Hi, all. Just a thought to help start your weekend.

Each warm evening at our house recently we have been the honored guests of a large and loud private concert. I’ve seen and heard my fair share of musicians and performers through the years, but this particular lineup is unlike any other group I’ve ever witnessed.

There are no specific musical instruments such as guitars or drums or even a keyboard. There are no violins or cellos or cymbals. And for those of you who know where I live, I’m not even talking about the sometimes window-rattling car stereo “music” that wafts over our direction from the city park. I’m talking about the critters, as Elly May Clampett would call them.

There are frogs like this one that attached itself to our back door. There are crickets and many other such vocalizing creatures as well. They all seem to sound off at the same time and are often louder than the television which is just a few feet inside that same door. It is indeed a lovely sound.

And in that lovely sound, I wonder what is being said. Are they speaking to each other, are they simply discussing the events of their day, or are they setting an example for each of us? Are they singing the praises of their Creator? Are they somehow, in their own way, giving glory to God?

It doesn’t matter that it sounds like noise to us. It doesn’t matter that it seems like it drones on for hours and drowns out every other sound nearby. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that those frogs and crickets and their friends are fulfilling their God-designed roles in the overall scheme of things.

Many days I fear we gripe and complain and fuss and waste the time we could be praising our Creator. We make nothing but noise — a clanging cymbal. But those bugs and critters are making anything but noise! They are singing their voices out to the best of their ability. They are making a joyful noise and singing a righteous racket. A beautiful example that all of God’s “critters” should follow!

Just a thought. ’Til later.

Brad Campbell can be reached at mastah.pastah@yahoo.com.