Jewel # 315 (March 27, 2018)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

The Golden Eagle

“Ye have seen . . . how I bare you on eagles’ wings,

and brought you unto Myself.”

(Exodus 19:4)

The national emblem of the United States is a beautiful bald eagle accompanied by the words, "IN GOD WE TRUST.”  This gives the message that the country is strong and “in good hands.”  It would be wonderful if more people could honestly say, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” wouldn’t it?

The golden  eagle is just as impressive a bird, with its dark brown feathers and a patch of golden brown feathers on the back of its head and neck.  It has a sharp, down-turned beak, as well as contrasting yellow feet on which long, curving toes with sharp claws provide fierce weapons.  It is one of the largest birds of prey in North America, with a wingspread of 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 feet.  They are generally found in northern  Europe and Asia and in the western United States and Canada.

In contrast to the bald eagle that eats mostly dead animals, the golden eagle prefers live food.  It is an excellent hunter of snakes, mice, squirrels, rabbits and other young animals, as well as fish and eels.  It soars high in the air and with keen eyes spots its victim moving about.  Then it swoops down at terrific speed to capture it, with the victim probably never knowing what caught it. An eagle will also rob ospreys and other birds flying with a fish or other food in their beaks, frightening them into dropping the food. The eagle then catches the falling food and takes it to its nest for its mate or eaglets.

These birds mate for life and are very affectionate to one another.  They return year after year to the same nest, making necessary repairs and adding new sticks and soft grass and leaves for a fresh lining.  A new nest may be only 3 feet across, whereas an old one may be 8, 10 or even 20 feet across.

The 2 or 3 eggs laid each year are creamy coloured, spotted with brown or gray marks and are incubated for more than a month.  Both parents take turns sitting on the nest.  After hatching, the little eaglets first get food popped into their mouths by the parents, but before long they learn how to feed themselves by tearing apart the captured food.  They also get lots of practice flapping their wings and jumping up and down before actually flying.  After learning to fly, they stay with the parents several months before being on their own.

This Bible verse tells us of the Lord’s care over those who are weak: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).  The eagle’s care over its young ones is good, but the Lord’s care over boys and girls, as well as men and women, is far greater.  Do you ever thank Him?

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 313 (March 7, 2018)

To my dear grandchildren

Amazing Migrators


“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done. . . .
They are more than can be numbered.”
(Psalm 40:5)

The more we learn about migrating birds and other creatures, the more amazing it is to think how they find their way from one place to another.  Scientists can only guess, and if the migrators could talk, they couldn’t tell us either.  But those who believe in God as the Creator of all things plainly see that He has given them that ability.

Birds such as geese and storks make flights of more that 1000 miles over land and water, traveling north in the spring and south in the fall.  Arctic terns make the longest migrations of all—about 12,000 miles twice a year, between Antarctica and nearby islands to the Aleutian Islands, Greenland and the northernmost islands of the Arctic Ocean, where little ones are hatched and raised.  Leaving the little ones behind, they return late in August by way of Hawaii—a long, long trip over water. The young ones, never having made that flight, nonetheless follow them later on the same route.  How can they do this with no guide to help them?  O, but they do have a Guide—the Creator who directs them the whole way!

Many more birds, such as robins and geese, make long flights in the spring and again in the fall.  They stay on the right course through rain, fog, storms and dark nights to reach their destinations.  Sometimes their numbers are so great they become spread out for many miles, and none gets lost.

The migration of animals is also amazing.  In a past article we told of thousand’s of caribou that travel in the spring and fall between the United States and Alaska.  In Africa there are also great migrations of wildebeests, gazelles, elephants and other animals that migrate back and forth many miles.

Fish of all sizes, from tiny sardines to huge salmon and tuna, are among others that migrate, as do a great number of insects that find their way over great distances every year.  Their true Guide is the One who created them and who is always watching over them.  These long—distance travelers need no maps or signals to tell them where or when to go, but the journeys and food supply along the way are all scheduled by their kind Creator.

Do you know the very same One has prepared a way for those who know Him as their Lord and Saviour when it is time for them to leave this world?  His Word, the Bible, tells us: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

 How important it is to accept the Lord Jesus now as your Saviour.
Then when that important moment comes, He will take you to His wonderful home in heaven!

Love you all -  Grandpa