Jewel # 398 (April 10, 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 Mischievous Raccoon

“God Himself . . . formed the earth and made it; He hath established it,

He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.”  

 Isaiah 45:18

In the fading evening light, a family of raccoons come cautiously out of the woods.  Their masked faces make them look like little burglars, which they often are.  Tonight they head for a tree loaded with ripe plumbs.  The kits remain on the ground while the parents climb up and begin shaking branches, causing a shower of plumbs to fall.  Then the whole family enjoys the dinner.

The fruit dinner is a real treat.  Raccoons eat mostly frogs, crayfish, turtle eggs and clams taken out of shallow waters.  Birds' eggs are also a favourite, especially chicken eggs.  Sweet corn is another special treat.  Raccoons stripping ears from the stalks have ruined many cornfields.

Although raccoons weigh only about 25 pounds, dogs are often surprised at a raccoon’s fighting ability.  It will not hesitate to attack a dog two or three times its own size.  When being chased by a dog, it is clever at escaping.  It will wade in water, run along fence tops, climb trees, backtrack and leap down a hillside all to break the scent trail the dog is following.  Occasionally a raccoon may let a dog chase it into a lake.  Then it will grab the dog by its neck and force its head under water until the dog drowns.

In spite of its sometimes nasty nature, a raccoon is a pretty animal.  It has a fox-like face with a black mask around jet-black eyes, erect ears, a black, button nose with whiskers, and a bushy ringed tail.  It is also very smart and soon discovers how to open latches on chicken coops, pry off garbage can lids, unscrew bottle caps, and even open refrigerators if given the chance.

This animal is another of the wonders of God’s creation.  He has given it many life-sustaining  instincts and also an intelligence that allows it to learn things necessary for its survival.  It is found both in the woods of the United States and Canada and in the deserts of Mexico and South America.  Its life reminds us of the verse in the Bible: “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are  over all His works. . . .  The eyes of all wait upon Thee, and Thou givest them their food in due season.  Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing”  (Psalm 145:9,15-16).    

We think of these provisions of the Creator in connection with every creature, but it is also good to remember this prayer that should be in the heart of every boy and girl: “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. . . . O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days”  (Psalm 90:12,14).              

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 397 (April 1, 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

Weasels Are Cute but have Bad tempers

Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways.”  
Revelation 15:3

The three most common weasels in North America are the least, the short-tailed and the long-tailed.  The least is the smallest of all, weighing just a few ounces when fully grown and seldom more that six inches long plus a one-inch stubby tail.  It is quite pretty—its back is a light brown, changing to white at its throat and underneath parts.  During winter, those in the far north turn completely white, but those in the south become a spotted brown mixed with the white.  These are provisions of the Creator to conceal them from enemies.

This little one is a real help to mankind, because its appetite for mice and other small, destructive animals helps to keep these under control.  Mice are its main food and are easily caught; this weasel is so small it can follow them through any hole.

The short-tailed is often called an ermine.  This one is twice the size of the least.  During summer, it is a soft brown along the back and sides and creamy white underneath.  Strangely, it is the only one with brown feet.  When it turns all white in winter, it is hunted for its beautiful fur.

The ermine also hunts mice, rats, moles, squirrels, birds and snakes.  The Creator has given it instincts to make rooms in its burrow for storing food for cold winter days.

The long-tailed is the largest of all, measuring up to 18 inches long, plus a black-tipped tail another nine inches long.  Even so, the males weigh only about a pound and the females even less.  This one makes its home throughout North America, except for hot desert areas.  The long-tailed hunts day and night for its food and is a great climber, often chasing its prey out to the end of a tree branch.  It is the fiercest of the three and will even attack a dog or a man if cornered.

Bold hunters themselves, all weasels have numerous enemies, including hawks, owls, foxes, wildcats and coyotes.  But with their thin bodies and speed, they usually escape by diving into a nearby burrow, a narrow crevice, or under a pile of brush.

All these animals are unaware of God’s care, and He does not hold them accountable.  However, every human has been given an intellect and a conscience, and God has given us the Bible for a guide.  We are told: “Let them . . . commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19).  This means we should not only trust our earthly lives to Him, but also, most importantly, accept Him as our Saviour to have eternal life safe in Him.

Have you done this?

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 396 (April 1, 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

Weasels Are Cute but Have Bad Tempers

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.  Hebrews 4:13

As springtime comes to North America, thousands of baby weasels are born in underground dens, hollow logs and other hideaways.  Each nest will have from three to ten or more young ones, so tiny that two dozen together would scarcely weigh a pound.

The Creator has arranged their birth in early spring so they can learn to care for themselves during the warm days that follow.  Before they can be independent, they need the care of both parents since it will be about  a month before their eyes open.  During this time, the mother stays close by and nurses them.  Then for another month, both parents bring solid food and begin taking them outside to teach them how to survive.  When they are about four months old, the little weasels are on their own.

There are many varieties of weasels throughout the world, inhabiting forests, meadows and grasslands.  All have beautiful fur, but underneath that fur is a fierce nature, making them a threat to small rodents and birds.  Actually they are a part of a family that includes badgers, otters, ferrets, minks and skunks.

Weasels are always on the go and full of curiosity, bounding over the ground with snarls, hisses and fearsome noises as they search for prey.  Often they squeeze into burrows when their noses tell them there’s a meal down there.  Although they are small enough to hold in a man’s hand they are not afraid of larger creatures, some going after marmots, woodchucks and even rabbits—all much larger than themselves.  One of their worse offences is breaking into chicken coops and killing chickens, which, of course, makes them unpopular with many farmers.

But in spite of these practices, they are a delightful example of God’s creation with their pretty colouring, bright eyes, large ears and black noses.  Because of the quality of their fur, people hunt them, especially in the winter when their fur is thick and luxurious.  Most of them change colour in the different seasons, from a beautiful brown in summer to pure white in winter—a provision of the Creator to camouflage them from their enemies.

Our opening verse reminds us that God is always aware of all His creatures.  We may be sure that if weasels could, they would thank Him for such wonderful care.  But God did not make us like weasels—we can read God’s Word, the Bible, and know His special care over us.  Everyone is happy who can agree with the words of Psalm 33:21: “Our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.”    

Is that trust and happiness yours?

Love you all - Grandpa              

Jewel # 395 (March 21, 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 Seldom-Seen Desman

The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  
Psalm 111:2

In remote mountain streams of Spain and France, there is a mysterious little animal whose body is not longer that a man’s hand, and its rope-like tail is the same length.  The desman lives a very secretive life and is rarely seen by anyone.  It is well hidden—not only living in places that are difficult to reach, but also because it sleeps during the day, hidden in a rocky nest beside a stream.  It spends the dark hours of night underwater in the fast-flowing stream.

This strange creature resembles a mole.  It has thick, yellowish-gray fur which, when wet, stands out in long, arrow-like pointers.  The skin, where exposed, is rough and looks like rows of small dark, round beads pressed lightly together.  Its long snout, brown on the end, has two large rubbery nostrils.  Each foot has leathery soles with five long, white claws.  The claws are used to pull itself along the creek bottom, as well as for loosening rocks under which it usually finds food. 

The desman has eyes but does not seem to use them for finding its way around or in hunting food.  Instead, it relies on a sensitive nose to smell out its underwater food of water bugs, worms and other insects and their larvae.  Its nose seems to be its greatest helper, not only in finding food, but since it is so sensitive, it warns of rocks and other obstacles in the dark waters.  This animal can stay underwater for a long time, occasionally poking that useful nose though the surface for a breath of air.

Its life pattern of hunting underwater at night includes the ability to hide on a dark rock when threatened.  When really frightened, it darts through the water so fast that it is almost impossible to get a good look at it even if a strong light is used.

The desman and its mate hunt for their food in only a small area of the mountain stream close to their daytime home.  They are most active in winter, eating as much as possible to keep warm.  Their bodies develop rather fat stomachs through the winter months.  It is not likely that any of us will ever see a desman, but there is One, the Creator of all living things, who is watching over each and every one of them.  He gave them these amazing instincts and the ability to live in such an unusual way.  A Bible verse tells us this: “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over al His works.  All thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord” (Psalm 145:9-10).  

Do you thank and praise Him for His love and tender mercies to you?

Love you all - Grandpa   

Jewel # 394 (March 12, 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

We All Know the Crow

“I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”  Psalm 50:11

It almost seems that a crow doesn’t know how to do anything quietly.  Instead, he seems to want everyone to know that he’s around.  Parrots can make a lot of noise, but crows are able to outdo them.  Crows’ raucous calls are heard in just about every part of the world, except New Zealand where they do not live.

Actually, crows are included among those birds that can be helpful.  Among other things, they have a never-ending appetite for insects and will also dispose of small roadkill.  They also eat young birds and eggs.  Farmers do not like crows because they pull up sprouting corn and eat it.  Farmers and gardeners try, without much success, to scare the crows away with scarecrows placed in their gardens.  The farmers are much happier to see them eating grasshoppers, locusts, caterpillars and other pests.  Scientists have estimated that a crow will eat 19 bushels of insects in a single season.

Crows are large, fearless birds, about 18 or 19 inches long.  They usually winter in the United States or farther south.  Those in the eastern part of North America are larger than those in the western part.

They build bulky nests in just about any kind of tree, usually quite high.  But some choose to build them down among the low bushes of a swamp or shore of a pond or lake.  Nests usually consist of twigs and bark, with a lining of grass, moss, or other soft material.  Four to six eggs are laid in the early summer and incubated for 18 days.   The baby crows are cared for by both parents and are taught how to collect food as soon as the can fly.  The training will take a month or so before they can venture out on their own.

Many a person, trying to take an afternoon nap or lying in bed in the early morning before time to get up, knows what nuisance a crow’s coarse “caw-caw” can be, especially if there are several calling back and forth at the same time.  But the calls can mean “look out” to their companions when danger is nearby.  They often encounter dreaded enemies such as hawks, owls, eagles, racoons and dogs.

If caught young, crows make good pets.  They are very intelligent birds and can be taught a number of tricks, as well as how to imitate sounds and talk as clearly as parrots do.

The Bible does not mention crows, but it speaks of ravens, which are closely related.  As the beginning Bible verse tells us, the Lord God, their Creator, knows every bird throughout the world and also cares for them.

Do you know Him as your Saviour as well as your Creator?

Love you all - Grandpa                

Jewel # 393 (March 6, 2020)

   

Praying Mantis                                                                      Bee 

     

Bobmyx Mori Moth                                                                                                                        Lace wing

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 Needs Insects

God . . . does great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number.   Job 5:8-9

Many people think insects are something to avoid and that the world would be better without them.  But they are an important part of God’s creation and do have a useful and necessary role in the world.  A study of some of their ways will reveal how the Creator has especially provided for them to be beneficial to people in many parts of the world.

Many desert insects are rarely seen, because they search for food only at night.  But in their search they often accomplish useful things.  For instance, in some of the dry desert areas, insects are the principle means of pollinating plants and trees.  Joshua trees and yucca plants, both with such pretty flowers, are two examples of some that would have died out long ago if their pollen were not transferred from one tree or plant to another by these insects.  This is true in many cultivated gardens and orchards as well.

Some insects are also a source of food for birds, toads, lizards, bats and even other insects.  An example is a long-legged insect that stands upright on its hind feet, with front legs folded against its body.  It is called a praying mantis because it looks like it is praying.  These unusual creatures feed on a wide variety of insects, without doing any harm themselves, and are effective pest controllers, valued by many farmers. 

Other examples of helpful insects include bees—the source of honey and and wax.  Silkworms, too, provide the silk threads to be sewn into pretty blouses or dresses.  Silkworms are the larval stage of the bombyx mori moth .

Another insect that is a favourite with crop growers, that is protected by many of them, is the frail lacewing.  A pretty little thing with four transparent wings, it is valued by farmers who are pestered with aphids that get onto their plants and do much damage.  Lacewings lay their eggs in places where aphids are active.  When the larvae hatch, great numbers of aphids are a handy source of food for them.  Because of this, wise farmers never intentionally kill any lacewings.

These are only a few of the interesting ways in which a wise Creator has given instincts to helpful little creatures.  Those named here are a very small part of the vast number which are examples of His wondrous ways.

Although Adam’s sin brought troubled times into the world, yet God in His kindness has provided many reliefs from those troubles.  The helpful little insects are one reminder of His marvellous ways mentioned in our opening Bible verse.

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 392 (February 29, 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 Mighty Elephant

Behold now a mighty animal, which I made.  . . . He eats grass as an ox.  . . . His bones are like bars of iron.  . . .

The shady trees cover him.  . . . He drinks up a river.  . . .  His nose pierces through snares.

Job 40:15-24

Except for whales, African elephants are the largest creatures on earth.  They may weigh five or six tons. (10,000 - 12,00 pounds).

When a baby elephant is born, the excited herd groups around the mother to protect her, and one of the females becomes an “auntie” to help with the baby.  The 250-pound baby cannot walk immediately after it is born.  It has to be helped to its feet over and over again, until it can stand alone.  It grows to full size in about 20 years and may live to be 60 years old or more.

The elephant is a friendly and curious animal.  It eats leaves, grass, roots, water plants, and other vegetation.  Sometimes it will shake a fruit tree and eat the fruit that falls to the ground.  Each day an adult eats  at least 400 pounds of food and drinks 50 gallons of water.  The Lord God placed them where there is plenty of food for them to eat.

The elephant’s ivory tusks are often several feet long and may weigh 200 pounds or more.  God compensated for the weight of the tusks by lightening the head bones with numerous air pockets.  The tusks can push heavy objects out of the way, dig for roots and even become weapons when the elephant is angry.

An elephant’s trunk is an amazing structure.  It has 2500 muscles and is actually a stretched-out nose and lip.  With it the elephant can pluck a single blade of grass, uproot a large tree and pick up water, dust or mud to spray on itself when it is hot or bothered by insects.  The trunk is also used as a trumpet to call its companions.  When needed, it becomes a weapon and sometime is used for spanking a baby.

When the elephant is angry, its ears stand out threateningly, but the Creator has also given them a more practical use.  Perspiring like most other animals does not cool an elephant.  Instead, it cools itself by waving these big ears back and forth.  An entire herding doing this is an impressive sight.

Th elephant not only follows its God-given instincts, but it is also very intelligent.  However, no matter how smart these and other creatures are, it is only man to whom God has given a never dying soul:  "Man’s spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).  A person will either go to heaven or hell, depending on what that person’s decision is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible tells us, “He the believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that beliveth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

 

WHICH GROUP ARE YOU IN?  

Love you all - Grandpa