Jewel # 306 (Dec. 29, 2017)

“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

Angelfish Are Beauties

“Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters,

and Thy footsteps are not known."

(Psalm 77:19)

The Creator has made homes in the seas for more varieties of fish than we can count, both small and large.  Some are very unusual looking, and many of them are beautiful creatures.

Several varieties of small, colourful fishes are named angelfish and are very pretty.  They live mainly in the warm waters along the Atlantic Coast from Florida to Brazil.  Some from the Amazon River in South America are highly prized in many North American aquariums.  There are also varieties of large angelfish that are fished commercially and sold to fish markets, since most are good to eat.

Florida's blue angelfish, for instance, is one of the outstanding beauties.  It is deep blue on its entire back, with two blue ribbons surrounding its head, separated by a dark brown ribbon.  The bottom part of its body is as an even more brilliant blue, and a blue and amber snout adds a little more to its beauty, as well as a brilliant, fan-shaped, yellow tail.  Its not difficult to see how it got its name.

One of the more striking ones is the  clown angelfish.  One variety of these has a light-pink head and shoulders, but the rest of its body, all the way to its tail, is a dark orange marked with wide bands and a central, bright-green stripe that turns deep blue towards it tail.  In addition to this, a huge fin on its back is deep blue, but a similar fin below is light orange with narrow blue stripes.  Getting a close look at one of these would convince you that with such a combination of colours, it is well named. 

Another very attractive variety is the queen angelfish.  A typical one is a soft speckled green all over, except for an outstanding yellow tail and fins.  It is also decorated with a thin but bright-red line all along its narrow top and underside.  There are about a dozen varieties in this group, most of them living off the shores of Florida, but with some venturing as far north as the New England coastline.  When fully grown, they are about two feet long and are a good catch for anyone fishing. 

The Bible tells us that on the fifth day of God’s creation He said, “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life. . . .And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters [oceans, lakes and rivers] brought forth abundantly. . . . And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:20-21). When we see these and other wonders, how good it is to know the One who created it all and who still watches over them.  He watches over you and me.

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 305 (Dec. 14, 2017)

“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

Bluffing Its Way Through

“The Lord searches all hearts and understands all imaginations of the thoughts.”

(1 Chronicles 28:9)

We all know what it is to “pretend.”  This goes on with many wild creatures of the world every day—usually when they are frightened and want to scare away a threatening enemy. 

The hognose snake, sometimes called a puff adder, is one of these.  It may play dead when frightened, just like an opossum does.  At other times it inhales more and more air into its body until it is about twice as big around as usual.  Either of these tricks usually works and causes an enemy to give up the idea of attacking it.

The coral snake has white, yellow, black and red bands around it.  It is very poisonous, but there are other snakes that look like the coral snake that are not poisonous.  If one of these is threatened by an animal or another snake, it puts on a show and acts just like the coral snake to frighten its enemy away.

A five-inch-long caterpillar called hickory horned devil has been provided with vicious-looking but soft horns on the top of its head.  It also has bulges around its mouth that look like big sharp teeth.  When frightened, it raises the front of its body straight  up and moves its head around, as though it will either take a bite out of whatever threatens it or stab it with its fierce-looking horns. The bird or small animal that was hoping for dinner “escapes” as quickly as possible.

You may have heard of the frilled lizard of Australia and New Guinea.  It has been provided with four sturdy legs and a large fold of loose skin that normally lies flat agains its body like a collar.  But when threatened, this lizard immediately rises on its strong legs and puffs out its huge collar which makes it look more than twice its usual size.  When its mouth is wide open and a row of sharp little teeth are showing while it makes fearsome sounds, its attacker usually changes its mind and makes a quick getaway.

You may think of other interesting examples of the Creator’s provisions for defenceless animals, fish and birds.

Sadly, some people are also pretenders and claim to be wiser than God.  Some teach that there is no God or that the Bible is not true.  Others say that we will get to heaven just by being good.  Many of them teach that the world and all life were not created by God but just “happened to come about.”

Turn away from such wrong teachings and do as King David did when people told him false things.  He said, “I esteem all God’s precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:128).

Love you all - Grandpa   

Jewel # 304 (Dec. 7, 2017)

“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 Lovers of the Snow

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, 

they shall be as white as snow.”   (Isaiah 1:18)

Most everyone likes the beauty of snow and the way it covers unpleasant spots.  Children like to play in it, and older ones on toboggans or skis also enjoy it.  Snow-capped hills and mountains are beautiful subjects for photographs.  Then, too, deep deposits of snow on the mountain peaks and slopes are a wonderful provision of the Creator to replenish fresh water in rivers, lakes and reservoirs during hot summer months.

Most people prefer not to stay outdoors during the snowstorms, but there are creatures for whom the Lord God has given snow a special importance.  Polar bears in their white coats are well camouflaged on snow and ice and can sneak up on unsuspecting prey without being seen.  The same is true of white foxes in the Arctic areas.

In some places where snow becomes very deep, activities go on beneath the surface of the snow that are never seen from above.  Field mice, ground squirrels, porcupines and even some birds make tunnels along the ground leading to their feeding areas.  They can do this without the threat of being caught by their enemies.  Working in groups several feet below the surface, they sometimes press down the bottom layer of snow, making a cozy place for warmth and safety.

Then there are animals and birds of various sizes for which the Creator has provided white coats in winter.  If they become aware of an enemy nearby, they lie down or curl up in the snow and are never seen.  Weasels and Arctic hares are examples of this.  Even big snowy owls have been given white feathers for winter.  The wide-winged, pure-white snowy petrel, a sea bird of Antarctica, also benefits from its colouring.

Other birds and animals are temporarily provided with special feathers or fur on their feet for winter.  These feathers or fur act as snowshoes so they can easily travel over the snow’s surface.  Fur and feathers of other creatures do not change in colour, but they are given thicker, extra-warm winter coats.  Ruffed grouse, threatened by an enemy, will plunge into a snow bank and, completely hidden, remain there until danger is past.  Other animals benefitting from snow are deer, elk and moose.  Deep, crusty snow enables them to reach higher to eat tree branches that they could not reach in summer.

In the sight of God, our sins stand out as bright as scarlet, but He invites us to become white as snow in His sight, by admitting that we are sinners and accepting the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.  When we do this, we become His children and are assured of a home in heaven.  The Bible tells us to do this now!  “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).  

Love you all - Grandpa  

Jewel # 303 (Nov. 26, 2017)

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

make up MY JEWLS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

The Slippery Eel

“Ask now . . . and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.”

(Job 12:7-8)

Although they are so long and thin that they look like snakes, eels are actually fish.  They have tiny scales embedded in a smooth, slimy skin.  They usually grow to about three feet long, but larger ones may grow to five or six feet long.

Male eels spend most of their lives in rivers near the ocean; females go upriver to streams or lakes.  After two or three years in freshwater, both males and females head for the ocean at spawning time in the fall.  Those in landlocked lakes have a difficult time beginning their journey.  They leave the lake in great numbers, wriggling their way for a day or two across fields and ground wet with rain or dew until they find a stream that leads to the ocean.  God has equipped them with special gills that hold enough moisture while out of water on this part of their trip.

When the eels reach a stream, they swim downstream, joining others on the way.  Many of them are caught in wire traps or nets by people who like them for food.  Both European and North American eels that make it to the ocean begin a long migration to the breeding grounds in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda where females deposit thousands of eggs deep below the ocean surface.  Here many miles of seaweed are teeming with food which will provide for the needs of baby eels that will appear the following spring.  After spawning, the parent eels die.

When the eggs hatch, the young eels are about one-quarter-inch long and are thin and transparent.  They rise to the surface where they feed for about a year.  The North American eels begin the long trip back to the home of their parents.  The European eels remain another year to gain the necessary strength for their journey, which will take about three years.  When both species reach the stream of their parent, they are still  long, thin and transparent and are called elvers.  Just like their parents, the males remain in tidal waters, and the females go far inland—the cycle continuing just as God designed it.

How can these little, inexperienced eels reach their destinations with no parents to guide them?  The answer is exactly what the Bible tells us of every creature in the seas: "These wait all upon Thee” (Psalm 104:27).  He gives them the instinct to follow the paths He has marked out.

And the Lord has a pathway for every boy and girl called “the path of life,” which is the way to heaven and everlasting joy.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).  If we accept Him as our Saviour, then we are sure of being on the right path where He can teach us His way.

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 302 (Nov. 21, 2017)

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 Agouti of Central America

“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done,

and Thy thoughts which are to usward.”

Psalm 40:5)

Central America is home for many kinds of wildlife, including large and small animals.  One of these small ones is the agouti, also known as the guatuga.  Most of these live in Costa Rica, but some live in South America as well.

The agouti is a harmless rodent about the size of a rabbit.  If it hears strange noises or spots an enemy, such as a jaguar, coati, or vicious monkey, it gives a special alarm call to others nearby.  At the same time it “freezes" as still as a statue or will dash for cover, zigzagging through the trees.  The Creator has provided the agouti with strong, long legs, which it uses to move quickly when threatened.

This rather pretty little animal, with a very short tail or no tail at all, has large, bulging eyes, a pointed head and blunt nose.  Its small rounded ears are always standing upright when it is awake, which accounts for its keen sense of hearing.  Generally it has brown or blackish-brown fur.  These animals have longer legs than rabbits.  

The agouti lives in dense forests and usually makes its home in a sheltered spot under tree roots, between rocks or in a hollow log.  This peaceful creature hunts in daylight for its food consisting mostly of wild avocados or other fruit, nuts, leaves, roots or stems of good-tasting shrubs.  Unlike most animals, its two babies in the litter are already covered with hair when born, and their eyes are fully open.  The young can take care of themselves soon after birth, almost immediately beginning to eat plants, but they usually remain with the parents for several weeks.

Natives consider the agouti a helpful friend, because it aids in starting new trees to grow after a forest fire or damaging wind has raged through their parts of the country.  Since this animal likes acorns and other nuts, it buries large numbers of them in the ground, expecting to return later to dig them up.  However, like squirrel and chipmunks which do the same thing, it often forgets where some are buried.  In a short time these take root, and soon new trees are started.

These rather cute little animals are another example of the wonderful works of the Lord God, the Creator.  We are told in the Bible that He is always looking over all His creation and caring for it.  He has a special place in His caring heart for every boy and girl, man and woman, as it tells us in our opening verse.  Yes, He has loving thoughts of you.  Do you have loving thoughts of Him?  He wants you to know His love and invites you to accept Him as your Saviour.  Have you done this?      

Love you all - Grandpa  

Jewel # 301 (Nov. 12, 2017)

Honey-guide gird

Honey Badger

“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

An Amazing Combination

“How sweet are Thy words unto my taste!

Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”

(Psalm 119:103)

Many unusual birds and animals live in the country of Kenya in Africa.  An amazing combination that works together is a seagull sized bird, with dark brown wings and a snow-white body, and a four-footed animal with long, dark-gray fur, having a narrow white border and short black legs.  These are the honey-guide bird and the honey badger, also called the ratel.  Both of these creatures like wild honey and work together to get it.

When the honey-guide bird is flying through the forests and hears a loud humming of bees, she knows a nest is nearby in the side of a split rock or perhaps in a decaying tree trunk.  Immediately she flies to where  she knows a honey badger will be found, and she chatters noisily to attract his attention.  Then she flies in the direction of the swarm of bees, making sure the badger  is following.  They may have to go quite a distance, but both know the treat that will be at the end of the trip.

When they get to the swarm of bees, the honey badger starts tearing the honeycomb apart, with his sharp claws and teeth.  The bees begin buzzing angrily about and swarming over him.  But he isn’t afraid of them, because their stingers can’t get through his long, loose fur.

What about the bird?  She waits patiently, for it is not the honey she wants; she’s after the waxy honey comb that stores the honey.  But this will not be available until the badger has first licked out the honey.  Eventually she gets the honeycomb and enjoys her treat after the badger has finished and gone on his way.  Both will be ready to do it again the next time there is an opportunity.

Sometimes when a native hunter sees the bird leading a badger, he knows what’s going on and will frighten the animal away.  Then the bird accepts him as a substitute with the same results.  The man gets the honey, and the bird gets her fill of the wax that she can handle with a digestive system that breaks down and welcomes the sweet food, usually accompanied by a number of bees eaten as the same time.

We know that when the Creator first brought bees, birds and animals into the world, they all lived together peacefully.  It was the disobedience of Adam and Eve that brought sin into the world, with many problems and sorrows for all creatures of the world.

But God has promised a happy life in heaven for those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.  Heaven is His home where no sin or unhappiness of any kind will ever come.

Will you be there too? 

Love you all - Grandpa 

Jewel # 300 (Nov. 5, 2017)

“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

Just How Bad Are Wolverines?

“Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us 

wiser than the fowls of heaven?”

(Job 35:11)

A number of years ago we reviewed the life of a wolverine, and from information available then we said, “The wolverine is a wicked destroyer.”  We also called it “a bad-tempered beast.” But since that time, scientists have studied this animal more thoroughly.  Now many agree that, although it can be vicious and frightening, it does have some good qualities too.  We’ll look at some of these.

A member of the weasel family, it is related to badgers, skunks and others.  This dark brown, lively animal is about three feet long, plus an eight-inch tail.  It looks something like a miniature bear, except for its bushy fur and pointed face.  It is one of the most powerful animals for its size in the world.  Its north American homeland is in many of the wooded areas on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, as well as Alaska.  The wolverine is also found in Europe and Asia.

Until a more compete study was made, it had the reputation of being a vicious killer of small-and medium-sized animals and birds.  But in their interesting research, it was discovered that this is only true when the wolverine is extremely hungry.  It should actually be called a scavenger, which is an animal whose main food is animals or birds already dead or injured.

Following that discovery, it was pointed out by the researchers that it is really a vey helpful animal, by cleaning forests and fields of dead creatures (much like what crows and vultures do).  To really appreciate this, we need to keep in mind that a dead fox, squirrel, coyote, or even small bird soon decays.  These carcasses attract flies and insects that can carry harmful bacteria and diseases to many places, causing sickness and death to other animals, birds and even people.

But there’s no denying that a hungry wolverine, finding a way to break into a trapper’s unoccupied cabin, will gobble up any food it can reach. That, of course, doesn’t make them very popular with the trappers, nor does their making a meal out of animals caught in traps and ruining the valuable furs.  So its easy to see how these lively animals have gotten a bad reputation.

We might ask, “Will the Creator allow this to go on forever?” The Bible provides the answer, telling us, “By one man, Adam, sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Romans 5:12).  There is a time coming when those who accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will find that “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death” (Revelation 21:4).  This promise is only to those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.  Can you claim that promise?  

Love you all - Grandpa