Jewel # 355 (March 24, 2019)

“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

Rhesus Monkeys

“We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”

(1 Corinthians 8:4)

Rhesus monkeys are distinct from other members of the ape family.  They live in the Himalayan area of Nepal, high in the mountains between India and Tibet.  From the back, their fur is usually reddish above the hind legs, but gray over the rest of their bodies, including their legs, heads and beards.  Long tails look like pieces of rope, and their fingers, toes and faces are bright pink.  

These monkey are naturally wild animals, but we are going to look at some that are tame and live in heathen temples.  It is sad to think that the native religion is based on worshipping idols that represent false “gods.”  One idol the natives worship is called the “monkey god.”

Perhaps because they look a lot like miniature humans, the Rhesus monkeys are given privileges that their relatives in the nearby mountains do not enjoy.  They are permitted to live in the temples and surrounding grounds where the worshippers spend much time.  The monkeys are very tame and are allowed to climb over idols and ornaments in the temples, even though the native people are not permitted to.

Steps going into the temples, or the hilly grounds around them, are favourite places for the monkeys.  This is because worshippers hand them lots of food treats.  In addition to these handouts, when the idol worshippers place food as an offering at the base of the idols, the monkeys loose no time in gobbling down the food just as soon as the person’s back is turned.

Many fables are told by the temple priests about the “sacred” roles of these monkeys.  They convince the people that the monkeys are truly sacred and should be pampered and never harmed.  If a native is annoyed with a monkey or even scolds it, that person is in real trouble if a temple priest hears about it.

We can’t help but feel sorry for these people who are taught from childhood about these false gods and the idols and animals that represent them.  Let us all hope and pray that they will listen to the truth of the love of the true God, told to them by missionaries outside the temple grounds.  What a wonderful account they can hear of the love and forgiveness the Lord Jesus Christ is offering them.  The Bible clearly tells them they only need to confess that they are sinners and believe that He died on the cross for their sins.

A God who loves them is such a contrast to their worship of idols and monkeys that only fill them with dread and terror. 

It would please God to hear you pray for these people, 

that they might learn and believe the truth of the only one true God who loves them.

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 354 (March 16, 2019)

Hooded Pitohui

Violaceous Trogons

"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

Some Birds Like Poison

“The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil,

full of deadly poison.”

(James 3:8)

The hooded pitohui (pronounced pit-o-hooey) is a bird about the size of a blue jay and lives in New Guinea.  Its colouring is a brilliant combination of orange and black.  An amazing detail about this bird is that it relies on poison to make its enemies leave it alone.

How does the poison work?  Actually it is a very fine substance (like talcum powder) that clings to the surface of its feathers.  Any enemy that gets its mouth around any part of the birds body immediately lets go and hurries away from the awful poison taste.

People who live there call it a “rubbish bird” and carefully remove all feathers when preparing one for dinner—taking the skin off as well—before roasting or stewing the meat.  They say it tastes just like chicken.  Incidentally, there are two other varieties of the hooded pitohui that do not have this poison on them.

In the forests of Trinidad, there are long-tailed birds know as violaceous trogons.  They are very pretty, with tails black on top and striped like a zebra underneath.  The rest of their feathers are a combination of brilliant colours.

These birds often perch on the branch of a tree close to the ground, carefully studying a large, active ant’s nest below them.  Suddenly one will fly directly to it, shoving its head and shoulders into the nest, disturbing the ants.  Soon the bird become covered with ants, even spreading its wings out and allowing the ants to crawl on and under the exposed feathers. 

This is all done very quickly, and then it flies back to its roost with many ants clinging to is feathers.  Why does it do all this?  It is thought that when the trogons get mites or other insect pests that irritate them or cause their skin to itch, they sense that the ants, with their poisonous bites, will go after the pests until they are all gone.

It is not known what the trogons do about the ants after they eat all the pests, but perhaps they fly to the ground again and shake them off so most of them can return to their nest.

The opening Bible verse tells us that our tongues can be full of “deadly poison.”  Verse 15 also tells us that this does not come from heaven, but it is earthly and comes from Satan.  Verse 17 explains that what comes from God is pure, peaceable, gentle and full of good works.  And that’s what He likes to see in each of us.

Is your tongue like verse 15 or like verse 17?  We hope it is like verse 17.

Love you all - Grandpa   

Jewel # 353 (March 11, 2019)

“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

Likeable Sabels

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God 
make coats of skins, and clothed them.”  (Genesis 3:21)

Although a member of the weasel family, sables look very similar to pine martens, both being about the same size.  They have cute, small, pointed faces, with sharp little button noses, dark eyes and large, pointed ears, usually held upright.

A typical full-grown sable will be about 20 inches long, including its 5-inch-long, bushy tail.  They are nimble little beauties.  The colour of most varieties is a rich-looking, glossy dark brown on the upper parts of their bodies and gray on their heads, with a pretty yellowish shade under their throats and bellies.  However, the ones of highest value are those that are almost black on the backs and sides, with an orange or white area under their chins.

Furriers love to receive these beautiful furs from the trappers.  They make warm, snug-fitting hats for both men and women, as well as luxurious, expensive coats and jackets.  A choice fur will sometimes bring the trapper enough money to live on for a year, and a well-made lady’s sable fur coat might sell for $100,000!

Sables are found in many places, including Siberia, Mongolia, China, Korea and some of the north Pacific islands.  But because of the extremely long, very cold winters where they live, the Siberian sables are the most valuable of all, because their fur is thicker, glossier, softer and more durable than all others.  Many refer to them as “soft gold,” and over 100,000 of these are bought yearly by furriers in many parts parts of the world who pay high prices for them.

Actually, since the entire world is plagued with troubles of many kinds, these high-priced pieces of fur clothing are no longer very popular for several reasons—their high cost and the rarity of these animals.  This means that the rare sable may not be in such extreme danger of being wiped out by trappers much longer.  Many will be happy to see that take place.

How about the sables themselves and their way of life?  As long as trappers leave them alone, they do well with a mixed diet of nuts, berries, insects and an occasional small animal, as well as birds’ eggs and fish available in shallow waters.  These nimble little creatures are surprisingly clever at avoiding the many traps that are set out for them by trappers.  Hopefully, as the demand for their fur actually decreases, their numbers will increase.  They are part of God's creation in which He delights.

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 352 (March 5, 2019)

“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 Changeable Chameleon

“Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that has made us, and not we ourselves;

we are His people. . . . Be thankful unto Him."

(Psalm 100:3-4)

There are more than 80 species of chameleons, a lizard relative, ranging from 3 to 20 inches long.  They live among the trees of Madagascar, Africa, India and southern Spain, as well as in desert areas.  Sometimes called a ground lion, the name seems appropriate as the males look ferocious, many having from one to four horns protruding from their large heads, as well as crests or loose flaps of skin over their short necks.  However, they only look fierce and are entirely harmless.

With the exception of one called stump-tailed and a few others, all have long tails to grab onto a branch, just like monkeys do.  This is particularly important for theMadagascar giant which lives in treetops.  Along with strong, sharp claws, the tail enables it to move quickly and safely from branch to branch as it hunts its food.  How wisely the Lord God has provided for all their individual needs!

Unlike their cousins—the geckos, which have no eyelids—the chameleon’s protruding eyes are almost completely covered by eyelids, leaving only a narrow opening.  But their eyes, which turn independently of each other, can look forward and backward at the same time—a great help in finding food and escaping from enemies.  Incidentally, if an enemy grabs one by its tail, it just lets its tail drops off and scoots away.  A new tail soon grows!

For the most part, chameleons are slow moving.  However, their long tongues unfold out of their mouths too quickly for flies, beetles and other insects to escape.

All chameleons can change their colour instantly when frightened or wishing to conceal themselves.  No one can really explain just how this is done, but it is a further provision of the Creator in His care over them.  Colour changes are usually in shades of green, yellow, brown, blue or may be mixed.

The many species of this little creature speak of God’s pleasure in making varieties different in appearance from one another and yet all remaining true chameleons.  The Bible says, “For Thy pleasure they are and were created“ (Revelation 4:11).  Lacking strength to either attack their enemies or defend themselves, we can also see how the Creator has wisely provided for their needs in securing food and in protecting themselves by wonderful disguises.

As our opening verse tells us, the Lord God has also created every one of us and wants us to be His special people in ways an animal could never know.  This can be done only when we admit to Him that we are sinners in need of a Saviour and accept Him by faith in our hearts.  

Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour?  

Love you all - Grandpa     

Jewel # 351 (March 1, 2019)

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

A Cat or a Fish

“The Creator’s way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters.”

(Psalm 77:19)

The catfish probably got its name from the whiskers around its mouth, since they are similar to a cat’s whiskers.  These whiskers give it a warning signal of dangers and are also an important means of finding food.

There are many species of freshwater and saltwater catfish.  Freshwater catfish are found in the Great Lakes and other lakes, rivers and streams throughout North America.  They aren’t a pretty fish, except that some species have a rainbow of colours on fins, tails and bodies.  The most outstanding is is called the blue catfish.  Fully grown, it may reach 5 feet in length and weigh up to 100 pounds.  Others vary in size, all the way down to only a pound or less.

Some that live in ocean waters along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico include the white catfish, the sea catfish, and the gaff-topsail.  Most like waters with muddy bottoms where they prowl for food and where they can quickly wiggle into the mud when escaping an enemy.

Catfish have no scales, but they have very sensitive skin.  This enables any part of their bodies to detect food that may be hidden in the sand or mud, as well as locating bugs on underwater plants, another source of food.  The Creator has provided well for them, both in food and in protection from harm in muddy, dark waters.

After the female lays her eggs in the spring, the male gathers them all into his mouth to incubate them.  He eats no food while carrying them in his mouth, until well after the young hatch, a period of two months.  Then he deposits the little fish in nearby weeds.  The parents sometimes find them to be a tempting bit of food.  But the young ones, soon aware of the danger, swim far away to live on their own.

Catfish are good to eat.  Tremendous quantities are caught in the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes.  The demand for catfish is so great that huge quantities are raised in fish “farms”.  Many of these are kept alive in special tank cars and shipped to restaurants throughout the country.

Isn’t it nice to realize that the Lord God, the Creator, watches over all His creation, including these unusual fish?  But how much greater is His love and care over boys and girls, as well as men and women.  He gives this loving invitation to each one “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”  (Matthew 11:28-29).

Have you responded to His invitation?

Love you all - Grandpa