Beach bug

Today was a beach day. Yes, it was seventy one degrees. And yes, most West Michiganders thought it was much too cold for an afternoon at the beach. Just the opposite was true. Today was a fantastic day to sleep at the beach. The temperature allowed utter relaxation, and yes, sleep.

But today, the beach is not the focus of this post.

Rewind to my walk from parking lot to beach. The newly constructed boardwalk sprawls a distance and makes for a shady trek beachward. Being one easily distracted, I spotted a HUGE winged insect laying on the walkway. Huge really doesn't do him justice. He was gargantuan! Ginormous! Humongous! This dude was amazing...and DEAD. So, being fascinated by the unusual, I put down my chair and squatted for a closer look. After rolling him over to ensure deadness, I picked that sucker up. After close inspection, I decided a picture was in order. Wanting a more natural looking picture, I pulled down the sleeve of my cover up and laid him on it, then proceeded down the steps.

Much to my surprise, about two steps down, I noticed his legs stretching outward, gripping my sleeve and MOVING! This dude had done an amazing job of playing dead and now he was on my sleeve! Staying calm, I hurried down the remaining steps. Noticing I was the only person on the beach, I quickly walked over to a branch of driftwood and used it to pry him off my sleeve. Thankfully, he cooperated! And like the good bug that he was, he posed for several photos.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to get a photo of comparison until it was too late, and he had taken flight. Trust me when I say he was larger than my thumb. He was really an incredible insect, although I confess he was a bit creepy when alive.

What's the point of this post? I'm not really certain. Maybe it's just to say that God created an earth full of fascinating, amazing creatures. Big. Small. Ordinary. Extraordinary. Often times, we hurry on with our days, forgetting to look around and notice his eclectic collection of life.

Today, my Creator amazed me with an incredible sunrise, a field bursting with a palette of wildflowers, and this shiny-winged, bug-eyed monster of a bug.

Thank you, God!