Biology in the Bible

A Little BIOLOGY in the Good Book:

1Ki 4.33 …he [Solomon] spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: 1Ki 10.27…the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones & cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the vale… 2Ki 19.30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, & bear fruit upward. Job 10.11Thou hast clothed me with skin & flesh, & hast fenced me with bones & sinews. Job 12.7…ask now the beasts, & they shall teach thee; & the fowls of the air, & they shall tell thee: Isa 17.10…therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, & shalt set it with strange slips: Isa 41.19…the cedar, the shittah tree…the myrtle…the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree…the pine…the box tree…7 trees – 1 vs Eze 31.5 …boughs were multiplied & his branches became long because of the multitude of waters Hos 1.8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, & bare a son.

Read Full Post »

Bark – Bite

When the back of my hand came too close to a mature spruce tree the other day

I realized that “Its bark  IS  its bite.” 🙂 

– eab, 4/19/15

Read Full Post »

…ONE THOUSAND AND ONE…

Could one count the grains of sand,

One could hold in one’s hand,

Moist, mingled, multitudes of quartz;

Could one imagine the huge number,

Counting slumber to slumber,

That line just a few little ports;

Could one pretend to know,

Counting row after even row,

The final tally would be so very grand,

The mind would definitely bend,

Before one came near the end,

Of counting the moist, multitudes of sand.

– eab,  Apr. ‘78

Read Full Post »

DROPS

 

This afternoon it rained,

And the drops that settled dust,

As far as I could tell, fell alike;

On the righteous and the unjust.

The clouds let it down,

On the wise man and the clown.

A just God.          

– eab, Apr. ’68

Read Full Post »

Happy Ending

A divorce is ended

when the couple is “re-Paired.”

– eab,  9/23/11

Read Full Post »

BEAUTY

 

Fox grass bending under gentle, windy strokes,

Snow bank patches left on eastern side of slopes,

Early grass growing on the valley wall beyond,

Horizontal streaks set ablaze by the sun,

Unleafed apple trees file up the hill abreast.

A honey bee in strip’d array is out searching for the rest

A variegated heaven is peeking past the tail’s of mares,

As silhouetted birds claimed the world as theirs. 

– eab, Apr. ’71

Read Full Post »

Charles Wesley – married

ON THIS DATE

Charles Wesley was married 4/8/1749, in a small parish church at Llanlleonfel, near Garth, Wales.  His bride was Sarah Gwynne, daughter of Marmaduke & Sarah (Evans) Gwynne. The minister for the ceremony was his brother, John, who had encouraged the wedding.  Sarah (also called Sally – perhaps to distinguish her from her mother) was born in Garth, Powyes, Wales in 1726 (month, day unknown).  She was musically inclined, in fact, performed before King George III.

While a young lady her father, a local magistrate, went on occasion to arrest Howell Harris, a Wesleyan minister.  As Marmaduke listened he liked what he heard, was converted to that view, & brought Harris home.  That was the beginning; years later he entertained two brothers & one of then returned in 1748 to propose.  Her mother had not welcomed Harris to her home but warmed to Charles, her new s-n-law.

Although Charles may not have witnessed a happy marriage as a boy he & Sarah had a good union.  They settled (same year as wed) at 4 Charles St., Bristol & remained there till 1771 (house is preserved as the “Charles Wesley House”).  God blessed them with eight children (only three lived to be adults – too common a happening back then).  She died 12/28/1818 (Charles died in 1788) & was buried beside Charles. 

Read Full Post »

SHOWERS April

 

April showers bring May flowers,

For June brides, with July dream towers.

 

April showers can be seen,

Mother nature’s time to clean.

 

The April shower, like cauliflower, may

Come fresh – or frozen – as it did yesterday.    

– eab,      Apr. ’66

Read Full Post »

Alaska bought from Russia

ON THIS DATE

USA bought Alaska from Russia 3/30/1867, being one of the greatest real estate deals – both in space & best price per square mile – of all time.  It was purchased for 7.2 million or about $0.02 (2 cents) per acre.

A move was afoot for this USA – Russian sale before the uncivil war.  Following it, Eduard Stekl, Russian’s envoy to Washington, negotiated the talks. Of the $7.2 million one source says $165,000 (a lot of money in that day) was used to bribe some U.S. senators & newspapermen.  It is said to have passed senate by one vote & was called “Seward’s Follie” “Seward’s Icebox” – a term you may have to explain to some.

The Russians had discovered the Alaska mainland in an expedition led by Vitus Bering (a Dane) in 1741.  The first Russian settlement was established 8/14/1784 & the first Russian Orthodox Church in the west was started 1795 (in Kodiak). It wasn’t until 2/22/1825, that Russia & Britain established the Alaska/Canada boundary. A quote heard in 1985 & one that has few exceptions is, “Every man that visits Alaska either returns or always wants to.”  The following was written while in AK some years ago:

Pointed  Trees

To humanly count the pointed trees,

Guarding just one cool, Alaskan stream,

Could take a life-time, if you please,

(And t’would be a nightmare – not a dream).

 

Trees are there whom no man has yet seen,

All awkwardly pointing to the sky,

An odd blend of black, gray, and green,

Silent, except for the wind’s sad cry.

 

From seedling to youth, to great old age,

They stand rooted in the northern sod,

Of wonders they’re just on more page,

Mute life, glorifying their high God.

– eab,  9/16/06

Read Full Post »

WHY SPRING?

 

The grand Lord knew, after the white and the blue,

Of the cold, crisp fortnights of chill,

After stark star lights and short day sights,

And iced over bridges at the bottom of the hill,

After sleet’s solid rain and the snow flakes again,

And the humdrum of life in confinement;

That man needed to sing – he needed spring –

The Lord’s annual, perfection of refinement.    

– eab, 3/29/80

Read Full Post »