More Butterfly Love

So if you've been hanging around my world for a while, you know that I am just fascinated with butterflies. In fact, it was one of my first posts that I wrote. I relate personally to them and they symbolize so much to me as a Christian.

As part of our homeschooling......and just my own obsession with them.......we were blessed to experience the entire life cycle of Monarch Butterflies. It was truly one of the most amazing things to be part of.

We took pictures so N could make her Monarch's Miraculous Journey book with each stage captured. I would like to add my own spiritual analogies as well.

OK, we start with a teeny tiny egg.....about the size of a poppy seed. We (humans) start out as a teeny tiny fertilized egg.

After a few days.....the teeny caterpillar emerges, just as we are born/emerge from the womb. Obviously for us, it takes alot longer than a few days......the first three months of dry heaving and the lovely spider veins on my ankles that exploded the last few months of my pregnancies will confirm that.

This little caterpillar ate and ate and ate. I mean, this little bugger wiped out a leaf 20 times it's size in one day. It was amazing to wake up the next morning and see it double in size! It was completely preoccupied with it's own needs.

Consuming, consuming, consuming. Reminds me of when all I did was consume (physically/materialistically) for my own pleasure.

Then when it was full size.....it found it's way to that popsicle stick and hung in a J motionless for a full day(I think it's kinda "God-ronic" isn't it......a "J" for Jesus....ok, ok.....I know I can get corny....but I find that following these caterpillars' lives brings me even further in awe for the Creator and His attention to every detail. Think about it, He could have just created butterflies that laid eggs with tiny butterflies in them, right?)

We went to bed that night and woke up to this amazing sight. How cool is that? This chrysalis even had beautiful gold beads that appeared to be the sealing point. Another "leave-it-to-out-awesome-God" to add His majestic and artistic touch.

I imagine the transformation that this caterpillar was going through was dark and very uncomfortable. But throughout all this uncertainly, miraculous change is taking place. Just like when we are leaving our old dark ways of the world and entering into our new spiritual faith filled life with Christ. Before and even during our transformation or metamorphosis......we are usually lost and in the dark. I know that I was in a painful place physically and emotionally. I was in a confused, uncomfortable place where I almost felt paralyzed like that motionless caterpillar.

I also like to imagine that this caterpillar embraced these changes without question. She trusted that these changes, no matter how painful....would be transforming her to a new and better creation. I remember when I really really really got to the point where I gave my life completely over to God....I just trusted and said "OK God, I have no idea on what You are going to do with me and I am pretty sure it is not going to be easy for me.... (and pretty sure I was a handful for Him to work with as well)....but I am ready for change."

And this was no different....change it was.

Meet SONshine. Her (yes, we learned how to tell if they are male or female) "birth"/emerging was one of the most incredible things we were blessed to be part of. It really was a blessing. I mean, in a little over two weeks.....we got a glimpse of one of God's masterpieces in the making.

She was more beautiful than these pictures can capture....her grace and beauty was breath-taking. She was delicate but had this amazing sense of strength as she pumped her wings, getting ready to take her first flight around our home.


On Friday, Star was "born"....we like to refer to him as SONshine's brother.

It had been raining for the past few days, so we kept them together in a home filled with beautiful flowers until we were able to release them. I was so thankful to have a few extra days with them. They were on my kitchen table so I got to sit with my morning cup of coffee and just take it all in. I mean, how blessed was I to wake up to butterflies in my kitchen?

And although I would have loved to keep them with us forever.....we loved them enough to know that they needed to start on their journey to Mexico soon enough. We thanked them, we said a prayer and released them this morning.

It is all part of the Big Cycle of Life. ;)

"So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come."
2 Corinthians 5:17

I hope you enjoyed our little recap of the miraculous journey we followed :)

Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*