A Lesson From a Baby Bird, a Big Black Beetle and a Pair of Sheep

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”

John 10:  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.”

Yesterday I saw something which was quite sad but combined with two things that I saw on our bike ride today on the Cowichan Valley Trail, there is a definite lesson for me.

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting on a chair in our back yard and I noticed that a paper wasp had landed on something small and pink.  The wasp stayed on the object for quite a time as though it was gathering food.  After it flew away I went over to see what the pink thing was, and was sad to discover that it was a tiny baby bird.  No feathers, surely newly hatched.  We have had quite a lot of wind lately, so I must surmise that the baby was blown out of the nest.  There was not a mark on its little body so I don’t think that it was tossed out by the mother or other siblings.   I wondered at the brevity of this little life, and it made me think of the verse from the book of Ecclesiastes concerning the fact that there is a season and a time to everything.  It was not meant for this little bird to grow, and fledge and live a normal life.
Then today husband and I went for a bike ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail.  It has been a week since we have been there, and I was a little shaky on the way up the trail.  At one point I saw two bike riders coming towards me from a distance so I stopped and got off my bike.  It was then that I noticed a big black beetle making its way across the trail to the other side.  I wondered whether or not it was going to survive two bikes going by.  As I watched, the first bike passed missing the beetle by not more than an inch.  The beetle turned 90 degrees to the left and the second bike passed him by at a greater distance.

I remembered how the baby bird died very shortly after hatching, and marveled at how this beetle had lived in the face of danger.
Husband and I travelled further up the trail and then turned around and headed back.  And about half-way back  I noticed that husband had stopped and then I saw that there were two sheep at the side of the trail, grazing.  I took several photographs of them and then remembered John chapter 10, and the teaching about the Lord Jesus being the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep.

There was a lesson in all these things.  That being, all things are in God’s hands, he gives life, and he takes it away,  the baby bird died, I know not why, but the beetle lived.  The Good Shepherd cares for all.  Sometimes we don’t understand why things happen, but God knows and we just have to trust in him and in his sovereign will for all creation.

Below is a photo of the pair of sheep..  my reminder of the Good Shepherd.
My husband always says that I go too slow on my bike, but which is better? to go fast and miss all the things the Lord has to show me? or to go slow and see them all.  I will continue to ride slowly and marvel at what the Lord has for me.

vcg/May 2016

Riding the Cowichan Valley Trail 2: Was it or Wasn't it?

Was it or wasn’t it a bear?  Yesterday was our second time riding our bicycles on the Cowichan Valley Trail and it turned out to be a bit exciting.  First we followed the route west towards Lake Cowichan again, this time going farther than before.  As we rode past the farms and entered more heavily forested area, I grew a little uncomfortable going further that way.  We had travelled 5 km along this road, so we headed back to the parking lot and decided to cross the highway and go east on the same trail.  And that is when the trip became kind of scary.

This part of the trail is very peaceful, there is a stream at the side of the trail down an embankment and it sounded lovely riding beside it.  About 1 km along the trail we came to a forested cul-de-sac and stopped to decide if we wanted to go farther.  By this time having traveled 11 km in total, I was getting a bit tired.  As we stood there, I heard a low throaty growl, not a dog.  Didn’t see anything but I told my husband I wanted to head back and he told me that he had heard a growl, I had not told him that I did.  So we mounted our bikes and as we started back I could smell a strong animal odor.  I was nervous riding behind my husband so I kept calling him and asking me if there was anything behind me as we rode back to the parking lot.

We could not say for sure what animal had made that sound but today we decided to buy rear-view mirrors for our bikes, so we went to the bike store where we had purchased our bikes and asked the fellow if they sold rear-view mirrors.  I expected him to chuckle but he went right to them.  I told him that thus far we had just travelled the Cowichan Valley Trail and didn’t mention our experience of the day before, but he spoke right up and said “there are bears on that trail”..  Good grief, that is what I did not want to hear.  So we asked him where they were and he said that someone had seen a black bear on the Sherman Road section, and that is exactly where we heard the sound the day before.

So was it or wasn’t it a bear?  I do not know for certain but it is not going to keep us from riding this trail.  I have a personal alarm which is extremely loud and I think that it would deter any bear.  At least this time of year there is lots of Spring grasses for them to eat.   Hopefully we will not see a cougar or a wolf.

It will be more comforting being able to see what is behind me now.  Nevertheless, I wonder what future rides will bring?

Little Orphan Deer with 1 Corinthians 1:27

 

This little sweetheart was photographed in Spring on a road in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island.  Her mother was nowhere in sight, so I believe that she was an orphan.  How she made it through the winter is a miracle because she was very thin.  She walked down the road towards our car, and then went into a yard and began eating the new Spring grass.   I chose 1 Corinthians 1:27 as the verse because it just seemed fitting.

The Creation: Majestic Elk and a Foolish Photographer.

Jasper National Park used to be a great place for an animal lover to visit starting in late August.   That is when the bull Elk rutting season begins, and it was not unusual to see many bull and cow elk near the townsite, as there were many cow elk with their calves spending the summer in the campsites that are near the townsite.  Every evening, as dusk was setting in, we used to go and park the car near the underpass that leads to town.  It wasn't long before this particular bull arrived on the scene with his cows.  The lighting isn't the best in this photo but you can see how huge his antlers are.

However, there are always foolish people around who just have to get as close as possible to take their photo when waiting in the car with a good telephoto lens produces better results.  In the photo below, this fellow decided to try and get closer and right after I took this photo the bull chased him away.  This man was very lucky that he wasn't gored, or stomped to death, but I do think that the reason he wasn't is because this particular elk is so used to cars and people because he chose to hang around the townsite... 

We haven't been to Jasper since 2010, so I don't know if the elk are still so easily seen.  I do hope so.

The Creation: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

One of the best animal sightings in Jasper National Park is the Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep.  They always travel in a herd, either ewes with lambs or rams before the rutting season begins.  They don't seem to have any fear of people or traffic.  I have seen a large herd of females at a parking lot at the side of Medicine Lake intermingling with adults and children.  People forget that they are wild and that they could do a lot of damage.  Once I was sitting by myself on a rock at the same parking lot and I was approached by a ewe that licked my hands and my jeans.  All I could think of was how easily she could have butted me into the lake far below.  Quite often they are seen around Talbot Lake and Athabaska Lake which are across from each other with the highway to Edmonton between the lakes.  It is very scary to see the herd galloping along the side of the highway with its speeding traffic, and then cross as one  when they think they can get away with it.

The photo below was taken from the car at the side of the highway, Talbot Lake in the background with its beautiful color. There were many more sheep in this herd but I focused on these.  The lake and the sheep are  beautiful examples of God's creation..