For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Over the next two posts in the Creation Cache Series, I hope to show two amazing things about the Earth, and from this small selection of case studies I think we can really begin to see something of the Creator amidst the Creation. Have a read and a look at this post, and, I wonder, what two ideas do you see coming through?
Situated in the Gulf of Arden, south of Yemen, and east of Somalia, is a four-island archipelago- the largest island is Socotra.
Socotra has been described as "the most alien place on earth"; its diverse foliage and fauna includes the Dracaena Cinnabari, or the "dragon's blood tree". The deep red resin produced by the tree, from which it was given its name, has been used for medicines and dyes, as well as lipstick and air freshener!
The Narwhal is a whale that can be found only in the freezing waters of the Arctic. Male Narwhals have two teeth, one of which grows outwards in a spiral manner, it can eventually reach up to 10 meters in length.
Some Narwhals grow up to 16ft in length (not including the tusk) and can weigh up to 1.7 tonnes. Their average life span is 50 years, during which they live in "pods" of between 4 and 20 whales, occasionally multiple pods travel together thus forming larger groups.
In the Jordan Valley, 400 meters below sea level, is the Dead Sea- the lowest body of water on the earth. Due to its position, the sea contains 4 times the normal content of salt, as well as many other minerals, this means that you can float on its surface without any effort. The rocks lying around its edges are covered with a white deposit, giving the entire sea a surreal and magical appearance, its waters are also famed with nourishing and therapeutic qualities.
Scattered in gardens and parks across Europe, North Africa, China, Iran and Asia you will find Tulips. Beautiful flowers in varying shades and colours. Varieties of tulips can be found in the Hindu Kush mountains and on the steppes of Kazakhstan!
Corals are tiny marine organisms that, when joined together into colonies, secrete a skeleton substructure over many generations. These skeletons go towards forming huge coral reefs. Reefs normally exist in shallow tropical waters, such as those in the Pacific Ocean; they have been described as the "rainforests of the sea", and are one of the most diverse ecosystems on the earth, providing shelter for 25% of all marine species.
Regarded as the mightiest of all flying animals, the Eagle is an extremely large bird-of-prey. Various species of eagles can be found in Europe, Africa, South America and Australia. As a predator, the bird has a hooked nose, for tearing apart its prey, as well as strong legs and talons. The eagle is also renown for its amazing eyesight- large pupils allow them to spy potential victims from dizzying heights in the sky. One species, the Steller's Sea Eagle, has a wingspan of up to 9ft wide! It is no wonder that the eagle has attracted so much attention in national culture and emblems!
In the space of 365 days, the earth transforms through four distinct stages- the seasons. Our streets and fields metamorphise from being white with snow, into the yellows of spring, as new flowers burst forth and lambs leap around. Later this deepens into the warmth of summertime. Summer soon moves on in Autumn, and shades of brown cover the landscape (I love Autumn time the most of all!). The seasons are vital to supplying crops and vegetation with sunlight, water and nutrients.
Situated in the Philippines is one of the wonders of Asia! I owe thanks to the 2011 Calender that AiG have recently sent me, for sharing the beauty of this with me. The Chocolate Hills is
a formation of over 1000 perfectly conical shaped hills, spanning over 50 kilometers, each one between 40 and 120 meters high. During the dry season, the grass-covered cones turn brown, giving the illusion of a chocolate covering!
Living in the islands around the Philippines, nearby the Chocolate Hills, are the earth's smallest primates- the Tarsiers. Each one only 10 to 15 cm long, but with tails reaching up to 25cm! They have strangely large eyeballs for their size, as well as large hind legs. Not content with being the smallest primates, they are also the only primates to live off of an entirely caniverous diet: feasting on insects and small lizards.
The Arctic is one of the most inhospitable places on earth. It is the northern most point of the globe, opposite the Antarctic. Temperatures regularly reach -40 degrees centigrade, and have been known to be as cold as -68 degrees! Rain normally falls as snow, and high winds cause heavy snow storms. Areas of tundra are caused by shrubs and mosses, which form the bulk of the arctic vegetation (but this only in the warmer extremities). The animals living in the freezing conditions are, for the most part, white, so as to be camouflaged in their environment. One such animal.....
...is the seal, which, I'm sure you will agree, is adorable!
About 20% of the earth's landscape is desert. A desert is an area that receives an extremely low level of rainfall, therefore leaving plant life non-existent. They are normally comprised of rocks and sand, often in the form of sand dunes. The largest hot desert, the Sahara, covers 3,320,000+ miles as well as 12 countries. Occasionally in a desert is an Oasis, a vegetated area, supported with springs or irrigation. An Oasis is the only place where habitation can be supported.
Having seen the images and read the brief descriptions of just a fraction of the plants, animals and ecosystems this planet contains what two things can you discover about the maker?
Read Creation's Cache #6 to find out more!
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