Jewel # 138 (May 26, 2013)

"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 Loggerhead Turtle

"By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth. 

 . . . All things were created by Him, and for Him."

(Colossians 1:16) 

If you were on a Caribbean Island beach some dark night in early spring or late summer, you might become aware of a number of large creatures coming out of the surf.  They drag themselves with much effort over the sand, higher and higher, until they are above the highest tidewater mark.  These are female loggerhead turtles, and each weighs close to 500 pounds.

Soon each one is busily scooping sand with her flippers, making a hole about seven inches wide and almost two feet deep.  After an hour of this tiresome work, she will rest awhile, then place herself over this nest and begin depositing her eggs one at a time every few seconds.  Usually one to two hundred are deposited and look like ping-pong balls.

Next she scoops the sand back into the hole and pats it down firmly.  Then she scatters the excess sand over the area, making it look so natural that no one would suspect there was a nest of turtle eggs underneath.  If you could get closer, you might see tears running from her eyes.  This is a provision God gave these turtles for washing the sand out of their eyes.  When the job is complete, she returns to the sea, soon disappearing in the waves.

In about two months the eggs will hatch.  Before hatching, each baby turtle develops an "egg tooth" on the end of its nose.  This is used to break out of the shell.  It might seem they would die in their nest deep in the sand, but they work their way to the top, which might take several days.  As the baby turtles come to the surface, they run as fast as they can to the ocean.  Since they are only about the size of a silver dollar, they must run fast, because there are many creatures waiting to eat them.  Birds, crabs, rats and other enemies chase after them, so that very few of these baby turtles make it across the sand alive.  In the water there are sharks, fish of all kinds and more birds.  Perhaps only six out of the whole nest manage to survive.  In five to eight years, survivors reach full size.  Then they are safe from natural enemies and live to an old age.

For most of us, our lives are not as full of danger as these creatures' lives are.  God has graciously provided many benefits for each of us and cares for us most lovingly.  He knows all our needs and activities too.  It is written in the Bible, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee" (Ecclesiastes 11:9).  This is followed by the instruction, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).  What excellent God-given advice this is for us to follow.

Love you all,

Grandpa  

Jewel # 137 (May 11, 2013)

To my dear grandchildren,

The Gentle Tapir

"I have made the earth, the man and the beast . . .  

by My great power and by My outstretched arm."

(Jeremiah 27:5)

If you were in the wilds of Central America, South America or Southeast Asia and found yourself face-to-face with a strange brown animal known as the tapir, the first thing you probably would notice would be that it looks much like an overgrown pig.  It has a short, heavy body with a short tail, a thick neck and a nose that serves as a short movable trunk.  All tapirs have oval-shaped ears with white tips.  

It would be a special treat if a baby tapir were there too.  They are really cute, weighing only about 15 pounds when born and having white stripes all along their backs and sides for God-given camouflage purposes.

If you didn't show any sign of wanting to hurt the tapir, you would find it wouldn't hurt you either.  The Creator has given it a shy and gentle nature, and they would rather run than fight.  Their food includes twigs and leaves of trees and shrubs, water plants, grass and fruit, and they never kill another animal unless in self-defense.

These animals stay close to their homes but make paths through the thick jungle.  Some lead to water holes, which they visit morning and evening, enjoying a swim and wallowing in the mud to get rid of ticks and other pests.  They sometimes walk along the bottom of these ponds completely submerged.

Their only enemy is the fearsome jaguar.  However, when a jaguar springs on a tapir, it is taken on an unexpected, rough ride ride through low brush where it will usually be knocked off.  But if it hangs on, the tapir will jump into deep water, submerging beneath the surface.  At that point the jaguar gives up and the tapir is the winner.

Tapirs remind us of the great variety of animals placed on earth by the Creator and His untiring care and provisions for all.  We know, however, that that the lives of animals are for this world only, but God has given to each of us a never-dying soul and provided a way in  which that life can be spent happily in heaven with Him.

A few verses from the Bible explain this.  First, we need to understand clearly that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  That is a tragic statement, but thankfully we are told, "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). We also read this wonderful statement: "Being justified by faith [in the Lord Jesus as our Saviour], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

If you want that peace and everlasting life in heaven, believe these important Bible verses.  

Love you all,

Grandpa

Jewel # 136 (April 27, 2013)

                

To my dear grandchildren,

Birds on Schedule - Swallows

"Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest

for herself, where she may lay her young."

(Psalm 84:3)

It's springtime here in North America, and let's watch for those pretty, graceful cliff swallows returning agin in their colourful feathers of brown, red, yellow and white.  Through the winter they have been in South America, but their God-given instinct brings them back, thousands of miles, to many parts of North America for nest building, raising of young, and an active life in the northern climate.

Cliff swallows look like their relatives, the barn swallows, but cliff swallows have square tails instead of forked tails.  Their legs are short, and they use them mostly for perching since they catch nearly all of their food while flying.  

The reliability of the cliff and barn swallows' annual return on certain calendar days is a signal to farmers when to plant certain crops.  They know swallows are among their best friends because they help destroy harmful crop insects and mosquitoes.

Cliff and barn swallows like to live near people, either on nearby cliffs, under bridges, or under the eaves of houses and barns.  These birds are sociable, and they build their interesting nests in colonies.  Muddy clay is the building material mixed with gluey saliva and straw.  A  beakful at a time is daubed on the surface they have chosen.  Then one beakful after another is added until the jar-shaped nests extend out five or six inches, with open entrances on the tapered ends.  The insides are lined with feathers and grass, providing a soft, safe place for females to lay three to nine eggs.

The nests in a colony actually touch each other.  Watching a swallow swiftly flying in and out, it is amazing how it avoids entering a neighbour's nest.  But no mistakes are made.  The Lord God who first placed them on the earth has given them remarkable instincts and and abilities in their swift flight patterns.

The mouth of the cliff swallow is an example of how every bird in God's creation is well equipped for its manner of life.  The swallow has been given a short, broad beak that opens wide to scoop up insects in flight and to dig and carry mud for nest building.  It will fly several miles from the nesting site searching for food.  Its wings show the Creator's wisdom too.  They are long and flexible and enable the swallow to make its graceful diving-and-turning flight as it pursues its food.

But God has not only shown His care over animals and birds.  In addition to His care and provisions for wildlife, He extends His love to all mankind.  This was most wondrously shown when He gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on Calvary's cross to provide forgiveness of sins to all who will accept Him as their Saviour.  Have you thanked Him for His love to you?  

Much love to you all

Grandpa

Jewel # 135 (April 11, 2013)

To my dear grandchildren,

The Bad-Tempered Camel

"The multitude of camels . . . and the dromedaries . . . shall come.  . . . 

Their riders shall show forth the praises of the Lord."

(Isaiah 60:6)

A camel is not a pretty animal, nor is it know for its good behaviour.  It is one of the most awkward of all domestic animals and among the most difficult to manage.  It has several bad habits, such as biting people or animals and spitting on strangers.  Still, this animal is very useful to desert dwellers, where it is known as "the ship of the desert."

The Arabian camel, sometimes called a dromedary, has only one hump, but the Bactrian species has two.  These humps serve a very useful purpose.  When the animal is well fed, the humps store fat and stand erect and firm.  As it travels across the desert  without food for several days, the camel can absorb the nourishment stored in these humps.  Then the humps shrink and become flabby.  But when the camel feeds again, the humps resume their proper shape.

Camels can go without water for days or even months, depending upon the time of year.  They need less water in cooler months  but will drink five gallons a day in hot weather.  They also get some moisture from their food.

There are many ways the Lord has made special provisions for this large animal.  Each foot has two wide, smooth, hard pads so it can walk easily on hot sand.  At rest periods, it folds its front legs, dropping its forepart to the sand.  Then it folds its long hind legs, and the whole body drops down.  Its knees and chest, which would be painfully scraped by the sand in the process have been given thick, hard pads for protection.

During sandstorms, men cover their faces with cloths to  survive, but a camel needs no special care.  An extra lid, heavy eyebrows and long lashes protect its eyes, while its large nostrils automatically close to narrow slits to keep the sand out. 

The special needs of this peculiar animal were all provided for from the very beginning by an all-wise Creator.  Without this care, they would never have survived in the harsh deserts.

As we think about how the camel's special needs have been taken care of, it is a reminder that God has made a promise to those who love Him.  To those who trust in His Son, the Lord Jesus, He has promised to "supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).  This assures us that there is no limit to what He can do for every boy and girl, man and woman.

He delights in all His creatures, but to mankind He has made special provisions, not only for this world, but also for the world to come.  He has given the promise of eternal life in heaven to all who accept His Son as Lord and Saviour.

Have you accepted this wonderful gift?

(Note the picture below of grandpa)

Love you all

Grandpa

Jewel # 134 (April 2, 2013)

            

"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 Colorful Parrot Fish

"Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters. . . . 

The sea is His, and He made it." 

(Psalm 77:19; 95:5)

The interesting parrot fish received its name because of its bright green and red colors and its parrot-like jaw.  Great schools of a million or more live in southern oceans.

This fish has about fifty bluish-white teeth that are so strong it can pull apart and chew hard, brittle coral to get at the tasty algae found in it.  A mature parrot fish chews enough coral each year to make thirty pounds of sand.   Over the centuries this has resulted in many pretty sandy beaches along the shores of Australia and other countries.  But, sad to say, much beautiful, valuable coral is destroyed by these fish since they do not distinguish between rare, priceless coral and ordinary varieties.  

In June the parrot fish have a strong urge to leave the quiet, shallow, protected reef where thy live and swim into areas where the water is 80 feet deep or deeper.  They  join millions of their kind there that have obeyed the same God-given instinct.  They all become excited, and soon they are swimming violently around until, as if by a signal, all dash to the surface and them immediately turn and swim down toward the bottom.  As they descend, the females release millions of eggs that the males cover with a substance called milt.

This same event is repeated many times by different groups at these spawning places.  Soon it is over and the group breaks up, all going back to the quiet waters of their homes and leaving innumerable masses of eggs to hatch out later in the open sea.

One variety of this fish blows a cocoon of mucous around itself at night, carefully leaving small holes for breathing.  This gives it an appearance of having been carefully wrapped in a silk blanket, which it discards in the morning.  This process is repeated each night.  Although it is uncertain why this variety does this, it may be a provision made by the Creator for protection from night-prowling enemies.

Does the Lord God, their Creator, care about parrot fish?  Yes He does, for the Bible tells us, speaking of all the fish in seas, "These wait all upon Thee, that Thou mayest give them their food in due season.  That Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good" (Psalm 104:27-28).

We also know from the Bible that in greater measure His love has been shown to all the people of the world.  The psalmist joyfully said, "How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand" (Psalm 139:17-18).  We should gratefully thank Him every day for His wonderful love and care over us.

Love you all,

Grandpa

Jewel # 133 (March 19, 2013)

"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 Hungry Cougar

The family had just pulled into a camping spot, and Lisa, Anne and Jon ran off to explore the new campground.  It was their favorite kind of camping spot, among tall evergreens and near a rushing, ice-cold stream.  They discovered trails through the underbrush as they made their way toward the inviting water.

For their vacation this summer, Dad had borrowed a camper, much to the children's dismay.  They preferred their old tent, camping out like real pioneers.  However, the week so far had been fun exploring Vancouver Island's wild, beautiful parks.

Anne and Jon had just arrived at the edge of the clear, rocky stream when their father called them back up to the campsite.  They really didn't want to go back yet. but they obeyed, after first finding their sister.  Dad had learned from the ranger that there was a cougar in the campground!  It had killed a small dog that morning, and the ranger feared that it might grab a young child next.

A cougar, also known as a mountain lion, is usually 5 to 6 feet long and weighs 100 to 150 pounds when fully grown.  People rarely see it because it usually hides in the deep wild forests during the day and hunts at night.  This powerful animal silently stalks it prey, much as a house cat sneaks up on a bird or a mouse.  It pounces on its unfortunate victim, digging in with sharp claws and fangs, and dragging it down to the ground.

The cougar usually hunts deer, elk and mountain goats, and in the north it will hunt moose and caribou.  But if it is very hungry, it will stalk smaller animals - even skunks and porcupines.  Because the previous winter had been unusually cold and snowy, deer were scarce.  This starving mountain lion had come down from the mountains  to a populated area to hunt for smaller animals.

This frightening news of a cougar right in the campground caused the three children to scramble into the camper, glad for its sturdy walls to protect them.

Before long a shot rang out in the forest nearby.  Soon Anne, Jon and Lisa could see a small crowd gathering down the road.  Hurrying over with Dad, they saw a young cougar, like a giant kitty cat, lying dead in the back of the ranger's pickup truck.  The thin, soft-furred mountain lion looked harmless.  Its ribs were visible through its tawny skin.  For a moment the children were sorry that it had been shot.  But then they remembered the danger while it was alive and were very happy that the forest was safe again for campers and their pets.

This reminds us of the Bible verse, "Be vigilant [watchful]; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).  The devil is our enemy, although he would like us to think he is not dangerous.  We can only find safety and protection from him by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, just as Lisa, Anne and Jon were protected from the cougar by going into the camper.

Have you run to the loving arms of the Lord Jesus?  The Lord Jesus loves you dearly and died on Calvary's cross for your sins, if you will trust Him.  He is waiting for you to run to Him for safety and protection right now.

"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust" (Psalm 91:2).

Love you all,

Grandpa  

Jewel # 132 (March 3, 2013)

     

"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 

Sturgeons Grow Big

"O Lord, how manifold are Thy works!  In wisdom hast Thou made them all: 

the earth is full of Thy riches." 

(Psalm 104:24)

Unlike the huge fish in South America's warm waters, sturgeons prefer the colder northern waters.  The best known common sturgeon is found mostly in European waters and along the North American coast from Labrador to the Gulf of Mexico.

Olive-green or bluish-gray in their top covering, they are not very attractive, but they are certainly unusual.  They range from 7 to 12 feet in length, and some species grow to 18 feet.  Twelve rows of bony knobs, looking like the teeth of a big saw, cover their bodies.  They also have armour of bony plates protecting their heads, which taper down to pointed snouts.  Beneath the long snouts they have small, toothless mouths with thick, sucking lips.  When feeding, they push their snouts into the mush of the ocean floor and suck fish, crabs and other shellfish into their mouths.

Only a few varieties become greater than 100 pounds, and some of these are the giants of the fish world.  The white sturgeon of the American Pacific Coast is usually found in freshwater rivers, such as the Fraser, the Columbia and the Sacramento.  The all-time-record catch weighed almost 2000 pounds and was 18 feet long!  However, that was some years ago.  Because of overfishing and pollution, it is unusual to find one weighing more than 1000 pounds now, but even that is twice as heavy as a large gorilla!  How would you like to have one of these huge fish on your fishing line?

In springtime the adults migrate  from the ocean into rivers.  The females, heavy with thousands of eggs, swim upstream until they find a place to deposit them.  These masses of eggs stick to rocks and plants until they hatch in about two weeks.  At the end of summer when the young fish have grown almost a foot long, they migrate downstream and out into the ocean.  Only a small number actually make it, since other fish eat many of the eggs as well as all the little fish they can catch.

There is always a good market for sturgeon meat, but even more so for the tasty eggs which are called caviar - a pound of which sells for as much as $800.  At that price most people cannot afford them, so they are served mostly in fancy restaurants or on the tables of the wealthy.

It was on the fifth day of creation that God formed the creatures of the sea - from the tiniest to the largest - and the sea creatures of today are just like those He placed in the waters thousands of years ago.

We can be confident that the world's interesting creatures didn't just happen to form themselves.  God created these creatures for our use and enjoyment.  He says, 

"Be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create" (Isaiah 65:18).

Love you all,

Grandpa