Butterflies Need Not Apply

I was kind of bummed out when I searched and discovered the Bible doesn't mention butterflies. Well, there's that worm that ate Jonah's shade, but we have no mention that it was a butterfly caterpillar. I wondered about this for a few days. It kind of rolled around in my head, occasionally banging into whatever I was doing at the moment. A spoiled child with few manners. God uses stuff like that.

I decided to see if He would show me something about my disappointment. If you ask God to show you something, hang on tight! Being a biologist, the lives of butterflies were mesmerizing. I got the chance to work with some really important butterflies during the course of my career. I learned a lot about their likes and dislikes, how they don't get mad when the wind blows them around, and about how they provide for the next generation.

Most butterflies live less that a year, many less than several months. Somehow, they have to tell the next generation how to butterfly without actually being around them. God codes their genetic material for that, but it's no less stellar.

A lot of butterflies lay their eggs in the leaf litter or at the base of their primary host plant. The eggs are often no larger than the tip of a ball-point pen. Then the parents die, the egg overwinters, then hatches to consume the plants in early spring. Don't use pesticide on those spring weeds. Please.

After a good bit of chewing, they find a good spot, plant their last pair of legs and spin their chrysalis, and settle down to await what comes next. Then they turn to liquid. Yes. Completely. Liquefaction. They secrete enzymes that devour their entire body. Imagine. Caterpillar soup. Yum...(ew).

Could you trust that process? It's a good thing that only happens to them. Or does it? I was chasing butterflies, but here's the reason why. It happens to us too, and God fully intended it that way. We must completely die to self. We must await the new, tender heart He places in our souls. Can you relate to the caterpillar? At that stage of belief, we really don't understand it. Many people back out too early. Others make a snap decision that if it didn't happen fast, they didn't need to stick around to figure it out.

----- HE TRANSFORMS US -----

Yes. Transforms. That is exactly what happens to the caterpillars. They leave their chrysalis, pump up their brand new wings, and take off to where their genes lead them. For them, it's intuitive. For us, it takes a little longer because we are so stubborn. Ever met a stubborn butterfly? Yeah, me either. 

When God showed me all of this, I had to capture that butterfly. I had to get it in the Bible. And I'll never be the same. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God does a great work in us. Romans 12:2. Have a good day.

Ta for now,

~ky

Methods and products:

After sealing my page with Finnabair art basics clear gesso, I heat embossed the fern leaf with clear powder. I stamped and second generation stamped the leaf (Retired Butterfly Basics, SU!) over the embossed areas, then color blended the background with the same inks. The butterfly base was cut out of watercolor paper and edge-blended with Distress Inks - the center of the butterfly is left plain to get that color pop. The delicate wings were cut from Early Espresso SU! cardstock. I added the enamel dots and Nuvo drops, spattered the page with watered down Distress Ink and wet mica powder. I sealed it with matte mod podge spray.