CROWN OF SPLENDOR!!!

‘Gray Hair’ photo by Reny Jose on Unsplash. Do you have gray hair or hairs? Rejoice! Your gray hair, according to a scripture found in Proverbs 16:31, is a Crown of Splendor!!! ‘Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.’  Have you ever heard that scripture?  I started getting grayContinue reading “CROWN OF SPLENDOR!!!”

FROGFISH!

‘Hairy Frogfish’ photo by Richard Zerpe CC BY-SA 2.0. Look at the photo above.  Can you see the frogfish eyes, its mouth, and recognize the lure lying in wait on its head?   This fish is a visual MESS!!!  But the mess serves it well!  This helps it hide in the coral reefs.  It can also change color to match theContinue reading “FROGFISH!”

BEAUTYBERRY BUSH!!!

 ‘Purple Beautyberry Bush’ photo by Derek Ramsey CC BY-SA 2.5.          Last spring, my wife bought a beautyberry bush.  (See photo above.)  We can see it out our dining room window!  The berries are ‘jewel like’ and grow in clusters all over the branches.They look delicious, but unfortunately, although they are edible, they have an astringent taste. (They willContinue reading “BEAUTYBERRY BUSH!!!”

THE CATTAIL!!!

‘Cattail’ photo by Chicago Camera Slinger on Unsplash.   I’ve always been fascinated by cattails!  How about you?  (See photo above).  You grab the soft brown seed head, which looks like a cat’s tail, squish it and out comes an average of 220,000 seeds in a cottony fluff!  Each seed is connected to a fine bristly hair that helps it flyContinue reading “THE CATTAIL!!!”

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS!!!

‘Sparkles’ photo by Nicky Pe on Pixaday. Sparkles on water, or ‘sun glitter’ as seen in the photo above, is the perfect metaphor for the scripture, ‘Love will cover a multitude of sins.’  1 Peter 4:8.  NKJV.  It is what we see from the shores of Lake Pretty Water, a mile from our home in Sapulpa, Oklahoma.  MyContinue reading “LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS!!!”

BRAZILIAN JEWEL!

‘Brazilian Jewel Tarantula’ photo complements of Fear Not Tarantulas. The Brazilian Jewel Tarantula is indeed a jewel!!  (See photo above).  It is the most colorful tarantula in the world with its iridescent colors.  You can see why it is also called ‘the candy shop spider.  You can own one for only $565!  Yes, people love tarantulas!  The website, ‘fearnottarantulas.com’, sells everythingContinue reading “BRAZILIAN JEWEL!”

INDESTRUCTIBLE!!!

 ‘Diabolical Ironclad Beetle’ photo by Jen CCO Via Wikimedia. Stand up straight and tall!  You are (by faith), indestructible!  There is a beetle that carries that message to you!  It is called, the ‘Diabolical Ironclad Beetle’!  ‘Diabolical because it is ‘wild, crazy and over-the-top!  It’s a ‘tiny tank on six legs’!  You can run over it with a car andContinue reading “INDESTRUCTIBLE!!!”

THE ELEGANT LILY-TROTTER!

  ‘Jacana Bird’ photo by Chris Eason CC BY 2.0. The African Jacana bird, (See photo above), is nicknamed, ‘The Elegant Lily-Trotter’ and the ‘Jesus Bird’ because it is indeed ‘elegant’ and spends most of its time walking on lily pads and floating plants which gives it the appearance of ‘walking on water’, just likeContinue reading “THE ELEGANT LILY-TROTTER!”

THE SECRETARY!

  ‘Secretary Bird’ photo by Diego Delso CC BY-SA 4.0.         Who ever heard of a bird called a ‘secretary’?  Don’t blame the bird!  The Europeans who first saw this bird in the 1800’s thought it looked like the attire of male secretaries of their time.  They typically wore gray tailcoats and dark knee lengthContinue reading “THE SECRETARY!”

THE MATADOR!

‘Matador Bug’ photo by Dirk van der Made CC BY-SA 3.0. Matador Bug is nicknamed, ‘Fancy Pants’!!!!  (Look at the photo above.)It has bright red, flag-like shapes on its hind feet!  I think it’s proud of them!  If you approach this fascinating bug, it will lift both hind legs and twirl them around to create a flag wavingContinue reading “THE MATADOR!”

BEAUTIFUL & BIZARRE!

‘Tree Hopper’ photo by Sam J. England CC BY 3.0. The ‘Treehopper’ species (See photo above), is called both ‘beautiful and bizarre’. There are 3,000 known species of this bug and some are beautiful. It is estimated that there are 10,000 more species yet unidentified! Each species is unique! Some are very beautiful and some,Continue reading “BEAUTIFUL & BIZARRE!”

CIRCLE THE WAGONS!

  Musk Ox photo by Frida Lanniers on Unsplash. ‘But ask the animals, and they will teach you.’  Job 12:7.So will the Musk Ox.  They’ve been in existence since the last Ice Age!Their message has always been the same, ‘let me show you how to defend yourself.’Gather everyone in a circle facing outward like weContinue reading “CIRCLE THE WAGONS!”

YOUR FRIEND!

‘Atlantic Horseshoe Crab’ photo by Caldari,  CCO, via Wikimedia Commons. You’ve got a friend in meYou’ve got a friend in meWhen the road looks rough aheadAnd you’re miles and miles from your nice warm bedYou just remember what your old pal saidBoy, you’ve got a friend in meYeah, you’ve got a friend in meTheme songContinue reading “YOUR FRIEND!”

THE PELICAN!

‘Pelican’ photo by Rui Omelas CC Attribution, 2.0. Did you know that pelicans are tithers!  They give away at least 10% of their catch of fish to ‘kleptoparasites’, seabirds like the seagull and tern that steal food from other birds!  These birds are known to sit on the pelican’s back and wait for escaping fishContinue reading “THE PELICAN!”

HENOSIS! (Geek for unity).

My wife and I found a centipede in our bathroom today!  Hence this post!  We put it back outside where it belongs.  Watch out, they can bite you!  I let it crawl inside a used toilet paper tube to give it transportation to its home.  Centipedes and millipedes are ‘myriapods’ from the Greek word forContinue reading “HENOSIS! (Geek for unity).”

ROSE OF JERICHO!

Have you ever heard someone on T.V. or in the movies ask, “What happens after we die?”. The answer they typically receive is, “I don’t know!”  It makes me chuckle, in a sad way because the answer to their question is everywhere around them.  It’s RESURRECTION!Remember one of the scriptures that forms the foundation forContinue reading “ROSE OF JERICHO!”

DEVOTION WITH A CAPITAL ‘D’!

  ‘Hornbill Bird’ photo by Lip Kee Yap Singapore CC SA 2.0. God is GOOD!  He has provided us with an abundance of metaphors about how we should live! The Hornbill bird pictured above is another metaphor that shows us what true devotion (with a capital D) looks like!  The male’s devotion to its mate isContinue reading “DEVOTION WITH A CAPITAL ‘D’!”

AMBER, GOD’S SUPRISE!!!

‘Amber’ photo by  Oxfordian Kissuth CC BY-SA 3.0Have you ever heard of amber?  I hadn’t.  (See photo above).  Isn’t it beautiful?Amber is fossilized resin from ancient trees that are 25 to 130 million years old!!!The largest deposits of amber are found in the Baltic Region, countries surrounding the Baltic Sea.  They estimate that over 150Continue reading “AMBER, GOD’S SUPRISE!!!”

EXTRAORDINARY ARMOR!

Chong Chen, Katsuyuki Uematsu, Katrin Linse & Julia D. Sigwart, CC BY 4.0 There is a rare, extraordinary snail deep in the ocean that is an example for us all!!!It is called the ‘Scaly-Foot Snail, or Volcano Snail. (See photo above).  It lives (and thrives) in deep-sea hydrothermal vents where the water temperature can reach 750Continue reading “EXTRAORDINARY ARMOR!”

MIRACLE EYE!

Do you realize that your eyes have over two million working parts? That your eye contains around 107 million light sensitive cells?That it contains 7 million cones which help you see color and detail?That is contains 100 million rods which help you see better in the dark?Each eye is connected to the brain by more thanContinue reading “MIRACLE EYE!”

LET GO AND LET GOD!

‘Butterfly Cocoon’ photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash.                                             Don’t you hate it when you try to do something good and it backfires!  We are only human!  Thank God we serve a God who doesn’t make mistakes, whose good intentions don’t backfire.Are you one of those people who saw a butterfly trying desperately to release itselfContinue reading “LET GO AND LET GOD!”

ARBOREAL PEACE!

   ‘Gibbon Monkey photo by Charles J. Sharp CC BY-SA 4.0. Did you know that there are animals and critters that live their entire lives in the canopy of trees? They are called arboreal animals!  Each has special adaptations for tree-top-living.  Some, like the gibbon monkey, (See photo above), have extra-long arms that allow them toContinue reading “ARBOREAL PEACE!”

AMARYLLIS BELLADONNA!

Happy and blessed Easter! Our Savior has risen!!! Enjoy a re-post of one of my favorite posts!   Photo by MRB The Amaryllis Belladonna pictured above, is a perfect, God given metaphor of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!!! Here is a plant that grows a giant cluster of leaves in the early spring. Continue reading “AMARYLLIS BELLADONNA!”

STUMP STABBER!

‘Giant Ichneumon Wasp’ photo by Frank Vassen CC BY 2.0. The Giant Ichneumon Wasp (See photo above), also called, ‘The Stump Stabber’ is as one website proclaimed, ‘A MOST SPECTACULAR WASP!’  One of the ‘wonders’ God has preformed that ‘cannot be fathomed!’  Quoted from Job 5:9.‘The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; whereContinue reading “STUMP STABBER!”

CALIFORNIA QUAIL!

 ‘California Quail’ on a fence.  CC attribute share alike 3.0.                  Can’t you just visualize God using a paint brush to paint the feathers on this beautiful bird?  It is the California Quail, the state bird of CA.  (See photo above).  You can see the strokes of the brush on its sides and neck!  Then,Continue reading “CALIFORNIA QUAIL!”

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

  ‘Scarlet Ibis’ photo by form PxHere. Can the Scarlet Ibis shown in the photo above prove to you that, ‘You are what you eat?’ABSOLUTELY!  It carries a significant message that has become a warning sign to America! The Ibis is the most vibrant red bird in the world!  Its brilliant red color comes from carotene,Continue reading “YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!”

CRYSTAL BLUE WATER!

 ‘Crater Lake Oregon’ photo by Elvis Spaddy on Unsplash.   Isn’t it true that you greatly prefer to look at and swim in beautiful, crystal-clear blue water?  It seems to be a universal preference that’s interesting to think about!  Look at the photo above of Crater Lake in Oregon.  This lake is a ‘Geological Wonder’!  Its’Continue reading “CRYSTAL BLUE WATER!”

BLESSING!!!

  ‘Kiss Your Pet’ photo from PxHere.                               Isn’t God astounding.  He cares for even the smallest, seemingly insignificant things, even your family dog!  (See photo above).  ‘His eye is on the sparrow’, the words of the famous hymn come from Matthew 6:25-26.  Jesus said, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,Continue reading “BLESSING!!!”

BURNING BUSH GRASS!

‘Burning Bush’ photo by Tanaka Juuyoh PxHere. They thought it was pretty, thought it would be outstanding in their landscape, so they brought it to America from Asia.  Well, Kochia, or Burning Bush Grass is beautiful in the fall.  It turns bright red.  (See photo below).  The problem is, IT IS HIGHLY INVASIVE, producing upContinue reading “BURNING BUSH GRASS!”

SNOW!!! (It’s Snowing in Tulsa)!

‘Snow’ photo by MrB. A Flake and a Smile ‘Snow’, exclaimed the old ladyWith a dried apple faceAnd no teeth A part of usNever grows old It peeks throughThe wrinkled veil A glimpse of whoWe really are.  MRB                                      An old woman got out of her car in the Reasor’s grocery store parking lot, held outContinue reading “SNOW!!! (It’s Snowing in Tulsa)!”

IT’S A RAINBOW!!!

‘Panther Chameleon’ photo from PxHere. I had to include this stupendous Panther Chameleon in my blog, also rightly called a Rainbow Chameleon for its vibrant colors!  (See photo above.). This amazing critter can change its colors in response to its mood, temperature, stress or environment.  They can be vibrant blue, red, green, or orange.  YouContinue reading “IT’S A RAINBOW!!!”

IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!

Our Christmas cactus is exploding like fireworks with blooms in celebration of the season.  Photo by my wife, Kris!  I can almost hear it singing and shouting, ‘O holy night!  The stars are brightly shining.  Oh night divine!  Let all within us praise His holy name!  It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!!!!!!’Continue reading “IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!”

MARBLE BERRY!

 ‘Marble Berry’ photo by Tim Harris CC BY 4.0. Have you ever seen such a beautiful, shiny berry?  (See photo above).  Actually, the marble berry, found in the forested regions of Africa, is ‘the brightest natural object in the world’!  (My Modern Net).  Its iridescent blue color is created from spirally stacked cellulose microfibers inContinue reading “MARBLE BERRY!”

SWEET SAVOR!

‘Gardenia Bush’ photo by David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0. You smell good!!!             IF! If you are a Christian!  ‘For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish.’  2 Corinthians 2:15. KJV. Definition: Savor: to enjoy or appreciate something pleasant completely!And we thought GardeniasContinue reading “SWEET SAVOR!”

GIVE THANKS!

                                   Photo Montage created by my son Nick! God has given us life, a body to live in…with the ability to experience love, joy, peace, goodness, faith…hearing, sight, touch, smell, taste. The ability to speak, feel and remember. The ability to give and receive the love of friends and family, of dogs, cats, parakeets, parrots.Continue reading “GIVE THANKS!”

CONNUBILITY?

  ‘Shellies’ photo by Richard Andre Ingebrigsren CC BY-SA 3.0. Definition:  relating to marriage or the relationship of a married couple.  And who is the most entertaining fish in your aquarium?  The ‘SHELLIES’!  You’d think it would be the beautifully colored fish normally associated with an aquarium.  But no, it’s the ‘SHELL DWELLERS’ or ‘SHELLIES’ as they are nicknamed. (See photo above)  TheContinue reading “CONNUBILITY?”

PANGOLIN FACINATION!!!

‘Pangolin’ photo by John Singh A.J.T. WWF India and CC BY-SA 4.0.                               (See photo above!)  I’d never seen anything like this prehistoric critter!It has a lot of tricks up its sleeve!  It has muscles that can turn each scale separately, pointing the sharp edge of the scale toward a would-be predator.  It can rollContinue reading “PANGOLIN FACINATION!!!”

EXTRAORDINARY!!!

‘California Grunion’ photo by Eric Whitman CC By 2.0. A fish out of water?  And that’s not all!  The female California Grunion (See photo above) launches herself out of the water and onto the sand at a very specific time to spawn.  How does she know what time it is?  Scientists only speculate.  But sheContinue reading “EXTRAORDINARY!!!”

The Sting of Death!

Did you ever wonder why the leaves of trees turn such beautiful colors in the Fall? Photo by Ricardo Gomez on Unsplash. The leaves are experiencing death and it’s beautiful.The tree itself lives to see another day. So it is with us!  Our outer self, our physical body will die, but our spirit will liveContinue reading “The Sting of Death!”

THE ARTICHOKE YOU!!!

  ‘Artichoke’ photo from PxHere Do you love artichokes like I do?  (See photo above).  You boil or steam them and peel the layers, dipping them in melted butter or mayonnaise and scraping the meat off the leaf with your teeth.   Layer after layer, it just keeps getting better.  Finally, you reach the center, the heartContinue reading “THE ARTICHOKE YOU!!!”

GENET JACKSON!!!

    ‘Large Spotted Genet’ photo by Fayika Asalkaih on CC SA 2.0.                  Ever heard of a Genet?  It is a cat-like animal found in Africa, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Western Arabia.  (See photo above).   They weigh 4-5 pounds and are 16-24 inches in length, are nocturnal and have big eyes and big ears to helpContinue reading “GENET JACKSON!!!”

POPPING PLANT!

‘Popping Cress’ photo by GT1976-own work CC BY-SA 4.0 We had a weed in our yard in Seattle that was nothing short of exasperating!  (From the Latin word exasperate- ‘irritated to anger’).  New Oxford American Dictionary.  You got that right. This weed, called a Popping Cress jettisons its seeds when you touch it!  It hasContinue reading “POPPING PLANT!”

BOMBARDIER BEETLE!!!

    ‘Bombardier Beetle’ photo by xpda, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0. The proof of the existence of God is in its rear end???  The Bombardier Beetle is found worldwide with the exception of Antarctica.  Its habitat includes moist woodlands, grasslands and leaf litter.  (Have any of that in your backyard?)  Then chances are they’ve moved in.  If you find one orContinue reading “BOMBARDIER BEETLE!!!”

GOD THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST!!!

 ‘Parrotfish’ photo by Richard Zerpe, Wikimedia Commons,  CC BY 2.0. Have you ever looked at God’s creation and wondered if He was an ‘Abstract Expressionist?’The Parrotfish (See photo above) certainly makes me wonder!!  Abstract expressionism ‘aims at subjective emotional expression with particular emphasis on the creative spontaneous act.’  (New Oxford Dictionary).  His fish and tropical bird ‘painting’ certainly looksContinue reading “GOD THE ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST!!!”

ARKANSAS RIVER SURPRISE!!!

 ‘American Paddlefish’ photo by U.S. Geological Survey.  Do you have any idea what is lurking below the surface of the Arkansas River??? I certainly didn’t until my neighbor knocked on my door and said he had something to show me and my boys.  When we saw what was in the bed of his pick-up truck, weContinue reading “ARKANSAS RIVER SURPRISE!!!”

FLYING FISH??

    ‘Flying Fish’ photo by John Cobb on Unsplash. Sort of!  I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join the Merchant Marine in the 70’s.We were sailing in the South China Sea when, much to my surprise, I saw fish flying through the air around the ship.  I couldn’t believe my eyes!  Actually, they were gliding in theContinue reading “FLYING FISH??”

DIAMONDS!!!!!

  ‘The Hope Diamond’ photo by Jyothis at Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0. ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.’  Actually, the message they contain is a far better friend!Diamonds are extremely rare!  And extremely beautiful.  You can blame the People of India for first discovering and mining diamonds 6000 years ago! Diamonds are formed deep in the earth from carbon under intense heatContinue reading “DIAMONDS!!!!!”

SCHOOL’S OPEN!

  ‘School of Goldband Fusilier’ photo by Broken Inglory CC BY-SA 3.0. Well, at least it is underwater!  Have you ever seen a school of fish?  It is beautiful and mesmerizing to watch!  A school of fish is a group of fish of the same species that swim tightly together in the same direction, in a highly synchronized manner.  This processContinue reading “SCHOOL’S OPEN!”

GOLD!!!

‘Gold Bars’ photo from PxHere. Gold is extraterrestrial!!!!It is otherworldly!  It had its origins in outer space!  It was forged in supernova explosions and flung into outer space.  Fortunately for us, it found its way into the earth’s crust riding on meteorites!  Of course it took millions of years to accumulate deposits on the earth.  According to one website, 99%Continue reading “GOLD!!!”

MEERKAT!

  ‘Meerkat’ photo by Dusan Veverkolog on Unsplash.        Are you over 18 and still live at home with your parents?  Don’t feel bad!  According to Pew Research Center, 18% of adults ages 25 to 34 were living in a parent’s home in 2023. And there are plenty of examples of animals and insects in the Book of Nature that live togetherContinue reading “MEERKAT!”

WOMBAT!!!

                                       ‘Wombat’ photo by Charles J. Sharp.  CC BY-SA 4.0. What animal excretes cubed poop, defends itself with its butt, has a rear facing pouch, never has to go to the dentist and can run as fast as you can?   You guessed it!  The Wombat!!The wombat is native to Australia.  It weighs 60-80 pounds and lives in burrows.  It is anContinue reading “WOMBAT!!!”

MOSQUITO!

  ‘Mosquito on Flower’ photo by David Code on Unsplash.                         Don’t you just love mosquitos!  NOT!  Click on the link below and watch ‘The Birth of a Mosquito’ and you will never look at a mosquito in the same way again.  The clip is from a full-length movie entitled, ‘Microcosmos’ which I used to show my design class everyContinue reading “MOSQUITO!”

THE QUOKKA!!!

‘The Happiest Animal on Earth!’   ‘Quokka’ photo by Albert F. Vontz on Unsplash.  Did you know that according to the WWF Australia (World Wildlife Fund) there are 20,000 selfies with Quokka on Instagram?  (#quokkaspiration.)  Celebrities like Matt Damon travel all the way to Australia, just to get a selfie!  Why?  Because they wear a permanent smile and areContinue reading “THE QUOKKA!!!”

THE RED-LIPPED BAT FISH!

‘The Red – Lipped Bat Fish photo by Rein Ketelaals CC BY-SA 2.0. The Red – Lipped Bat Fish is one weird, amazing fish!  Look at those bright red lips!!  According to Ocean Conservancy, ‘scientists aren’t totally sure why they have their signature red mouth’!  They certainly got my attention and perhaps that is their purpose because withinContinue reading “THE RED-LIPPED BAT FISH!”

THE COCKROACH,

LOVERS OF DARKNESS!   ‘Cockroach’ photo by Erik Karits on Unsplash.   There are metaphors and then there are metaphors.  This is one that everyone who has seen cockroaches in action at one time or another is aware of, yet how many stop to think about it or understand it.  Cockroaches hate light! If someone has roaches inContinue reading “THE COCKROACH,”

FOR WOMEN ONLY!

                  ‘What a Pain’ photo by MRB. It’s called the ‘curse’ in England.  The derivation of the word ‘curse’ is probably from a misreading of the Genesis account regarding what God said to Eve in response to her disobedience in the Garden of Eden; To the woman he said, ‘I will make your pains in childbearing veryContinue reading “FOR WOMEN ONLY!”

WONDERFULLY MADE!!

  ‘Ruby Beach Washington’ by Landscapes in The West is Public Domain 1.0. Ocean waves crashing on the rocks are mesmerizing.  Relentless in their pursuit of the rocks.  Constant, like your own breathing or heartbeat.  I was blessed to grow up in Seattle with access to places like ‘Ruby Beach’ shown in the photo above.  It features ‘seaContinue reading “WONDERFULLY MADE!!”

FROG IN THE OVEN!

‘Burrowing Frog’ by Vivevans is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Frogs LOVE water!  Their life depends on it.  They must live near a swamp, pond, marsh or a damp place because they don’t drink water like we do, they absorb water through their skin, in an area called ‘the drinking patch’ on their belly and the undersideContinue reading “FROG IN THE OVEN!”

YON MOON!

Photo by Steven Walker on Unsplash                                                                                    The Irish actor, Collin Farrell said, “I’ve never seen a moon in the sky that, if it didn’t take my breath away, at least misplaced it for a moment.”The moon, what an inspired addition to the night sky!  But what would the moon be without the light reflected from theContinue reading “YON MOON!”

COVID

Shutterstock Image of the Coronavirus. The book of Job tells us to ask the beasts, etc. questions because they can teach us.  He didn’t, of course, mention the coronavirus because he couldn’t see it.  (No access to a microscope).  Oh, but it does exist doesn’t it.  It is our ‘invisible enemy.’  What can a virus teach us? Ask it andContinue reading “COVID”

KEEP MOVING!

‘Shark’ photo by Gerald Schombs on Upsplash. The OMINIOUS great white shark can weigh more than 5000 pounds!!! Did you know that it can never stop moving?  It is part of a species known as ‘obligate ram- ventilators’.  If it stops moving, water will not be forced into its gills, and it will die! What a lesson for us!  In the wordsContinue reading “KEEP MOVING!”

AMARYLLIS BELLADONNA!

Photo by MRB. The Amaryllis Belladonna pictured above, growing in my backyard is a perfect, God given metaphor of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!!! I decided to re-post Amaryllis Belladonna, one of my favorite and most meaningful devos on this Easter day of 2025. Enjoy and rejoice on this special day for HeContinue reading “AMARYLLIS BELLADONNA!”

SELF-ANOINTED!

Hedgehog’ photo by Ratapan Anantaw on Unsplash                                                                                                    Hedgehogs ‘self- anoint’!!!  These adorable, cute, loveable? little animals weigh 2-3 pounds and are only 7-9 inches long.  Their little bodies hold up to 6000 quills!  If disturbed or frightened, the hedgehog curls into a tight ball with the spines sticking out in all directions.  They have a muscle that runsContinue reading “SELF-ANOINTED!”

LOVE THOSE FLIES?

     ‘House Fly’ by vd-photography on Unsplash. Don’t you just love houseflies?  WRONG!!!  Buzzing around your head, getting on your food and (almost) wrecking your picnic.  And all the time you are thinking about where they came from.  My wife and I attended a country church for a time.  They invited us to a church potluck picnic at aContinue reading “LOVE THOSE FLIES?”

THE ROAD RUNNER!!!

 ‘Roadrunner’ photo from PxHere. A roadrunner bird ran across the road in front of my car the other day doing about 20 miles per hour. (It can actually run as fast as 25 MPH!)  It looked just like its cartoon character, ‘Roadrunner’ running away from the ‘Wiley Coyote’ on Looney Tunes!  (You can check out these crazyContinue reading “THE ROAD RUNNER!!!”

THE KILLDEER!

‘Killdeer Bird’ photo by Rhododendrites is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0  The beautiful Killdeer Bird pictured above named itself with its shrill, piercing call that sounds like kill-dee!It is our friend because it eats bugs, especially those nasty grasshoppers, but also because it is the perfect metaphor for the following scripture:‘Greater love has no oneContinue reading “THE KILLDEER!”

THOSE MAGNIFICENT REDWOODS!

‘Redwood Trees’ photo by Victoria Palicios on Unsplash The redwood tree is the tallest tree on earth.  Your local coast redwood tree can grow to 300 feet or more, yet its root system is only 6 to 12 feet deep.  Redwoods create the strength to withstand powerful winds and floods by extending their roots more than 50Continue reading “THOSE MAGNIFICENT REDWOODS!”

THE BUTTERFLY!

Photo by Yuichi Kageya on Unsplash                     Have you ever seen anything more wonderous and beautiful than a butterfly?  It presents to us the most powerful metaphor about redemption from ‘the Book of Nature’ that I am aware of!!!  The butterfly begins its life as a caterpillar, a worm.  Imagine being a worm!  Moving slowly over a leaf, eating, eating,Continue reading “THE BUTTERFLY!”

BETTONGS!

Bettong Banjo Bilby on Wikimedia  CC By-SA 4.0. Job said, ‘Ask the animals, and they will teach you’.  What can we learn from a tiny Bettong?  A bettong is a miniature kangaroo!  It is a marsupial (carries its young in a pouch) and is propelled by powerful back legs.  It is only 12-15 inches big and is native toContinue reading “BETTONGS!”

ALI!

‘Peacock Mantis Shrimp’ photo by Dan Schofield is licensed under CC BY 4.0. The Peacock Mantis Shrimp is beautiful!  (See photo above).  But beware, their nick name is ‘thumb splitter’ because they have two club like appendages on the front of their body called ‘dactyl clubs’ they use to punch their prey.  If mishandled, they will punch youContinue reading “ALI!”

DANCE!!!

The Ruffled Grouse pictured below is quite the dancer!  (Click on the following link to watch it in action!!).  https://youtu.be/8LB1LnafZJc?si=VHD3Awvm6KqgUTdq&t=167 Please also click on the following link to watch the ‘Zaouli Dance’ of the Guro people from the central Ivory Coast, Africa.  Looks to me that these dancers were inspired by the dance of the Ruffled Grouse!  What doContinue reading “DANCE!!!”

SNOW!

Photo by MRB.Since Tulsa is covered with a beautiful layer of snow, I decided to repost ‘Snow’!!! A Flake and a Smile (A poem by MRB). ‘Snow’, exclaimed the old lady With a dried apple faceAnd no teeth A part of us Never grows old It peeks through The wrinkled veilA glimpse of whoWe really are.                                An old woman got out of herContinue reading “SNOW!”

BE PREPARED!

 ‘English Pika on a rock.’  CC-BY-SA 3.0. Isn’t it cute!  The Pika (see photo above) is another reminder from the ‘Book of Nature’ that we need to think about and prepare for our future.  This high-altitude critter, rarely seen below 8,200 feet, only 7-8 inches long is very vigorous in its preparation for its future.  It takes advantage ofContinue reading “BE PREPARED!”

IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!

Our Christmas cactus is exploding like fireworks with blooms in celebration of the season.  Photo by my wife, Kris!  I can almost hear it singing and shouting, “O holy night!  The stars are brightly shining.  Oh night divine!  Let all within us praise His holy name!  It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!!!!!!” Is it any wonder?  The people whoContinue reading “IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!”

GIVE AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN!

‘Poinsettias’ by Moffet is licensed under CC BY 2.0.   ‘The Legend of the Poinsettia’ a bit of Mexican folklore. There was a poor Mexican girl named Lucida.  It was the custom of her village to walk to their church every Christmas eve to place a gift at the manger of the baby Jesus.  Having no gift toContinue reading “GIVE AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN!”

MISLETOE!

Free image from PxHere Our favorite Christmas parasite!!  How in the world did a parasite become our Christmas kissing plant?  Apparently, someone was hard-up for decorations and noticed the green foliage and white berries and brought it in their house. (And started kissing).   Mistletoe is a parasitical plant that attacks living trees.  You’ve probably seen them attached high upContinue reading “MISLETOE!”

THE MILD-MANNERED HONEY BADGER!

Honey Badger by Arno Meinties Wildlife is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Well, not really…Honey badgers are fearless, fierce, feisty little mammals about the size of a small or medium dog.  They are very fond of honey-bee larvae and been known to dive head-first into a beehive tolerating hundreds of stings from the angry bees.  Hence theirContinue reading “THE MILD-MANNERED HONEY BADGER!”

GIVE THANKS!

                                   Photo Montage created by my son Nick! God has given us life, a body to live in…with the ability to experience love, joy, peace, goodness, faith…hearing, sight, touch, smell, taste.  The ability to speak, feel and remember. The ability to give and receive the love of friends and family, of dogs, cats, parakeets, parrots. He hasContinue reading “GIVE THANKS!”

SHINE!

 Double Rainbow photo by MRB, Totem Bite, Ketchikan Alaska. The beautiful, mystical rainbow.  An expose’ of God Himself!It was God who ‘set the rainbow in the clouds’. Genesis 9.  Aren’t you glad He did?  A rainbow is formed by the refraction of the sun’s light by rain or other water droplets in the atmosphere. It is astoundingContinue reading “SHINE!”

DOLITTLE!

  Photo by Josephine Menge on Unsplash     THEY AREN’T UNDERSTANDING HUMAN, HE’S UNDERSTANDING THEM… IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES. — TOMMY STUBBINS ABOUT DR. DOLITTLE WHY NOT?  Don’t you wish your cat or dog could talk to you sometimes? Well, Dr. Dolittle was special!   And so are you!  You were created in God’s own image and likeness!  Meditate onContinue reading “DOLITTLE!”

EDELWIESS!

      ‘Edelweiss Wildflower, PxHere. Were you alive in 1965?  I was!  That was the year the movie ‘The Sound of Music’ premiered! It won 5 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.  By 1966 it was the highest grossing movie of all time (300 million) and rated the 55thgreatest American film by the American Film Institute for its ‘powerfulContinue reading “EDELWIESS!”

LIGHT!

Dandelion photo by MRB Most everyone loves light.  They are thankful for it.  Light brings life to this physical world.  Without light, there would be no life.  Plants know this!  You’ve seen them bend around a corner, desperate to reach the light like the dandelions above.   What’s the first thing you do when you enter a dark room?  You turn onContinue reading “LIGHT!”