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Wildlife Lessons From My Porches

Wildlife Lessons From My Porches

I live in New Castle, Indiana, and am blessed to have a house with an eastern facing front porch and a western facing back porch. I love both spaces equally depending on the sun and the temperature. I frequently start my day on the back porch reading my devotions and thinking about what God has planned for me today. I only live about four blocks from downtown and just one block from the cemetery. Now ironically we have quite a flock of vultures that reside in the cemetery. Most people think they are ugly and scary, but I know they have a very important job to do in cleaning up the remains of dead animals. God provides them with food and gives them the ability to soar on the warm air currents. I often see them in the mornings as they leave the cemetery to enjoy the life God has provided for them.

Depending on the temperature, many afternoons and evenings you will find me on the front porch reading and watching people and traffic, which could be a blog all on its own, but I am discussing wildlife right now. I have a chipmunk that lives somewhere on my porch or retaining wall. We have a mutual agreement that as long as he doesn’t come in my house he is welcome to stay. If I am sitting by myself he will give me the eye and go on about his business. One afternoon my dog and I are sitting on the porch enjoying the day and the chipmunk comes scurrying around the corner, skids to a halt with his cheeks full of seeds, he sits up on his back legs, assesses the situation and decides to go back the way he came. Thankfully Gracie, my dog, remained asleep or it could have gotten ugly.

One evening my pastor and I were sitting on the porch discussing church matters when two young rabbits came racing and playing in my front yard. He was surprised since I live in town and the nearest woods were a couple of blocks down the street. I explained that they lived next door under my neighbors wheelchair ramp. They have plenty of grass and places to hide from the local predators of cats and dogs. It was great fun to watch them play without a care in the world.

Wildlife Lessons:

  1. Vultures, even though many consider you to be ugly, God gave you the ability to soar in the heavens with Him.
  2. Chipmunks, take time to assess your situation and make good choices.
  3. Rabbits, enjoy the life God has given you no matter where you are or who is watching.

Go sit on your porch, watch and learn from God’s creatures!

Nancy Wadman

 

Nancy ovalNancy is currently the Interim Ministry Coordinator for Spiceland Friends Church. She has been a member at SFC for 23 years and loves her church family! She retired from Tri Elementary School in 2014 after teaching 6th grade for 39 years. In her free time, Nancy loves to travel and walk the trails at Summit Lake with her dog, Gracie!


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