Jewel # 449 (June 24, 2021)

 

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.

Man’s Good Friend — the Dog

(Part 1)

“Be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create.” Isaiah 65:18

There are more than seventy-seven million dogs just in the United States, and no one knows how many millions more there are throughout the world.  Where did they all come from, and how is it that there are so many kinds?  Actually, the Bible doesn’t say much about them, but we can be sure they were included on the sixth day of creation when God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle . . . and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.” (Genesis 1:24). 

“Cattle" as used in this verse does not just refer to cows but includes many other animals that we call “tame” or “domestic” animals.  It would seem that some dogs could have been included in this group.  Others may also have been created separately as part of the group called “beasts of the earth,” referring to what are now wild animals, living apart from people.  We cannot say positively it was this way, but we know that there are wild animals today in the dog family, such as wolves, coyotes, dingoes, jackals and hyenas of Africa, all of which had their original start on that sixth day of creation.  But through the thousands of years since then, tame dogs have been companions of men and women and boys and girls all over the world.  Most tame dogs have a nature which wants to love and be loved and they will be a loyal friend in any circumstance.

The reason for so many varieties of dogs is due to the fact that, when puppies are born, they sometimes have the combined characteristics of a male dog of one kind and a female dog of another kind.  As a result, they don’t look exactly like either of the parents.

People who raise dogs sometimes crossbreed on purpose in order to produce a new variety.  However, it is important to remember that a dog is always a dog, whether wild or tame.  Even though its appearance may have changed from the original, it still belongs to the dog family as created by God.  We all know that a dog and a cat can never crossbreed any more that a horse and a cow can.  God created them to continue “after their kind,” and they can never change this pattern, although God does allow them to mix within their own species, which somewhat changes their looks into what we call a "new breed.” 

In the next issue we will explore the special and unusual ways of some tame, or domestic, dogs that are helpful to mankind.

(to be continued)

Love you all - grandpa    

Jewel # 448 (June 12, 2021)

 

American  Egret

Little Egret

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 Stately Egrets

Part 2

"Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, 

and they shall tell thee."  (Job 12:7) 

Previously we considered a few facts about the lovely egrets, their homelands, nesting and methods of securing food.  Now we will look at some of the outstanding species more closely.

The Great White Egret is the largest of all egrets and looks regal as it stands with large, snowy wings outstretched and its long white neck gracefully curved.  It has long black legs, a beautiful white feathered body and long yellow beak and is truly an outstanding bird—another example of God’s marvellous creation.

Perhaps because of its large size, the Great White Egret is bold.  It has been seen in Florida waters standing upright on the back of a crocodile that is swimming at the surface.  As the crocodile moves along, an occasional frightened fish will leap out of the water.  The watchful egret jumps off its moving perch to catch it and then returns to the crocodile’s back to enjoy the treat.

The Little Egret looks like a miniature of the Great White Egret but only about half its size.  It is very active and appears in great numbers in many places.

The American Egret is another large egret, about three-and-a-half feet long with a wingspan of nearly five feet.  When flying lazily along, it has the most dignified appearance of all, with its long neck in a comfortable “S” curve and legs stretched out behind.  Its slow speed makes an onlooker wonder how it can remain high in the air.  It carries the same dignity when wading or standing like a statue in a swamp, searching for a fish or frog.

The American egret nests high in a cypress tree overlooking a bog or marsh.  Seen mostly in Florida and the southern states, some also make their homes along the shores of California and Oregon.  It is one of the species which was almost wiped out by hunters who killed them for their their beautiful feathers.  Fortunately, the government stopped the hunting before it was too late.

The Snowy Egret is another very beautiful bird, similar to the Great White but smaller.  Its pure-white feathers are emphasized by a black beak and legs and yellow feet.  A spectacular crest of plumes behind its head adds to its beauty.  This one was also nearly wiped out by hunters.

The animals and birds of the earth teach and tell us a message, as our opening verse states.  Their survival would certainly be one point; they have no schools or teachers to show them how to face life and find food and shelter.  This shows us that the Lord God who has created them also cares for them.  In this way they teach us that “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord” (Psalm 33:5).              

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 447 (June 10, 2021)

 

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 Stately Egret

Part 1

God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.  And God blessed them, 

saying . . . let fowl multiply in the earth.”  Genesis 1:21-22

Egrets are found in several parts of the world but most commonly in Africa, South and Central America, and parts of the United States.  This would include Florida and other Gulf Coast areas, the coast of California and Oregon, also in scattered locations from Maine to Texas, and a few in Utah.

With few exceptions, such as the Cattle Egrets the vast majority of these birds seek out shallow waters along the shores of lakes, rivers or swamps where they wade through marshy areas to find fish, frogs, small birds and other creatures that form the major part of their food supply.  Their method of capturing these is to stand motionless for long periods in water about a foot deep, waiting for a desirable bit of food to appear.  Then, quicker than your eye can follow, the long neck stretches out and its long, sharp beak grabs and sometimes stabs its victim, which it quickly swallows.

Nesting is usually high in a tree where the male first picks a suitable spot where a nest of dead sticks and twigs can be lodged securely.  Often whole colonies nest in close groups.  Having found the right spot, the male then tries to win the attention of a female for a mate, attracting her wth repeated loud calls until she comes to look him over.

Then with his display of beautiful feathers, wide-spread wings, and the plumes on his back lifted up, he goes through a variety of poses, either twisting his neck up over his back or extending it skyward.  At the same time his beak changes colours to show how excited he is.  Sometimes during this display, he may pick up a dry stick in his beak and offer it to her, perhaps to work up her interest in nesting together.

Over the years many egrets have migrated from Africa to South and Central America, and some have worked their way northward into nearby areas of the United States—mainly Florida.  In more recent times, numbers of them have moved into many other states, as mentioned in the first paragraph.

The Scripture verse at the opening of this article tells us how the many varieties of this interesting bird—along with all other birds—were created on the earth.  Then the Creator instructed them that they were to bring forth after their kind.  And that is exactly what has taken place with each variety.  They are here today because God made them for His pleasure, as well as ours.  He created them with the same beauty that we see them have today.  Let us thank Him for this wonderful provision every time we see such lovely creatures.

(to be continued)

Love you all - Grandpa