Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Hopefully you read this blog’s title in your best owl voice. As you can see from the photo, it’s an owl—specifically, a Barred Owl. Don’t judge the image quality; it’s not great. I snapped it on my phone at dusk, aiming up at the branch where this beauty landed. That tree sits right in the middle of my backyard, so the owl was fairly close.
Why was it perched there? Because of our dog. How’s that, you ask? I let Taima—our 75 lb. Labrador—out for some yard time. I followed him outside, and within five seconds, Mr. (or Mrs.) Owl swooped down as if to snatch him up. It didn’t, of course. Instead, it veered off and settled on that branch, twisting its neck in those wild, almost full-circle rotations while keeping a sharp eye on Taima.
This isn’t the first time. A few times now, an owl—maybe this one, maybe a relative—has silently glided toward Taima, only to pull up at the last second. Ironically, Taima never notices. If the owl were big enough to pull off a snatch-and-grab, the dog wouldn’t know until it was too late.
Which makes me wonder: What about us? Do we see what is coming? Do we notice when sin is lurking nearby, waiting to strike? If not, how do we protect ourselves? Big questions—but the answer is simple: Jesus. Our daily walk with Him is the best protection against the evil around us. When we walk with our Savior, it doesn’t matter what’s hiding in the trees or swooping from above. Our Protector is with us, watching over us, waving off the harm that tries to close in.
I’m thankful for that walk and all it provides. I hope you have one too—with the only companion you truly need: Jesus. Amen.