A Great Creature – The Sturgeon 

Have you ever seen a sturgeon? They are huge! They are not particularly good to eat because of the number of bones, but great sport fish. Early one Spring, I was shocked to see the water churning and churning right in front of the lake cottage. It was a “deep water” Spring; meaning that the lake was up to the top of the retaining wall and very close to the house. 

The commotion that they caused was quite remarkable. There were some workmen at the house who ran to see what was going on. They explained to me that these were mating sturgeons and then complained that they didn’t have their fishing rods with them. 

There is a local legend that our lake monster, Champ, may be one of these sturgeons grown to gigantic proportions. I was glad that they didn’t have the opportunity to catch these fish. Who knows, maybe one of them is Champ. 

A Small Creature – The Ant 

I am sure that all of you have had experiences with ants. Here at camp, they are the welcoming committee as we walk in the door. They come in all sizes: the giant ones who are eating the camp, the medium-sized ones who like water and eat everything else and the teeny, tiny ones who swarm all over the sugar and honey jars. 

Have you ever noticed how they are the most caring of insects; rescuing their injured brethren at great cost to their own safety? I have tried to live with them but it is not possible. They bite and they don’t share the food. Once they start on something, it is gone from human consumption.  

So, we look for solutions. I used cucumber peels very successfully for years. They made the kitchen smell good and didn’t do any environmental damage. Just looked unsightly. But this year, we had to resort to more vigorous methods like buttons, sprays and sprinkles around the outside perimeter. 

Most of them have moved on to greener pastures. Not sure what that means for an ant. However, the teeny, tiny ones just love the native honey. I wash the bottle each time and still find them licking the residue. So, we trudge along together; learning to share the honey. 

As always happens to me when I take time to really look at this beautiful world, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and awe. “Dear Lord, thank you, thank you, thank you! Can I say it enough to sincerely relay how I feel about these gifts and challenges?” 

Looking at the sturgeon and the ant, I see the creatures great and small, and I know that the Lord God made them all. One way or another, the Lord God made them all. And I am truly grateful.  

Remember that the Lord God loves you unconditionally. Spend some time looking at the beautiful world in which you live. Read Psalm 8. 

Terri