The Wilds and the Scriptures of the Week

Several weeks ago, Mike and I took the four Ohio grandchildren

to a wildlife preservation called "The Wilds."

It's about 30 minutes from New Concord, Ohio

(home of John Glenn).

AEP gave 10,000 acres of reclaimed strip mine land

to be used for the preservation, with 4,000 actively used now;

the rest will be used as they expand.

It is affiliated with Jack Hannas and the Columbus Zoo.

We chose the two and a half hour open safari bus tour.

There is an air-conditioned bus,

 but you don't see the animals 'up close and personal'.

The following are some photos from that day.

Rhino--I forget the kind.

As you can see, he came up to the bus.  That's Dillon's head and Colton's arm.

Addy and I were sitting behind them,

and Mike and Peyton behind us.

This camel was very close to the bus.

The guide pointed out its long lashes

and hair around its eyes.

I liked his face, but he looks a bit deformed because of the way the humps rest on his body. 

This is one of the outposts on the preservation.

We followed a path through wild flowers down to one of the many small lakes. 

This woman is part of our group.

Colton is explaining something to Dillon and Peyton.

There were large catfish here and a bubble gum-like dispenser where

you could get a handful of food to throw to the catfish.

Addy didn't realize what it was and ate some!

This is across from where we fed the catfish.  In the far left-hand corner you can see the platform.

These are white rhinos.

We weren't close to the guy above, but we passed these guys close up.

There was sharing of two sets of binoculars.

Grandpa Mike with Colton,

then the wee Irish lass Addy,

Peyton , and Dillon.

We had a great day.  We ate lunch there,

and then each grandchild got to choose something from the gift shop.

(I have photos of more animals, but I will show them another day).

Scriptures of the Week:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying,

"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said,

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 18:1-3

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them,

"Let the children come to me; do not hinder them,

for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."

Mark 10:14

"The God commanded, 'Let the earth produce all kinds of animal life;

domestic and wild, large and small, and it was done.

So God made them all, and He was pleased with what He saw."

Genesis 1:24, 25

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory

and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours."

1 Chronicles 29:11

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

But now ask the beasts (cattle) to teach you,

and the birds of the air to tell you;

or the reptiles on the earth to instruct you,

 and the fish of the sea to inform you.

Which of all these does not know

that the hand of God has done this?

In his hand is the soul of every living thing,

and the life breath of all mankind.

Job 12: 7-10

I decided to come back and add one more bit.

We have our teachers' days tomorrow and Tuesday.

We have a new secretary and the teacher who everyone ran to

(including the principal)

retired last June after 32 years. 

She taught across from me and I and others will so miss her!

The day after Labor Day is the kids' first day back.

Please keep me and the others in your prayers.

Last year there was a lot of friction

and I'm praying it won't be brought back.

Thanks!