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What's on the menu for dinner tonight? For you and me it might be pizza or spaghetti. In the animal kingdom, things are a little different. In this case, we're talking about a member of the Scarabaedae (Scarab) family known as the dung beetle.
You may recognize these beetles from ancient Egyptian art. Dung beetles can have many different sizes, colors, and appearances. The thing they all have in common is their diet, which consists of the solid waste of other animals. Dung beetles can be rollers, tunnelers, or dwellers. Rollers fly to a pile of maure, form some of it into a ball, and then it rolls it away quickly before another beetle can take it.
Tunnelers build a tunel under the pile of manure. They carry their treasure down into the tunnel, where they eat part of it, making sure to leave plenty for their offspring. Then they lay their eggs in it and cover them up for safekeeping. When the eggs hatch, they don't have to go very far to find dinner.
Dwellers do exactly what their name suggests; they live right in dung piles as much as is possible.
You may ask,"Why would God create such a weird bug?" Dung beetles serve a very important purpose in the ecosystem. They're nature's septic system, doing away with tons of manure everyday all over the world and putting much-needed nutrients back into the soil. Without them, we'd be in a heap of trouble!
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Eleven-year-old Jamie can hardly remember when her parents were together. They divorce before she was in kindergarten. Speaking as a kid who comes from a divorced home, Jamie says that friends can be a huge help when parents seperate.
"If your friends' parents divorce, the best thing you can do is be a good friend," Jamie says. "If they're feeling down, you can try to help them feel better. Be there for them."
What are some ways you can help a friend whose parents have seperated?
1. Listen up. Listening is one of the best things you can do. Just let your friend talk it out. He or she may have a lot of questions. You don't have to know the answers. Just listen without offering advice unless your friend asks for it. Ofthen, people talk about their problems, they feel better, and start to find their own slutions.
2. Remind your friend that the situation is not their fault. When parents' divorce, children often blame theirselves. However, the parents' decision to divorce comes because they don't want to with one another anymore. It's not the result of anything their children have done.
3. Be understanding. When a family goes through a divorce, they all face a lot of stress. Your friend's stress and fear will cause a turmoil of emotions. One day your friend may be devastated that the divorce is happening; the next day he or she ight be glad the fighting has stopped. Or, your friend might blame him or herself for what happened, then blame Mom or Dad.
Your friend might not even mention the divorce, but act differently than normal.
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B-U-R-R-R-P! Oops! That's a big no-no im many polte societies. But where do those strange noises come from anyway? You may have already figured it out that by swallowing air you can make yourself burp. Air gets into your stomach naturally when you eat, drink, and chew gum. You can also swallow air (without knowing it) between meals. Normally, that extra air goes down and out of the stomach. You burp when the air decides to go up instead of down.
There is a one-way valve between the esophagus and the stomach. It is called the lower esophagus sphincter (SFINK-ter) or LES. This valve only allows air to come back up when it is very relaxed.
Certain foods like onions, mints, and tomoatoes help relax this valve and may cause some burps. And, as you probably know, carbonated drinks often bring on a burp!
Burping is not a polite thing to do in most western countries. But in some Eastern cultures, a burp after the meal is a compliment for the chef. Isn't that strange? So, if you ever visit ad Asian country don't be shocked by all the loud burps you hear after a really great meal. But burping is still impolite in our society and your mother will be greatly pleased if you keep this wrong-way air to yourself.
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What was your favorite part of school when you were in elementary? Was it reading, math, or spelling? Perhaps it was learning new concepts in science? I imagine quite a few a few of you are thinking about recess. Ah, recess... that time when you are free to run, jump, skip, and hop. Rainy days were not as much fun- you had to find something inside to keep you busy. But on regular recess days the world was yours to explore- at least as far as the school yard.
When we became Christians,"recess time" is over for us. You might think og your great aunt Marge or your Grandpa Rudbaker- and wonder if Christians can really have fun. But know God created us to worship Him, work hard, and have fun enjoying life. Your natural affinity to have fun, joke, and play isn't outside God's desgin for you- He wants you to celebrate like.
The difference for Christians comes in how we play. Undoubtedly, no matter how young or old you are, you know people in your school, neighborhood, and even youth group who distort God's intention for play. The world too often tells us we have to have the latest stuff, go to the coolest party, hang out with the most popular kids, say sarcastic put -downs, or take out what" everyonelse " is taking( see also, alcohol, drugs, sex and so on). This just isn't the case. These thngs can actually interfere with our ability to truly have fun( after all, how much fun can you have throwing up?).
God's plan for the enjoyment of celebrations, fun, play allows us to enjoy and remember those times. Recess from the daily task and stress of life can refresh our heaert, minds, and souls. We build relationships with our family and frieds in addition to enjoying our lives.
As you are at school, take time to enjoy the gift of recess God has given you. Bring joy to your life, as well as someone else.
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