Patience Part 2

The Painted Lady butterflies are starting to emerge.  My husband noticed the first one tonight.  What joy!  In the time we went to soccer and flag football practice and came back, one had already emerged from the chrysalis.  Patience has paid off....  

 

We have cut fresh Zinnias from the yard and have made sugar water with 1 cup of water and 3 tablespoons of sugar as food for now.  Using a dropper we are putting the sugar water on the petals of the flowers like dew.  I have read they like orange slices too.  Just waiting to see the proboscis come out......  We have studied the 3 different types of mouths insects have:  chewing, sucking and sponging.  Butterflies have a sucking mouth and use their proboscis for feeding.  

 

 The paper where the chrysalises are attached has a red stain on it.  It is not blood.  It is actually "meconium" which is left-over color and unneeded tissues from the butterfly wing formation. We have learned so much about butterflies this past month and this month.  God has really led us on a wonderful journey.  Those trips to the botanical gardens and Nature Museum's butterfly pavilion have prepared our hearts to appreciate these beautiful creatures which are in our care right now.

We have 4 more chrysalises left to hatch.  Three are on the side wall of the butterfly habitat.  The other one is on the floor of the habitat.  I've read that even though this one is laying on the floor, it could still emerge as a butterfly with no difficulties.  The weather is starting to turn cool in North Carolina now.  So I'm hesitant to release the Painted Ladies to the yard for fear it will be too cold for them to survive.  We will take it day by day and see where the Lord leads.

Enjoying these new creations and exercising patience as we wait on what God has in store next.

Patience

For the past few weeks we have been studying butterflies and insects for science for home school.  We've learned about the three parts of the insect, the types of mouths they have, the wings.....  Just about everything you can think of when it comes to insects.  We have visited  Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Gaston Co.  a couple of times to see the butterfly exhibit.  We walked the grounds and observed all kinds of butterflies everywhere.   

Tiger Swallowtail

There is something about the Monarch that intrigues both of my sons though.  

My 6 year old has drawn countless Monarch caterpillars on paper and cut them out, just because they are so interesting to him.  He knows the colors and can recognize them without a shadow of a doubt when he sees one in nature now.  

We always seem to look for Monarchs the most when we are observing and my youngest gets the most excited when he spots one in flight.  The day we found Monarch caterpillars on a potted plant outside the Orchid Conservatory at Daniel Stowe Gardens both of the boys were thrilled.  What was even more exciting was the fact that the caterpillar was hanging upside down, taking the position needed to form its cocoon.  How exciting is that!!

Monarch Caterpillar

We ordered caterpillars online, Painted Ladies.  (Native to North Carolina.)  We have watched them grow.  Now they have formed chrysalises and are ready to be transferred to their habitat for hatching.  We cannot wait to see them change into butterflies.  I can only imagine my youngest son's excitement when he discovers the first one.

Caterpillars and butterflies have been on my brain so much this week and specific prayers I have been lifting up to God.  These two things were brought together in my heart, 
and the Lord told me some things this week.  So I'm writing again.....

I'm learning this week that the Lord sometimes has me wait on Him to do His part.  I pray, ask for the Lord's guidance, listen for His voice and act on what He whispers to my spirit.  Then many times I find I must wait......  Even in the storm I can find His peace.  If changes are to take place, it may be difficult, but it is possible to walk through it with God.  

A caterpillar cannot be a butterfly unless it waits on God to do His part.  He must quietly wait on the metamorphosis to take place.  He must endure the change.  But the result is still something beautiful.  My boys would claim that caterpillars ARE beautiful and after being around them for so long, observing them, learning about them, I absolutely agree.

The caterpillar is one of the stages God has in the life cycle of the butterfly.  The butterfly larva is not quite finished becoming what the Lord envisioned it to be.  God has a plan.

The Lord is not through with my life either.  He has a plan for my husband and I, for my kids, for my family, for this home school He desires us to have.  There is a plan for each of us.  Every time I pray and seek Him, He guides my steps a little more toward walking  in His perfect will. 

He leads, I follow.  

I need to keep that straight.  It's not my life journey God happens to be a part of.  No, no, it's His journey and I am a partaker of that.  He makes all those paths that are crooked in my life straight.  At times for me it's a moment by moment process.  Yes, through the changes, through strife and stresses, joys and successes.  He's always with me.  He sees today the "butterfly" I am to be in the future.  He sees today what I will become before I am that.  By placing our faith in His Son, Jesus, He sees us as children of God, adopted as sons and daughters, heirs with Christ in the kingdom, redeemed by His son's Jesus' blood, forgiven of sin, sealed with the Holy Spirit..... (Ephesians 1:3-14)

Praise Him for his loving grace!!  God sees us in this way.  For too often we simply do not see this in ourselves.  I certainly can do nothing to earn His marvelous grace.   I need these reminders.  I want to remember Ephesians Chapter1.  I need to remember who I am in Christ on a daily basis.  And when I see butterflies and caterpillars in the future I will think about God playing His part in my life.  And I must patiently wait at times for Him to accomplish His will in me.  I am too quick to want immediate results.  I must have patience.  I am learning.   I let go and let God play His mighty role and praise Him that He is a sovereign God who loves me and loves His children.

We can't wait to see our Painted Ladies hatch from their chrysalises and become butterflies.

Hopefully pictures to follow.


Here is our oldest with a Painted Lady at Daniel Stowe Gardens....

Joyful! Joyful! We adore you!

Casting Crowns has a song off their album "Until the Whole World Hears" called "Joyful Joyful".  It is based on a hymn with lyrics by Henry J van Dyke written in 1907.  It was first published in the Presbyterian Hymnal in 1911.  The melody comes from "Hymn for Joy" from Beethoven's 9th symphony, adapted by Edward Hodges in 1824.  

I grew up listening to "Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee" in church.  A popular hymn that my mother loved and still does.  Always sung with great feeling and with organ accompaniment. It's one of those songs that I have heard so many times that it is like a comfort to me when I hear it today.   The lyrics are as follows:

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/o/joyful.htm


When I heard the Casting Crowns version of the song I fell in love with it.  I still love the tradition of the old hymn, but this new one also speaks to my heart.  It is beautiful.  They express their story of the song here.  Lyrics then follow.

Joyful Joyful By Casting Crowns

Story behind the lyrics, Casting Crowns


"Hearts unfold like flowers before you, opening to the sun above."

"Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the doubt of dark away,

Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!"

I know only the Lord can melt away the clouds in our lives.  He is the one that drives the dark away, by shining his glory into our lives.  He is the one that shows us how to love one another, heals our relationships, restores them, and keeps them strong. 

The world is ablaze with his glory.  How special it is to see him work in our lives and lives of those we love.  Melting away those clouds, moving mountains that seemed impossible to move, and restoring relationships.  He is a good God.  

He is Abba, my Daddy.

My prayer this week is for my heart to unfold like a flower before him, praising him in all that comes my way this week.  My heart is full this week with things I have seen the Lord do!  I'm so joyful!  To God be the glory!

Living life purposefully.... Part 2

The flag football game.....

This afternoon, I brought my Dad to our 9 year old son, Joseph's, flag football game with Victory Sports.  This was his first time coming to any of Joseph's games.  And he loved it!  I assisted him through the not so even dirt/grass parking lot to the field.  He did a great job with his walker, but I was still cautious because I did not want him to fall.  We sat in camp chairs at the edge of the field.  It has been a beautiful fall day.  There was a breeze and it felt like fall, yes finally!  My husband was on the field helping to coach defense and referee for our son's team.  Our youngest, Philip was sitting next to me and then Granddad next to him.  

Then it dawned on me.... 3 generations were sitting on that field watching this game.  How wonderful....
AND how often does this happen in my immediate family?  Rarely.  The health issues are too great and have been for over 2 years, but today God helped to make this a good day for my Dad and for us.   Not all days are good days and we are thankful for the good ones.  


My dad was intently watching jersey #10.  "That's my boy!" he says out loud.  "Go get 'em! I'm proud of you!  You're doing a great job out there son." 

That's my dad.  And a part of him that I love.

He's always been our cheerleader in life.  Always encouraging, sharing that wonderful gift of the attitude "You can do it!" 
And if we fall or fail, he's the first one to say, "Perhaps it will be better next time, and even if it isn't. Guess what?  I still love you."  


That speaks volumes to me and my heart.   


Joseph's team won their game.  And they were so excited.  I'm not sure if my dad really was keeping up with the score.  He was too busy trying to keep track of Joseph on the field I think.  But he enjoyed himself immensely.  And I'm glad we made time to bring him to the game.  We may try it again this season.  There are 5 games left.


It was a "living life purposefully" type afternoon for me.  Time is so short especially when you are talking about parents that are aging with health issues that are unpredictable and kids that are growing up way too fast for my liking.  




To be continued......

Living life purposefully

I'm reminded today,  how important it is to live life purposefully.  To make moments count and make them intentional.  If not, hours slip away, days slip by faster, and before I know it I will look back and wonder, "where did life go?".  Then it's all too easy to see moments missed and things that could have been and it can fill  hearts with regret.  

I don't want to float through life or live in such a way that I'm in what seems like "survival mode" at times.  We all have moments where we feel like we are in "survival mode".  But if I have Christ in me, the hope of glory, I need not live in such a way where I do not have joy, purpose, or peace.  Christ gives me all of those things through his grace.   I can count on him.  He never changes.  He died for me so I can live with him always abundantly and with joy.  His desire is for me to lean on him, trust him, fellowship with him, walk with him, day by day, moment by moment. Yes that means for me while doing the dishes, loading the washing machine one more time, school time with the kids, French lessons, doing bills, cooking a meal or looking after my parents. 

I can live intentionally in all of those moments if I let Christ lead me.

 My thoughts, attitudes and desires through his grace, begin to line up with his.  I especially need his grace on days when I feel like there is too much on my plate.

He desires that I have fellowship with him, a relationship where I can take any burden, any problem, any petition.  Yes, that means any burden....  any problem.... any petition.... even those that require mountains to be moved.  He is a mountain mover.  He has overcome the world! 

He desires that I take time from my busy life and sit at his feet for a time and just "be" with him.  He desires my praise, my worship, my song.  Yes, even if it's off key.  He desires me to love him.  That is my purpose, to love him and serve him.  That IS my reason for being.  That is why he created me.  

It's easy for me to let life's burdens drag me down.  It's easy to get caught up in being busy.  It's hard to step back and say, "I'm going to slow down.  I'm going to take time out and refocus my time."  Living life purposefully  takes effort. It will never come by itself.  It requires choices of obedience on my part to live God's will each day.  Listening to his voice, and being still long enough to be able to hear it.   Oh how loud life gets!  He reminds me to turn down the volume on life and listen.  Once I listen, and I hear, what next?

He desires that I do what he's laid upon my heart in those moments.  Will I choose to do his will?  Will I be obedient?  Will I follow the call he has given me.  That's the true test of my faith.