I know, it is just a group of cartoon
characters, but they ARE smiling and the message in the picture is as
good as it gets. Once you get past the "cuteness factor" and think about
that message, things get even better. God wishes the very best for you
and wants to bless you.
Consider the following passages...
Luke, Chapter 2 (WEB)
1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph
also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to
the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the
house and family of David; 5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. 11 For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will toward men.” (emphasis added, vs. 14)
6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. 11 For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will toward men.” (emphasis added, vs. 14)
AND
Matthew, Chapter 5 (WEB)
1 Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the gentle,
for they shall inherit the earth.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the gentle,
for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (note the emphasis I have added to the word Blessed, above)
for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (note the emphasis I have added to the word Blessed, above)
lizard are “evidently designed to guide water toward the lizard’s mouth” (p. 81, emp. added). He then explained how “[i]nsects offer an embarrassment of design riches”
(p. 75, emp. added). Mueller referred to nature’s “sophistication” and
“clever devices” (p. 79), and praised nature for being able to turn
simple materials “into structures of fantastic complexity, strength, and
toughness” (p. 79). After learning of the uncanny, complicated
maneuverability of a little blowfly, Mueller even confessed to feeling
the need to regard the insect “on bended knee in admiration” (p. 82).
Why? Because of its “mysterious” and “complicated” design.
Brilliant and well-funded scientists around the world admit that living
things perform many feats “too mysterious and complicated to be able to
replicate” (p. 82). They are “designed,” allegedly, with no “Designer.”
Its
minimal sleep requirements—only about 30 minutes a day, often broken up
into several short naps—and its ability to go weeks without drinking is
remarkable (“Giraffe,” 1999). Its 18-inch, prehensile tongue,
eight-foot-long tail, and six-foot-tall newborns are all very striking.
Most remarkable, however, is the design of the giraffe’s circulatory
system.
equipped
with a two-foot-long, 20-plus-pound, thick-walled heart that is large
enough and strong enough to pump blood eight feet high—creating blood
pressure that is about twice that of any other large mammal, and as much
as three times that of the average person (Foster, 1977, 152[3]:409).
simple.
Make no mistake, however, these creatures are anything but simple. In
fact, just above the cuttlefish was the cover title, “Alien Intelligence: Secret Code of an Eight-Legged Genius” (Brooks, 2008, emp. added). Michael Brooks, author of the feature article, declared that the cuttlefish is “the world’s most inventive mollusk” (2008, p. 31, emp. added) with a “sophisticated system
for talking to one another” (p. 28, emp. added). Scientists have
documented “around 40 different cuttlefish body patterns, many of which
are used to communicate with other cuttlefish” (p. 29). At other times,
cuttlefish send “tailor-made” signals to predators (p. 29, emp. added).
patterns,
they also move their bodies into a variety of positions in hopes of
staying hidden. For example, while swimming next to large seaweed, a
cuttlefish can mimic the motion of the grass by positioning and waving
its eight arms similar to how seaweed sways in water. This makes it very
difficult for both attackers and possible prey to locate the
cuttlefish. In a recent study, scientists placed either horizontal or
vertical stripes on the walls of cuttlefish tanks. How did the
cuttlefish react? According to Dr. Roger Hanlon, “If the stripes were
vertical they would raise an arm. If the stripes were horizontal they
would stretch their bodies out horizontally” (as quoted in Brooks, p.
31). Amazing! Cuttlefish can even change the texture of their skin to
mimic the shape of certain barnacle-encrusted rocks or corals.
researchers
are even “looking into the possibility of copying cuttlefish camouflage
for use in the military” (p. 31). Researchers are enamored with “how
cuttlefish achieve their quick and convincing camouflage” (p. 30).
Nevertheless, “[i]t’s highly unlikely that anyone could achieve that
same level of camouflage” (p. 30). Scientists admittedly find it
difficult “mimicking the colour-matching abilities of the
cuttlefish...and its texture-matching ability, which utilizes the
muscles beneath it” (p. 30). In fact, “[n]o one knows
exactly” how cuttlefish match their backgrounds so effectively,
especially since “[e]xperiments have shown that cuttlefish don’t look at
their skin to check how well it matches the background” (p. 31, emp.
added). What’s more, if, as scientists believe, this animal is
colorblind, only seeing in shades of green (p. 31), how does it always
choose the color most helpful (like changing to the color of sand when
on the ocean floor)?
