Staying Connected

Staying Connected

“Those who know your name will trust in you,  for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10) Over the Thanksgiving holiday I visited my parents. They live out in the country where there is no cable, no internet, and the cell phone reception is kind of spotty. For four days I couldn’t check my e-mail or work on the internet. I lost touch with all my Facebook friends and wasn’t able to answer my e-mail. I was disconnected. I began thinking about how not seeing or talking to friends regularly can cause them to become disconnected. Disconnection often causes friendships to fall apart. As I thought about my friendship with God, it made me think how important it is to stay connected to Him through regular prayer and reading His...

Read More

St. Peter’s Fish

By Wendy Lanier   Ever hear the story of how the disciple Peter caught a fish with a coin in its mouth? Maybe you wondered what kind of fish would have a coin in its mouth and why. It’s possible the fish Peter caught was a musht fish. Whether it really was or not, the fish has become popularly known as “St. Peter’s fish.” Musht fish are still caught in the Sea of Galilee today.   A musht fish is a type of tilapia that grows anywhere from 6 to 18 inches long and can weigh more than three pounds.  They have a long dorsal fin along their back that looks like a comb when extended.  The word “musht” is Arabic for comb. Musht fish have a large head with a bag under their mouth. Every year in the spring the musht fish lay their eggs. After the...

Read More

These Insects Are the Pits!

By Wendy Lanier This summer, while you’re out running around, keep an eye out for peculiar inverted cones in loose soil like these. They are often found near anthills. Sometimes the anthills look very similar, but ant mounds are above the ground like this. These strange looking indentions are not the work of aliens. They are traps set by the  larval stage of an insect known as an antlion.  Antlion pits are designed to catch ants  and other unsuspecting insects that fall into them. Once the insect victim falls into the  trap, the antlion seizes it with its long mandibles. After a brief struggle the antlion pulls  the victim under the soil to suck out all its body fluids. The empty carcass is then flicked  out of the pit.   The antlion’s life cycle...

Read More

The Best Gift EVER

by Wendy Lanier Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11a At our house we try very hard to keep the real reason for Christmas in mind at all times. Even though we do the things that most people do—put up a tree, buy gifts, bake cookies, etc—we try never to lose sight of the reason we celebrate in the first place. When I stop to think about the first and BEST Christmas present, I am always amazed by God’s love for us. People say, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” But the truth is, WE are the reason. We are the reason that God sent his Son to earth to live and die as a sacrifice for our sins. We are the reason Jesus willingly came and gave his life for us. Jesus is the best gift EVER. He is the gift...

Read More