All Creatures Great and Small

Have you ever considered the thought behind the expression, “All good things come to an end”? It’s an expression used rather loosely when we finish a good book, end a relaxing holiday, say our good-byes at a family reunion, or even acknowledge the end of a wonderful summer at MBC. The internet defines the meaning this way: “Nothing great will last forever… a wise reminder that all good things are temporary.” Another definition states that it is “a term of regret, warning, or resigned acceptance.”  This definition is rather sobering; in fact, albeit true, I don’t like it! Nevertheless, I must say that one definition is very fitting in describing a recent decision Doug and I made at our summer home at Muskoka Bible Centre… Indeed,“good things are temporary.”

After a nineteen-year relationship with some of God’s creatures, we are no longer providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for the chipmunks. Sadly this includes a multitude of birds: woodpeckers, bluejays, yellow and red finches, nuthatches, chickadees, mourning doves, to name just a few. We have happily fed these little creatures an abundance of birdseed, the cost of which over the years could have provided us with a wonderful vacation…well, if not a vacation, a wonderful dinner out! But not once did we complain. In fact we often asked for—and happily received— a bag of birdseed for Christmas!

Having mentioned the chipmunks and birds, I would be remiss if I failed to mention our resident groundhog who resided under our trailer for several years. Although she birthed her babies each summer and enjoyed the safety beneath our trailer—with the occasional visit on our deck!— we never provided her with food, only the clover in our grass. She has since left this world, and our neighbour is now the current landlord to yet another groundhog.

Before I go any further, I must acknowledge that there are those among our friends who think we have gone over the edge in our indulgence of such pleasures. Feeding birds? Not a problem; in fact, enjoyable! Tolerating a resident groundhog? Fine. But feeding a chipmunk? Not a remotely sane thing to do! So, I accept that not everyone sees the cuteness of a chipmunk; rather they see a rodent that needs to be “dealt with.”

I also want to acknowledge that this is a summer home for Doug and I, and if our home, summer or permanent, was faced with an invasion of said creatures, we would be singing another song, to be sure. So, I get it. A rodent is a rodent is a rodent. But, unlike it’s relative, a chipmunk really is a rather cute rodent!

There really is no arguing this point, at least not with us. They can scurry and dart faster than you and I can turn around. Their black stripes set them apart from their plain red, black or brown relatives. Their tiny feet function like little human hands, and if you have ever fed a chipmunk, you will have witnessed one of God’s amazing creations: a chipmunk can hold ten whole peanuts in its two cheeks at one time, even to the point that its head becomes distorted. There is no denying that chipmunks are adorable.

So, with that as my/our defense, we—and by “we” I mean our grandchildren, as well— have enjoyed the company of these cute critters during our summer retreats for almost two decades.

So why the decision to stop feeding them? Some might hope we came to our senses. Others just might be glad that a visit to our trailer would not involve squealing and lifting one’s feet when two chipmunks chased one another under our chairs. Neither is the case. Then, why the decision? Simply, we were inundated with red squirrels, and if you have any knowledge of said creatures you would be nodding your head in understanding before reading further. Bold. Arrogant. Saucy. Fearless. Just simply nasty. One is bad. Two is two too many. And three? Well the line had been crossed and we had to stop the ‘invasion.’ Thus, no more bird feeders, no more bird food, no more little piles of seed on the deck in the morning. All stopped. Cold turkey. Doug scattered the remains of the seed, the suet, and the peanuts on the hill behind our trailer. It was gone within hours.

Admittedly, we faced some minor withdrawal when we saw the chipmunks waiting at our back door in the morning, heard the bluejays screech in earnest at 6:00AM, demanding to be fed, and watched the quiet, shy yellow finches flight back and forth, wondering what had happened to their breakfast. The hardest moment came when a chickadee landed on our wicker chair and chirped at Doug who sat opposite it feeling guilty and somewhat sad. Doug had this ‘connection’ with the birds and stood quietly one morning this summer as a woodpecker landed on his shoulder as he set up the feeders. He really misses them.

It’s been ten days and there is less noise in the morning, only an occasional visit from a chipmunk, and the red squirrels have moved on to pester another innocent victim. And secretly—but don’t tell Doug—I don’t miss bringing in the bird feeders every night (racoons do love birdseed!).

So, I suppose all good things do come to an end and life goes on, at least it has for the little creatures we have fed and enjoyed for many years. No doubt they have found food elsewhere, as they were designed to do; but we have wonderful memories—both in picture and video—and have tucked them away, knowing it was fun while it lasted.

There is no spiritual thought behind the above piece of my memoir. But as I concluded my reverie, I found myself wondering… are we not called to learn something about our Creator in the beauty of His creation? Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.”  So I turned to God’s word and read these verses:

“And God saw everything that he had made,and behold, it was very good.”
Genesis 1:31

…for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.”
Psalm 50:11

“O LORD, what a variety of things you have made!
In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.”
Psalm 104:24

And in summary,

All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all.
Cecil F. Alexander (1848)

P.S. And yes, God made the chipmunks, and even the red squirrels!