Two Spiders

Last night I went to sleep early, compared too many nights when I am up until well who knows. I woke up at around 4:30 AM and something told me to go outside. So I got up and went to my back door and seen a sight I have never seen before.

I have a pet spider. He spins his web at night outside my backdoor about 12 feet out. There is a large tree with the deck to the right and my yard directly in front with a wooden fence to the left. The spider uses these points to secure his web. He is a smart little critter and I have had the pleasure to observe him for a year or so now. I say he is smart because he spins his web outside the back door where the deck light is. His web is about seven feet from this light so he uses it to his advantage to catch the insects attracted to the light. This morning there were two spiders that had spun two separate webs. I had no idea he had a mate and the two were working together to increase their chances of a morning meal.

I got my digital camera and with the U.S. flag and the half moon as a backdrop I got some awesome shots. I went back in the house after about a half hour to make some coffee. As I poured a cup and went back to the window….the second web was gone and only my pet spider was there.

Had I not woke up and listened to that little voice inside me, I would have never seen this sight. I would not have gotten some great digital pictures and would not have been inspired to write this story.

The whole episode reminded me of an incident from my childhood. I spent my early years with my grandparents in Lawton, Michigan. They had an 80 acre farm with vineyards. The grapes were sold to the local Welch’s (still my favorite jelly) processing facility in town. My grandmother also planted some gardens and one was an asparagus plot. It was maybe 30 rows each about 100’ deep, so it was a good size plot. I love asparagus and I even liked it raw as a kid. One afternoon I found myself in the middle of the asparagus plot picking some choice shoots. My grandmother seen this and freaked and I mean freaked out!! No, she was not upset at me for picking the fresh shoots, what she was upset about was the fact the plot was covered with 100’s of black widow spiders, which I was oblivious to.

My grandmother played this out very well after I thought about it later. She knew those spiders were there and she knew if she said something like,” Get out of there, those spiders can kill you” I would have panicked and fallen into their tangled webs. However she said, “Boy, you get your butt out of my garden right now…and make sure you walk out the same way you walked in.” So, I did as I was instructed and walked up to my grandmother and told her I was sorry for going into the garden. She looked at me and said...” Grandson, look behind you and tell me what you see.” I turned and the angle was such that the sun was highlighting all those hundreds of webs and black spiders. I knew what a black widow was and my knees buckled at the thought of being bitten by several of them. But, what I also noticed was the clear path I had used to walk in and out of the garden. There was not the first web within five feet either side of the path I took. I guess that’s why I did not notice the spiders as I walked into the garden.

The Lord was with me then as He was this morning when I woke. Often times He is that little voice inside you. Listen to it and it could one day save your life or get you some awesome pictures of a double spider’s web.

Have a safe and happy day.

In His Service:

© BAS …;}…. July 25, 2008 5:55 AM EST

1st Chronicles Chapter 17