Lately I have noticed a lot of animals.  The other week when I was at the church, I noticed by the restrooms a Western Banded Gecko.  He was really fascinating to look at with his long toes and his slanted eyes and the banded markings running down his body.  I’m sure he was hanging out to try and catch some of the bugs that hang out around our campus.

On Friday of last week, I was driving into town and in our neighborhood, I saw out of the corner of my eye, a bird slowly flying and then knock off a piece of fruit from a barrel cactus.  It was incredible to catch a glimpse of that.  This bird timing their slow descent on the cactus to knock the fruit off without being stuck by the needles of the cactus impressed me beyond words.  The bird then landed on the ground and started to peck at their meal they had just secured.

Then yesterday Bekkah sent me a video of a tree, but out of the tree was an entire chorus of birds singing together for all to hear.  Both the sound and the number of birds I assume were in there really blew me away.
Finally, when my family arrived home, I helped then into the house and as I began to enter the house, I noticed what I am going to assume was a Sonoran Toad nestled into a corner of the entryway.  Bekkah made sure our dog stayed in the house since we know toads and dogs don’t mix.  I am sure, though, that he was there because the porch light was on and there were a decent number of bugs flying around.  He just wanted a good meal.  And I must say that huddled in the corner like he was, he was very camouflaged because I had to really point him out for everyone else to notice.

My point for sharing all of this is simply to marvel at the wonder of creation and the animals that God has created.  Last week was the first chapel of the year for Noah’s Ark, and they were talking about creation and showed 5 different videos about unusual animals and the gifts they have been given to enable them to survive in strange and unusual places in our world.  I guess you could say chapel and all these animal sightings were very timely and helped me to take the time to admire the small creatures once again in front of me.

0 For every wild animal of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the air,a

and all that moves in the field is mine.  – Psalm 50:10-11

Have you noticed any animals lately?  Have you noticed anything that made you marvel at this creation that God has made for us?  It is a beautiful world that God has created for us to enjoy.  Take a moment to see what might be out on your own front porch!  And if you want a reminder of what God thinks of all these animals then flip back to Genesis 1 and see what God says about all these creatures (something good I believe).

Blessings,

Pastor Brian