Day 18 - NATURE CONVERSATION

ANTS

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.

7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.

Proverbs 6:6-8

Nature Conversation

Our yard is covered in ant beds. So, this has been a main topic when we are outside. (In fact, these ants seem to be making their way into our house. ....) So, today, we read portions of Proverbs 6 and Proverbs 30 and discussed how the ants are busy in the summertime. They are self-motivated, not needing a ruler to direct them. Are we self-motivated like that? Or are we like the sluggard described in the following verses?

We struggle during the summer - with it too hot to be outside. We easily sunburn and the heat seems to drain our energy and make us cranky. However, God does not want us to be lazy and waste our summer. We need to be as diligent as ants in making the use of our time, doing whatever the Lord calls us to do.

Nature Journaling

• Proverbs 30 is filled with imagery, word pictures. My girls were inspired to draw based on some of these word pictures. It mentions ants, but also includes roosters, snakes, eagles, lizards, etc.
• Make record of size and locations of anthills. 
• Take time to watch ants. Not just the "watch out for ants" as you spend time outside, but watch ants to observe where are they going? Are they following other ants or out alone? Are they carrying food on their backs? How far do they venture from their homes? A lot can be learned by simple observation.

Nature Study

• Identify types of ants.
• If the Bible identifies ants as wise, why do they bite us? This is a paraphrased question from one of my kids. Dive into the protective instincts and abilities of different creatures. Also, see the discussion about Animal/Human Interactions.
• Explore/research what works for pest control.

Nature Connections

Aesop's Fable: "The Grasshopper and the Ant"

We sang this song this morning: it has a part that says, "Learn a lesson from the bugs."