I’ve lived here on the Gulf Coast of central Florida for more than 22 years. Every moment I spend in nature is a genuine treasure. In some of my previous pieces here on “Inside Out”, I’ve shared experiences I’ve had with my grandchildren, my wife, and by myself.

We have a large variety of critters in our part of the world. Through my binoculars and long camera lenses, I’ve observed how the parents in different species take care of their young. For instance, I’ve been with my grandkids when we’ve observed a mama gator watching her twelve to eighteen inch young uns learning as they were learning how to get their own lunch. She allowed them quite a bit of freedom to paddle around the edges of the pond. I never once thought that if I had been stupid enough to threaten any of them, she wouldn’t have instantly ended my intrusion.

The Southern American Bald Eagle has made a dramatic comeback from near extinction since the ban on DDT was introduced and enforced. The Southern Eagle is a bit different from the Northern Eagles. Their cry has a distinctive drawl. Sounds a little like “Ya’ll”! There are many nests in our area. More nests appear every year in spite of the explosive growth in housing and shopping centers. The eagle parents feed the eaglets for quite a period of time. However, at a certain point in time, the parents begin pushing the young eagles out of the nest in order to teach them to fly. Eagle parents will even go so far as to put fairly sharp pieces of glass and sticks in the nest to make it increasingly uncomfortable for the young eagles to just lie around and watch cartoons!

Sea turtles are just about ready to come ashore and lay their eggs at the present time. They dig huge holes, deposit their eggs, and then, it’s every little turtle for him or herself. When the babies hatch, they instinctively head for the Gulf waters. However, they are easily distracted and misled by bright lights. We regularly educate those who live along the beaches to turn off their outside lights during the nesting and hatching period. Every extra second it takes for the little turtles to get to the water, dramatically increases their chances of being gobbled up by a predator. People even mark the nests and sometimes hang around at a respectful distance in order to help guide and rescue any little ones who might stray.

Since moving here in 1976, for many, many years, I wondered how come I’d never see a young sea gull, heron, egret, or cormorant, also called the snake bird. The cormorant is quite a raucous, greedy eater. It is the only species of birds that lacks natural oil in its feathers. This means that they will literally drown if they don’t come out of the water periodically, spread their wings and dry out.

About four years ago, I learned why I’d never seen immature birds flying around or fishing for food. These birds stay in the nest until just about fully grown. I learned that they hatch out around my birthday in February. Their parents take turns watching over them and bringing fish back to them in the nest. After I understood this, I began asking questions and searching for their nests.

One of my favorite rookeries is about a half hour from our home. I was their a few days ago with my grandson, Steve. The young birds are about half grown. They have such fine feathers on their head, that, from a distance, it looks like they have long, filmy punk rock hairdos. As the wind blows through their “hair”, it creates a fantastic effect. I’ve shot lots of film at this rookery. All of the birds I mentioned earlier mingle on this little island in the middle of a large pond. For some reason unknown to me, the pelican has its own separate rookeries.

What’s my point? Animal parents vary in the amount of attention they give their young. Horses, for instance, have legs the day they’re born, that are just about as long as their mother’s. It doesn’t take long before they’re allowed to pretty much fend for themselves.

God is my Father and parent. One of the covenant names for God describes Him as the God with breasts. He certainly fulfills all the multitudonius functions that we need. He is the consummate and complete parent. He deals with each of us in a way that is customized to meet our needs.

Those of us who mature very slowly and seem suspended in childhood or adolescence, receive from Him more parenting than those who seem to catch on more quickly and are ready to move on to the next level. He is no cookie cutter God. He doesn’t have just one way to deal with His children. When we need to be sheltered and comforted under His wings, He spreads His wings. When we need to be shoved from the nest in order to strengthen our own wings, He is there to lovingly give us the gentle boot!

We’re never beyond the range of His watchful, caring eyes. He is, indeed, an ever-present help in time of need. When we stumble, fail or fall, He’s there to pick us up, dust off the seat of our britches, and set us back on the right road.

Thanks, God, for parenting us in exactly the proper manner to bring us to maturity and help us become productive, reproducing members of Your family!

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