Tales of Mrs. Z.

What is a Malacology?

Malacology is the study of mollusks - invertebrate creatures with soft, unsegmented bodies, many of which house themselves in shells.

This fascinating group of animals includes more than 100,000 species - from snails (yes, snails) to giant squids.

A malacologist is a scientist whose research focuses on mollusks.

Gems & Minerals

Cullen Hall houses the world's finest collection of gem and minerals. B-E-A-U-ti-ful! I forgot the names so you might want to check this website http://www.gimizu.de/sgmcol/
As I gazed upon the many beautiful stones and gems, I thought about that scripture in Malachi 3:17 where the Lord says,

"They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts,
On the day that I make them My jewels.

Another one that came to mind is found in Isaiah 54:11,

O you afflicted one,
Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,
And lay your foundations with sapphires.
Do you know that these precious stones go through a period of development and forming deep within the earth, where they experience intense pressure, heat and friction. And yet look at their beauty that is produced.

We are like that to God. He looks at each of us as his precious treasures. Sometimes we have to be refined and go through the fires of tribulation to burn off the impurities and become the beautiful gems that can shine and give Him glory.

Yes, touring this museum was a vivid reminder to me of how my God cares for me and is making me into a vessel of honor for His glory.

Story of a Butterfly

As we tour the Cockrell center, and look at the different butterflies.. I remember the story of the butterfly....

One day a small opening appeared on a cocoon, a man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly, he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But, it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly.

I asked for Strength...
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom...
And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity...
And God gave me a Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage...
And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love...
And God gave me Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors...
And God gave me Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted
I received everything I needed.

Author Unknown

So, my friends if you are in the middle of a trial, suffering... Embraced it! Go through it knowing that you will be able to fly afterwards...

Butterfly Center

Finally, we are able to visit this place. It has been on my list to see forever. An up close look at gorgeous butterflies in their natural habitat. Just stunning. There are hundreds of live butterflies showcased in a natural rainforest setting. Not only do you get to see butterflies the center also has an insect zoo that displays some of their more creepy relatives.

Owl Butterfly

Ha! - Mosquito Katol - you've been hiding here all this time....

Insect vending machine - really, this is for real..
I purchased the crickets in bacon and cheese

Space Center

Well, it is like Children's Museum with a Space Theme...JL and CB loves this place.. Very interesting and educational..

The center's summer exposition - Daredevil Island where you can swing high in the air unharnessed on a giant trapeze; test your climbing skills on a 4 story high spider web; bungee jump on bouncy trampolines; or test survival skills through a mystical maze. Whew, the girls had a blast..

Spider Web - hard to climb..

The ever popular Kid's Place...

Downtown Aquarium

You can view sea creatures of every shape and size. They have a Sunken Temple exhibit that reveals the wonders of ancient Mayan culture and the underwater world plus you can see the white tigers. The journey on the Shark Voyage gives you an intimate view of the ocean's most infamous predators. After seeing all the exhibits different rides awaits you... Check out their website http://www.aquariumrestaurants.com/