We’ve been slightly obsessed with sharks around here lately.  I wish I could take the credit but it’s mostly due to my 5-year old daughter Hannah, who thinks they are the most fascinating creatures on the planet. She first became interested in them after our family watched an episode of National Geographic’s Shark Men.

I recall one particular day, shortly after she started watching Shark Men, Shark Week and any other show with the word shark in it, where I was a bit taken aback by the graphic nature of it (specifically the bloodied waters surrounding a shark attack.) I said, “Hannah honey, I’m not sure we should be watching this show, it’s a little intense.  Maybe we could find another show about sharks that’s a little more appropriate for you.”  And my then 4-year old daughter looked right at me and said, “It’s okay mommy. If you need to go upstairs and not watch anymore I understand. Sharks can be kinda scary for some people. But they don’t scare me, I love them!” Huh? So, being the responsible parent that I am, I left her to her shark show and went upstairs to find something else to do.

[easyazon-image-link asin=”B008IYPA9Q” alt=”Bay of the Fighting Sharks (HD)” src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51l7%2BA8QNVL._SL160_.jpg” align=”left” width=”160″ height=”135″]Lately it’s been Shark Wranglers that has drawn the attention of both my husband & I.  This show follows Chris Fischer & his team as they have 40 days to catch and tag 50 great white sharks.  It’s amazing the determination and tenacity of these people to complete their task.  Last night as we’re watching an episode my husband turns and says to me, “You know sharks can’t stop moving or else they die.” What??!!!?? Partially because I just have a hard time taking him at his word and partially because well, if you know my husband at all you know he has a tendency to exaggerate the truth from time to time, I am inclined to not believe him.  He knows this already so he says, “Google it.”  Done.

How is it that I can be 35 years old and not know this? The older I get the more alarmed I become at all the information I carelessly tossed aside when I was younger because I was busy daydreaming about my future or some silly boy. Most likely the combination of the two, but regardless, I was stupid.  Now I can’t get enough of history and science and I am fascinated when learning about animals.

At this point I’m still fairly certain my husband is mistaken and I come up with a really clever question for him. “Well then, how do they sleep?!!??” Huh, smarty pants? I’m thinking I really got him on this one because they have to sleep and they can’t possibly sleep while they’re moving. Can they?

Well here’s what I learned. Sharks sleep differently than we do. Sharks need to keep water moving over their gills to receive necessary oxygen. Not all sharks need to move constantly, though. Some sharks have spiracles, a small opening behind their eyes, that force water across the shark’s gills so the shark can be still when it rests. Other sharks do need to swim constantly to keep water moving over their gills and their bodies, and they have active and restful periods rather than undergoing deep sleep like we do. They seem to be “sleep swimming,” having parts of their brain less active while they remain swimming. Wow.

So my husband is right, again. It’s getting old. But I am beginning to think through the implications of this. Our God, the Creator of the universe, not only creates these amazing animals but he follows through down to the tiniest detail of each species.  I mean he’s made a way for the sharks who don’t have spiracles to be able to continue swimming even when they’re sleeping.  And instead of just sticking with the normal method of sleeping he comes up with an entirely new approach.  Let’s have them continue swimming, because they have to in order to survive, but let’s have part of their brain become less active & allow them some rest even while they are still physically moving. I’m sorry but that’s sweet!  And I’m struck again by the intimacy & the unique details he puts into not only sharks, but mankind.  I love Psalms 36:5.  It says this,

“God’s love is meteoric,  his loyalty astronomic, his purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost.”

How can this be?  How can he be so vast and encompassing and yet at the same time so involved with the small & intimate details of our lives?

It brings me a great deal of hope and a lot of comfort to know that in his largeness nothing gets lost.  He is God over the universe and God over my parenting. He is God over the government of this land and God over the financial matters of my little family.  He is God over the transgressions of our nation and God over my personal sins and failures. He is God over the lost souls of the world and God over my neighbors who don’t know his love…yet. He is over it all and nothing gets lost.  Just think, if he can come up with “sleep swimming” for the sharks then imagine what he’s capable of doing for us.

And don’t forget to check out the premiere of Shark Week on August 12 over at Discovery Channel.  You won’t want to miss it!