Eagle - When I Consider The Detail of the Design

I know many are all wrapped up in the latest launch, but the space program has never much interested me. What does interest me is watching Eagles fly and catching their prey before it even knows it's been "got!" What a glorious sight it is to behold God's design at work! I've seen pelicans, and other birds flying over the Pacific Ocean, and I'm filled with wonder. When I consider the specificity of design that went into each of those birds, I stand amazed before The Creator, God Himself.

This video just thrills me beyond words. And the accompanying music just puts it over the top. But for an in depth article on Eagles, I would ask that you click over to Lee's Birdwatching Adventures. This woman knows her birds, and is a fellow Christian Nature Lover. I thank her very much for exposing me to this video.



Didn't something within your soul just jump? Oh! What design!

2009 Christian Nature

Genesis 1:20‑21 "And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good."

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Pet- ernity Leave? Blurring The Lines

Everyone who knows me (or reads my work) knows I'm a nut for my pets. But this is way out of line!

People expecting an addition to the family have a lot on their minds. Besides the changes to their routines, there are short-term considerations like getting time off to properly welcome the bundle of joy into his or her new home.

Happily, there are enlightened employers who understand their anxious employees’ concerns. That’s why Virgin Mobile of Australia is offering its employees five days of unpaid leave to welcome the newcomers home.

Only five days? Well, how long does it take you to get a kitten settled?

In announcing the new policy, a Virgin Mobile spokeswoman said that the company understood the adjustment involved in getting a new pet. It recognized that employees “may want to be at home for the first week or so with their new addition, to settle the pet and get them used to their [surroundings].”

Mind you, not all new pets entitle their owners to an unpaid week off. Only employees with “puppies and kittens aged 10 weeks or under” could give up a week’s pay to show Rover the extent of their devotion.

Given people’s sensitivity when it comes to their pets, let me be clear about what I’m not saying: I’m not objecting to Virgin Mobile’s efforts to build employee loyalty, and I certainly think that the humane treatment of animals is a basic requirement of Christian stewardship.

But what’s being called “pet-ernity leave” goes beyond caring for animals to blurring the line between people and animals. As the Virgin Mobile spokeswoman said, the new policy is “an acknowledgment that not all staff would have babies.”

The equivalence between pets and babies is hard to miss. This is especially true when you consider the opposite end of Fluffy’s earthly sojourn. Once, a pet’s passing involved a shovel, a shoe box and some fond memories. Now, grief-stricken pet owners spend $500 and more on pet funerals—usually packaged deals with names like “Happy Trails”—that come with a proper urn and sometimes a chaplain.

Those who can’t bear to be parted from their pets can opt to have the dearly departed freeze-dried.

As I said, blurring the lines. If the consequences to such blurring were limited to people looking ridiculous, we could ignore it. Unfortunately, there’s something else that’s hard to miss. The growing trend of treating pets like people is happening at a time when a misanthropy that sees people as the source of all the world’s problems is becoming widespread. The same country that gave us “pet-ernity leave,” that is, Australia, also produced a serious proposal to tax human births to stop global warming.

Then there is the obscene misuse of resources. In a world where a child dies every 30 seconds from malaria, which can be prevented with an $8 bed net, how do we possibly justify spending 60 times that or more on a pet funeral? Imagine how many real children a Christian charity could feed with that week’s pay now being given up to spend time with a new puppy.

Now I know exactly what it is that has “gone to the dogs”—the compassion we once had for each other.

2009 April Lorier

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Poisonous Conifers and the Immune Sawfly

Conifers aren't bothered by too many insect pests. That's because the oils that give them that nice pine scent are poisonous. They would be poisonous to the conifer sawfly larva if it digested them, too. But while it munches the pine needles, its body is busy storing the poisonous oils for future defense. The fact that the sawfly not only eats pine needles, but also uses the poisonous oils for defense, poses a difficult problem for evolution which appears to have no solution.

The sawfly larva's unique ability makes it a serious conifer pest both in North America and Europe. Part of the larva's secret is its digestive system. It separates the poisonous oils in the pine needles from the nutritious pulp. Then it regurgitates the poisonous oils and stores them in two special sacs in its mouth. These sacs are lined with a chitinous material that protects the rest of the mouth from the acidic, poisonous oils. When threatened by a spider or even a bird, the sawfly releases some of this bad smelling oil in the direction of the threat. This strategy effectively convinces most aggressors to seek a meal somewhere else.

The problem for evolution is that these complicated structures and special abilities could not have developed in a gradual, step by step fashion as evolution demands. If the sawfly once did not originally eat pine needles, then how did it acquire the special ability to eat them and develop this special defense system? So, even this humble fly bears witness to its Creator.

Thank you, Creation Moments

References: Creation Research Society, May/June 1999, Neodiprion (Sawfly) Mark Stewart

Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying fowl . Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven. Psalm 148:10,13

2009 Nature Girl

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An Assumption of Happiness - The Lark

There I was, driving along the road, when I heard an "oldie" song I recognized. "I was walking along, happy as a lark, now I'm alone, hiding in the dark." Hmm... It seems to me I've heard that phrase most of my life: happy as a lark. Is it the lark's song that has made man assume larks are happy? How would you really know if a lark was happy or not?

It's a lot like people who smile or act happy. Actors are well-known for being one person on the outside and another on the inside.

I'm thinking of Michael Jackson's favorite song, "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin. From what I know about Charlie, he was not a happy person! And yet people have been singing his song for decades. Why?



In reality, a male Lark uses his "happy" songs to attract a mate, or to defend their territory!

Larks are small to medium-sized birds, 12 to 24 cm (5 to 8 inches) in length and 15 to 75 grams (0.5 to 2.6 ounces) in weight (Kikkawa 2003).

They have more elaborate calls than most birds, and often extravagant songs given in display flight. These melodious sounds (to human ears), combined with a willingness to expand into anthropogenic habitats — as long as these are not too intensively managed — have ensured larks a prominent place in literature and music, especially the Skylark in northern Europe and the Crested Lark and Calandra Lark in southern Europe.

With these song flights, males defend their breeding territories and attract mates. Most species build nests on the ground, usually cups of dead grass, but in some species more complicated and partly domed. Larks' eggs are usually speckled, and clutch sizes range from 2 (especially in species of the driest deserts) to 6 (in species of temperate regions). Larks incubate for 11 to 16 days.

No one has ever been able to prove any bird is happy or sad. That's just an assumption of happiness by silly human beings.

(c) 2009 April Lorier of Christian Nature

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'Trees' - Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

Most have heard my favorite poem, 'Trees' by Mr. Joyce Kilmer. If you haven't heard the entire poem, surely you've heard, 'Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.'

But did you know of the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in North Carolina? And did you know Mr. Kilmer was a war hero in World War I? Many people don't even know 'Joyce' was a man!


I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

-- Joyce Kilmer

The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest (in North Carolina) is a tribute to a hero whose poem "Trees" inspired millions. Joyce Kilmer, who was killed in action in France in W.W.I, has a living memorial in his memory, the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

The Forest Service inaugurated the Little Santeelah, an impressive 3800 acre remnant of virgin wilderness, as the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and dedicated it July 30, 1935. In this most beautiful, unmarred, and natural setting, that was the uncharted hunting ground of the Cherokee Indians, virgin trees grow more than 100 feet tall and some 20 feet around the base. Many of the huge trees are hundreds of years old.

In addition to the trees there is an outstanding variety of shrubs, vines, ferns, mosses, lichens, liverworts and herbaceous plants. In the spring wild flowers take advantage of the sunlight which will not be available after the hardwood trees are covered with shade-producing leaves.

The Memorial Forest, comprised of the huge poplars, giant red oaks and magnificent hemlocks, as well as many other varieties of trees, is maintained in its primitive and natural state. No plants living or dead may be cut or removed.

I'm grateful Mr. Kilmer has a living memorial that provides more than 60 miles of hiking trails in the 14,000 acre wilderness area of Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness that follows the mountain streams, misty waterfalls, flowing cascades, over bold, sharp peaks and ridge tops. The longest trail through the Memorial Forest winds through the Forest to the site of the largest of the virgin trees still standing.

After all Joyce Kilmer did for his country and for poetry lovers (not to mention tree lovers), he deserves this memorial.

2009 Christian Nature

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)

And the Lord God made to grow out of the ground every tree that is pleasant and good for food.... (Genesis 2:9)
... and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)

read more "'Trees' - Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest"

Yosemite's Reflection - Christian Nature Response

May is the perfect time for photographers who want to photograph the lakes and waterfalls of Yosemite. The snow is melting, making for full-force waterfalls. Looking through the lens, one can't help but see the mirror images of the waterfalls and lakes. What is a mirror image? It's a reflection!

As Christians, we are called to 'mirror' Christ - to be reflections of the God Man Jesus Christ. A true Christian truly desires to be a reflection of the One who paid the price for his or her sins and provided access to Father God.

This photo was the wish of my heart as I viewed it. I pray it's your desire, also.

(c) 2009 Christian Nature

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:16-17

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'Extreme Green' - The High Cost

From Christian News 24/7
OREGON -- Everywhere you turn these days, it seems someone is telling you about the benefits of going green. Some groups have even targeted children with their green message.

While taking care of the environment is a good idea on the surface, a deeper look at the Green movement reveals it may not be all it's cracked up to be.

Oregon's 'Decimation'

With its breathtaking waterfalls and rich evergreen forests, the state of Oregon is a testament to the beauty of God's creation. A battle is brewing over this beauty -- should it be hands off? Or should it be harvested and maintained?

On one side, you have the powerful environmental movement, the Greens, as they are called. Rallying around the global warming flag and the fight to reduce carbon emissions, they explain that mature forests have great potential for carbon storage.

Their message is that harvesting timber turns the land into a desert that's not livable. Many want landscapes to be left untouched, and with their large funding resources, the Greens are not afraid to go to court and file lawsuits against logging and harvesting projects.

These lawsuits have caused dismay for Jim Geisinger, executive vice president of Associated Oregon Loggers.

Ironically, in a state of postcard perfect landscapes, he calls Oregon the poster child of decimation at the hands of the Green movement.

He points to the loss of jobs, padlocked mills, and abandoned stores that once sold wood products as proof.

"The federal lands here used to supply over half of the timber that our industry used," Geisinger explained. "Because of the activities of the environmental community -- appeals, litigation, lawsuits, legislative efforts -- today those lands produce about 10 percent of what we use."

"We're producing about half as much timber for our industry as we did 20 years ago, and it's largely the result of the involvement of the environmental groups on our federal forests," he said.

Geisinger says that has translated into tens of thousands of job losses in Oregon -- direct losses like those at mills, as well as unemployment in the support and service industries.

Broken Contract, Broken Promises

Tom Partin, president of the American Forest Resource Council, told CBN News a contract with rural America has been broken.

"We don't have management of our federal forests, which in many areas are 70 percent of the forested areas in Oregon," he said. "Basically, they've shut down. The industries are gone. Our way of life in rural America is gone, and we're now seeing 20 percent or higher unemployment in these communities."

Oregon state senator Ted Ferrioli represents about a third of the electorate in Oregon. He told CBN News the Green movement's promise of sustainability has been broken.

"From my perspective, the environmental movement hasn't really saved the community," he said. "It's destroyed the economic underpinnings of the community, and now when you go look at the forests of the east side, they're decaying -- decadent, dying trees, bug infested and overcrowded stands."

Bob Luoto owns a logging company named Cross and Crown. The fourth generation Oregon logger says he has taken his share of hits from environmentalists.

"The environmental movement has cut our operations in half in the last 20 years," he explained. "We would have 85 people working for us, now we have probably 30 to 35 people. It's been a real detriment to our industry."

Grounding Northwest Jobs

It's not just in Oregon where the logging industry has taken a hit. One study revealed that since 1989, in the entire Pacific Northwest, 445 mills have been shut down, and more than 51,000 mill and woods jobs have been eliminated.

Forestry jobs in the air have also been grounded.

"It's a movement," said Max Merlich, vice president of forestry for Columbia Helicopters. "It's almost like a religion."

Columbia's choppers help fight forest fires as well as harvest timber in environmentally-sensitive areas. They haul away timber by air without having to clear-cut or build roads. The helicopters also help in salvage logging and rehabilitating a forest after a fire.

However, Merlich says even his business has been targeted by the Green movement.

"Now, environmental movement takes every single job to court that has anything to do with dead timber, and you have a short window, a couple of years, and then the timber is no longer marketable," he told CBN News. "They learned how to delay that in court, and they've become very good at it."

Merlich says even a delay in harvesting equals a victory for environmentalists, and a defeat for helicopter logging and forest management. Equipment sits idle like the helicopters, and once again, jobs are cut.

"Our company could be employing another 300 people, if we were able to just manage forests," he said.

Burning Up Common Sense

Like an unruly, undisciplined child, a wildfire can rage out of control in a forest that is not managed well. Forestry and logging leaders point to a case in point, Oregon's 2003 B and B complex fire. Six years after the blaze, there are still more than 90,000 acres of charred federal forest that hasn't been reclaimed.

Many in the Green movement have a zero-cut policy. They want to let nature run its course. Forestry experts explain managing a forest involves thinning, harvesting and reforestation so the forest doesn't provide so much fuel for fires, which are a major cause of greenhouse gases.

Forestry and logging officials say managing a forest not only keeps it healthy, but it also requires labor, thus putting people back to work.

"Since when has logging been a crime?," Rex Storm of Associated Oregon Loggers, asked. "Since when was it bad to grow, harvest and reforest trees for the benefit of natural resources, for the benefit of society, to produce products and habitats that we all want."

The bottom line for many opposed to the extreme green movement is balance.

For logger Luoto, who is also a Christian, it is having a balanced perspective.

"We are here as Christians to maintain God's planet and His domain. And I think that's important," he explained. "But I also think that we have to have some common sense in what we do, and understand that this is here to use."

That balance: Maintaining a healthy environment without sacrificing the health of humanity.

By Mark Martin, CBN News Reporter

2009 Christian Nature

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The Nature of Ants

Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. Proverbs 6:8-9

There are more than 200 ant species in the Attine family of ants. All of them farm for a living. And they are as sophisticated about their farming as any modern human farmer. They are found anywhere from the tropics to New Jersey. The specialization shown by these ants makes an evolutionary explanation for them impossible.

One example is the famous leaf cutting ants found in the tropics. Leaf cutters use the leaf pieces they collect to make mulch. Once the mulch is ready, they grow a fungus in it, which they eat. That fungus grew from a bit of fungus that was stored in a special pouch in the mouth of the queen who began that colony; in turn she brought it from the colony where she grew up.

That she has this special pouch for seed material for her children is a witness to God's intelligent design. The ants' digestive system is specialized, too, so that its waste is a ready to use fertilizer for the crop. The ants also weed their crop. Certain ants inspect the fungus ball searching for invading molds. When one is found, the ant will remove it.

To make sure that she does not return any contaminating bit of the mold to her crop, the ant then cleans herself before returning to the crop. This, again, is a powerful witness to divine design. The ants also generate herbicides and antibiotics which they use as needed on the crop, another witness to design.

Finally, they also prune their crop in a way that has been shown to improve its productivity. All these special design features and behaviors seem to have been put into one creature as a witness against evolution.

From Creation Moments

References: Susan Milius, Old MacDonald Was an Ant, Science News, November 21, 1998, v. 154, p. 334

To read what I have written about ants, visit here.

2009 Christian Nature

Genesis 1:20‑21 "And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good."

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The Nature of God in Living Color!

Have you ever imagined being able to see, but only in gray scale? That, in itself, would be a magnificent gift from God. But He never stops at magnificent. He goes to absolute perfection! Just think about the miraculous gift of seeing in color. Even if it was only 256 colors, that would be great. But 16 Million plus? Oh, what a gift our Father has given us!

(c) 2009 April Lorier

How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number - living things both large and small. Psalm 104:24-25

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Earthquake Caused by Noah's Flood?

This is from Creation Moments, and living in So California, it caught my eye.

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. Genesis 7:11

Miles deep within the Earth, heat and pressure force water out of certain minerals, changing or metamorphing the rock. All the textbooks say that it takes millions of years for such metamorphic rock to form. New research shows pretty convincingly that all the textbooks are wrong.

Normally, earthquakes originate in the top 12 kilometers of the earth's crust. Deeper quakes, especially where there are no known faults, have been mysteries. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake at 18 kilometers was one such mystery. But a new discovery by three Yale University geologists may explain these deeper quakes and support the Bible's historical chronology. The standard model for metamorphic rock formation says that heat and pressure deep underground slowly force water from the crystals that form the rock. This process takes place so deeply in the earth that the rock itself flows plastically. Now, the Yale geologists studying the process have discovered that under these conditions tiny droplets of water are expelled from the crystals much more rapidly than previously thought. In fact, the water is expelled so rapidly that it builds enough pressure to actually fracture the rock.

The geologists who presented this research say that what was thought to have taken millions of years can happen in mere centuries or even decades. And this would easily allow for the origin of some of today's metamorphic rock to be traced back to the Flood of Noah on the time scale provided by the Bible.

References: S. Simpson, High-pressure water triggers tremors, Science News, November 21, 1998, v.154, p.327

2009 April Lorier

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Bullfrogs Eat Everything - Are They At Peace?

Bullfrogs eat everything, and I mean everything, including each other. It's hard for me to remember how fascinated I was, as a child, with tadpoles. Bullfrogs don't have claws or any of the other usual design tools to use in catching prey. What they do have is a huge mouth and the ability to jump. This puts even birds in jeopardy!

Watching my kids grow up with Kermit, I was kindly disposed towards frogs...until I started learning about them. These undiscerning creatures have no ribs, so there are no 'boundaries' to speak of. Their prey motion elicits feeding behavior.

First, if necessary, the frog performs a single orienting bodily rotation ending with the frog aimed towards the prey. This is followed by approaching leaps, if necessary. Once within striking distance, the bullfrog emits its feeding strike, which consists of a ballistic (eyes closed as during all leaps) lunge that ends with the mouth opening, extension of the fleshy and mucous-coated tongue upon the prey, often engulfing it, while the jaws continue their forward travel to close (bite) in close proximity to the prey's original location just as the tongue is retracted back into the mouth, prey attached. Large prey that do not travel entirely into the mouth are literally stuffed in with the forearms.

In laboratory observations, bullfrogs taking mice usually dove underwater with prey in mouth, apparently with the advantageous result of altering the mouse's defense from counterattack to struggling for air. The tiny teeth of bullfrogs are useful only in grasping. Asphyxiation is the most likely cause of death of endothermic (warm-blooded) bullfrog prey.



Does this sound like the lovable fantasized Kermit?

Fantasy traps all of us at some time or another. Either it's a dream of being obscenely rich, or hopelessly in love, or breathtakingly gorgeous. And the society we live in fuels those fantasies for the sake of making money. But very few rich people are at peace with God or themselves. 'Hopeless' Love usually turns out to be just that - hopeless. And the breathtakingly gorgeous age just like the rest of us.

The wise King Solomon said (in part),

Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task—my reward to myself for a hard day's work!

Then I took a good look at everything I'd done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.

The bullfrog and hedonistic people have a lot in common. There's no peace attainable without a relationship with God that means more than anything else attainable in life.

(c) 2009 April Lorier

Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 Message: And I hated everything I'd accomplished and accumulated on this earth. I can't take it with me—no, I have to leave it to whoever comes after me. Whether they're worthy or worthless—and who's to tell?—they'll take over the earthly results of my intense thinking and hard work.

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Glad I'm Not a Female Kangaroo!

I am so grateful I was not born as a female kangaroo! How would you like to be pregnant for your entire life? The more I learn about them and their constant repeated motherhood - they always feed at least three cycles of offspring at a time! - I get tired just thinking about it! The embryo is only the size of a lima bean, and is deaf and blind. But it makes its way to the pouch in about three minutes, finds a nipple, and stays on that nipple for four months before ever getting out of the pouch.

The female kangaroo is usually pregnant in permanence, except on the day she gives birth; however, she has the ability to freeze the development of an embryo until the previous 'joey' (baby) is able to leave the pouch. This is known as diapause (suspended animation), and will occur in times of drought and in areas with poor food sources. The composition of the milk produced by the mother varies according to the needs of the joey. In addition, the mother is able to produce two different kinds of milk simultaneously for the embryo and the joey still in the pouch.

Unusually, during a dry period, males will not produce sperm, and females will only conceive if there has been enough rain to produce a large quantity of green vegetation.

Thank God, He designed the kangaroo with some specific characteristics for self-preservation! Lord knows, she needs them! They can run up to 75 miles per hour, if need be, and they have deadly sharp feet that can be used to tear an enemy to shreds. Also, they don't walk properly - it's sort of a waddle - so they compensate with their massive tails. But they can jump up to 30 feet!

Here's a National Geographic video that shows, in great detail, what the life of a female kangaroo is like. They only live about 8-12 years, which comes as no surprise to me!



Is this not the most incredible marsupial on earth?

Lord, Your designs in nature just never cease to amaze me. That old saying, "God is in the details," really comes to life, the more I study Your creation. But I have to admit, Lord, I'm so grateful You allowed me to be a female human instead of a female kangaroo! I didn't like being pregnant!

(c) 2009 Christian Nature

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11

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Knowing The Voice Is What Matters

It is an important thing that my dog knows my voice. Cookie, my Shih Tzu loves me, but her natural instincts drive her to run at times. If I open the front door and she smells a cat, she's off. Her intense focus to fulfill her desires can get her in serious trouble. She could run into traffic and get sideswiped by an unseen car. She could catch her prey and find that it's not a cat, but something more vicious and powerful. Or she could simply pursue her quarry to the point where she no longer knows where her home is. Oftentimes, it is only my voice that keeps her from getting into trouble. If she listens and obeys, she will come back to the safety and provision of her home. If not, all manner of trouble awaits.

The prophet Isaiah pointed out, "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own." (Isaiah 53:6) In his time, the people understood the analogy of a sheep. That is why shepherds were so important. Not only did they fend off predators, but they led the sheep to green pastures for food and clean water to drink. Smart sheep (relatively speaking) learned to listen to their shepherd for their own good. Even so, sheep had a tendency to wander. The same is true with people. Really, the question is not whether or not we will stray; we will, because it is in our very nature to do so. But what will we do when God calls us back into his care? Or even more importantly, will we know God’s voice when He does call?

I can promise you that if Cookie took off to pursue something that she should not be pursuing and you called her, she would not respond to your call. She does not know you and does not recognize your voice. I suppose there is a small chance that she might pause, look in your direction and wonder, “Who is that?” But then she would turn and continue down her own path.

You might think that if your voice is similar to mine then you might be able to get her attention and convince her to follow your instructions. Not so. Cookie knows my voice. She does not know yours.

Jesus, in identifying himself as one with God, also related to the shepherds of His time. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:27-30)

Our pets, like a shepherd’s sheep, learn our voices. We, too, can learn to hear the voice of God. The first step is to enter His fold. This is salvation. We become new creations and, in the process, get “new ears.” Our spiritual rebirth enables us to hear things we did not hear before. Like a baby born into the world, new sounds reach our ears. But like a newborn, we cannot always discern the noises. We must mature, learn and develop a keen sense of hearing.

So we learn to hear His voice by hearing his teachings, found in scripture, and understanding them. Just like Cookie's familiarity allows her to discern my voice, familiarity with our spiritual shepherd allows us to discern His voice. If we choose to ignore His voice, we become dull of hearing. When we choose to listen and act on His words, we are blessed, because we hear.

So clearly it is possible to discern the voice of God in our lives. If an animal can hear the voice of its caretaker, people can hear the voice of our heavenly caretaker! When we know and respond to His voice, He promises to lead us down the path of life. When we stray, He calls us back and we return to his security and care. Nobody can take us away from His protection and presence, if we will only learn to hear and heed His voice.

2009 April Lorier

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Jack Hanna Knew His Calling From the Age of 11

He was a Southern boy who know, from the age of 11, that he was called to be a veterenarian. Jack Hanna was a farm boy who loved animals his entire life, and the more exotic the animal, the more it interested Jack. He majored in business and political science at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, where he got in trouble for keeping ducks in his dorm room and a donkey in a shed behind his fraternity house. He married a cheerleader, 'Susi' and graduated in 1969.

Though unable to secure zoning as a zoo for his father's farm, the two opened a pet shop and petting zoo. In 1973, a three-year old boy was mauled by a lion at Hanna's farm and lost his arm. Hanna settle the subsequent lawsuit out of court, shut down the petting zoo, and moved his family to Florida.

When he was offered the position at the Columbus Zoo in 1978 (they have an awesome website!), one of the reasons he accepted was because he believed Children's Hospital in Columbus had the best treatment available for his daughter Julie's leukemia. She recovered by the age of six, though she needed to have a brain tumor removed later in life.

Jack couldn't stand how the grounds of the zoo were unkept, and often closed to personally pick up trash. He realized funding was needed to keep the zoo going, so from 1981-1983 he hosted a television show called "Hanna's Ark" that aired on the local CBS affiliate, WBNS. Then it was Good Morning America and David Letterman where his live animal demonstrations brought national attention to both the zoo and to himself. Over the course of Hanna's tenure as director, the zoo made the transition from cage-like enclosures to habitat environments, and the grounds were significantly expanded. The annual attendance of the Columbus Zoo increased by over 400% during this time.

His 'hands-on' approach to both people and animals have brought him world-wide recognition. I saw him last night - with many of his animals - on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" and it was electric!

John Bushnell Hanna was born in 1947 in Knoxville, Tennessee, and is an American zookeeper who is the Director Emritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. His media appearances have made him one of the best known and well liked animal experts in the United States. He has shared his deep love of nature with millions all over the world, and I, for one, am grateful for the knowledge he has shared with children and adults, alike.

Jack is a Christian and attends New Hope Church services in Montana where he expects to retire soon.

(c) 2009 April Lorier

Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.(Proverbs 22:6 Amplified)

read more "Jack Hanna Knew His Calling From the Age of 11"

Macaws, Children, and Early Training

She was like a child, only she could fly. She sang opera in several languages, repeated everything she heard, and knew fundamental math. She was a Scarlet Macaw named 'Snickers'. She was so smart we could not keep her in her locked cage! As we attempted to unlock her large rod-iron cage, she would begin, "9, 35, 16!" She was telling us the combination of the lock! And yes, you guessed it... she could unlock it herself!

Her best friend was a Blue/Gold Macaw named 'Mama'. They were inseparable, but they both knew who the dominate bird was! 'Mama' was not as talented as 'Snickers' was, but she was a great mother to her babies.

To demonstrate how smart Macaws are, here is a short teaser video from PBS, and then I'll continue my thoughts.




The Bible says Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.(Proverbs 22:6 Amplified) Children have much in common with Macaws who live approximately 75 years. It's the early training that counts!

When we bought 'Snickers' it was from a shop owner who always had opera playing in her bird store. No wonder this magnificent bird knew more opera than I did! And I trained for opera for 8 years! But this bird was phenomenal. We had to watch what we said in the house, because sure-as-shootin' she would repeat it when guests were in the house! (Ever had a child repeat something she/he heard you or your husband say, to your embarrassment?) Once again, it's that early training that counts.

Bird trainers learn so much about raising children without even knowing it. The same principles apply: be an example, be diligent about discipline and love, and take every opportunity to train them. I learned a lot from all of my affectionate macaws! And they knew I loved them, even though I was a rule-sticker.

(c) 2009 April Lorier

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

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'Flowers That Fade' - a Nature Poem by Bridges

I Have Loved Flowers That Fade,
a poem by Robert Bridges

I have loved flowers that fade,
Within whose magic tents
Rich hues have marriage made
With sweet unmemoried scents:
A honeymoon delight,
A joy of love at sight,
That ages in an hour
My song be like a flower!

I have loved airs that die
Before their charm is writ
Along a liquid sky
Trembling to welcome it.
Notes, that with pulse of fire
Proclaim the spirit's desire,
Then die, and are nowhere
My song be like an air!

Die, song, die like a breath,
And wither as a bloom;
Fear not a flowery death,
Dread not an airy tomb!
Fly with delight, fly hence!
'Twas thine love's tender sense
To feast; now on thy bier [coffin stand]
Beauty shall shed a tear.

Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 – 1930) was a practicing Physician, as well as an English poet, and poet laureate from 1913 to 1930. [A Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events.] He's the only poet who was also a Physician. He loved writing about nature.


2009 April Lorier (a poet, herself)

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11

read more "'Flowers That Fade' - a Nature Poem by Bridges"

Amazed by The Great Horned Owl

Today I am totally mesmerized by the design details of the Great Horned Owl. They don't really have 'horns,' but feathers that look like horns, and can be flattened for the purpose of camouflage. They are the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas. They pant to keep cool because they do not perspire. It's quite a sight!

I am truly amazed at the preciseness of God's design. The more I learn about every creature, every detail - and the function each detail serves in their survival - causes me to praise The Creator even more.

Owls have spectacular binocular vision allowing them to pinpoint prey and see in low light. The eyes of Great Horned Owls are nearly as large as those of humans and are immobile within their circular bone sockets. Instead of turning their eyes, they turn their heads. Therefore, their neck must be able to turn a full 270 degrees in order to see in other directions without moving its entire body. And as good as their vision is, their hearing is even better!

Oh, why should I keep going on when you can learn about this marvelous creature by watching this wonderful Video of "Bucko"?



Every time I am captured by the marvelous handiwork of God, I ask God, as the Psalmist did,

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens... When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?Psalm 8:1, 3-4

I cannot, for the life of me, even conceive the idea of people not recognizing that all of the extremely specific details had to be designed by The Creator, God Himself.

I do hope you leave wiser by what you learn about the owl, and more amazed by God Almighty.

(c) 2009 April Lorier

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11

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Dr. Francis Collins Picked for NIH

Today I'm honored to feature Chuck Colson's commentary, "A Religious Scientist?"

It was good news when I picked up the New York Times and read that a good friend of mine, Francis Collins, was picked by President Obama to become the head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

You’ve probably heard of Collins, who led the Human Genome Project, which actually sequenced the human genome. For this, President Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His nomination has been applauded, as the Times reports, by “top scientists and research advocacy organizations.”

But as I read the article, my delight turned to dismay. After citing Collins’s significant achievements, the Times darkly warned, “But praise for Dr. Collins was not universal or entirely enthusiastic.”

The chief reason for this—hold on to your hats, folks—is that Collins has (gasp) publicly “embraced religion.”

The Times reports that he has even written a book entitled The Language of God. Scandalous! Even worse, he has, quote, “given many talks and interviews in which he described his conversion to Christianity as a 27-year-old medical student.”

And the Times warns its readers, “Religion and genetic research have long had a fraught relationship, and some in the field complain about what they see as Dr. Collins’s evangelism.”

This is ignorance and bias at its worst.

While his confirmation by the Senate “is all but certain,” I can only imagine what awaits him during the confirmation hearings. He is sure to face hostile questions about his faith in Christ.

Well, I can assure you that Dr. Collins will not back down. He is a solid follower of Christ and an articulate defender of his views—both religious and scientific. Converted by reading C.S. Lewis, he became a fellow at the C.S. Lewis Institute and studied there. He and I have spent long hours together discussing Scripture and particularly the works of St. Augustine.

I should mention that he and I have some profound disagreements. He is an evolutionary theist who believes in the common descent of all life. His book, The Language of God, tries to harmonize evolution and Christianity in a way that I simply cannot agree with (and so I couldn’t endorse the book). He also is in favor of certain kinds of embryonic stem cell research. Again, I could not disagree with him more.

Nonetheless, I for one hold him in high esteem—both as a scientist and as a brother in Christ, living proof that one can be a great scientist and a serious Christian.

Several years ago, he gave the address at the National Prayer Breakfast. It was a powerful testimony. When he finished, he picked up a guitar and asked the crowd to sing with him a hymn he had composed. He then led 3,000 dignitaries from around the world, worshiping the God of the Bible. It was an amazing morning.

Some years ago, Supreme Court Justice Scalia told a Christian audience to “have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity . . . and the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.”

I know Dr. Francis Collins has that courage—and that he’ll soon have the opportunity to show it to the so-called wise of the world. Just as he did that morning at the National Prayer Breakfast.

(c) 2009 Chuck Colson, BreakPoint

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Maturing Cockatiels and Christians

There were years when I raised birds, hand-feeding them so they would grow up to be more easily trainable as pets. The fact that I was hand-feeding them meant they would be imprinted by me (a human being) instead of by the mother bird. They would bond to me, therefore, be easily trained by the human who purchased them. Imprinting is the key if birds or animals are to be sold as mature, trained birds.

I was reminiscing today about the clutches of eggs I incubated, then hand-fed after they were hatched. They looked like little aliens with almost no feathers, but soon they would grow into beautiful birds who were not afraid of humans, and it would be time to hand-train them.

Babies are born without a working immune system so they are more susceptible to getting bacterial or fungal infections from your hands, ordinary household objects and an environment that has been contaminated with disease causing organisms. And the job of feeding the formula to them is 24/7, so between the cleaning and the feeding, it's more than a full-time job! Just making the formula (which must always be fresh) is a chore.

But there comes a time when I had to start weaning these babies from their mushy formula, throw away the syringe, and introduce them to seed/fruit mixtures. They had to switch from baby food to adult food incrementally.

Scripture teaches the same principle both through the mouth of the Apostle Paul, and of Peter. Peter said, in I Peter 2:1-3

¹Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ²Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

And then in Hebrews 5:11-14 we read:

Concerning him [Melchizedek, as a type of Christ] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

So what the message of my Bible Study, and also of my cockatiels is, baby food is for babies. And if I am growing in my faith, I need to be desiring the meat of the Word. Sometimes it feels 'safe' to run back to the milk, but it will stunt my spiritual growth. Just think how my body would look if I had never eaten anything but milk! Who knows if I would even be alive?

Once again, Father, You have used nature to teach me Your principles. Thank you for allowing my memories to make this Bible Study come to life! I want to be a mature Christian!

(c) 2009 April Lorier

read more "Maturing Cockatiels and Christians"

Sparrows and God Care

I have written about sparrows before and feel a need to revisit the subject. There are just so many sparrows flying around!

Ethel Waters made "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" famous many years ago, and it's still a master piece. It serves to remind us that if God values sparrows and cares for them, then certainly He does the same for us. He created human beings for companionship, and through Christ we can have that relationship.

One Sunday morning at church, we sang “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” as a congregational hymn. It was a rare opportunity to give voice to a song usually performed by a soloist.

During the first chorus, I noticed a friend who was weeping so hard that he couldn’t sing. Knowing a bit of what he had been through recently, I recognized his tears as ones of joy at realizing that, no matter what our situation, God sees, knows, and cares for us.

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31). The Lord spoke these words to His 12 disciples as He sent them out to teach, heal, and bear witness of Him to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v.6). He told them that even though they would face persecution for His sake, they should not be afraid, even of death (vv.22-26).

When threatening circumstances press us to lose hope, we can find encouragement in the words of this song: “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free. For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” We are under His watchful care.

If God sees the sparrow’s fall,
Paints the lilies short and tall,
Gives the skies their azure hue,
Will He not then care for you? —Anon.

When you put your cares in God’s hands, He puts His peace in your heart.

2009 April Lorier

Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? -
Job 12

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I Don't Want To Be a 'Barking Dog!'

I sure don't want to be a 'barking dog.' What's that mean? Well, why do dogs bark? Barking is a natural behavior among dogs and they usually bark to communicate something with you. If their needs are not being met, the barking might be a cry or signal that he needs your care and assistance.

So what are some of these needs? Hunger, flea or tick infestations, skin allergies, a need for attention, boredom, a need to potty, a need to establish their territory, and ROUTINE.

I'll bet that last need surprised you. But dogs are very sensitive to their owners' routine, and when the owner deviates from it, the dog will bark their displeasure.

Cookie knows I go to bed at a certain time every night, so when I'm busy writing and go past that time, she begins her bossy bark. She trots back and forth from the bedroom to show me what she's displeased about! I laugh, but I have to admit it's really irritating. What? She has a clock built inside of her? Sort of. It's called 'routine' or 'rut.'

This got me to thinking about how easy it is for me to get into a spiritual rut. It's not that I overtly damage my relationship with Jesus. I do nothing! I let my daily rut cheat me out of new surprises in life - especially new surprises from my Lord!

There are days when it would be healthy to get in the car and drive to a new nature spot and sit quietly before the Lord. I would hear all of the nature sounds, but I would be more likely to hear God's Spirit. I get so many letters from people wanting to know how they can recognize God's voice, so I know I'm not unique. We know His voice more and more when we become more familiar with it.

Just like Cookie knows MY voice because of familiarity, I know God's voice for the same reason. But if I allow a daily routine to dull the excitement of our relationship, then I'm cheating myself. Christ never told us to find a routine. He told us His joy was our strength. It's hard to feel the joy of the Lord when we're spiritually dull.

I don't want to be a 'barking dog' because my routine is disturbed, Lord. I want precious time with You and a whole lot of Your joy to share with others. Besides Your love, there's precious little to be joyful about lately. Return the joy of my salvation.

(c) 2009 April Lorier

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:12

read more "I Don't Want To Be a 'Barking Dog!'"

Thunder and Lightning Song for Children

Is your child afraid of thunder and lightning? Here's a wonderful song you can teach them to alleviate some of their fears. It is sung to the tune of "Pop Goes The Weasel". As you know, I was a music teacher for grade school children, and I'm a firm believer in teaching them while they're very young. Whatever they learn now will stick with them the rest of their lives. Teach them not to be afraid of thunder and lightning!

Thunder and Lightning
(to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel")

When a storm begins in the clouds,
It sometimes may look frightening.
You see a quick electrical spark--
Flash! goes the lightning!

Long and thin and streaky and fast,
Its glow is oh so brightening.
Watch for the electric spark--
Flash! goes the lightning!

When a storm begins in the clouds,
It truly is a wonder.
You hear a rumble loud in the sky--
Clap! goes the thunder!

Lightning bolts are heating the air,
Over clouds and under.
When the air expands enough--
Clap! goes the thunder.

I found this song at CanTeach. If you have children, visit their site. You can teach so much through music!

(c) 2009 April Lorier

When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. Jeremiah 10:13 niv

read more "Thunder and Lightning Song for Children"

In The Wilderness, a Christian Nature Poem

IN THE WILDERNESS


Christ of His gentleness
Thirsting and hungering
Walked in the wilderness;
Soft words of grace He spoke
Unto lost desert-folk
That listened wondering.
He heard the bitterns call
From the ruined palace-wall,
Answered them brotherly.
He held communion
With the she-pelican
Of lonely piety.
Basilisk, cockatrice,
Flocked to his homilies,
With mail of dread device,
With monstrous barbed slings,
With eager dragon-eyes;
Great rats on leather wings,
And poor blind broken things,
Foul in their miseries.
And ever with Him went,
Of all His wanderings
Comrade, with ragged coat,
Gaunt ribs--poor innocent--
Bleeding foot, burning throat,
The guileless old scape-goat;
For forty nights and days
Followed in Jesus' ways,
Sure guard behind Him kept,
Tears like a lover wept.

by: Robert Graves, Poet and Novelist
Died 7 December, 1985 in Spain

2009 April Lorier

How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number - living things both large and small. Psalm 104:24-25

read more "In The Wilderness, a Christian Nature Poem"

Crocodile Nature Poem

When I was a young girl, I loved sitting in the "Alligator Park" in El Paso, Texas. They were really crocodiles, but I loved the sound of 'alligator'. I was mesmerized by these smiling creatures in the water, and talked to them as if they could understand me.

I spent an inordinate amount of time in that park with the crocodiles, also studying the faces of the people around me. Abused children learn body language very early on, so I knew instinctively who the unhappy people were. I didn't yet understand that the joy of crocodiles could not solve their unhappiness.

Later in life, I studied English and discovered this poem by Lewis Carroll. I loved it because it brought back such wonderful memories of my inquisitive childhood. And now I share it with you.


How doth the little crocodile... poem by Lewis Carroll

How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!

How cheerfully he seems to grin
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!

2009 April Lorier

Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? -
Job 12

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Russell Terrier Dog Is A Mega Hit!

The day has finally come when I'd rather watch some of the commercials on television than the programs they support. My Shih Tzu and I love this new State Street SPDR commercial, and whenever it hits the airwaves, we are both watching (but only I am smiling). I've no idea what the woman is singing, but it's certainly a well-produced commercial. That means it's only one minute long. I do hope you enjoy this video!



I never get tired of this scenario - friendship-love between dogs. It's brilliant! (I am a great appreciator of creative marketing.)

2009 April Lorier

Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? - Job 12

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John Wayne Nature Video

Most people know John Wayne is an American Hero. But did you know he was also an avid nature lover? Do you know why he loved America so much? This video provides an opportunity for us to hear, from his lips, why he loved America. Hint: it has a lot to do with nature!





Thank you, Mr. Wayne. You were my father's favorite hero, and mine, too.

2009 Christian Nature

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Oh That We Were More Like Geese!

We can learn so much from geese! Oh that we were more like simple geese.

A Lesson From Geese

View more documents from wil_lang.

I want to thank Lee's Birdwatching Adventures for this slide show. Visit her site and be blessed by a fellow Christian Nature Lover!

2009 April Lorier

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Ashes To Ashes, Dust To Dust

Nature is full of life and beauty, but death is also a part of nature. With all of the breaking news about the deaths of several well-known personalities over the past few days, we are reminded once more that our time on the earth is temporary.

Just when I thought I would see this week's death list finally come to a close, I was informed last night that my own father had died as well. I was reminded of the nature of mortality in a very personal way. God was speaking His wisdom to me all through last night.

'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust'? Is it just a cliche? What, exactly, does this mean?

Seeds and kernels die and then find their way into the soil to spark new life. Some really beautiful flowers can grow out of the ashes. Bountiful crops can grow out of the dust to feed the world. God's ecosystem wastes not - and wants not. There is a balance to life.

As I look around my community, I see houses, trees, fences, cars, roads, birds, animals and people. All will eventually turn to dust. It is all temporary. It is all a slow appearance and disappearance - a bit of an illusion, really.

Timeless, eternal values are all that remain. All else is a perpetual cycle of life, death and regeneration. Each phase must be experienced, celebrated, mourned and recycled into a new gift of creation.

Nature is life. Nature is death. Nature is resurrection. Nature is eternal!

This is a guest post from my son, Mark.

© 2009 Christian Nature

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