Snapping turtles are not cute and cuddly—that goes without saying. The photo proves the point. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.) This one, photographed at a safe? distance (about 3 feet), raised up her hind quarters and snapped her jaws, a sign that she was not pleased at being approached. After all, she was about the business of finding a suitable spot to dig a hole in which to deposit a clutch of eggs. It’s that time of year. In fact, at the Celery Farm Natural Area there were scores of turtles seen along the paths and in nearby yards doing their reproductive duty—laying enough eggs to at least maintain the population status quo, if not to increase it.
This means laying lots of eggs, because there are lots of egg-loving critters around to dig them up for breakfast the morning after they are laid. Raccoons and skunks are particularly partial to Egg McSnapper when in season.
Of course, those of naturalistic mind-set would say that this is all part of nature’s way of maintaining its balance. And we would agree. An overpopulation of snapping turtles devouring ducklings and biting the feet off of adult swimming birds would certainly throw ecosystems out of balance. (We would rather not think too long about what we do to hens—stealing their eggs every morning so they will keep laying more until they wear themselves out and are shipped off for “other purposes”).
Naturally (or super-naturally) we, in this blog, try to think beyond the naturalistic, materialistic worldview and ask the question, “is this really natural?” The answer is, "of course it is—in the post-Genesis 3, fallen, sin-cursed, Romans 8:22 cosmos". And we have to live with that fact until Romans 8:21 is fulfilled. But it was not that way “in the beginning”, before the tragic event recorded in Genesis 3 and its life-and biosphere-changing consequences.
That should be enough scripture to look up and provide much food for thought, over a delicious Egg McMuffin breakfast. Have a good day.
This means laying lots of eggs, because there are lots of egg-loving critters around to dig them up for breakfast the morning after they are laid. Raccoons and skunks are particularly partial to Egg McSnapper when in season.
Of course, those of naturalistic mind-set would say that this is all part of nature’s way of maintaining its balance. And we would agree. An overpopulation of snapping turtles devouring ducklings and biting the feet off of adult swimming birds would certainly throw ecosystems out of balance. (We would rather not think too long about what we do to hens—stealing their eggs every morning so they will keep laying more until they wear themselves out and are shipped off for “other purposes”).
Naturally (or super-naturally) we, in this blog, try to think beyond the naturalistic, materialistic worldview and ask the question, “is this really natural?” The answer is, "of course it is—in the post-Genesis 3, fallen, sin-cursed, Romans 8:22 cosmos". And we have to live with that fact until Romans 8:21 is fulfilled. But it was not that way “in the beginning”, before the tragic event recorded in Genesis 3 and its life-and biosphere-changing consequences.
That should be enough scripture to look up and provide much food for thought, over a delicious Egg McMuffin breakfast. Have a good day.
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