Because of a little business trip detour, I ended up in North Carolina a bit unexpectedly last month. To my delight, that meant my hubby and I got to explore the Biltmore Estate and its gardens. I am so glad I brought my camera along because the butterflies were very cooperative!
I had never seen a pipevine swallowtail before; it was lovely!
This eastern tiger swallowtail looks similar to ones I’ve seen in my backyard at home, but I’ve never been able to capture one with my camera.
And who doesn’t adore the monarch?
“O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.” -Psalm 104:24 ESV
I cannot say or sing the word “rejoice” without smiling. Can you? Go find a mirror and try it right now. I’ll wait.
How did you do? What expression did you make? And why is rejoice a word you don’t hear much outside of the Bible? We sing the word often in church, and you might even see it in a Christmas image posted on social media, but nobody seems to say the word much in conversation.
The Oxford Dictionary defines the verb as feeling or showing great joy or delight, and it defines the noun “joy” as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
In the Old Testament, 1 Chronicles 16:10 and Psalm 105:3 both say, “…let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!” And in the Christmas story, Matthew uses the word when he explains how the wise men reacted to the star they followed to find young Jesus. “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10).
Later, just before praying His high priestly prayer and going to the cross, Jesus promises His followers that their sorrow will turn into joy when He sees them again. “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22).
And after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Apostle Peter writes to the early Christians. “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
Notice that these hearts are rejoicing “exceedingly” and with a joy that is not only great but also inexpressible, incapable of being taken away, and filled with glory. Wow! Nothing subtle or stoic is going on here. This is heartfelt, out-of-control rejoicing with loud voices, hands lifted high, and irrepressible smiles. Some dancing is probably involved, too!
I love the picture that comes to my mind when I ponder that. And I think I caught a few momentary glimpses of heartfelt joy in 2022. Reconnecting with two sweet Montana friends we hadn’t seen in 14 long years, giving my oldest daughter a giant hug when I flew down to Louisville to visit her at college, cheering while a dear little friend at church got baptized, and treasuring the sound of music as my youngest daughter played “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” on a lovely grand piano to accompany her college choir. My heart overflowed with joy in each of those moments. But oh, how much greater our rejoicing will be when Jesus comes again!
Are you ready for that? Is your heart ready to rejoice? Or is your heart troubled by the thought of Jesus returning?
Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going” (John 14:1-4).
NOTE: ‘Tis a season of transition. The much-anticipated college years are here in full force. Our oldest just moved into her dorm suite (750 miles away) a little more than a week ago, and our youngest starts early college in just a few days. The following letter is the “you’re off to college now” letter I wrote to our oldest. I share it and pray that it may bring some sweet bit of comfort or encouragement to my friends who are also in this weighty moment of transition or soon to be.
Dear daughter who loves butterflies,
As the last sticky bits of strawberry jam disappear down the drain, I immerse the glass jar into the soapy water and remember countless jars just like it that we cleaned and saved for your butterfly collection. You certainly have had a fascinating relationship with butterflies for most of your childhood.
This fascination was probably already developing, but I don’t think I noted it before that last month of Kindergarten when we raised those painted lady butterflies. “You can’t be a caterpillar all your life!” you emphatically encouraged a slow caterpillar. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Remember “Butterfly Meadow” and how we stood there in wonder as the butterflies hesitated a good long while? Did they not see how bravely we had unzipped their habitat, expecting them to rush out?
Did they not realize we were setting them free to fly high and far? Eventually they fluttered off, and you chased one of them far into the field. Letting go felt bittersweet and confusing and glorious all at once.
Since that noteworthy morning, we have added more memories of raising and releasing painted lady butterflies and monarchs, too.
You have collected jars of butterfly specimens to study, painted watercolor butterflies, crocheted butterflies, and folded more origami butterflies than anyone else in the history of ever. As I was typing up these thoughts earlier this month, you handed me your newest creation: a macrame butterfly keychain. Of course!
Although you have successfully caught butterflies (and dragonflies and fireflies, too!) with your bare hands, you have not stopped chasing butterflies – across fields, apple orchards, gardens and parking lots.
But earlier this summer, it was like the tables had turned, and the butterflies began chasing you! How did it happen that not one but TWO butterflies landed on you while you were sitting in the middle of a yellow innertube, floating in the middle of a river, near the Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee? How kind and gentle of you to give the one butterfly a safe ride to the riverbank. All joy!
Like those lovely painted lady butterflies from your Kindergarten science project, you also hesitated a bit when I thought you were ready to be released into the world. You didn’t rush off. You dared to go slow. You took a gap year to work and write and serve. You explored your options carefully.
Frankly I wasn’t quite sure what to think of that plan at first. It was hard to see you not take off when so many of your friends left for college. It was hard and a little heartbreaking to be in a place of not knowing what was next for you, even though we treasured every moment of our “bonus year” with you at home.
But looking back I see how God had plans for your writing. TWO BOOKS! And I see how God was answering our prayers for wisdom and discernment. He was guiding your steps, preparing your heart for this big move. And now, in obedience to Him, you are flying off to where God is calling you – flying to a new city in a new state with a different climate and with friendly people who speak in lovely southern accents.
Letting you go so far away (a full day’s drive!) feels both scary and sacred. It’s bittersweet and confusing and glorious all at once.
Life in our family won’t ever be quite like this again. And that is why I hold on tight. I thank God as I joyfully tag along to all the last things before you leave home – a dentist appointment and an orthodontist appointment, a trip to the library and a trip to the movies. I hold on tight as we listen to that audiobook or spin around on the newly installed tree swing, as we go on a last-minute sailing excursion or grab lunch at the place with your favorite salad bar and have a deep discussion about biblical manhood.
As we take family pictures and selfies and fill these days carefully, the song lyrics to “These Days” by Love & the Outcome fill my head and my heart.
“These are the days, these are the days / The days we’ll never get back
These are the days, these are the days / And these days are all we have
I don’t wanna miss, miss / The moments slip away
It’s a gift, a gift / Every breath you take
Wake up, wake up / Feel your heart beating
Wake up, wake up / Alive and you’re breathing“
And so, filled with gratitude and wonder at the gifts and the time we’ve been given, I wake up. I breathe deeply. I dry the inside of the empty jar. What treasures might you fill it with in this next chapter of life, I don’t quite know. I set it aside for you anyhow.
These new days ahead are like empty jars, ready to be filled with beauty and joy and wonder. As you study God’s word and His creation, as you worship and fellowship with new friends, and as you discover more of the good plans He has for you, I pray.
May goodness and mercy chase after you all the days of your life, like you chase after butterflies. May you recognize and welcome that goodness and mercy when it lands on you in the most unexpected places. May you always remember that “The best is yet to come.” May you hold on tightly to God’s promises and trust Him always. He is faithful.
C.S. Lewis encourages us, “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
So go forth, go find something marvelous to fill that empty jar.
And fly high, my beautiful, lovely Butterfly! God made you to soar! (Isaiah 40:31)
Love,
Mama
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV
I just finalized the 2022 Battle Plan: A Weekly Scripture Memory and Gratitude Journal. All the content aligns with the Fighter Verses Set 2, and the best part is that I laid out the Bible memory work alongside a personal gratitude journaling space to simplify these spiritual disciplines. My prayer is that this book encourages you to start or continue hiding God’s Word in your heart. You can order books at cost directly through Blurb, using the link below.
Autumn means apple season, so today the girls and I took a little afternoon trip to the orchard.
I discovered the tire swing is still irresistible to these two.
This was our first visit to this particular orchard, and despite having a map and instructions for where to find which specific apple varieties, we kept heading off in the wrong direction and then needing to turn around and head off in the right direction. We never truly got lost in the woods. And certainly when the woods look this astonishing, nobody complains.
Eventually we found the Sweet 16 apples in a far-off row in the back of the orchard. They were a little past their prime, so our soon-to-be-sweet-16 just picked one to pose with.
She’s had a sweet tooth for apples for at least 15 years now.
Checking that off the list, we headed off toward the front of the orchard to find some apples for baking pies and dumplings.
My youngest and I took a short nature walk with our cameras yesterday evening. It had been far too long since we spent time outdoors, and the shining spectacle that is “September in Minnesota” was calling. We didn’t have much time before the sun sank behind the trees, but we captured some images to share. May you smell the earthy-sweet scent of the fallen leaves as you scroll.
sinking September sunshadows growing longshutterbug in actionswans trumpeting across the lakesunshine on the astersslowly turning maple leavesa spider’s lake homeshutterbug shooting another shutterbugthe splendid start of fall colors in the treetopsa September sunset in the land of the sky-tinted waters
God only knows what’s in store for us in 2021. No doubt, it will be a battle for joy and contentment. A battle to kill sin. A battle against the enemy, the father of lies.
How will you arm yourself, friend?
The apostle Paul encourages us to put on the full armor of God. In Ephesians 6:16-17, he says “…take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
So for 2021, let’s take up the sword of the Spirit and commit to memorizing the word of God. Let’s be watchful for God’s goodness in our lives. And let’s be thankful for His abounding grace each and every day.
My 2021 Battle Plan is a 104-page journal that includes artwork for each of the 52 Fighter Verses for 2021, as well as space to jot down whatever I am thankful for each day.
The struggle is real, but God equips us. Second Corinthians 9:8 says that “God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Order your own weekly journal at cost ($8.19 plus shipping and tax) through Blurb.
Whatever makes you smile, whatever is pure, noble, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy, that’s a gift from God. That’s a reason to thank Him. And that’s a reason to trust Him with whatever unknowns 2021 may bring.
The frigid November air pierces right through your bones. The forceful, whirling wind blasts on and on with a long, lonesome howl.
The trees, so gloriously ablaze with color just yesterday, now stand bare and thin and gray.
And in the front yard, 10,000 leaves pile up shin-deep, each a sorrowful reminder of how dry and lost this month — this whole year — feels.
We live in a fallen world, and in a year like 2020, well it can make life seem hopeless. It can make your heart feel as cold and lonely as the wind. It can make your soul feel as dark and bare as the tree branches. And in our disappointment, we must decide: To complain or to be content? To grumble or to be grateful? To reject the entire 12 months as a blur of frustration, or to receive every moment of it with thanksgiving?
Will my mind and my mouth choose to thank God for all His goodness, even when His goodness doesn’t feel warm and green and vibrant? Even when His goodness feels brown and bare and bitter cold? Even when His goodness seems hidden in the darkness of lockdowns and riots and loss?
In his song “10,000 Reasons,” singer and song-writer Matt Redman encourages us to keep singing praises to God – whatever may pass and whatever lies before us – because God has given at least 10,000 reasons for our hearts to find. Oh, my soul, keep singing, even when the health department tells me to shut my mouth.
Oh, my soul, keep hunting. Forget any anxious search for safety. Forget that futile striving for the normalcy of 2019. Forget any hope in the government. Remember what you’re really hunting for this November.
Remember you’re on an easy hunt for God’s abundant goodness. Remember how, even in 2020, His goodness piles up higher and deeper than 10,000 fallen leaves. Even in 2020, His goodness surrounds me, and I can smile.
So remember to look around you, friend, and see God’s love for you. Is it a steamy cup of hot cocoa that warms your hands? A loved one’s unexpected text that brightens your afternoon? A glimpse at the setting sun glowing through pink clouds?
Whatever makes you smile, whatever is pure, noble, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy, that’s a gift from God. That’s a reason to thank Him. And that’s a reason to trust Him with whatever unknowns 2021 may bring.
This Thanksgiving 2020, let’s be truly thankful. Let’s hunt for God’s goodness. Let’s rake up 10,000 reminders of His goodness. Let’s joyfully sing and let’s celebrate by thanking Him like never before.
“They celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.”
I made a book! It’s a weekly calendar book with a spread for each week of 2020. It features each of the 52 Fighter Verses for Set 5 and includes space for recording what you are thankful for each day. If you record three items each day, you will have thanked God for more than a thousand things by the end of 2020. I did the layout and typography, and my teen daughters helped with some of the watercolor backgrounds. You can preview the calendar and purchase yours through this link. Happy 2020!
Starlight Writer 