Things are not always as they appear

Another lesson to remind me this morning, things are not always as they appear. Over and over again I am reminded of this.

My son brought his beautiful fish tank to our house to care for it for him. It is a Saltwater tank and has the most delicate creatures growing in it. Son warned me very staunchly, "Do not feed them to much. Do not put anything in the tank besides the food I bring you for them." Despite all the instructions that he gave me and the research on the Internet I have lost some creatures in the tank. Some died of natural causes, other just have faded away or were eaten by other creatures in the tank. Even with some casualties I must say I love the fish tank. To see the beauty of some of God's creation in our livng-room. Such a blessing. I had always wanted a tank like this and was thrilled when the Lord blessed me to be able to see it at my son's house.

This morning though I found a new victim. A beautiful red and white shrimp. There was nothing left but a body exterior. It sickened me to think of such a beautiful creature gone. I spent some time considering if I had not been feeding it enough. Or maybe if the big yellow Tangs or biting blue fish had eaten him. Then I got busy with other things and the thoughts disappeared.

Last week a beautiful small white Anemone crab was eaten by an urchin. No matter how many times I put the little guy back up on the rocks where he would be safe. He would crawl down to the bottom where the bottom feeders live. He would sit very still and feed off plankton floating through the water. One day while I was not watching he went to the bottom and stayed there still to long. I found the urchin eating him. I must say I was very angry about it but I could not force him to stay on the rock where he was safe.

Much to my delight I saw the red and white shrimp crawling up on his rock. The shrimp is still alive. That empty carcass I had seen this morning was just a covering he had shed. A polite reminder from the Lord that things are not always as they seem. One day we will all shed this skin for the new one He provides.