying in the back, underneath the cover of weeds and debris and trees. Not really wanting to go and find the animal, we voted to let nature take its course, hoping things moved quickly. And well, they most certainly did. The very next morning, my husband sent me a video of vultures flying around in the back yard, near where we suspected the dead animal to be. Large wings extended, I watched as these giant birds flew around the woods, starting with just 5 or 6 and quickly growing to almost 20, what a sight to see.

And after just a few days, the vultures disappeared, the smell was gone, and life was back to somewhat normal once again, minus the hawk that landed in the grass just 10 feet from my son and proceeded to eat not one, not two, but three snakes in rapid succession.

As I thought about all the events of the past week, the unusual animal sightings and smells, I was reminded of God’s perfect design. In His wisdom, God created everything to work in harmony. The vultures to help take care of the animals that pass away, a garbage truck for nature if you will, hawks to eat the snakes that slither around, and yes, even snakes to eat the mice that burrow into my outdoor cushions and pull-out copious amounts of stuffing. Some way, somehow, everything just works. 

Nobody had to tell the vultures to report to my house, they were gifted with an excellent sense of smell, obviously far better than human noses. There was no fast food drive thru needed for the hawks, their excellent eye sight gave them all the advantage they needed to find their food hidden amongst the grass and pine needles. 

Psalm 19 begins with, “The heavens declare the glory of God,” but after last week, I think the phrasing should be, “Marie’s backyard declares the glory of God.”  No accidental creation, no happenstance meeting of atoms, could ever produce a design for nature as intricate and detailed as the one our Creator designed.

And while I would rather not have to observe Animal Planet in my very own yard, I am grateful that the God who created and cares for each of these animals also created and cares for me. I feel safe knowing I’m in the hands of a God who takes care of every little detail, whose plans were created long ago, not making things up as they come along. I feel loved knowing that the very same God who made the vultures and hawks, and yes, even the snakes, loves me, and all mankind, more than each of these. And while I’d prefer not to pay witness to the comings and goings of all the animals in my yard, I’m grateful above all else that I can see God’s glory in every little detail of my day.