Miss Polly, the Caterpillar

Miss Polly, the caterpilllar

She is as prettty as they come, don't you think? She is a grand caterpillar, plump and colorful! Her full name is Anamalia Arthropoda Insecta Lepidoptera Papilionidae Papilionini Papilio P. polyxenes. I call her Miss Polly. You may too, if you like.

Her story began right here in my back yard, on a nice stand of fragrant heirloom dill. (She doesn't know I planted it just for her but, that's OK.)

It was a warm day in June (aren't they all) when her mother laid her there. After about a week of being a baby, she "hatched" into a tiny black larvae - her childhood. I first noticed Miss Polly when she entered her young adult time as a caterpillar. She was bright yellow/green with luxurious black stripes that accentuated her curves in all the right places. Her numerous (although stubby) legs were just right for holding a fancy little caterpillar onto a dill stem.

Miss Polly, the caterpillar,
ready to leave her caterpillar life behind.

I marvelled for a good two weeks at her beauty and voracious appetite. Then, just as God designed, the time came. She was about to leave her brothers and sisters and she knew it. Her itty bitty legs took her all the way down the dill to a new place, somewhere she had never been before. She found a good sturdy stick from a neighboring daylily and bravely climbed into this new territory. Her time had come.

She knew she was about to let go of this life, and prepared for it. I watched as she rubbed her face against the stem and released a silken lasso that attached to the stem. She put her head through the loop of the lasso and scooted it down to just the right segment. She also released a silken pad for a posterior anchor.

Miss Polly in her chrysalis.

After she had the lasso in just the right spot, the time came to surrender to the inevitable. She was leaving her caterpillar life. No more munching on tender dill strands with her family. That part of her life was over. In faith, she released her legs from the stem and allowed the lasso hold her. Her faith was rewarded. Now it was time for the transition to begin.

July 19 she set herself on the stick. The next morning, she was encased in this chrysalis of a casket. Her earth-bound caterpillar life was behind her.

Nine days later - she emerged from her temporary casket. No longer a pudgy caterpillar, she emerged a lovely long-legged beauty with glorious wings! It only took her about an hour to dry out her brand-new wings, say goodbye, and take flight.

Miss Polly just out of her chrysalis,
ready to begin her new life.

She is still the same little girl of a caterpillar that I visited over the course of her lifetime yet, she is now different! That part of her life, limited to crawling less than three feet off the ground, is over! She has a new life, with wings to fly her wherever her little heart desires! I seriously doubt that Miss Polly's caterpillar friends are grieving over her. They are probably rejoicing at her new life; full, free, and glorious!

I have several decades under my belt, and have watched the process over and over. Maybe you have too. We are born. We grow. We change.  We all change.

My friend, we are all destined to leave this earth. Whether we die before Christ comes or we are changed when He comes, the time will come for each of us to let go of this part of our lives and be changed into an eternal state. Read a part of 1 Corinthians 15 here. The question is where do we go from here? What happens next?

As a Christian (one who has placed full trust and faith in Christ Jesus as Savior) my next life, the eternal one, will be with Him (read part of 1 Thessalonians 4 here).  I have given Him my life and have trusted Him with the details of how it will play out. Meanwhile, I will do my very best to be obedient to Him while I am still here. When He decides the time has come for me to begin my new/eternal life, He will prepare and eqip me for the transition. Any casket will be temporary. My new body will be glorified yet, still me.

Those who have not accepted Jesus the Christ as their personal Savior will also wake up to an eternal life. Theirs will be one of everlasting torment. (2 Thessalonians, When He comes reward and retribution, Mark 9, fire never quenched, Rev 21, lake of fire and brimstone, second death.)

Truths you and I can see from God and Miss Polly;

• We are alive now.
• This life is temporary.
• God determines our days.
• God designed and equips me for every stage.
• This body will be left behind and we will be changed (while still ourselves.)
• The next part of our life is eternal.
• I can trust God with my today and my eternity. You can too.

Dear Father in Heaven,
I marvel at Your truths You demonstrate in all of Your Creation! How blessed I am to see Your hand at work all around me everyday. Thank You for the example of this little butterfly. Her faith is a powerful example to me. 

I pray for those grieving today. I pray that they will remember the butterfly as an example of the eternal life of a Christian, and let their grief be covered with joy. I know it won't remove their pain but, I pray You will give them joy through their pain, just as You have comforted me in my suffering so many times.

I pray today for those reading this, that they will be assured of Your presence in their lives. I pray that every one of them will know You as their personal Savior and have the promise of eternity with You. 

For those who have not yet come to know You, I pray You will make Yourself known to them right now, in a very real way. 

I trust You in every aspect of my life here on Earth and my life to come, with You. I pray today that I will be faithful to do that which You have created me to do. I pray I will be obedient to You and Your will for my life. When the time comes for me to leave this life, I will trust You with that too.

I pray all these things in Jesus' precious name.

~~~

Click here for more about me.

~~~

For more faith-filled stories, and one precious hummingbird I named Oscar,

read the first chapter here.

Want to read the rest of our story?

Click here to see Oscar on Amazon

Click here to see Oscar on Barnes and Noble

Click here to see Oscar at Westbow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan

Grapes Grace and Glory

Grace grapes and glory.

You may remember when I shared about how happy I was to plant the these "sticks in the ground."( Read Grapes and the Gardener here. ) No root, no leaves and certainly no fruit. I soaked them in a rooting hormone for a week, then babied and sweet-talked the sticks in their infancy with all the encouragement I could muster. You can imagine how very proud I was of their first tender pink leaves. They soon put out lovely little tendrils and held on to their line (clothes line strung between posts) for dear life. The more the vine held to the line, the more the foliage grew and gathered nourishment for the root system and the fruit to come later.

There was some pruning involved now and then. I didn’t enjoy it one little bit, cutting those beautiful vines that I encouraged to grow, yet it was necessary to train the vines into the proper position and to make the vine able to bear the fruit that was yet to come.

Grapes oon the vine.

The purpose of a grape vine is to (you guessed it) produce grapes! This was the year, and it was worth the wait. Cluster upon cluster of lovely purple pods of juiciness hung from vines that showed extraordinary brute strength and stamina to just to bear the load.

More pampering for each little cluster, flicking off Japanese beetles and spreading out the vines to avoid crowding. They were inspected every day for health and readiness for consumption, until this week when their color revealed they were ripe for the picking.

Brought from outside
into the master's house.

I didn’t have a way to explain to them why I was doing it but, I carefully selected and snipped these precious bundles and brought them in, so the canning could begin. They couldn’t have known they were chosen for a wonderful purpose. 

Their first stop is the sink for a washing. I gently removed each grape from its family stem and tossed them into a colander. Now, they appeared pretty clean so when a large hairy spider ran for his life, (over my finger) I almost did too. He didn’t make it. I did. (May he rest in peace.) Two more crawlies were discovered and removed, along with those grapes that did not mature.

Washed grapes,
minus a spider and two crawlies.

Their next stop was the cook pot. Now grapes have a tough skin, so it is necessary to crush them to get the best flavor. The crushing revealed the succulent insides that would ultimately provide the flavor for the jelly. The skin and seeds and insides are boiled all together for a good ten minutes. A full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.

What is left behind.

That is when you get the first sniff of the real inside of the grapes. With the skin off and the heat rising, the aroma of each grape is released. Their grapeness filled the air and anyone nearing my kitchen would have no doubt of what was happening.

Then the grapes, skin, juice, seeds and all go into a strainer to remove the unnecessary parts. While the pulp will be used for another purpose, it will not go into the jelly. Then, this luscious juice goes back into the pot for another heating and mixing then carefully ladled into jars. The jars are then yep, placed into a boiling water bath.

Back into the heat.

The result? Beautiful sparkling grape jelly that will bring delight to our tongues for the coming year! Still grapes? Yes, but different.

Glorified grapes.
Refined and preserved.

I have felt like those grapes, maybe you have too. Pruned, snipped, crushed…and at times plunged into heat that seems unbearable. I have learned that God uses those times to make something better out of me. He truly is the Master Gardener Who tends to His vines. 

Things to remember when life gets hard

• God planted you in love. He will tend you and nurture you. He expects you to grow and mature.
• God will prune you with love. He wants you to be strong and be able to bear fruit.
• God will cause you to bear fruit in His time. He will bring you from outside, into His home.
• God has a plan for you. You may not understand it but, He wants to clean you and remove anything that would be harmful to you.
• He will allow you to be squeezed to the point of being crushed – what is inside comes out. It proves your faith is real to you and to those around you.
• He will allow you to go through a refining fire. It will cause you to release the unnecessary, the dross that contaminates you. The refining is a process that is repeated more than once but, His grace will not allow it to consume you.
• You will leave your skin and seeds behind. You will still be you, but you will be changed into something glorious! You will be sealed and preserved into His kingdom!

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your loving care through my life. Thank You for watching over me and tending me and pruning me when I needed it.

While I long to be beautiful in Your sight, I struggle in the times of the refining fire. It is hard. Thank You for staying by me side through it all. May I be an example of perseverance in my trials, that another would look to You for that same faith. I pray You will give comfort to those in the fire today. I pray You will encourage those who feel alone today in their time of testing. Thank You for the grace to endure it.

Father, may any fruit borne be to Your glory and leave seeds of righteousness sown for Your kingdom. I trust You with my eternity and I trust You with my today.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

~~~~

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” 1 Peter 1:6,7

“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12

Click here for more about me.

For more faith-filled stories, including a hummingbird I named Oscar, read the first chapter here.

For the rest of our story, find Oscar on these online retailers

Amazon

Westbow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan

Barnes and Noble

Rings, Rainbows, and Reminders

September 10, 2014 rainbow. Photo credit: Ben Sturner @leverageagency

It was a beautiful sight. A rainbow formed in the heavens and anchored at the World Trade Center building on the eve of the 14th anniversary of an attack on that very site.

September 11, 2001 the United States was attacked. A date that will live in infamy, and be etched on the hearts of this generation. Each anniversary of that date there are many celebrations of heroism and stories told of those nearly 3,000 souls whose lives were taken that day. We have now erected new buildings and memorials as we both celebrate the heroism and mourn the loss of people who most likely did not wake with the idea that day would be their last.

Rainbows are a reminder from God that He made an everlasting covenant with every living creature of all flesh on the earth, His sign to us that “never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Genesis 9:15. What a precious sign we have, a visible reminder that God remembers and keeps His word. I like to think of it as God's wedding ring to us. He reminds us He is still wearing His.

A significant part of the promise is not to be overlooked. God did look on the earth and saw that it was filled with corruption and violence, and the wickedness was great and the thoughts of the hearts of men was only evil continually. His judgment was destruction of the unrighteous. There was a righteous man, Noah. He and his family were preserved through this judgment and the rainbow was given as a sign that God will always keep His promises.

We need reminders, because it behooves us to remember. The events of September 11, 2001 came at the hand of those who do not believe in God, and do not know Him. They will face a time of judgment, for God is still righteous and still sees. He will return “dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction.” 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9.

We need to remember that

• He sees our wickedness and thoughts of our hearts,
• He is the righteous judge and will execute judgment,
• He will return and bring with Him retribution for unbelievers,
• We need to earnestly trust Him,
• We need to eagerly seek and share Him for we do not know which day will be our last.

Father,

We see reminders all around us of our own wickedness, and still see Your promise shining in the heavens. We know You alone are righteous and we must be clothed in Your righteousness in order to enter into Your kingdom. Thank You for coming to earth as a man, taking our sins upon Yourself, and paying the penalty for our unrighteousness. Thank You for the reminders all around us that You are with us.

I pray that each person whose eyes read these words will look to you before their last days on earth, and give their hearts to You. I pray You will help us to be aware of Your presence and share Your truth with all those who need to hear. Give us prompting to point the world to You – our only hope.

Interested in more stories of faith? Read

Oscar the Extraordinary Hummingbird 

and 

Other Tales From Life In My Father's World

available on
Amazon -
http://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Extraordinary-Hummingbird-Other-Fathers/dp/1490882197/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1434117054&sr=1-1

Westbow Press -http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-000990255/Oscar-the-Extraordinary-Hummingbird.aspx

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oscar-the-extraordinary-hummingbird-lisa-worthey-smith/1122075111?ean=9781490882178

Cadbury the Chabbit Finding "Happily Ever After"

Cadbury the Chabbit.

When I heard this precious story from dear friends with a working farm, and thus lots of critters, I just had to share it with you.  It is the story of a handsome lop-eared bunny, who lived with other bunnies. His happily ever after was redirected when the bunny population increased, and this bunny daddy was moved to a new home.

The little guy had no choice about where he landed but, was given the dream of a rodent lifetime opportunity to live on a farm. At this abode, there were no female rabbits, but plenty of fellow rodents – Guinea Pigs - with whom he could live out his little rodent life.  They were properly introduced with the hope that they would get along nicely and enjoy a new happily ever after.  That was plan A.  You know what they say about the best laid plans of rodents and men.

                                

While he didn’t have a choice about living on the farm, he did have a choice of friends. The only problem was, they didn’t accept him or he didn’t accept them. No one is telling. Either way, he just didn’t fit in.

This new kid on the farm looked around and found some friends with more accepting hearts, unlikely friends, but good friends nonetheless. Mr. Bunny decided to friend the chickens. Some think it was because of their elegant two-story dwelling You might even argue that it speaks to the intelligence (or lack thereof) of the chickens or maybe the audacity of a rabbit but, I believe it was the friendship. Acceptance is a good building block for a peaceful life so, it seems he chose wisely. His choice earned him the moniker Cadbury the Chabbit (chicken+rabbit).

It works that way with us, too. People tend to remember their school days with either good or bad memories based upon their friendships and acceptance into social groups. Families have a similar dynamic with some feeling less than the favorite or somehow rejected. It seems that people gravitate toward other people who accept them. It is a matter of comfort and peace with acceptance being the common glue.

God knows this. After all, He created us and lived in flesh for a time. He understands rejection. He wants us to feel accepted and loved, even when we feel we don’t deserve it. Actually, we don’t deserve it, but He loves us anyway! Like a lop-eared bunny and the hen house, we have no right to enter into His holy and righteous presence yet, He invites us to do just that. His engraved invitation was inscribed on His flesh when He paid our entrance fee. By our sinful nature, we only deserve a sinner’s reward, yet He offers by His grace and through our faith – something entirely different. Heaven.

He calls us His sons and daughters by adoption. Joint heirs with His Son Jesus. Heirs to all the universe He created.(Romans 8:14-17 http://blb.sc/EzbX) Heirs to eternal life with Him in a place so marvelous we cannot even begin to imagine. A place where there is no night, no tears, and no conflict – ever. A true family reunion with a happily ever after. Cadbury has the right idea. It isn’t genes that make us family, it is love and acceptance.    

Most gracious Father in Heaven, we are amazed at the love You have shown us. That while we were still so filthy with sin, You invited us to come into Your holy and righteous dwelling place. We understand how undeserving we are and give You our praise and thanksgiving for Your mercy that allows us to enter anyway. Thank You for paying the unimaginable cost for our entrance. Help us to walk in a manner worthy of what You have done for us.

 I look forward to meeting my brothers and sisters at our Father’s house. Will you be there?

Click here for more about me
For more stories of faith and the hand of God read 
Oscar the Extraordinary Hummingbird

Oscar the Extraordinary Hummingbird 

and 

Other Tales From Life In My Father's World

Amazon -
http://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Extraordinary-Hummingbird-Other-Fathers/dp/1490882197/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1434117054&sr=1-1

Westbow Press -http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-000990255/Oscar-the-Extraordinary-Hummingbird.aspx

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oscar-the-extraordinary-hummingbird-lisa-worthey-smith/1122075111?ean=9781490882178

Weather Forecasts and Prophecy

Thermometer doesn't lie - it's COLD!

Oh, yes, it is COLD!  Much of the United States is far below normal temperatures and suffering out loud.  We have documented the event all over social media just to make sure everyone knows just how cold it really is. 

Most of us were prepared for the chilling of the bones due to many meteorological predictions over the previous days.  These are the people who study such things and told us just what to expect.  It wasn’t that they all got together and decided to have a cold spell, but rather a gathering of the facts based upon the weather patterns of the past. 

Some were not prepared because they didn’t hear, or didn’t heed the warnings and had dead batteries, or frozen pipes.  Some simply had no way to prepare.  Others were caught up in events outside their control, such as a loss of electricity.

I like knowing what to expect, but I realize some of you like surprises.   I’m just not a surprise kinda’ girl.  I’m a planner, list maker, and like to have a schedule.  That could be why I enjoy Bible study so much. I like knowing what to expect. In His Word, God has provided many facts that became history.  We call that prophecy. 

So much of the book of Daniel was prophetic that there were those who questioned the timing of the writing.  How could it contain so much accuracy when written before the actual events occurred?  Because the author (God) already knew what was to happen and gave Daniel the information to share.  Daniel lived to see some of the events take place, and some have yet to transpire.  But, even without a meteorological degree, I can tell you with certainty, they will come to pass. 

If you have access to a television, or news report about dangerous, deadly weather approaching will you listen to the experts and prepare?  If you know someone who does not have access, will you tell them?  Will you help them find safety?

So, we have the complete authority on the subject of both our future and the future of mankind (The Holy Bible).  Shall we look at it?  Shall we heed it?  Shall we share it?   

The cold is here, and it is too late to prepare now.  Don’t wait too late to prepare for eternity.  It is coming. 

Father, we thank You for giving us Your Word to help us know about our future.  Help us to carefully search out the truths within it so we will be prepared for what is to come.  I pray especially for the one who is reading this now, that You will make Yourself known to them in such a clear way that they will ever desire to draw nearer to You. 

Click here for more about me

For more faith-filled stories,                       

Click here to see The Wisdom Tree on Amazon.com

Click to see Oscar on Amazon.com