A Mother's Resolve

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I don't know much about spiders, and I don't really want to know much about them. But tonight I met an amazing spider, and she deserves some props.

Tonight I went outside and decided to clean off the boys' water table. As I flipped it over, I noticed a pretty large spider residing in one of the holes under the table, along with a large, round spider egg. In an effort to protect my children from being bit, I got out our big spray hose, with the nozzle that we use to wash our cars with. As I sprayed the bottom of the table full-force, I payed particular attention to the hole that this spider and her egg were residing in. I sprayed and I sprayed, for at least a full minute, from all different angles, and I noticed something interesting:

First, the spiders' web was not going away. She had built this seemingly impenetrable web at the entrance to that hole, and no matter how much I sprayed, the web did not fall apart! I have never seen a spider's web that strong before.

Second, as I sprayed directly into the hole, and the spider was flying around in there helpless against the force, she kept trying to hold onto her egg. The minute I would let up, she would immediately run to the egg and put her legs around it. She was doing everything in her power to protect it.

For a moment, I stopped spraying and actually felt compassion for this creature. I realized that both of us were doing what God created us to do - protect our babies. I am amazed. I am totally amazed at God's creation and the instinct that he has given even the smallest of creatures.

I eventually stopped spraying because I realized that this wasn't working. I watched the spider for awhile after I stopped trying to spray her to death. She put her egg in the corner and then went right back to work, weaving her web to make it even stronger.  

Tomorrow we'll figure out what to do with this mama and her egg.  But for now, I have a newfound respect for this spider mom.