Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Carma’s Corner: Watching, Waiting, and Wonder

It’s happened. It didn’t go unnoticed. No, I dare say the event gained ever increasing popularity with each passing day, but the mounting attention and excitement was unbeknownst to the ones being watched. In fact, I would venture to guess the one being watched finds the event nothing more than an act of nature. But for the twenty-five million plus viewers, the event is a wonder of nature!

Somewhere in a tree near Decorah, IA, two bald eagles maintain their nest, care for their three offspring, and keep vigilance to ward off any potential predators—all in front of the camera. The live video feed has caused a flurry of followers, or perhaps peeps is a better word, to tune in several times a day to see what Mr. and Mrs. Eagle are doing.

Over the last few days, I have been among those peeps. I’ll admit the live video feed is not only intriguing, but also addicting. While I love watching the little eaglets eat, I’m most mesmerized by the dedication of the mother and father eagle. Hour after hour, one of them sits on the nest—watching their young and waiting for the change in shift. It doesn’t matter if the sun is shining, if the rain is pouring, if the wind is ruffling their feathers… one sits—the nest is never abandoned.

Since these eagles have caused such a stir and craze, I decided to do some research on these majestic creatures. Here are a few of the facts:
o Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white. They reach full maturity in four to five years.
o The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male.
o Bald eagles weigh from ten to fourteen pounds.
o Eagle bones are light because they are hollow.
o Today, there are an estimated 9, 769 breeding pairs bald eagles. They mate for life-until one dies.
o Bald eagles have 7,000 feathers.
o Bald eagles can lift about four pounds and mainly feed on fish and carrion (dead annals).
o Bald eagles can fly at approximately 30 miles per hour and can dive at 100 miles per hour.
o The wingspan of an eagle measures from 5.5 to 7.5 feet.
o Nests usually are built near the top of a large tree. Enlarged annually, a bald eagle nest can become the largest of any North American bird. The record nest measured 20 feet deep, 10 feet wide, and weighed two tons.
o At 10 to 12 weeks of age, eaglets are fully feathered, nearly full grown and can fly from the nest.

Reading these facts and watching the video, I can’t help but marvel at God’s masterful design of the eagle. Each feather, each character trait, and each physical attribute is specifically chosen for the eagle’s prosperity and posterity. No detail is superfluous or carelessly added; each facet holds an important role.

In the same way, God creates each human being individually and unique; he then waits and watches over his creation, just as the eagle. And I’m confident that when the time comes for the new little one to arrive in the world—God feels a sense of wonder because He knows He is the one who “fearfully and wonderfully made” that tiny being. He makes no mistakes; He makes no boo-boos; He only makes one-of-a-kind models.

I feel honored to witness the eagle family—yes, it has consumed quite a few minutes of my time over the last week, but I’ll continue to watch and wait… praising my God for this wonder of His creation!

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