Snakes Anybody?

I have had an interesting journey with my yard since moving into our home over seven years ago. When I first moved in my back yard was covered with Wisteria vines up to 30 feet long. The interesting thing about Wisteria is that every so often it decides to run a tap root. Of course that doesn't count the other root system under the surface. But that's another story for a later post.

Because of my fruit trees - fig and apple - and my pecan tree I have seen raccoons, chipmunks, rabbits, deer, squirrels and a red fox, not to mention the many types of birds.

My next door neighbor once had an alligator snapping turtle that bit the fool out of his German Shepherd!

I caught him and gave him to a military friend from Louisiana who knew what to do with turtles. Each spring I generally see a green snake around some bushes and they are good to have around to eat insects.

However today I got a big surprise - I came across a baby rattle snake in my front yard, near the street and next to my neighbor's brick fence! And did he have an attitude! I scooped him up in a bucket and took a few pictures before sending him off for some enhanced interrogation! Sorry to say he didn't make it through the process. Of course when you find one snake this small you wonder where the mom and siblings are! Since that experience this morning I have been more cautious in picking up sticks in the yard!! It's interesting that the snake showed up in the wide-open environment. One minute he was no where to be seen and the next minute he was coiled up and ready to strike! We expect to see snakes in the dark woods or deep weeds but not much where there is no cover.

There could be a life lesson here: You don't have to be in the wrong environment for a snake to show up! The first time the devil is mentioned in the Bible he was called The Serpent. He tempted Eve and Adam in the wide-open. Of course, after God got through with that serpent, he didn't have a leg to stand on! (I know...old, bad joke...sorry)

The devil is stealth and crafty like a snake and he shows up when we least expect it. So put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) so you can stand against and withstand anything the devil throws at you, even in the wide-open.