The Joy of Creation and The Sorrow of Evil

The day in Chicago yesterday was filled with all that it is.....skyline.....lake....shops......restaurants...........people........people........people. And of course, the zoo. The boat ride along the lake front was narrated with history and information. I love information....I wish only that I could retain more of it.

The zoo was enjoyable under cloudy skies and moderate temperatures. During the eating of our picnic lunch, we were sprinkled with rain but not enough to dampen our clothes or our spirits. We ate lunch near a large group of people sitting at picnic tables lined in a row. I believe their mother tongue was Spanish......perhaps something else. They were playing bingo when we arrived at about 11:30 and were still playing bingo when we left at 3:15. My thought was that there was probably something more I could fill my time with than playing bingo at the zoo for four hours. To each his or her own.

I was amazed once again at the variety of animals that exist. There were a few I had not seen before. The titan was one. I am sure that was the name the zoo sign indicated but I haven't been able to find it on the internet. Perhaps they haven't heard of it either. It was a rather large mule like animal with a very differently shaped head. Another unknown to me was an African wild dog. It has long ears and is tri-colored in yellow, black and white. It was evident the dog ran in packs as the pack at the zoo ran from one end of their area to another as a group and not alone. The reptile house displayed many animals unfamiliar to me. Some of them quite creepy. I was again struck by the beauty of some of the larger animals....the zebra and its beautiful white.black coat.....the long necked giraffe with its dignity.....the mystery of the apes and gorillas. I wonder if all who believe the story of creation in Genesis are as awed as I when I look at the variety, size, shape, and texture of each animal. As I said a few days ago, God worked very hard in His creating. He is an awesome God with uncomprehendable imagination and power. To think He did it all for His pleasure and ours is a joyful thought. I truly enjoyed the zoo yesterday with my family and the family of God from our church. It was a nice way to sum up the funfilled activity of summer with some of my grandchildren.

Some of our friends have invited my husband and me to the Cubs game today. Ken is an avid Cubs fan regardless of their standings in the league. We always enjoy a day at Wrigley field. It brings back memories of our attending as kids and then later of taking our own kids. In those days, one didn't need a prepurchased ticket. We could decide in the morning that it was a good day for a ballgame, drive to Chicago and walk up to the gate for a ticket. Those were good days. We would take a picnic lunch and eat it at our seat. That privilege has died as our nation got more and more careful about security. Not all progress is pleasurable, but some of it necessary because of the evil of mankind.