Jewel # 343 (Dec. 21, 2018)

African Flying Squirrel

“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

Africa’s Flying Squirrel

"I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings. . . . 

Thou art the God that doest wonders.”

(Psalm 77:12,14)

It is easy to see how the African flying squirrel got its name, even though it is not really a squirrel nor does it actually fly.  It lives high in the trees of Africa and is rarely seen, because it is active mostly at night. 

This flying squirrel is about the size of an American gray squirrel with a bushy tail as long as it body.  The Creator gave this pretty little fellow smooth, soft, mole-like fur.  He also supplied it with several special features for its survival.

One of these features is a fold of skin on each side of the body that connects the front and back legs.  When the squirrel stretches out its legs, the folds of skin also stretch to form gliding “wings.”  It seems to be flying, but it is actually gliding.

Because the folds of skin are attached so securely to its body, this squirrel cannot walk or run.  Most of its traveling is done by gliding from one tree to another.  When ready to glide, it lowers its head and pushes off with its hind legs.  Using its busy tail as a rudder, it glides through the air to a lower point on another tree.  Anyone watching this spectacular glide would think it would crash.  But at the last instant, it turns and lands head up, ready to explore the new tree.  This is the way the Lord God created this flying squirrel, and even the young do not have to practice these moves.

This animal has an unusual method of climbing trees.  Like a measuring worm, it grasps the trunk with its front claws, arches its body, and pulls up both hind feet.  Then, with the claws of the hind feet clinging tightly, the front feet let go and move upward.  In spite of this awkward way of climbing, it moves quickly up the tree.  It is helped in its climb by tough scales covered with sharp, hard spikes which are found near where the tail and body are joined.  These spikes dig into the trunk, not only helping the hind legs to hold tightly, but also helping to push the body upward.

God has made a way of life for each of His creatures.  Man, God’s special creation, has been told in the Bible of two ways.  Man is warned in Proverbs 14:12 that“there is a way which seems right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  But in John 14:6, the Lord Jesus is called “the way, the truth, and the life.”  He is also called the “new and living way” by which we can “draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Hebrews 10:20,22).

Which way are you following? 

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 342 (Dec. 11, 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

Wolves are Tough

"Beware of false teachers . . . in sheep's clothing, 
but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

It’s often hard to tell one species of wolf from another, because there may be several colours of fur in one pack.  They are rather handsome animals.  Those in Europe are mostly gray in colour, while the North American wolves may be white, gray, brown or black.

Few dogs match them in size.  Some wolves measure as much as six feet from nose to tip of tail and may weigh 150 pounds or more.  They also have longer legs and larger feet than dogs.  Incidentally, the animals called prairie wolves are actually coyotes, but all are part of the dog family.

Large numbers of wolves live in the middle areas of the North American continent and in smaller numbers in almost every other part of the United States and Canada.  There are estimated to be more than six thousand in the state of Alaska, most staying there year-round.  A few are in Glacier National Park, Montana, and some are beginning to show up in other national parks.

All wolves have sharp eyesight along with a keen sense of smell and hearing, so that it is difficult for hunters to get near them.  Wolves can travel for hours at about 20 miles per hour.  They are master hunters and experts at hiding, sometimes pressing against a big rock or the side of a bare hill that matches the colour of their fur.  A person might walk close by and never see a well-hidden wolf.

Wolves have strong family ties and often mate for life.  Pups get lots of attention, not only from both parents but also from others in the pack.  They soon outgrow that time of life and are assigned a place in the pack when hunting or traveling.

Each wolf, regardless of age, is always in its own position in the pack.  The pack leader is never challenged unless seriously injured or getting old, when its time for another leader to take over.  Packs often travel great distances in their search for elk, deer, caribou or occasional bear that is not too big for them to handle.  When on its own, a lone wolf is continually looking for smaller prey, including rabbits, weasels, squirrels, birds and even large insects, frogs and fish.

The Bible often warns about false teachers, as in our opening verse.  They are like vicious wolves, wanting to capture us with their evil ideas.  But the Bible also provides excellent instruction to any who want to turn away from evil:  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and the good and pure things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

Another verse tells us that “the Word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter1:25).

Are you trusting in the Bible’s pure and sure promises?             

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 341 (Dec. 4, 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 Frisky Marten

“Who knows not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing.”

(Job 12:9-10)

There are countless beautiful and interesting animals living in the wild, rarely seen because much of their activity is at night or they live in places difficult to reach.

One of these is the marten, living in much of Canada, Alaska and other parts of the United States.  Sometimes it is incorrectly referred to as a sable or fisher-marten, but it is somewhat different than these, although closely related.  This animal’s soft fur is usually greyish-brown above and lighter below.  In past years, hunters trapped them in winter months, when their fur is at its best quality, but this hunting is generally no longer permitted.

The marten is a slim, fur-covered mammal, about two feet long and looks similar to a weasel.  It has a rather pointed face, with large ears and large, alert eyes—provisions of the Creator to enable it to identify sounds quickly and see well when hunting at night.  

It is mostly at home in trees where it can keep up with the liveliest squirrel or chipmunk.  Part of its tree-food comes from birds’ eggs and small birds taken from nests, but it finds other food on the ground as well.  This includes almost all small animals, such as squirrels and mice, snakes and ground birds.  It has a “sweet tooth” and is not afraid to rob a bee-hive, since its thick fur protects it from bee stings.  Unlike the fisher-marten, it will not go into deep water but does catch frogs and fish near the shore.

In late spring, the mother usually gives birth to two or three young in a den, usually made in a hollow log or a tree.  The young are born with a light covering of soft fur and are extremely tiny, weighing only an ounce or so, but they are fully grown in three months.  While growing, they are frisky and full of pep, having harmless fights among themselves.  Later that energy is spent in continual hunting for food or fighting other animals.

Though martens are rarely seen by people, they are always see by their Creator who reminds us in Jeremiah 23:24, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?”  And this Creator, the Lord God, whose eyes are always on them, is the One who provides for them as well, for He cares for all His creatures.  How thankful we should be that He is also watching over each of us.  The Bible assures us of this: “The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his goings” (Proverbs 5:21).

Is He pleased when He sees the ways of your life each day?          

Love you all - Grandpa