A few weeks ago I was up just before sunrise. The power was on, which meant that I was able to make coffee for an extra early morning treat! I opened the shutters next to our table so that I could watch the sun rise as I spent time with my Heavenly Father. I was reading in the Sermon on the Mount, and interestingly, as I read I kept hearing "flapping" just outside of the window. As I looked up watchfully, sure enough, a multitude of birds were swooping down from the trees all around where they were perched, watching. I was further amazed as I rose and walked to the window, beholding the object of the birds excitement: white ants.
It's an amazing site to behold on the day that the white ants come up from the ground in droves. These are ants with wings, sent out to begin new colonies, but in our Father's great wisdom they are also sent out as dessert for the birds. As the ants leave their holes, they fly in every direction, thus making quite a fun sport for the birds! It was awesome to watch one ant flying through the air, tracking him with my eyes, and then suddenly...GONE! Man can birds hunt!
As I turned my thoughts to Matthew 6, I knew I was watching a living example of my Father's incredible provision for the birds- and of course, I had to ask myself, "Am I not of more value then they are?" It was at that moment that my smile turned into utter laughter. Just to the right of where I was watching the birds feasting on white ants, there was one of the young children from Jonathan Family (the family group just below our house), grabbing the ants out of the air and popping them into his mouth! Yes, my Father not only feeds the birds, but He feeds His children as well!
Actually, when the white ants come out, it is feasting time for almost everyone. Once I sat on the ground to help some old women who were piling the ants still on the ground into baskets for later eating. And actually, they aren't too bad. I mean, they are not my first choice for flavor, but they're not bad- well, if you take the wings off before you pop them into your mouth! Or you can roast them and add some salt. Either way, "Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all (food, clothing, etc.). But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Yes, even white ants.
5 comments:
eeewww! i think i'd rather have an avacado from one of your trees...anyway,however the provision comes, it's always there for us. what a joy. praying for you all.
Hey, Keith--I was googling "orphan heart" tonight and came upon your blog. My husband, Johnny, and I were at New Hope about a year and a half ago. We were there with my dad, too. We're in Co Spgs and know Jay and Vicky.....anyway, I am interested in all you have to say, especially about the orphan heart in each of us. This has profoundly been on my mind in recent days and I am really heavy hearted about the whole thing. I am adopted and we have adopted 2 children in addition to our 2 birth children. There doesn't seem to be much out there by way of orphan to sonship type stuff. Thanks for all you and your wife are doing. We would love to come for a longer stay sometime......
kathleen karls
Gina, thanks for the note- they really aren't that bad, but you are right, avocados are MUCH better, which by the way are just beginning to grow on the trees.
Kathleen- AWESOME! So glad you found us! That's very encouraging about your heart for orphans and desire to understand the "orphan heart". If you shoot me an e-mail, I'll send you some stuff that might be helpful. Have you heard of the "Together for Adoption" conferences? They've got some good stuff on the doctrine of adoption. Mark Stibbe's book "From Orphans to Heirs" is also a good read- though it's from the UK and can take a while to get it via Amazon.
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