Butterfly Moments

One of the most incredible feats of nature I have observed  is watching a caterpillar morph into a butterfly. My daughter loved to bring monarch caterpillars in from the outdoors, place them in a fish tank (without water of course ☺), and then we all observed the metamorphosis from worm to beautiful butterfly.

This morning during my devotional time, God gave me a "butterfly" moment. Let me explain.

The Bible is the only book that can transform you. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) God's Word is active, it pierces where no other words can. It is the hand of the Great Surgeon, giving us a new heart, with new attitudes and desires; shaping us into the image of Jesus.

Today, as I pondered the Word, I thought of the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Don't you want to fly? Not be burdened by the cares of this world....maybe you feel trapped by a job, marriage, life's circumstance, maybe even your own skin? Or life is simply boring, like a worm, who doesn't get anywhere real fast, and is subjected to ground level.......take heart, God is working.

The monarch caterpillar simply eats and eats and eats. My daughter supplied plenty of milkweed leaves for her caterpillars, it was amazing what they ate. The caterpillar was preparing for what lay ahead.

Life is a journey...on our "wormy" days, are we eating? Reading and digesting our spiritual food? God doesn't just plop what we want on our laps, he is transforming us into the image of Jesus. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Prv. 3:5-6) Even when we can only crawl, and life seems boring....we need to eat and trust....and keep moving forward.

At the appointed time, the caterpillar attaches itself to  a branch and hangs in what appears to be a "J". It will hang this way for several hours. In what then looks like a painful process (for when I observed it, that is what I thought) the caterpillar begins contorting and then his skin splits open and underneath is a chrysalis!

"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) The caterpillar waits...and God does the work. The process of transformation is never easy. There is usually pain involved. But God tells us, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18) Focus your eyes upward. God is working.

 As the days pass, the chrysalis walls become thinner and you see a butterfly tightly wrapped. 

On those days when all seems a loss and you are feeling trapped remember, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6) God is changing you from the inside out. Scientists have now been able to do scans on the chrysalis and have observed how the organs change day by day until the caterpillar becomes a functioning butterfly!

When it is time for the butterfly to emerge, the chrysalis will split and the butterfly will hang for over an hour or so, flexing its wings. We once thought to help the butterfly in this process and it died. Time is needed for the wings to dry off and its systems to begin functioning in the new environment. When ready, we let the butterflies crawl onto our fingers, then took them outside and let them fly! It is a beautiful moment!

A butterfly moment is beautiful! The heart soars with joy! You feel weightless. Some are small moments and others so grand you find it hard to contain the excitement. A butterfly moment is simply grand because one persevered to get there.

But these moments are proceeded by patience, trust, and oftentimes pain. Sometimes the metamorphic process is short, other times it may be years. But it is a process, and it always involves the transforming power of  God, who comes to us through the Bible, His Holy Word.  God gives us many "metamorphic" cycles in our lives; these are the peeling off of the layers so that in the end, we are transformed into the image of His Son. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Cor. 5:17) It is not our work, it is His.  Trust the process. Jesus only wants the best for you, His love gives us more than we could ask or imagine. And when we try to do it our way, we mess things up, much like when we tried to help the butterfly get out of the chrysalis faster.

My butterfly moment? For the last several weeks, I have felt trapped. Trapped by life's circumstances. Trapped by wondering what God is trying to do. Trapped by negative news all around me. Trapped by the pain in this world. As I was reading His Word this morning...the image of a butterfly popped into my head...a weight lifted....

The ability to fly rests in Jesus: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30)  He takes our burdens and carries them. We can then fly. 

I am learning to let go of that I cannot control. Jesus let me fly this morning. :) 

Self-Control

 Do you ever have those "aha" moments? I had one when reading this blog entry by Mark Buchanan, author of Your Church is Too Safe.  I know the difference between control and self-control, I just had never thought of them in the context of immature and mature behaviors. I opted to quote the entire text, since I cannot do it justice in my own words.



"I was in a coffee shop the other day and a mom announced to her little guy – maybe 2 and a half years old – that it was time to leave.

Little Guy didn’t want to leave.

At first he ignored her, then he defied her, then he assailed her.

To her credit, she remained calm.

She spoke quietly. She stood her ground. She didn’t bargain.

In the end, magnificently composed, she carried Little Guy out the door, a wild banshee of a boy, thrashing and wailing as he went.


It got me thinking about the difference between control and self-control.

These two things – control and self-control – stand at opposite ends of the maturity spectrum.

The toddler was a live-action reel of a fierce effort to control his mother.

And he was a spectacle of immaturity.

The mom was a breathtaking portrait of impeccable self-control. And she was the epitome of maturity.

Toddlers brim with the impulse to control (even as they bungle the execution). A 3-year-old will resort to wild-eyed tantrums, incessant whining, ear-piercing screams, coy manipulation, and flat-out demand to try to get their way: to control their parent, or sibling, or playmate, or the situation at hand.

But as the toddler’s attempts to control things escalate, his ability to control himself deteriorates. His need to be in control makes him more and more out-of-control. The results are not pretty.

This all looks different in adults – usually.

Of course, we’ve all met 28- or 33- or 59-year olds (sometimes in the mirror) who, in an increasingly desperate effort to control people or situations, throw tantrums, power up, make threats, emotionally blackmail, withdraw into icy silence, and so on.

But most of us, by age 19 or so, have an epiphany of sorts: that the louder we shout, the less others listen.

That the more we manipulate, the further others back away.

That the more we toss a fit, the more others look at us and think, “What a sad strange little man,” or, “What a drama queen.”

That’s the epiphany.

But what we do with it matters a great deal. It determines whether we really grow up or not.

The truly wise become deeply humble. They realize that the only kind of control the Bible endorses – indeed, commands – is self-control.

The New Testament has 16 separate exhortations to be self-controlled. It’s a major theme.

So the wise heed that, and work with the Holy Spirit to get a grip on themselves. They receive the comfort, the rebuke, the strength, and the instruction of God himself to discipline their thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and actions.

They give up trying to control others and step up being in control of themselves.

The lovely irony is that the self-controlled exert wide influence. People listen to them. Heed them. Seek them. Follow them.

In other words, the self-controlled accomplish the very thing the controlling desperately want but only ever sabotage.

Here’s what I’ve learned: Every impulse to seize control — is the Holy Spirit’s invitation to practice self-control.

Every nerve jolt to freak out, melt down, start yelling, fly into rage or panic is a divine cue to slow down, breathe deep, start praying, and lean into God.

Every instinct to control something is God’s nudge to control myself.

I don’t always get it right. When I don’t, I not only lose self-control: I lose influence. I lose respect. I lose dignity.

When I do get it right, I gain all around.

Lord, help me get a grip on myself."  

I learned that to control is immature; to have self-control is maturity.


***excerpt is from http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/07/what-to-do-when-you-may-or-may-not-be-a-control-freak/ 

Caramel Rolls

I simply love bread...and combined with sticky, gooey, caramel sauce, I am simply in heaven.

There is something about fully living the moment. Each moment. A cup of coffee, a caramel roll.....aaahhhh...I believe you are smelling it as you read.... :)

My mother wisely told me, "Enjoy the journey, not just the destination." As I get older and time seems to be speeding up, I am disciplining myself to slow it down. To stop and smell the roses on the journey of life so to speak.

"If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves." (Maria Edgeworth)  I don't believe God meant for our lives to be just happenstance. Rather we are to be intentional about our days and embrace the moments He grants us, fully enjoying His goodness. Granted, there are moments I wish would not darken my life, but I trust God allows them for a reason. If nothing else, I am being taught to lean on Him. His Grace overshadows each moment....may we simply learn to LIVE each one.

 I came across a little book*, it lies on my coffee table. I am learning much about how to "live in the moment."

#45 Right here-"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet." ~J. Oppenheim

#166 Be a good pupil-"Learning without thought is labor lost; and thought without learning is perilous." ~Confucius

#433 Thank you!-People in the service professions often feel invisible. A show of gratitude to the mailman, road-sweeper, or trash collector could be a bright spot in their day.

#695 Quick and easy-We speak of bearing a "grudge" and this word is accurate: resentment is a burden.  Forgiveness offers an instant way to lighten the load of your heart.

And #546....Quiet time-Don't allow TV or computers into your morning routine.  Sit still for a while, and look out of your window.  Eat your breakfast quietly if you can. Enjoy rare peace, and a sense of potential, before the day's intrusions begin.

Brew a pot of coffee and enjoy a caramel roll.....

 
Caramel Sauce:
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. butter
1/4  bag miniature marshmallows

Bring ingredients to a boil and pour into two 9x9 pans.

The Dough:
 Roll out two loaves frozen white bread dough (thawed) to 1/4" thickness. Spread butter, sugar, and cinnamon on dough. Roll lengthwise and cut into 18 rolls. Place in pans. Let rise 25-30 min. (or until doubled in size) and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until brown on top. Invert onto cookie sheet or plate, cool.

Note: Make sure rolls are done before removing from oven. If not, the center will be doughy. They will be a goo-ey roll, so enjoy that! :)When inverting, use caution as some of the sauce may leak...I always do this over the sink. :) You may use regular homemade bread dough, two standard loaf pans worth.

These are the best....maybe it is the marshmallows....or that it is a family recipe and I love revisiting the memory in my mind..... :)

Enjoy the moment. Live the moment. Savor His Grace.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

I am learning to slow down and live in the moment.


*I love books, but don't always agree with the author's viewpoint in the entirety of the book. This is a neat little resource in giving ideas to "live in the moment," but there is a lot of eastern religion presented. Some I agree with, others I pass over. Use what applies to you and your values.

Designed to Create

People have always said I am a creative person. I laugh and say that I am not a creative person, but a resourceful person. I glean ideas from all around me, rarely does an idea pop into my noggin all on its own. (Yes, I loooove Pinterest!)

Create (verb): to bring (something) into existence. In reality I do create. I take ideas from other sources, and bring them together in a project of my choosing...and then I smile....or rework it until I smile. :) God was (and is) the ultimate Creator, He breathed the world into existence. He is the only being that can create something from nothing. But even he was resourceful....he used his own dirt to create Adam....and what a creation it was!! :)

I am a Sunday School teacher. I love it when a lesson comes together and the objective of the lesson is driven home. I love to celebrate birthdays.  I love to find the perfect antique for the perfect spot in my home. I love to make my Christmas cards....and have all the Christmas gifts wrapped the same. I love to scrapbook....when a page comes alive, I smile. I love leaves, and love serving a salad/dessert on my "oak-leaf" plates. I love Kraft paper, I now am making a few general "kraft-paper" cards with photographs I have snapped. I delight in the wonder of God's resources!! ♥

After reading "Tower of Babel" the students built a tower as high as they could with marshmallows and toothpicks. :)

Guitar cake made for my musical son-in-law's birthday

Each gift had the recipients initial on it...thanks to my Cricut!

Love capturing the memory of joy!!

 






 

An Easter salad....see the bunny ears poking through the greens? :)

To create is a God-given gift. We are designed in the image of God. God is the master Creator, and has given us this trait for His glory. Our "creations" speak to His majesty and power. You are probably thinking, "No way..., what I do and create is not anything great at all." Yes, it is....God created you for a purpose, for the good of mankind...may you discover what that is, and delight in it.

I came across a wonderful book that I am enjoying working through, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She states: "Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God. When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God: good orderly direction." If you wonder if you have any purpose in this life, read this book. It is a book full of good quotes and exercises to help you discover that "artist" within you. Although I highly recommend this wonderful resource, I add this disclaimer: there are numerous "new-age" thoughts and quotes....read with the attitude that "every good and perfect gift comes from above," (James 1:17) and you will be fine.

When we create, we delight in the work of our hands; we delight in our great God. When we delight in our great God, we pass that delight on to others and are able to genuinely encourage them to find their delight. It is when we realize how God has blessed us, that we are able to bless others, both in word and deed.

Creating is discovering the artist within you...we all possess it....do not let other's opinions stop you, it is for God's glory...enjoy the journey of you!

Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of time, you are incomparable. ~Brenda Ueland

I have learned the delight of creation.