And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky
and all the creatures that move along the ground—
everything that has the breath of life in it—
I give every green plant for food.”
And it was so.
Genesis 1:30 NIV
Something has been living under our front porch for years. The homeowners’ association has tried to fill in the undercut, but “something” remained. Several times I blocked the entrance, only to have it appear somewhere else along the slab. But this spring, after years of wondering, the mystery is solved. The animal living under our front porch is a rabbit! In fact, a whole family of rabbits. Four babies ventured out to taste the grass, only to repeatedly spook and scurry back under.
Okay. Rabbits. (Not skunks, thank you very much.) But now there was a whole different question. Last fall they took out a dead bush, leaving an empty area waiting for planting. What if hungry bunnies took out my plants? Cute as they are, I didn’t want to set up a buffet just outside their door!
I turned to the oracle of our times: I googled “Plants rabbits hate.” With list in hand, I visited a garden center. And spent a couple of days confidently putting in my rabbit-proof choices. Mission accomplished.
I looked out the window the very next day to see a rabbit eating one of those plants. Then another. Apparently, as a baby, everything went into his mouth.
But he knows now. After that first tasting, he has left the rest of the plants alone.
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All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
Psalm 104:27-28 NIV
Not just rabbits, Lord. Birds, squirrels, horses, ducks, and people. Oh, that I may be aware of all the good things Your open hand has given me. And may I always respond rightly to Your kindness.
