Jewel # 391 (February 20, 2020)

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

make up MY JEWELS.

Malachi 3:17 

To my dear Grandchildren

Wild Pigs - Ugh!

Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods.”  Deuteronomy 11:16

Wild Pigs have a variety of names—boars, razorbacks, or just plain hogs or pigs.  However, they were not always wild.  Years ago some escaped from their farm homes and easily adapted to living in the wild.

There were no pigs in Hawaii until someone imported a number of tame ones.  Some of these escaped into the nearby forests and shores and shorelines.  Today they have become Hawaii’s worst pest.  Among other things, they destroy beautiful tree ferns by gnawing into the stems for food.  Another plant they eat is the banana-poke, spreading the seeds around, making it an added problem because it chokes out other native plants.

Both California and North Carolina have thousands of these black, fat, short-legged animals with pointed snouts and bare tails.  Many other North American areas have similar problems with them, all resulting from imported tame pigs escaping into the wild years ago.  Hunters shoot them by the thousands.  But it is impossible to keep ahead of them since the sows give birth to about six babies twice a year.

The wild pigs’ food includes acorns, hazelnuts, chestnuts and berries, hoggishly depriving many birds, deer, bears and other wild creatures of what they need.  Another disadvantage is that these creatures do not hibernate in the winter, but rain, snow and freezing weather seem to make then hungrier.  With part of their regular food not available, they strip bark off many trees, looking for hidden insects.  This results in ruining some forested areas.

As if these traits are not bad enough, they love to change a forest pond or part of a shallow stream into a filthy mud hole as they wallow and get covered with mud.  These areas soon become polluted and foul smelling due to all the filth.  This attracts flies and other insects that carry some of the disease-laden filth to farm yards, homes, parks and other public areas, harming not only farm animals and birds, but people as well.

These vicious, unpleasant beasts are an example of what sin has brought into the world, for when God created them, they were not this way.  This reminds us that Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God, and Satan is still trying to keep people from responding to God’s love.  Read the warning in our opening Bible verse.

Our loving God wants us to turn from our sinful ways and to His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the sins of all who will come to Him.  The Bible tells us this: “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Have you come to Him with your sins?

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 390 (February 14, 2020)

Quetzals

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 Spectacular Beauty - Quetzals

“Of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever".   Romans 11:36

There are over 40 species of birds called quetzals in the tropical parts of the world.  The one named mocinno trogon is probably the most beautiful of all.  It lives in Mexico and Central America and is the national bird of Guatemala.  Here are some interesting facts about this beautiful bird.

Its short body is only about a foot long, but the long tail feathers form a train about three feet long.  Head, chest, back and tail feathers are all beautiful emerald green, and the under parts of its body are bright red.  The only additional colours are the few white feathers in the tail, a soft-yellow, short, pointed beak, and maroon legs and toes.  Seeing one perched on the limb of a tree is quite a display, but seeing one flying or gliding under the trees is a really beautiful sight!

This bird’s food includes insects, which they dart out to catch in the air, and also spiders, berries and fruit, including a small wild avocado that it devours whole.  When its normal food is hard to find, it may substitute small lizards, snails and frogs.

The male puts on a spectacular show wen trying to interest a female.  He repeatedly flies straight up in the air as much as 150 feet, then swoops gracefully down to display his gorgeous colours.

Nests are usually high in the trunk of a dead tree.  Both birds peck out a hole with their sharp beaks and claws.  They take turns incubating from two to four bright-blue eggs for two to three weeks.  Chicks are born without down or feathers and are totally helpless.  Until they grow enough feathers to fly and can hunt for themselves, both parents feed them with pre-digested food held in their wide-open beaks.  The baby birds greedily peck it out.

Sadly, these lovely birds are facing many problems.  Besides natural enemies, which include the weasel-like tayra, moneys and snakes, hunter often kill them for their feathers.  But the worst hazard is the fact that loggers have cut down the forests where they live.  However, a few national parks have been established for them and other wildlife, and this should protect many of them.

These spectacular birds are certainly one of the wonders of God’s creation and remind us that “He hath done all things well” (Mark 7:37).  This includes a Bible promise to those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour: “It shall be well with them that fear God” (Ecclesiastes 8:12).

He does care for the quetzals out in the tropical forests, but those people who love Him know much more of His love and care over them every moment of their lives.  Are you aware of His care?

Love you all- Grandpa

Jewel # 389 (February 6, 2020)

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 Desert-Wise Cactus Wren

Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwells on high,

who humbles Himself to behold the things . . . in the earth!  Psalm 113:5-6

The cactus wren is about the size of a robin and is the largest member of the wren family.  Its brown feathers mottled with white, along with the bright red or orange iris of its eyes, make it a pretty bird.

As its name indicates, the cactus wren lives in the hot deserts of the southwestern United State and northern Mexico.  The Creator has given this bird the ability to thrive in these harsh deserts, and it seems quite content there.  It has been given a remarkable instinct to place its nest among the needle-like armour of spiny cholla and other cactus plants.  This defence is so good that its enemies (owls, wood rats, ground squirrels and snakes) do not attack it often.  The wren is so sure of this protection that it makes no attempt to conceal its nest, which is built only about three feet off the ground.

The straw-coloured nests are often as big as a man’s head.  Shaped like a flask, they are constructed of desert plants, grass and twigs and lined with soft, woolly fibres and feathers.  These nests show the God-given skill handed down from one generation to another.  When finished with her nest, the female wren builds a landing platform that is surrounded by sharp cactus spikes.  This platform permits her to enter a passage, sometimes a foot long, which leads into the nest itself.

However, the male bird does not share this nest.  Instead, if he cannot find an abandoned nest to use, he builds another one nearby.  He is not as careful about its construction as the female is with hers.  The female’s nest may be reused year after year, but the male’s nest often will fall apart during the first winter’s storms.

Cactus wrens are wary creatures, although they do select high perches for singing their lovely songs.  However, when searching for food, they prefer to fly close to the ground where they are screened by desert bushes.  Most of their food is insects and seeds of desert plants.  When hunting, these wise birds know that much food can be found under stones, so they turn these over to catch the insects that live in the coolness underneath.  Some of these stones may weigh half as much as the birds do.

Our opening verse tells us of our Creator God who, though mighty, humbles Himself to look after all His creatures.  This also includes you, and not only does He care for your needs, but the Bible tells us, “The Lord searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off forever” (1 Chronicles 28:9).

Are you seeking Him or forsaking Him?

Love you all - Grandpa