Jewel # 335 (October 2, 2018)

“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

About Salamanders

"God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind. . . . And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:24-25).

Salamanders are closely related to lizards.  To maintain the moisture in their skins, most are found near ponds, streams or marshy places.  However, some in the tropics live high in treetops where they get moisture from cup-shaped leaves that hold water from frequent rains.

In size, they range from one inch to five feet long, and in colours, from orange-red to very dark brown or black or with mottled skins of mixed colours.  All salamanders’ legs are short, but their tails are usually almost as long as the rest of their bodies.

The Creator has given all salamanders large eyes with good vision, as well as long tongues that can flash out so quickly that, even if watching closely, you likely would miss the action.  It is not necessary for them to chase the millipedes, flies and other insects that they eat.  Salamanders wait perfectly still on a rock or other bare surface until a victim comes by, and then they capture it with a flick of their tongues.

While some species give birth to their young, most salamanders hatch from eggs.  The eggs have been laid at the side of a stream or pond, and after hatching, the young live on insects that come near them.  When grown, they Iive in nearby brush or grass or go into burrows or under a pile of moist leaves.

Some salamanders have very flat bodies, allowing them to squeeze between tight leaves of moisture-retaining plants.  These have been provided by the Creator with webbed front and back feet, enabling them to cling to the smooth, wet foliage. Their tails can wrap around tree branches, which also helps them when looking for food.

An unusual feature God has given salamanders is their ability to grow new tails, legs and other body parts when they are torn off.  Also, like a chameleon, they can change the colour of their skins to match the rocks or soil around them.

These interesting creatures are seldom seen because they hunt mostly at night.  They destroy great quantities of insects and pests that would otherwise be eating farm crops, fruits and other products.  This may be one reason for their present place in God’s creation.

Did you ever stop to think that God has a definite reason and place for you in His creation too?  The Bible tells us this: “Every person has his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that” 

(1 Corinthians 7:7).  “As every man has received the gift, even so use the same gift one to another, as good managers” (1 Peter 4:10).  The Lord Jesus will show you how to use your gift to please Him if you will ask Him. 

Love you all - Grandpa  

Jewel # 334 (September 25, 2018)

The Round-tailed Ground Squirrel

“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 Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel

“The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

There are over 80 varieties of squirrels throughout the world, and most live in trees.  But today we will look at one that lives on the ground—the round-tailed ground squirrel.

These are quiet little animals that live in the hot, dry deserts where few other animals can survive. Unlike their bushy-tailed cousins, they are plain-looking with long round tails.  Their light brown fur is soft and smooth and kept clean by frequent licking.

As the Lord God has done for all His creatures, the ground squirrels are well-matched for their surroundings.  Their legs are long with feet that have sharp, tough claws.  Special hairy soles on their feet help them move over loose sand.  Equipped like this, their front feet can rapidly dig tunnels a foot deep, with their back feet kicking out the sand that accumulates.

When a hawk, coyote, fox or snake appears, our little friend scurries into the nearest available hole, even if it belongs to another animal.  As it scurries, it lets out sharp squeals, and the whole colony takes shelter.

The young, sometimes a dozen, are born in March or April.  Growing rapidly, they soon leave the underground nest to live on their own in the desert.

At the start of winter, this fat, plump squirrel hibernates in its underground home, curling into a ball with its tail curled over its body.  If you could see one, you might think it was dead.  But this winter sleep of several months, without needing food or water, is the Creator’s way of protecting it when it would otherwise die from the cold and lack of food.  They awaken in the spring and soon pop up from their burrows.  Now thin and hungry, their main interest is finding food, and they soon fatten up on new plant growth.  In fact, they often eat so much that they can barely get back into their burrows.

The Bible tells us we can learn from the animals (See Job 12:7).  The lesson we can learn from this squirrel is to get away quickly from danger and into a hiding place.  King David said, “Thou Lord art my hiding place” (Psalm 32:7).  Yes, He is a secure place of safety from the attacks of Satan, who wants to lead us into danger and trouble by tempting us with things that are not pleasing to God.  The wise instruction of the Bible is this: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Proverbs 4:14-15).

The only way we can do this is by knowing the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and looking to Him for help.

Is He your hiding place?            

Love you all - Grandpa 

Jewel # 333 (September 16, 2018)

“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

Beneficial Blackbirds

“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”

(Psalm 50:11)

Millions of blackbirds are found in parts of Europe, as well as the 15 different kinds found throughout Canada and the United States.  The most numerous and perhaps the prettiest are the red-winged black birds.  They get their name from the male blackbirds, which have shoulder feathers tipped with bright red and yellow.  The rest of their bodies are mostly black.

The eastern red-winged blackbirds live from the Rocky Mountains east to the Atlantic Ocean. The San Diego, Rio Grande and Nevada redwings live west of the Rockies.  

Redwings nest in large groups in swamps, in marshes and in cattails or tall grass.  Nests are usually made of mud, plant fibres and grass, with small twigs woven in.  They are lined with soft material such as moss, soft leaves and feathers.

Farmers like blackbirds, not only because of their pleasant calls, but mainly because they eat weed seeds and many harmful insects.  Some insects they eat are too big to swallow whole, so the bird will hook it on a sharp thorn and dispose of it in smaller bites.

Large flocks often gather in open fields, spreading out to find seeds and insects.  As they all move forward those in the back soon discover that nothing is left for them, and they take off, flying over those in front, landing just ahead of them and finding plenty to eat.  When the others in the back find nothing left, they will fly ahead and begin feeding in a new part of the field.  This goes on until the field has been cleaned.  Then the flock will fly to another feeding area.

In some parts of North America, some redwings migrate in the fall to warm winter climates, while others remain behind.  Those remaining are okay as long as the winter is mild, but, sad to say, many do not survive when severe cold sets in.  It is mostly the females that migrate; the tougher males merely wait for their return in the spring—if they survive until then.

Birds of every kind form an important part of God’s creation, and the Bible often refers to His care over them.  But His love and care for us is far greater.  King David said, “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!” (Psalm 139:17).  In another place he said, “Show me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths.  Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation” (Psalm 25:4-5).  He will show His love and kindness to all who pray to Him in that way.

Have you ever asked the Lord to teach you and lead you?

Love you all -  Grandpa

Jewel # 332 (September 8, 2018)

Morpho Butterfly      

Dead-Leaf Butterfly

“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 World of Insects (Part 2)

“God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”

(1 Corinthians 1:27)

Many books have been written about the unusual features of the world's 600,000 varieties of insects. The beetle that eats cork, glue, mustard plasters and certain medicines is called the drugstore beetle.  Some unusual beetles have unusual names.

There are other unusual insects besides beetles.  One of the most beautiful insects is the morpho butterfly, which is covered with a million tiny, coloured scales on each wing.  Another unusual insect is the water strider that skims over water—its middle legs work like oars, the hind legs act like rudders, and the front legs are free to catch its prey.  It has been given air-filled “shoes” made of hair that allow it to float.

Another resident of ponds is the brown water bug.  The one grasps other water insects in a hug of death while its sharp beak draws out the victim’s blood.  When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she grips her mate tightly and glues the eggs onto his back.  Then she leaves him to incubate them in the sun for many days, until the young hatch.

God has made some insects experts at camouflage.  The ambush bug is so well hidden by its green and yellow colours that it cannot be seen until it moves.  The dead-leaf butterfly is easily seen when flying, but it looks like a dead leaf when resting.  The long-horned grasshopper has wings that look like leaves that have been partly eaten away.  There is one variety of the walking stick which has a green-brown body with red, thorn-like growths that make it look like part of a bramble bush.

Certainly insects are among “the weak things of the world” that confound “the mighty.”  How good to know that "God made . . . everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25).  Each one was given every perfect detail at the moment He created it.

He made a much greater joy when He brought mankind into the world, for He had his heart of love set on each of us even before the world was made!  How sad that many have not responded to that love nor realized that their sins made it necessary for the Saviour to die on Calvary.  There He bore the sins of all who will admit their guilt and put their trust in Him.  How wonderful of God to provide such a way of salvation!

Have you accepted His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Saviour?

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 331 (August 27, 2018)

Fairy Fly

Ants

Walking Stick

“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 World of Insects (Part 1)

“Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; 

which have ears, and hear not: Fear ye not Me? saith the Lord.”

(Jeremiah 5:21-22)

Do you know how to tell if something you see crawling or flying is really an insect?  One quick way is to count its legs.  Insects always have six legs—no more and no less.  Spiders are not true insects because they have eight legs.

The word insecta means “in sections,” and this is also true.  All true insects have three body sections joined together—head, thorax and abdomen.  The legs and wings are supported by the middle thorax section.  Most insects have four wings, but some have only two, and some don’t have any.

When the  Lord God created the world and everything in it, He must have had much pleasure in creating the insects since they represent the largest group of visible forms of life.  There are over 900,000 species of living insects that are known.  Ants are probably the most abundant insect species on earth.  Some insects are so small they can only be seen through a microscope.  The fairy fly, for instance, is only one-hundredth of an inch long but is perfect in all its parts.  At the large end of the scale is the fifteen-inch insect calledwalking stick, found in New Guinea.

In proportion to their size, insects are the strongest creatures on earth.  In experiments, a bumble bee was able to pull more than 300 times its weight, and a beetle carried more that 800 times its weight!  When insects walk, their front and back legs on one side and their middle leg on the other side all move at the same time.  The Creator may have arranged this so they can keep their balance and are always firmly on the surface.

Most insects begin life as eggs, hatching as larvae or nymphs, then change to pupae and finally appear as fully formed adults.  Having no skeleton or bones, they have been given an armour-like skin for protection.  As they grow larger, this splits open and drops off, and a new protective skin soon hardens and replaces it.  This happens several times as the insect grows larger.

Insects breathe, but they have no lungs; they hear, but they have no ears; they smell, but have no noses; they have eyes, but they cannot close them.  Their hearts can pump blood backward or forward.  These strange features about insects remind us of the opening verse of this article.  The Lord scolded those people who refused to use their eyes to see His ways or to use their ears to hear His Word.  No wonder He called them “foolish people, and without understanding" (Jeremiah 5:21).  We hope none of you will be so foolish!  

“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7).  

(To be continued)

           

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 330 (August 14, 2018)

“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

Meat Eating Plant

“The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand forever.”

(Isaiah 40:8) 

A meat-eating plant is the bladderwort, which grows in swampy areas.  Its stems, rooted in the muddy bottom, produce leaves and flowers that float on the water surface.  This plant attracts underwater bugs, some of which can’t resist taking a nibble of the bladder like swellings on its underwater stems.  But the moment they touch it a “door” flies open, and they are sucked inside.  The door closes behind them, and they turn into food for the bladderwort plant.

A similar water plant, the Venus fly-trap, grows in shallow ocean waters along the coasts of North and South Carolina.  A small white flower grows on the top of the plant, nestled in a tuft of leaves that have short, stiff hairs on their edges.  When a small object touches one of these hairs, the leaf snaps shut, capturing whatever touched it.  If it is a pebble or something indigestible, the leaf promptly releases it, but if it’s an insect, the leaf immediately begins to digest it, and the plant is nourished. 

A plant that does not actually eat insects is the beautifully flowered passion vine of South America.  It attracts insects that find its leaves and sweet nectar appealing, but the insects damage the plant when they get to the flowers.  So the Creator provided guardian ants that love the nectar that drips from the flowers, and they will not allow other insets to climb to it.  However, the ants can’t do anything about birds and insects that fly to the plant, wanting to get at the pollen deep inside each flower.  To safeguard the important pollen, each plant has been given a stiff, collar-like opening that can only be entered by the Creator’s specially designed, long, curved beak of an unusual hummingbird that He has arranged to live close by.

Another vine also in South America, the passifiora, has delicate, fragrant blue flowers and relies on bees to pollinate it.  But other insects find that when they chew its leaves, a poison is given off that makes them very uncomfortable.  Most of them seem to sense this and leave the passifiora alone.

It is interesting to hear of these and other amazing wonders of God’s creation, but we know they will not last forever.  He tells us in the Bible that all will be destroyed in a coming time when God is going to bring the world into judgment.  But there is one thing that will last forever.  Read the beginning verse again to find out what it is.  Do you obey it?

Love your all - Grandpa

Jewel # 329 (August 5, 2018)

“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

Lively Spider Monkeys (Part 2)

“God made the beast of the earth after his kind . . . and God saw that it was good.” 

(Genesis 1:25)

In the last message, the red-faced and variegated species of the spider monkey family were reviewed.  Today we will look at the wooly variety, which is, in many ways, the most remarkable member of this family. 

The wooly’s homelands are in the tropical forest regions of Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela.  Much of those forest areas have been cut down, and many are concerned that these creatures will soon have no place to live.  But efforts are underway to set aside areas for the protection of the wooly spider monkey.

An adult wooly, weighting over 30 pounds, will measure about 5 feet in length, including a long, fur-covered tail.  Except for a dark face, slightly flushed with red, its body fur appears quite light when it is standing facing you, but the fur on its back is much darker.  On some there are areas of deep orange as well, and they all have a cute appearance.

Their antics are amazing, such as dangling out in space from a slender branch, holding on only by a tail and one arm.  But when a mother leads her little one around, she is very careful.  To travel from one tree to another where the space is too great for the baby to swing, she will pull the branch to which it clings farther across, or she may leap to the other tree and work one of its branches across so the little one can safely reach it.

At other times, she will stretch herself over the area, grasping one side with a strong arm and the other side with her tail.  Then baby monkey merely walks across her body to make the crossover. At other times, a mother can be spotted with a little one clinging to her back as she scampers though the trees.

For the most part, woolies are peace-loving and playful, enjoying swinging back and forth under a high branch while hanging on only by their tails.  But they will chase away other species that try to compete in picking fruit from a tree, which including the leaves and flowers, represents most of their food.

Wherever seen, monkeys are interesting animals, and we can understand the Creator’s taking pleasure in creating them.  The Bible, God’s Word, does not teach that mankind evolved from monkeys and apes.  God’s Word, which is our only sure and true source of knowledge of such things, plainly teaches that when God made Adam, he was instantly a complete man.  If in all things we trust and believe what God says, we are always on safe ground.    

Love you all - Grandpa