Jewel # 246 (April 17, 2016)

“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 Vicious Wolverine

(Part 2)

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.

Remember his marvellous works that He hath done.”

(1 Chronicles 16:11-12)

When hunting, a wolverine is not fast but determined.  If it cannot overtake its prey quickly, it may follow it day after day, until the pursed animal is exhausted and finally caught.  Besides animals and birds, a wolverine eats birds’ eggs, wild fruit and honey.  Ripping beehives open, it is not concerned with the bees because its long, shaggy hair protects it from stings.

While not challenging people openly, the wolverine seems to delight in stealing bait from traps and devouring animals caught in them.  After cleaning out one trap, it usually proceeds along the trap line and tears to shreds other captured animals, making their fur worthless.

The wolverine is usually a night hunter, but if out in daylight, it hides quickly when a human is near.  In the absence of humans, it will break into a cabin, tearing bars off doors, ripping shingles or sheet metal from roofs, pulling screens off and smashing windows—anything to get inside.  Once inside, the damage continues as it eats available food and destroys what it cannot eat.  A mischievous raccoon will occasionally do this too, but the wolverine is worse—smashing lamps, pulling shelves down, tearing clothes apart and ruining other things by spraying its bad-smelling musk.  Hasn’t sin made it an awful creature?

Each year in May or June, two or three young cubs are born in a well-hidden, underground den.  They are blind at birth and weigh less than a pound.  They are carefully protected by the mother who nurses them for several weeks and then teaches them hunting skills.  While growing up, their  playfulness quickly shows their true nature, for they are rough with each other during mock battles.  After a year or more with the mother, they are able to capture game and soon are on their own.

The wolverine is a ruthless destroyer and remind us of the world’s greatest enemy, Satan.  He also is a destroyer, and his object is to capture the hearts of people tempted by him, leading them into a godless and hopeless life.  But strength to resist Satan is given in these Bible verses:  “What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32).

How good it is, as our beginning verse states, to turn to the Lord Jesus as the One to save us from Satan’s power, cleanse away our sins, and who alone can give strength to resist the attacks of that evil one.  

If you have not yet done this, turn to Him as your Saviour today.  

Love you all,

Grandpa

Jewel # 245 (April 16, 2016)

“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 Vicious Wolverine

(Part 1)

“Every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the 

fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”

(Psalm 50:10-11)

The mean-tempered wolverine lives in the northern woods of Asia, Europe and North America.  It makes its den in a cave, under a fallen tree or under an overhanging rock.  The den is lined with leaves, grass and moss.

The wolverine is related to badgers, skunks and otters and looks something like a small bear.  It is about 30 inches long, weighs from 30 to 50 pounds, and has dark, shaggy hair with white markings.

Its broad, round head is armed with a vicious set of tough, razor-sharp teeth.  It also has been provided with a heavy build and short, powerful legs.  Its four-inch paws have spike-like claws, and in winter, its paws are thickly covered with hair, which act like snowshoes to help it travel over snow.

The wolverine is the scourge of the woods and is considered the most destructive animal.  Unusually strong, it is feared by all animals and even avoided by those larger than itself.  A meat eater, it will devour almost anything alive or dead and finds much of its food by digging foxes, rabbits and marmots out of their burrows.  If these are not available in winter, it looks for deer or elk that are weakened and slowed down by deep snow.  Its strong jaws can crush the leg bones of a deer, making it defenceless and easy to kill.  A wolverine can drag a dead animal that weighs more than double its own weight for several miles.  It is one of the most powerful animals for is size in the world and seems to kill for the love of killing, destroying more animals that it can eat.

The fighter will even challenge a cougar, wolf or bear that is feasting on captured food.  If hungry, the wolverine will go right up to these larger and more powerful animals, growl and snarl at them, displaying its sharp teeth and claws.  Most of these larger animals could defeat the wolverine if a fight resulted, but to avoid a bad time, they will usually leave the food to this fiery challenger.  If a fight does result, the wolverine does not retreat and, as a result, will most likely be killed.

The bad-tempered beast reminds us of the warning given int the Bible: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  It is only by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping close to His care that we can overcome Satan, the evil one. 

(To be continued)

Love you all,

Grandpa   

Jewel # 244 (April 2, 2016)

Joshua diving for shells in the Bahamas ————————————————————

"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 Lovely Snail — the Conch

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight.”

(Hebrews 4:13)

Perhaps the most beautiful of all sea snail shells is one that is not usually thought of as belonging to a snail; it is the queen conch.  You may have one of these prized, heavy shells in your home.  It is spiral shaped and beautifully coloured in creamy pink with rose and tan.  The large end of the shell is worth examining.  It has large, star-shaped spikes spiralling with gradually smaller ones until it ends in a point.   The fan-like lip of the shell is lovely with its pretty colours.  No one but the Lord God, the Creator of all, could design such a beautiful home for such a lowly creature.

Conches live in the world’s shallow seas where they eat plants and grasses that grow in shallow water and algae that grow on rocks.  They lie flat on the ocean floor, withdrawn into their shells except when travelling or eating.  A conch’s meaty body can move in and out of the shell but remains attached to it.  Two, long, antenna-like stalks emerge first, and each of these has an eye on its tip.  Its mouth is underneath these two stalks.  It uses a claw on its body to move about on the sea bottom.  Its shell is made from calcium carbonate which is secreted from a part of the conch’s body.

The queen conch lays many eggs in long strings.  About a week later, the young veligers hatch and are already equipped with miniature shells.  They swim in the ocean for about three weeks before settling to the bottom to develop mature bodies.  Most will grow to be about a foot long and weigh about five pounds.

An interesting feature of the conch’s life is its friendship with the little conch fish that swims right into the conch’s shell in the daylight and then leaves at night.  Another visitor is a small crab that clings to the conch’s lip and remains there, gathering food that floats by.

The Bible tells us, “Thou the Lord hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).  We can understand His pleasure in these creatures and the beautiful homes He has given them.  But did you know that He has taken pleasure in creating you?  He tells us this in Proverbs 8:31: “My delights were with the sons [and daughters] of men.” 

His pleasure in creating us does not end there.  It is also His desire that we find our delight in Him, the One who is so loving to us that He died to save us from our sins.  

Have you answered this wonderful invitation of God?  

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him” (Psalm 37:4-5).    

Love you all,

Grandpa

Jewel # 243 (March 20, 2016)

“And they shall be mine, saith the Lordof hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

An Unusual Nest Builder

"Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”

(Luke 9:58)

An unusual bird found in Africa and in Europe is the Cape Penduline tit.  It is about the size of a sparrow, but with a much longer tail.  It is not a colourful bird, but it has a few scarlet and yellow feathers by which it can be identified.

These little acrobats hang upside down on swinging leaves and swaying branches when looking for insects, seeds and berries.  They travel in groups of 10 to 20, constantly calling back and forth with low, pretty whistles.

An outstanding feature of this bird is its elongated nest, a bag-like, waterproof nest suspended from a branch.  The male usually starts to build the nest, weaving hoops of grass and fibres to form its basic shape.  Soon his mate joins him, and sometimes others come to help.  After the framework is completed, the bottom, walls and top are finished.  Finally, soft, fluffy materials and feathers are woven in for a soft, comfortable lining.

The entrance to this nest is most interesting.  Two-thirds of the way up the side, a large opening is made on one side.  It looks like an entrance, but it actually leads into an empty chamber, walled off all by itself.  However, it serves a purpose.

When the parent bird returns with food, it flies directly into this empty chamber, settles to the bottom, then cautiously looks out to make sure no enemy is around.  Satisfied that it is safe, it reaches up with its beak, tugs gently on a concealed section, and another opening appears into which it enters.  This is the true entrance that leads down to where the baby birds are housed.  The trap door closes by itself after the parent bird enters.  A clever use of spider webs and silk from caterpillar nests makes a flexible hinge on this trap door, keeping it shut when not in use.  When leaving the nest, the bird goes through the same routine, hopping into the big opening before flying off.

When the baby birds grown up, they will also make identical nests and without having any lessons.  How have they learned this?  You may already know the answer — the Lord God provided these abilities and instincts when He created them.  And these are passed on from one generation to another.  No lessons are necessary!

Hebrews 4:13 tells us that God watches over them at all times: “Neither is there any creature that is not visible in His sight.”  And since you are one of His special creatures, He is watching you and knows everything you do and think.  How good to make the prayer of David your prayer also:

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in 

Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.” 

(Psalm 19:14).  

Love you all,

Grandpa

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Jewel # 242 (March 11, 2016)

“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 Pretty Plovers

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed . . .  every fowl of the air."

(Genesis 2:19)

There are many varieties of compact, ground birds know as plovers.  Many are shore birds, darting among the waves as they search for food churned up by the water.  They pick out pieces of oysters, clams and other bits of sea life. 

Plovers are found around the world.  Nine species spend all or part of the year in North America.  The most common is the killdeer, quickly identified by its loud, piercing “kill-dee, kill-dee” call as it flies.  It can be found in all of the states and in almost every province of Canada.

One feature of God’s remarkable care over plovers is the way He protects their eggs and young.  Their nests are scooped out of the sand or gravel and usually hold four eggs.  These eggs are spotted and so perfectly camouflaged that they are hard to distinguish from the pebbles around them.  

When the birds hatch, they are speckled with black and will “freeze” at the mother bird’s command, making them well hidden.  The parents are careful never to fly directly to or away from the nest.  Instead, they first walk away so anything watching cannot easily tell where the nest is.

Let’s take a closer look at the remarkable lesser golden plovers.  They nest in northern Canada and Alaska  from spring until fall.  In August or September, they fly in great numbers to Labrador.  From there they fly nonstop in V formation over 4000 miles to Brazil by way of Bermuda and the Caribbean Sea.  In March, they return across the Gulf of Mexico and up up the Mississippi Valley, back to their northern breeding grounds.

The Pacific golden plover is a foot-long bird with an even more amazing life.  Nesting in northern Alaska and Siberia, it flies to Hawaii in the fall, and then on to Malaysia, New Zealand and other Pacific islands.

The beginning of this journey to Hawaii requires a nonstop flight of over 2000 miles!  The adult birds take off first, leaving the young ones to follow later.  Doesn’t it seem impossible for these young birds to do this since they have never made the journey before, and Hawaii is just a pinpoint in the middle of the ocean?  

How do they low where to go and how to get there?  Once more, the answer is that God has given them instincts that never fail, generation after generation.  He tells them when to migrate and sends them safely to their destination.

These birds obey the will of the Lord, their Creator, and are an example of how we should also obey Him.  His Word, the Bible, has instructions for us at every age of our lives.  If we walk in His way, He will always bless us. 

I love you all,

Grandpa

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Jewel # 241 (February 21, 2016)

"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,

Lions of the Sea

“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. . . . 

Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof.” 

(1 Chronicles 16:31-32)

A visitor approaching San Miguel Island, 50 miles off the coast of California, might wonder at the noise he hears even when a mile away.  He would soon discover the source—a colony of California sea lions, part of the 35,000 sea lions that make the Channel Islands National Park their summer home.  Large bulls, six to seven feet long and weighing 650 pounds or more, roar during their waking hours to warn rival males to stay away.  Cows join in the noise but with a softer bark.  Even the pups add their bleating to the deafening noise.  It is no place for a seaside picnic.

There are about 90,000 sea lions in the pacific Ocean; most live along the California coast, but many also live on the coast of Japan.  These sea mammals have streamlined bodies with smooth, round heads and can swim up to 15 miles per hour.  The Creator gave them brown, warm fur to insulate them from cold and heat.  Their bodies also have thick blubber for two reasons—as added insulation against the cold and as an energy source when food is not available.

In some ways sea lions are similar to walruses, but they don’t have the walruses tusks and tough whiskers.  They share the same food preferences of shrimp, shellfish, squid and many kinds of fish.  They are excellent swimmers and divers and can stay under water for 30 minutes.  In this, too, the Lord God provided for them by giving them ears and nostrils which automatically close when submerged.

Fights between the bulls are frequent as they compete to get and protect territory on the beach.  These are frightful to witness as sharp teeth make bloody wounds.  However, their thick blubber usually protects them from serious injury.

Pups are born on land.  Immediately after birth, the mother and her single pup “talk” constantly to each other.  They become so well acquainted with each other’s voice that, in spite of all the bellowing and roaring noise, they can identify one another when they become separated.  Pups quickly take to the water where they love to play.  In captivity, they can be trained and quickly learn tricks.

Many sea lions living in obscure places are never seen by people, but there is One whose eye is always on them:  “He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heaven" (Job 28:24).  The Bible also tells us, “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men” (Psalm 11:4).  No matter how hidden you might be, the Lord’s eyes always see you.  

What does He see when His eyes rest on you?

I love you all,

Grandpa          

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Jewel # 240 (February 15, 2016)

“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 Adaptable Lizard

"These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping 

things . . . the chameleon, and the lizard.”

(Leviticus 11:29-30)

Although declared by God as “unclean” and not to be eaten by the Israelites in Old Testament times, the 3000 varieties of lizards are very much a part of God’s creation and care.  They are found nearly everywhere in the world except the Antarctic.  They usually live in warm, rocky places but sometimes are found in trees or in water.

The chameleon and most other lizards can actually change the colour of their leathery skin, even showing strips like a zebra or showing several colours like an autumn leaf.  They can also shed their entire tails when attacked.  The wriggling, separated section attracts the enemy’s attention while its owner escapes.  Soon a new tail grows back.  Every lizard has a long, sticky tongue for catching insects.

Each lizard has been especially designed by the Creator to fit into its surroundings.  Those on rocky cliffs have needle-sharp claws and hang onto rocks so tightly that if forced off, their claws remain behind.  They also have special scales under the tails to help them cling to steep surfaces.  Tree-climbing monitors and iguanas, which have special toes for climbing, also use monkey tricks, like climbing and swinging by grasping tree branches with their tails.

Those species that live in the desert are coloured like the sand or rocks and often change colour as they move about.  Burrowing species have wedge-shaped heads, and their ears and nostrils are protected from the sand by shields.  They have tough scales on their feet to help dig, and some even have shovel-shaped feet for this purpose.  Some of these “swim” through sand as fast as fish swim through water.

Flying lizards glide from tree to tree, having webs of skin like flying squirrels.  The flying dragon looks like a coloured leaf traveling throughout the air.  The gecko can shed its skin to escape an attacker and also makes long airborne leaps.

Many lizards make short runs at more than 15 miles an hour and sometimes run upright on their hind legs.   Several species easily adapt to civilization and often scamper over walls, ceilings and floors of houses.

The abilities of these little creatures are another example of the wonders of God’s creation.  However, not one of them is able to think about the Lord God who created it and cares for it “by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).

While the Lord God cares for all His creation, He has said only to man:  “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee (Jeremiah 31:3).  Have you responded to His loving-kindness by letting Him forgive your sins? 

All you have to do is come in faith and accept Him as your Saviour.

Love you all,

Grandpa

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