Shade Tree Wisdom 12/1/08

This is what the Psalm teaches:
“The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord,
And Thou givest them their meat in due season.
Thou openest Thine hand, and
Satisfiest the desire of every living thing”. Psalm 145, 15.16.

And a phrase from the favorite Psalm teaches that my cup runneth over.” 23,5.

We need not search very far to see stories of God’s rich goodness to all his creation. When Jesus fed the 5,000 there were 12 basketfuls left over! Plenty. “All things are ready, come to the feast” invited the King.

God’s provision is always in full measure, as he assures his hearers. “Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For in the same measure you measure, it shall be measured.” Luke 6,38.

So there is always lots. And when the Lord asks us not to worry He uses the fowls of the air as example. They don’t “gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them” Matthew 6,26, and then asks us, “Are ye not much better than they?”

So take it as a given, that this is true of squirrels also.

Squirrels live on nuts etc. One nut they prize is the Pine nut which grows at the base of each cone. They shuck them out and chow down. Get the picture?

Now, our home has Pine trees, and they have lots of cones each year. So,
naturally, squirrels gather to harvest and enjoy the feast. And I am glad they do.

But I do have this problem. They sit up there, shuck out the pine nuts, and drop the leavings down. That is OK, because eventually the leavings decay and become mulch, enriching the forest floor. The trouble is they aren’t in the forest, they are sitting over my concrete driveway and littering like crazy. Why, the other morning I think I even overheard them tell some newcomers to move to the tree they were in because “it bugs this guy no end to have to sweep his walk all the time, titter, titter”.

But then, squirrels have been sort of getting to people all their lives. I remember one in Michigan who would come down a tree and tease a cat till it tried to chase it, and ended up frustrated because the squirrel was too nimble and always eluded that cat. Or those who clean out bird feeders, even those constructed to be “squirrel proof”. None ever are.

So, instead of frustration, I really ought to be thanking God that He does provide for His creatures, just as the Scripture teaches me that He does.

The Word is still true, “You remain the same, and your years will never end.” Ps. 102,37.

So I am content.

GPD 12/1/08