A Winter Wonder Anti-freeze Jumper

A Winter Wonder Anti-freeze Jumper

What living being thrives on the snow, has anti-freeze-like abilities, and a spring-loaded jumping system?  A snow hare gone mad?  A white-tailed deer dodging some crazy driver?  No – it’s a fascinating creature God made called the snow flea. Actually, snow fleas aren’t fleas at all.  They are tiny like a flea (1/16th of an inch long), but they are harmless and do not fly.  Rather they jump around, like Mexican jumping beans. These curious critters are springtails, in the class Collembola.  Another name for them is springtail.  They live year-round but are more visible in the snow.  Wondering how they hop around?  Believe it or not, they have a very unique catapult system!  That’s right, a catapult system. Basically, two “tails”...

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Posted by on Feb 7, 2014 in God's Creation Archives | 0 comments

From Mario Mess-up to Bunk Bed ‘Fess Up

From Mario Mess-up to Bunk Bed ‘Fess Up

By Jen Lyons Psalm 78: 71   From tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. Justin and Matt were determined to defeat Bowser.  A blazing fireball spewed ferociously out of his mouth, straight at Mario whom Justin thought he had under control.   Bowser’s victory was dreaded, and so was the sudden ringing of the phone.  “Hurry up & answer it!  It might be Mom & Dad!”  Justin bolted for the phone but resented his brother’s bossiness.  “Hi Dad.  No, dishes aren’t done yet, we were just about to do that.  Our room?”  Justin covered the phone so Dad couldn’t hear.  “Matt!” he hissed, “Did you start on our room yet?”  A deer-in-the-headlight-look was all Justin needed....

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Posted by on Feb 7, 2014 in Hey Kids Archives | 0 comments

Jesus, Matthew 5:44

Jesus, Matthew 5:44

Unbullying Beth “…love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you…” Matt. 5:44 Another spit ball aimed at Laura went flying past, hitting the wall map and landing in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  Mrs. D was oblivious as she arranged fractions on the chalkboard.  Laura felt another sharp sting on her cheek.  As everyone burst out laughing, Mrs. D spun around, “Who threw that?”  Laura clenched her fists and her pencil snapped in two.  No one spoke as their teacher stalked up and down the aisles.  “Speak up or you get no common denominators in your homework this week.”  A tense silence gripped the room, broken by the recess bell. “Got you again you big wimp!”  More hallway harassment from Beth the...

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Posted by on Nov 22, 2013 in Hey Kids Archives | 0 comments

Pepper Jasmine: Goat At Work

by Jean Ann Williams   And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. —Genesis 2:24 (ESV)   Nana, the owner of a six-month-old goat named Pepper Jasmine, cleans the dirty straw from her pet’s living quarters once a week. Nana uses a pitchfork to toss the old straw into a wagon. Pepper Jasmine leaps into the wagon to watch the pile of straw grow into a mound inside the wagon. Nana moves the wagon a few steps. After the wagon stops, Pepper Jasmine rears up on her back legs and lifts her front hooves high onto the barn wall. It makes a clacking sound. Then Pepper Jasmine helps Nana find all the cobwebs that need to be...

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Posted by on Oct 18, 2013 in God's Creation Archives | 1 comment

The Lonely Little Princess, Part 4

The Lonely Little Princess, Part 4

By Elizabeth Fust But the Princess didn’t have a fairy godmother, and a fish couldn’t be a prince! Could it? “God,” she prayed, “I wish my kiss could turn the fish into a prince. Perhaps then we could be friends, and maybe fall in love.  I would never be alone again because he would never leave me.” The Princess reached her hands into the pond, and the fish swam to her. Carefully, she lifted him out of the water. She closed her eyes tight and brought the fish to her lips and kissed it. But nothing happened.  The fish stayed a fish. After she put him back into the pond, he swam around just as he had before. The Princess sighed.  “God, I’m so sorry I ever doubted you. A fish could never be a prince, and there is no such thing as fairy godmothers....

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Posted by on Aug 2, 2013 in Creative Corner Archives | 0 comments