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The squirrels in the back yard really need to learn how to share. There’s one squirrel I’ve named Buddha because when it sits on its hind legs while eating the corn or other goodies from our critter food, its belly is so fat it looks like the pictures of Buddha I’ve seen. Sometimes I wonder why it doesn’t topple headfirst into the snow with all the weight it’s carrying.

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When other squirrels come around looking for food, Buddah chases them away. It doesn’t move as fast as the slimmer ones do, but still they high tail it when they see the sheer size of that squirrel coming at them.

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On Sunday, I got my husband to come to the window to look at Buddah. And he too was surprised. He said he’d never seen a squirrel that big before. Then he said, “I bet she’s pregnant.” I hadn’t even thought of that.

So I looked it up and learned that squirrels generally get pregnant twice a year during two distinct breeding seasons: winter and summer. And after the gestation period of roughly 38 to 46 days, females typically give birth to litters in early spring (February–April) and late summer (August–September).

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Then I looked up to find how many babies a squirrel can carry - because Buddah’s so huge! It turns out that squirrels typically have two to four babies (called kits or pups), with most mothers producing one or two litters per year. And while 2-4 is the average, litter sizes can range from one up to eight babies depending on the kind of squirrel it is and environmental conditions.

So. Here I was, complaining about that poor squirrel and how she wouldn’t share, grouching about how grumpy she was with the other squirrels. Well, of course she’s grumpy. She’s probably pregnant. And she is sharing after all. Her food is going to those unborn pups.

So these days I’ve been apologizing to Buddah when I see her. I tell her I’m sorry I gave you a boy’s name. (I’ve got to come up with a new one for her!) And I say a prayer for her - and  marvel at the miracle of birth.

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Psalm 139: 13-14a says:

For it was you who formed my inward parts;

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

 

Yours in the journey,

Pastor Kristen

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Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, is on Wednesday, February 18th. If you’d like to have ashes placed on your forehead, you can come to the church anytime between 4:30 – 6:00pm.

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