Selfish, Quarrelsome Ants

Are there antagonistic, self-centered, quarrelsome people in your life? There are in mine! Isn't it hard to even want them around? Believe it or not, there's a society of ants who are just as self-centered and quarrelsome!

It's a challenge, even for the Christian, to get along with lazy, selfish people. This is because they also tend to be quarrelsome, especially when their desires are not met. Now scientists have discovered that the phrase "industrious as an ant" does not apply to all ants. They report that they have found an entire ant society that is lazy, selfish and quarrelsome.

Sometimes a society is pleasant to live in and sometimes it's not. Not all ant societies are harmonious examples of cooperation. One ant society, popularly called the slave-makers, must be a miserable place to live. Slave-making ants make their living by plundering the nests of other species and making slaves of their captives. Slave ants are forced to feed, house and even defend their masters.

This leaves the slave-making ants with a great deal of idle time. Most of that idle time is spent in endless squabbles with each other over social status. The higher a slave-maker's status, the more service from a slave she receives. It would seem that just as idle human hands can lead to strife between people, idle ants tend to fight with each other too.

This universal linking of selfishness, laziness and fighting tells us that there are indeed universal moral truths. It shows us that those who say there is no absolute morality are wrong. Perhaps God has allowed this ant society to corrupt itself so we could have a scientific basis to reject today's moral relativism.

Notes: "Antagonistic ants." Discover/Creation Moments

2011 Christian Nature

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Philippians 2:3

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SAD? Light to the Brain Relieves Winter Blues Video

According to a Reuters report out of Finland, there is a remarkably effective new device for combating Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD—a form of depression that has a direct connection to the decreased amount of light during winter months.

The Valkee light, invented by Juuso Nissila, is about the size of an MP3 music player and is worn around the neck on a cord. The device has two ear attachments that look almost exactly like the MP3 ear buds, but in this case they emit bright light into the ear canal instead of sound.

"When light is delivered into the brain directly, like via ear canal, the light releases neurotransmitters in our brains," explains Nissila. "These same neurotransmitters [like serotonin, melatonin and dopamine] are used to treat depression and neurological diseases." (Photo: Reuters)

Trials have shown the efficacy of the Valkee light; researchers at the University of Oulu note that "90 percent of the severe SAD sufferers tested, benefited from just a few minutes of light therapy."

"We tried to find out what is the [sufficient] amount of light to alleviate the symptoms of winter blues and to our surprise even the lowest level, the lowest amount of light was enough," said researcher Professor Markku Timonen.

In the video interview, Timonen added that, at the beginning, people laughed at the idea of the device, but that they are no longer laughing at it.

Light to the brain relieves winter blues Video

What a wonderful discovery!

Source: Stuart McDill - Reuters

2011 Christian Nature

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Only Human Brain Constructed for Language

It would seem logical that a brain is a brain, no matter its location. But can a bear talk? Or a hippopotamus? Or a donkey? Not that I know of. So is the human brain wired differently than other mammals? It must be because only the human brain is constructed for language.

Language requires some very special designs that are rare in nature and found together only in humans. First, human language requires vocal cords, which none of the apes have. The only animals with vocal tracts are birds, but no one is suggesting that we evolved from birds.


Language also seems to require an unusual structure to the brain. The frontal area of the left hemisphere of the brain is connected to an adjacent area of the cortex called the Wernicke area. These two areas are linked by a bundle of nerve fibers. The result is a distinct brain asymmetry that is unique to humans.

Even the unborn human has this asymmetry that allows it to absorb language. Development in this area of the brain stops at puberty. That is why it becomes more difficult for adults to learn a new language. Language skills can be learned only by hearing language. So-called "feral" children, who have heard no language at all, cannot be taught language after puberty for the same reason.

So where did Adam first hear language? Scripture tells us that it was the Creator God Himself who regularly spoke with Adam. This means that language is not a collection of meaningless sounds to which we have assigned meanings. The meanings and sounds have come from God, just as our unique design that makes language possible comes from God. Therefore, language is not only for worldly purposes. We have also been given language to praise our God and Savior and to tell others who He is and what He has done! May I use MY brain and My language to glorify my Creator!

Notes: Creation Social Science and Humanities Quarterly

2011 Christian Nature

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Genesis 3:9

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Archaeological Discovery Proves Bible AGAIN

No archaeological discovery in the Holy Land has ever shown the Bible to be anything less than accurate. So-called experts, who have been skeptical of the Bible's claims, have been proven wrong many times. Once again, archaeology comes through!

The Old Testament mentions the worship of a 'golden calf' several times. According to the Bible, the Israelites fashioned one of these idols after their exodus from Egypt. Later, king Jeroboam worshiped the golden calf idol.

Until 1991, no one in our time had ever seen one. In the summer of 1991, Harvard University archaeologists excavating Canaanite ruins near the ancient port city of Ashkelon unearthed a 'golden calf.' Ashkelon is in Israel.

This 'golden calf,' however, is not made entirely of gold. It is about four and one-half inches long and four and one-fourth inches tall. It weighs just under a pound. The arms, legs, horns, tail and other parts were made of different metals and were attached to the body in sockets. The body itself was bronze.

The calf was dated through the pottery and other artifacts found alongside it to about 1550 BC. This would mean that the calf is Canaanite.

Though there was no reason to question what the Bible says about golden calf worship, many scholars preferred to refer to biblical statements on the subject as legends.

This discovery shows the Bible's accuracy when it speaks of golden calf worship. It also shows that the Canaanites worshiped these idols before the Israelites took over the Promised Land.

Christian Nature


2 Kings 10:29 But for all that, Jehu didn't turn back from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, the sins that had dragged Israel into a life of sin—the golden calves in Bethel and Dan stayed.

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Archeologists Discover 1608 Jamestown Church Video

Remember Pocahontas who saved the life of John Smith in the 17th Century? Well, archaeologists at Historic Jamestown say they've discovered the original 1608 church that was built at James Fort -- powerful evidence of America's Christian foundation.

Archeologists Discover First Church at Jamestown

For those who believe the story of Pocahontas and John Smith really happened, this discovery is very encouraging. For those who believe it was a 'fairy tale'... well, be happy for the rest of us.

Christian Nature

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Emotional Calif. Marine and Dog Reunited - Video

This emotional story from California's Santa Barbara KEYT

A U.S. Marine who took in a stray dog during his recent tour of duty in Afghanistan has once again been united with his pet in Santa Barbara as a Thanksgiving surprise.

Corporal Ward Van Alstine recently returned from the war zone and is stationed at Camp Pendleton. He drove to Santa Barbara to have Thanksgiving dinner with his family, friends and a fellow soldier.

When he arrived, his dog Chloe was waiting on the porch. The dog licked Van Alstine's face and snuggled into his arms.

In Afghanistan, Chloe was a shy stray but the marines lured her into their camp with small bits of a nutrition bar.

"So I baited her. She just kind of came in like a trail into our tent. That's what she did," Van Alstine said. "She decided she was queen of that realm and took over."

In December, Van Alstine will be out of the service and will be able to have Chloe back full time.

He credits his sister and the animal rescue group NOWZAD for working out the plan to have Chloe brought back to the U.S. from Afghanistan.



I have always thought a dog was man's best friend, so, naturally, I teared up at this story!

Christian Nature

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No. Calif. Christian Nature Video

This Christian nature video has such beautiful film of Muir Woods in Marin County, California, with great music by Casting Crowns - "Your Love is Extravagant". It was filmed and edited by Karen Gaines. Enjoy Northern California's natural beauty and feel the Spirit that created such a masterpiece of nature!

No. Calif. Christian Nature Video

We have a God who is simply presented in all of creation; we should recognize Him.
We have a God who is sovereignly powerful; we should respect Him.
We have a God who is surely purposeful; we should reverence Him.
We have a God who is savingly personal; we should receive Him.

All of that is in Genesis 1:1 which says, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” We have an obligation to God. We are twice His.

First, we are His because of creation, and secondly, we are His because of redemption. He made us and He bought us.

2011 Christian Nature

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Music of Nature

Every one seems to be so "busy" these days. Long gone are the days when humans sat on the porch during the setting sun, listened to the music of nature, and solved all the problems of the world.

Are we better for it? I don't think so. We seem to have lost the ability to hear the music of nature - the music God gave us long ago. Listen to the music of nature while you can!


Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.

The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask "How are you?"
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.

The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
'Cause you never had time
To call and say "Hi"?

You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.

The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....

Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music

Before the song is over.

2011 Nature Girl, April Lorier (originally published 1984)

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Would You Hire a Monkey as a Secretary?

Picture a classroom of monkeys pounding away at typewriters. What are the chances anything that makes sense would be typed? Would you hire a monkey as a secretary?

Nearly everyone just "knows" that if enough monkeys were allowed to pound away at typewriters for enough time, they would eventually produce all the great works of literature. But there are some fundamental laws of science and some very simple common-sense facts that show this claim to be nonsense.

Perhaps after a day or two some monkey might type the word "to" with spaces before and after it. Eventually another monkey might type the word "be." Given sufficient time and monkeys, we might end up with "To be or not to be." By this simple, mindless chance typing of letters could we eventually get all the great works of literature?

The truth is, time works against our fearless troupe of innumerable monkeys. If they are going to get their work done, they have to get their job done in a hurry. Neither monkeys nor typewriters last forever.

Then there is the problem of paper. Someone has calculated that even if monkeys and typewriters lasted forever and there was an unlimited supply of paper, the worthless trash our monkeys would produce would fill the entire universe before they could get out one Shakespeare play – not to mention War and Peace!

Neither science nor the laws of probability support this nonsensical theory about monkeys. Common sense shows us that this illustration, often used by evolutionists, reveals the anti-scientific nature of evolution.

Source: Creation Moments

2011 Christian Nature

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The Turtle and Human Arrogance

Once there was a turtle and a human who was so arrogant that she thought the turtle couldn't survive without her. I was that human.

Years ago, I owned a turtle named "Moses". We had a special relationship that scared my family because I would hold Moses right in front of my face and kiss him. They were always afraid Moses would, as most reptiles do, jerk his tongue out and sting me. But he never did! He crawled on my chest and nestled in my neck, feeling safe with me. I loved Moses more than I can describe.

I took him outside with me every day, allowing him to get sunshine and eat bugs as I trimmed my trees and hedges. The back yard was totally fenced in, so I never dreamed he would get out. But the inevitable happened one day. Moses was no where to be found, and I cried for weeks. Remember, God?

About eight months later, I was digging weeds out of the flower bed in the front yard, and my shovel hit something hard. Thinking it a rock, I reached down to get it with my hands and was shocked beyond belief to find dear old Moses under the dirt! How had he survived without me to feed him?

It's amazing how arrogant we humans can be, God! You created turtles to survive on their own to the ripe old age of 50 or 60 years of age! You programmed each species to survive without the help of human beings. Yet I, in my arrogance, thought You needed me to help You out with Your plan!

I learned a lot from Moses after that. I learned how awesome our mutual Creator, God The Son, God The Father, and God The Spirit is! There is nothing that slipped by You when You were creating all creatures great and small -- no detail of which You were not aware!

I learned how valuable hibernation is. I think of the seasons You created, God: Spring bursts forth with new life only because of the root growth during the seemingly barren season of Winter.

I learned to hold possessions much looser. Possessions can be lost, or they can die, or they can obstruct my view of You, Almighty God.

I will always remember Moses and our unique relationship. To this day, I have a wonderful turtle collection on my furniture to remind me that in the fairy tale, it was the focused slower creature that won the race. I will always be grateful for the lessons Your Spirit taught me through loving Moses.

2007-2011 Christian Nature

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Roman 1:20

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Mystery from Red To White

Space is full of mysteries. Those who think that the universe is millions or billions of years old have more mysteries to solve than they know. For example, how long does it take for a red giant star to collapse into a white dwarf star?

The mystery I'm referring to is of a star named Sirius B. This mystery is so great for evolutionists that it was one of the main topics of discussion at a scientific symposium at Louisiana State University in 1978.

Records of Egyptian astronomers dating back to 2,000 BC describe Sirius B as a red star.

The Roman senator Cicero, writing in 50 BC, also said Sirius B was red. And Seneca described Sirius as being redder than Mars.

And in 150 AD, Ptolemy, one of the most famous astronomers in history, listed Sirius as one of the six red stars.
There can be no question that Sirius was red.

Today, Sirius B is a white dwarf star. That's a problem because according to modern evolutionary astronomy, it should take at least 100,000 years for a red giant star to collapse into a white dwarf star.

The mystery of how the red giant Sirius became a white dwarf in less than 2,000 years was, and still is, the topic of hot debate. Sirius B calls into question the most basic theories about the supposed evolution of the universe. Obviously, those evolutionary ages are not nearly so well "proven" as evolutionists would like us to believe!

So many mysteries for those who refuse to believe God created the Universe!

2011 Christian Nature

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Archeological Discovery Rocks the Boat!

An Archeological Discovery is rocking the boat of liberal biblical scholars and scientists everywhere! This amazing discovery confirms what Jesus, Himself said over a dozen times.

The first five books of the Old Testament are called the 'Torah' in Hebrew, the 'Pentateuch' in Greek (meaning '5 books'), and 'The Law' in Christianity's Old Testament. Moses wrote them. They were not written over many generations, as some have claimed.

Now an amazing new discovery is forcing liberal scholars and scientists to change their teaching and has helped to scientifically confirm what Jesus said: Moses wrote the five books.

Archaeologists have discovered two tiny silver scrolls on which are carved important passages from Moses. The scrolls, once used as amulets (objects thought to protect one from harm), were found in the ruins of early sixth or seventh century B.C. Jerusalem.

Each scroll was made of thin silver foil, no thicker than tissue paper. One of the scrolls was an inch wide and an inch and one-half long.

Scientists studying the fine engraving under a microscope found what appears to be the text of a priestly blessing from the Book of Numbers. They noted that it was remarkable that the blessing is identical to modern texts, showing that the text has been accurately preserved longer than they ever imagined.

Faith doesn't require confirmation from science, but I love it every time science confirms the Word of God! Maybe that's why more and more scientists are becoming Creationists?

Notes: Discover

2011 Christian Nature

"For had you believed Moses, you would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me." John 5:46

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Brainless Fish

I read about an experiment that was done on fish. Scientists were trying to find out why fish swam in schools (as opposed to swimming alone). They took one fish and did a lobotomy on it. They completely removed the fish's brain, therefore any instinct in it to swim with all of the other fish. Sure enough, without a brain, the fish swam off in another direction. But the amazing part of this experiment is that all of the other fish followed the brainless fish!

Just listening to all of this noise - this ever-changing rhetoric - from our esteemed presidential candidates makes me think of this story about the fish. It is now more important than ever that we stay in The Word of God, spend time alone with Him, and follow His leading! Lord knows, we don't want to be following a brainless fish!

Please pray for our President Elect, whoever he is. The Bible clearly states that it is God who sets up and brings down rulers for a country. Some of the rulers He sat up were evil rulers because God's people were under judgment. (Read it in several books of the Old Testament.)

And other good and fair leaders He sat up were because God's people were obeying God! I have great respect for God's judgment, and I do not want to live through it. So, I, for one, am praying God will have mercy on us even though we do not deserve it and give us a President who is not a brainless fish!


2011 Christian Nature

And He changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and sets up kings: He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: Daniel 2:21

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Boston Ferns and Thin-Skinned People

Boston Ferns Plants are gorgeous, aren't they? Every woman who buys one has the hope that this one will do better than the last one; but most end up lamenting their inability to keep alive. After several disastrous experiences with the Boston Fern, most give up, convinced they have a black thumb.

Boston Ferns are definitely one of God's lovelier creations, but, oh those thin, delicate leaves! They need constant care - baby doses of feeding, an ideal environment of cool humidity, the gentle early-morning sun caressing them from above their leaves, and continual fussing over! And how they shed their leaves when they're not happy! What a mess! They remind me of attractive, but thin-skinned people.

Sometimes I find myself behaving just like a fern! I can find so many reasons to complain! Often I'm ashamed of how "self-sensitive" I am: brooding over less-than-perfect environments. I can't contribute anything to the world if I waste precious energy on self-protection, shedding leaves every time conditions are not perfect. After all the brown leaves have been swept off the floor, what is left of me to be of service to God?

Thin-skinned people become tiresome very quickly. Their need for constant affirmation, copious amounts of praise, and their attitude that the entire world revolves around them makes all of us want to distance ourselves from them. And rarely do they ever do anything for anyone else unless they will receive public honor for their deeds. Rarely, is there any incentive for us to dig through the walls of self-absorption to find the real person. Most of us become “busy” when they call or drop by for a visit.

You are more forgiving than us humans, God. You keep knocking at their hearts’ doors, waiting for the time when they will come out from behind that wall of me first to find out the world revolves around You and Your grace, not the thin-skinned in need of coddling.

When we meet face-to-face, I don't want to be ashamed of all the coddling I demanded. I want to bloom royally, like the reliable red geranium, and show Him how I was able to thrive even under the most unfavorable conditions!


God, help me mature past the stage of having to be milk-fed, misted, or coddled. Grow me into a lovely mature Christian who is not easily offended. Toughen me up, Spirit. Make a gracious, beautiful Christian out of me!


2007-2011 Christian Nature

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

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Surprising Who Accepted Darwin's Theory in His Day!

Ever heard of Adam Sedgwick, Astronomer Sir John Herschel, Louis Pasteur, William Whewell, or James Clerk Maxwell? These men were famous scientists of Darwin's time, and all of them rejected Darwin's Theory of Evolution. You will be surprised at who it was who accepted Darwin's theory!

Modern evolutionists often give us the impression that evolution was accepted by the scientific community of Darwin's day. But the scientists of Darwin's day didn't hear his theory, and then slap themselves on the forehead, and say, "Of course!" In fact, some of the most influential scientists of the day were hostile to Darwinian evolution.

Take Adam Sedgwick, for example. Although he taught field geology to Charles Darwin, he flatly rejected Darwin's theory. After reading Darwin's book, he wrote to Darwin that parts of it were completely false and filled him with sorrow.

Astronomer Sir John Herschel also rejected Darwin's theory. A fellow of the prestigious Royal Society, he called Darwinian evolution, "the law of higgledy-piggledy."

Evolution claims that life developed spontaneously by time and chance, but Louis Pasteur (chemist and microbiologist) was motivated to prove that life only comes from life.

Science philosopher William Whewell would not allow Darwin's book into the Cambridge University Library.

James Clerk Maxwell (physicist and mathematician) strongly opposed Darwinian evolution.

Ironically, it was the churchmen of Darwin's time who embraced Darwinian evolution. And when those who grew up in evolutionist churches got their science degrees, all they knew was that "everyone" had always supported evolution.

This certainly illustrates how a church's lack of faithfulness can change the worldview of an entire culture for the worse.

References: Creation, 9-11-99, pp. 26-27, "Holy War?" Creation Moments 2008

2011Christian Nature

Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 10:14

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Why Does God Sing? Video

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing! Zephaniah 3:17

Hallelujah! Praise God from heaven, praise Him from the mountaintops;
Praise him, all you His angels, praise him, all you His warriors,
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, you morning stars;
Praise Him, high heaven, praise him, heavenly rain clouds;
Praise, oh let them praise the name of God—He spoke the word, and there they were!

He set them in place from all time to eternity;
He gave his orders, and that's it!

Praise God from earth,you sea dragons, you fathomless ocean deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and ice, hurricanes obeying His orders;
Mountains and all hills, apple orchards and cedar forests;
Wild beasts and herds of cattle,snakes, and birds in flight;
Earth's kings and all races, leaders and important people,
Robust men and women in their prime, and yes, graybeards and little children.

Let them praise the name of God—it's the only Name worth praising.
His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky; He's built a monument—His very own people!

Why God Sings

It is an awesome thought: God sings over me with His love! It is hard to wrap my mind around it, so I will sing praises to His name.

2011 April Lorier

He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate--bringing forth food from the earth. Psalm 104:10-14

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First But Not Simple!

If you had to guess, what would you say was the first form of life to exist? And just because it was first, would that automatically mean it was simple? No! So says renowned photographer of microscopic scenes, Roman Vishniac.

One of his favorite subjects is one of the so-called simplest forms of life. This "simple" life, the protozoan, is supposedly the ancestor of all living things.

However, Vishniac has noted that the protozoan is neither simple nor archaic in character. This creature carries out all the functions of life that we require millions of cells to sustain – all within a single cell.

There is a parallel in technology. The first adding machines were large and heavy contraptions. As these mechanical adding machines became smaller, they had to be more cleverly designed because they were smaller. The first electronic calculators were even smaller and lighter than their mechanical brothers. But they were still much larger and simpler than calculators today. As calculators have decreased in size, they have had to be more cleverly designed because they are smaller.

Vishniac has learned that the so-called "simple" one-celled creatures are not simple at all. This is because they must carry out the business of life within the limits of their small size. This has not swayed him from evolution. However, this fact has convinced him that current theories are wrong.

You see, evolution is in trouble if there are no "simple" forms of life. We believe that this clear evidence that there are no simple forms of life – evidence powerful enough to sway the experts – supports the Bible's claim that all forms of life were created in finished form by a wise Creator.

Note: Science Digest

2011 Christian Nature

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." Genesis 1:31

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Hope For Flu Victims!

There is scientific hope for flu victims - BEFORE they become victims!

With flu season here, scientists are reporting development of a new material for the fiber in face masks, air conditioning filters and air cleaning filters that captures influenza viruses before they can get into people's eyes, noses and mouths and cause infection. The report on the fiber appears in ACS' journal Biomacromolecules.

Xuebing Li, Peixing Wu and colleagues explain that in an average year, influenza kills almost 300,000 people and sickens millions more worldwide. The constant emergence of new strains of virus that shrug off vaccines and anti-influenza medications has led to an urgent need for new ways of battling this modern-day scourge.

So Li, Wu and colleagues sought a new approach, using a substance termed chitosan made from ground shrimp shells. (Photo: flu virus magnified)

The scientists combined chitosan with substances that the flu virus attaches to in order to infect cells. They found that this new version of chitosan ideal for attaching to fibers of face masks and air filters was highly effective in capturing flu virus.

The material could become an important addition to vaccinations, anti-influenza medications, and other measures in battling flu, they suggest.

Isn't it wonderful what science can come up with? I certainly feel more hopeful! Now, if they will just install it on airplanes!

Notes: The American Chemical Society

2011 Christian Nature

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Soul Food For Your Eyes

There are times when everything seems to be going wrong and you don't see how you will be victorious. You need soul food for your eyes! Those are the times when getting out of the house and into God's nature will feed your soul.

Those are the times when your eyes - your spiritual eyes - must be on Jesus and what He has provided for you.

Those are the times when your soul will sing.

Maybe there are those out there in cyberland - maybe even you - who are at this point right now. It is for you that I post this nature video.




God bless you out of your discouragement! Remember: He wants your eyes to turn to Him! He's waiting to give you soul food for your spiritual eyes!

2011 Christian Nature

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Annointed Feet in Nature

Did you know there is an insect in nature that has anointed feet?

There you sit, doubting God will act on your behalf. You wish, but you doubt. You’re sure He’ll act for others, but not for you.
You pray for others, believing God will act because you prayed and believed.
Why can’t you have that same confidence in His love for you?

Consider, if you will, the tiny spider as he builds his web.
Back and forth he goes, crocheting a sticky trap for the moth.
He doesn’t doubt the moth will get caught in all that sticky ooze
Left by the little spider’s feet as he calculates his deadly map.

Sure enough, the moth, much larger, gets trapped in the web
And the spider says, “Oh boy, it’s supper time again. Wowoo!”
Poor Moth never guessed such a pretty afghan could be so deadly,
Yet bit by bit, he is consumed by a much smaller 'buggie-boo'.

Ever wondered why the spider doesn’t get caught in his own trap?
Ever marveled as you watched him travel on his web covered in dew?
Perhaps it is the protective anointing of oil God placed on his eight feet
That prevents him from being trapped like a meat ball in a stew.

Ponder this creative miracle of God, for a while, if you will:
God knew His anointing of holy oil on the spider’s feet would do,
And He cared enough for the spider to provide the spider’s needs.
Why would God care more for a spider than He cares for you?

2007-2011 Christian Nature

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

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God Uses Math!

Did you know God uses math? It's true! All of nature bears this out!

Every day we listen to music, watch excellent dancers, marvel at art, or get lost in the beauty of nature. What makes it all so appealing to us? Math!

At the beginning of the 13th century, a mathematician by the name of Leonardo Pisano studied a problem that had a revolutionary answer. The problem was given to him by a member of the royal family, and it went something like this:

"A certain man put a pair of rabbits in a place surrounded on all sides by a wall. How many pairs of rabbits can be produced from that pair in a year if it is supposed that every month each pair begets a new pair, which from the second month on becomes productive?"

On paper, Leonardo listed the number of rabbits at the end of each month, and came up with the following numerical sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and so on. And what is really neat about those numbers is that every number in the sequence was the sum of the two that came before it. One plus one is two, one plus two is three, three plus two is five, and so on.

Well, you're asking, so what? What does that have to do with God? More than you might think. As it turns out, Leonardo stumbled across a very important mathematical principle, known as the Fibonacci sequence, or Fibonacci numbers. And even though it was first used to count rabbits, it just might be one of the out of prints used to create the universe.

Students of this special sequence of numbers have noticed that each number bears a special relationship to the numbers surrounding it. The ratio of any Fibonacci number to the one before it is roughly 1.618034, and the ratio of any Fibonacci number to the one after it is roughly 0.618034. Again, so what? Well, as it turns out, that's a very special ratio.

It is so special, in fact, that it's called the "golden ratio," and the ancient Greeks based a lot of their art and architecture on it. The length of the Parthenon, for example, is 1.618034 times as long as the width, and the width is 0.618034 times as long as the length. And they designed a lot of their pottery with the same ratio. Now why did they do that?

They did it because they believed that this special ratio was much more pleasing to the human eye than any other ratio. And surprisingly, the very things we still find artistically pleasing today still exhibit that very same ratio.

The face of the Mona Lisa, for example, is built on the golden ratio. It is 1.618 times as long as it is wide. And it's been noticed by some students of music that the stuff we find really beautiful has the same golden ratio, where the first movement is 1.618 times as long as the second one, for example.

So why is it that we find that number so pleasing to the eye and to the ear? Could it be because that ratio most closely resembles the work of the Master Artist? Do we find it beautiful because it mimics creation?

Just consider how often the golden ratio shows up in nature, and I think you'll see what I mean. It turns out that your forearm is approximately 1.618 times as long as your hand.

And each segment in your finger is roughly 1.618 times as long as the next one. And the faces of people we consider to be beautiful have this number show up all over the place. Their mouths are 1.618 times as wide as their noses, and the distance between their pupils is about 1.618 times as wide as their mouths. This happens so frequently that some plastic surgeons have begun using this number to improve people's appearances.

Could it be that the golden ratio is one of the out of prints God used at creation?

You know, if you create a spiral based on Fibonacci numbers, where every quarter turn is 1.618 times as far from the center as the previous one, you get what is known as a golden spiral.

And oddly enough, most of the spirals found in nature are golden spirals. The shells of the nautilus and the snail, for example, are shaped in a golden spiral. So are hurricanes, ram's horns, the tails of seahorses, the cochlea of the human ear, whirlpools in the ocean, the seed patterns of sunflowers and pinecones, and the tail of a comet as it winds around the sun.

Not only that, but we have also discovered that the number of spirals in a sunflower or on a pine cone are always numbers from the Fibonacci sequence. And furthermore, you'll notice that you can find spirals running in two directions on a pine cone, but the number of spirals running in each direction is not equal. Instead, you might have eight spirals running in one direction, and 13 running in the other. But the numbers are always neighbors from the Fibonacci sequence.

The list of golden ratios goes on and on and on. If you create ratios between the lengths of years of neighboring planets in our solar system, they are always made up of Fibonacci numbers.

And so are the arrangements of flower petals and the lengths of DNA molecules. In fact, a strand of DNA is a stack of rectangles all made in the same proportions as the Parthenon and other golden rectangles.

The neighboring leaves of some trees are arranged at 137.5 degrees from each other. That angle, amazingly, enables the highest number of leaves to have exposure to sunlight. But, even more amazing, when you draw that angle inside a circle, you get two pieces that are in the golden ratio to each other. The longest arc is, well, you guessed it, 1.618 times as long as the shortest one.

It just can't be a coincidence. From art and music to nature and science, the golden ratio keeps showing up over and over.

I could go on with literally thousands of more examples, but I think I've made the point. As you scratch below the surface of our world, it becomes obvious that somebody made it. We're not an accident. It's almost as if somebody deliberately used that number as a measuring stick for the cosmos.

Could it be that we are just starting to discover the out of prints of the universe? Could it be, when we find ourselves drawn irresistibly to something beautiful, it's because we are subconsciously recognizing the fingerprints of God? And what does that mean for you?

It means that you have a purpose. Somehow, somewhere, you fit into God's design. You are not an accident. You are not the product of mere chance over billions of years.

And to prove it to yourself, just go outside and take a look, because, as Paul says in Romans, chapter one, *the more you look at creation, the more you are going to see God.*

I see stunning evidence in the cosmos that tells of an unseen hand that put it all in place. I see that a God of love, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, gave me a tremendous gift in His creation of this world. And He used math!

2011 Christian Nature

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Healing Through Laughter

The nature of laughter is to heal. In fact, laughter is often better than pharmaceuticals!

Possibly you have heard the stories of cancer patients being healed by laughing? Or children who were extremely traumatized being healed by watching funny cartoons - or even by clowns performing for them? It is not as unusual as you might think! Jews and Christians know, from the Old Testament, that a merry heart does good like a medicine! (See Proverbs 17:22)

To that end, Israel is the only country that offers a bachelor's degree in clown therapy as a paramedical profession, at the University of Haifa's Graduate School of Creative Arts Therapies. A master's program is also planned.

"In the States, our clowns are called upon from time to time to assist in various [medical] procedures, but nothing compared to the depth, consistency and wonderful partnership that I see in Israeli hospitals," said Michael Christensen, founder of New York's Big Apple Circus.

Groucho Marx once said: "A clown is like an aspirin, only it works twice as fast."

Can that notion be proven scientifically? The question was among those pondered at an October conference in Israel that drew participants from many countries.

Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Israel's internationally renowned Dream Doctors therapeutic clowning program, the congress gave visitors a chance to watch clowns in action at Jerusalem hospitals and learn about efforts to promote medical clowning as a standardized, research-backed healthcare discipline.

Dream Doctors founder and chairman Yaacov Shriqui said that 90 Dream Doctors are now working in 22 Israeli healthcare facilities, mainly with children.

"We visit 176,000 children per year, spending an average of 12 minutes per child," said Shriqui, speaking to an audience that included North Americans, Australians, Portuguese, Danes, Brazilians, Palestinians, Scots, Germans, Dutch, Swiss, Peruvians, French and Russians, among others.

Kudos to Israel! Maybe, in time, other countries can catch up to her in medical treatment through laughter! The world would certainly be a happier place!

2011 Christian Nature

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How Old Is the Universe?

How old is the universe? How is the age of the universe measured? And what does religion or faith have to do with it?

Evolutionary scientists talk about how radiometric dating methods prove the universe and the Earth are billions of years old. Let's look at all the methods scientists could use.

There are well over 100 methods available! There are thousands of scientists who prefer other methods that offer younger ages for our world and universe.

Those few methods – out of over 100 – that evolutionists prefer are not very exact. Sometimes evolutionists will actually get a negative age for something using one of their preferred methods. In other words, the same method that shows that some object is a billion years old may show that some other object doesn't even exist yet! Wow! a NEGATIVE AGE?

The fact is, more dating methods prove, just as scientifically, that the world is less than 500 years old than prove it is more than a billion years old. Of over 100 methods we know of – giving results of anywhere from 100 years to billions of years – 15 percent of all methods give a date of between 6,000 and 10,000 years for the age of the universe. That is a very powerful statistical argument for a young creation!

I, for one, will not allow evolutionists to intimidate me with scientific mumbo-jumbo. My faith is in the Bible that God has given us. Those who promote evolution have their faith in their own reasoning abilities.

The origins debate is religious. The religion revealed by God is challenging, head-to-head, another religion. That other religion, evolution, was hatched in some human mind!

So, I conclude there is no such thing as a human without faith. Some have faith in God and His Word. Others have faith in what a 'smart human' has said. Wow! God or human?

2011 Christian Nature

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

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Mathematical Swimmer

What if I told you there's an animal living in the ocean that is a great mathematician? Would you think me foolish? You would be wrong! In fact, there are 500 species of this animal! They swim mathematically! Got a guess?

The jellyfish almost seems like a creature from a bad science fiction movie. It's not even a real fish! Around 500 species of jellyfish, ranging in size from small marbles to several feet across, inhabit the world's oceans. Jellyfish have several mouths and will try to eat anything, including each other. Thankfully, the stings of most jellyfish have no effect on human beings.

The jellyfish lives two very different lives, each with different lifestyles and methods of reproduction. The familiar jellyfish form is a swimming lifestyle in which the creatures reproduce sexually.

However, in another phase of their life, they are called polyps. In the polyp stage, they look like small anemones, cling to rocks and reproduce by cloning.

Jellyfish cannot move fast enough to chase prey. However, careful study of jellyfish swimming patterns shows that jellyfish don't swim at random. The pattern in which they swim produces the greatest mathematical likelihood of encountering prey.

Biologically jellyfish have only two internal organs: a stomach and sex organs. Although evolutionists tell us jellyfish were among the earliest creatures, some of them have sophisticated brain functions that – outside of jellyfish – are found only in mammals and human beings!

The jellyfish is a tribute to God's creativity and imagination. Even though the jellyfish appears to be one of the simplest forms of life on Earth, it is also a mathematically precise hunter. Even this living bag of lukewarm Jell-O praises God through its existence.

There is nothing The Creator does not strategize! So next time you think He doesn't hear you, remember the mathematical abilities of the simple jellyfish!

2011 Christian Nature

"Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:" Psalm 148:7

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What Makes Humans Special?

What is it that makes humans special? Is it personality? Or intelligence? No, every pet owner knows dogs, cats, and other pets have personality! Intelligence? No, any scientist knows as much as is needed and no more is generously found throughout the creation. So we cannot say that intelligence alone makes humans special.

Let's look at a bird. The weaverbird. The weaverbird nest consists of woven strips of fiber and grass. Using beak and feet, the male weaverbird uses both loops and knots to weave his hanging nest. Then the nest must be inspected by a prospective mate. If she doesn't like the nest's construction, she will turn down the hopeful mate.

The male must then tear down his work and start over. Some males have been observed constructing and tearing down their nests two dozen times before finding a prospective mate who is satisfied with his work

Some weaverbirds actually build huge cities of nests protected by a woven roof. One roof over a weaverbird city was 15 feet across!

Human intelligence spans much more than animal intelligence. However, what sets us apart from animals is the fact that our Creator made us to have a special relationship with Him.

And even when Adam and Eve placed their will above God's Word, He still loved us enough to pay the highest price to restore us to Himself. Jesus Christ lived in perfect obedience to God for us and then suffered the penalty of our disobedience against God.

In other words, we are triune beings: body, soul, and spirit.

All other life is body and soul (mind, will, and emotions.) They cannot have that special relationship with their Creator since they have no spirit.

Notes: Science Digest

2011 Christian Nature

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Genesis 1:28

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