RABBITS, HAWKS, AND SQUIRRELS

A few years ago we had lots of rabbits hopping around our yard. They built nests in the grass and we had to avoid them when mowing until the bunnies were big enough to escape the whirling blade. Every morning they were munching on the vegetation.

And then the hawks came. Obviously attracted by a tasty meal, they swooped down on the earth-bound hares which were defenseless against the winged predators. Soon the hawk population grew and the number of rabbits decreased drastically.

So the hawks went after the squirrels, but alas, squirrels can climb trees and hide in the foliage. It was not so easy for the big birds to grab a meal at the fly-through. They got discouraged and hungry, so they’ve moved on to greener, or should I say whiter, pastures, so to speak. And the rabbits are coming back.

Now there is an overabundance of squirrels in our neighborhood. They run around and chase each other, scurrying up trees and poles, having more fun than one can imagine. And the most interesting thing to me is that we see black squirrels, and gray, and brown all romping together. Are they color blind, or do they realize instinctively that the color of their fur has no bearing on their “squirreliness”?

I’ve never eaten squirrel [that I’m aware of] but I’m guessing the flavor is about the same regardless of the tint of their covering. And I doubt that anyone call tell the fur difference between two skinned squirrels’ carcasses. A squirrel is a squirrel – regardless of the color of its skin – I mean fur.

I believe there’s an analogy here for humans as well. A human is a human regardless of the color of their fur – I mean skin. After all, the Bible says we are all “One Blood” – referring to men and women everywhere for all time. And genetics verifies this – we are all human beings, created in God’s image.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

THE DAY THE LEAVES TURN GREEN

It’s one of the events that jump out at us, even though we know it’s coming. Spring arrives and the flowers start to blossom, the grass greens up, and the trees are budding. But one day, usually late May or early June, I’m driving down the highway and all of a sudden, I see that ALL the leaves are green! It just dawns on me that they’re all green. It happened gradually, but now the process is complete. And it’s quite pretty!

A similar experience happens every autumn when all the pumpkins turn orange. I drive by the same fields every day, but whammo – suddenly the pumpkins are all orange! This seems to happen more quickly because the green pumpkins are shrouded in the green vines and the green weeds. So the orange seems brighter than ever.

Other events in life are also like this. Wow, I just turned 40 [or 50 or 60 or (gulp) 70] – even though we knew it was coming, suddenly it’s here. But unlike the leaves and pumpkins, our age doesn’t repeat each year. Once we reach that milestone, it’s on to a new one.

I think it’s human nature to avoid thinking about future events over which we have no control. Tax day, for example – If we’re wise we’ll prepare for it. But it still seems to sneak up on us. Retirement is another – we save and invest and then we ask if we did enough.

There is one event that we can also prepare for, and that’s the return of Christ to the Earth. He told us to be ready at any moment for this blessed and hopeful event. We know it’s coming, but do we avoid spending very much time thinking about it? If we’re not sure how to prepare, God has giving us His plan in His word, the Holy Bible. Be sure to look it up. I did, and I’m ready for His return or the moment He calls me home – whichever comes first.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

APRIL 20th - A VERY MEMORABLE DAY

There was so much sad tragedy in Colorado, but for me it was a day for a miracle!

I had my cancerous left kidney removed by Dr. Black in Alliance Community Hospital. There are two types of kidney carcinoma – Renal Cell and Transitional Cell. Thank God, mine was Transitional Cell because Renal Cell does not respond to chemotherapy.

So I did have chemo, and it was just as grueling as I’d heard, but it saved my life. I have had some long term side effects, such as peripheral neuropathy, plus I have Chronic Kidney Disease in my right kidney. But I’m very much alive thanks to Dr. Black’s and his associate’s skill, and for modern medicine.

 And thanks also to my wonderful wife for sitting with me during the chemo treatments and helping to nurse me back to health. She even drove me around so I could make sales calls that summer. And she’s been so supportive ever since.  I’m so blessed to have such a great helpmate. God was very wise to provide Eve for Adam!

When you look into death’s door, it changes your perspective. The initial fear I felt after the cancer diagnosis has been shared by all those who faced this health threat. It’s always unknown if the cancer is treatable or how long you’ll live and the quality of your life after any surgery or treatment.

I feared the worse, which is natural I suppose. So when I went to the hospital that morning I was ready to wake up from the operation with the most negative prognosis. But I’ll never forget the overwhelming peace that God gave me when Sherman Brantingham, one of our pastors, prayed over me and anointed me with oil. Calmness blanketed my mind and soul like I’d not experienced before nor have felt since. It was God’s peace that “goes beyond comprehension.”

So I’ve been blessed with an additional twenty years with family and friends. Even though the cancer didn’t get me, I know that someday something will – this is life. But the good news that we celebrate each Easter is that beyond death’s door is the door to Heaven. Because Jesus was crucified and rose again, those of us who have put our faith in Him and received his salvation will pass through the door of death to the door of eternal life.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON