How Many Metamorphosis's?

Isn’t this creature beautiful!

I was taking some senior portraits out in a corn field and ran across this beautiful caterpillar. Although he is creepy, I find him and his colors quite captivating.

After seeing and capturing (with camera - NOT my hands) this caterpillar I’ve been pondering the life of these creatures. I’m no lepidopterists (people who study butterflies and moths for a living), so if you are feel free to correct anything that isn’t correct here or add to this fascinating story. haha

I’ve decided that I’m a caterpillar of sorts. What I’m pondering though is how many times I will metamorphose living as this creature? We’ve heard it said that cats have nine lives. And we know caterpillars have one life, but with many intrinsic changes. Some caterpillars, that look much like that one above, complete their whole life cycle with many changes in 30 days. 30 days!!!! That’s crazy.

Can you imagine how much change must take place daily to go from larva, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, to butterfly within 30 days? Makes my head swim (or should I say flutter?) just thinking about it.

However, I think I’ve had months and seasons where I could empathize with the caterpillar. It seems change after change came so quickly.

The funny thing is that we get to go through this process quite a few times within our lifetime. We struggle, grow and complete the metamorphosis only to find ourselves going through the same growth cycle years down the road.

As Christ tells us to die to ourselves and become new in Him, I am visualizing my new friend – the caterpillar. I am changing, growing, morphing, and struggling to become God's incredible creation.

I wonder how many more metamorphosis's I have to go.

Yes, God’s new creations are amazing!

Here's Your Sign

Everyday I drive by this sign. When I first noticed it, it cracked me up! Who puts a sign to warn you of a bump in the road right at the bump? And who calls them speed humps?

Usually when you see warning signs they are enough distance away that you can slow down, turn, or execute whatever is required. In our spiritual walks we can observe warning signs that changes are coming, as well. If we have a discerning heart, we will slow down and maneuver the course to weather the “speed hump” successfully.

I’ve determined, I would love to have a spiritual marker like the sign above. One day when I wake up, get going, and run into a snafu God could flash down a warning sign, “Alene, here’s the hump! This is it. Slow down and proceed cautiously.” I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I could so use a caution sign like that. Seriously!

In my life it’s not always the big obstacles that trip me up. Usually, those sneak up slowly and I can see I'm approaching them. However, those “humps” that sneak up quickly and out of nowhere during my day can totally rock my world and throw me off course. So, as I drive by this sign every day, I’ve decided I'd like a signal like this in my daily ordinary life.

I bet you can hear God saying, “Alene, here’s your sign!”