All our caterpillars are in the process of becoming butterflies.... the last two are hanging in the "J" position as of this morning.  So, in two weeks they should be beautiful monarch butterflies. 

I decided to use this in my children's church message this morning.  The whole process of butterflies.  It is like we are when we become christians... "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."  2 Corinthians 5:17.  I had found a good devotion for the kids at www.christiancrafters.com/sermon_butterfly.html .  I also found another great one at http://www.letusteachkids.com/curriculum/heartheocean.htm  You'll find it if you scroll down a little ways.  So, between the two it has a great message!

Then when the devotion is over we will do a craft... I thought this one was really cool.  I had my two oldest do it for me to see how it works out.  (they are too old for children's church so then they can be my helpers now that they tested it themselves!) http://www.smm.org/sln/tf/n/nowyouseeit/nowyouseeit.html  It worked out great! 

I'm just amazed at how God has created these creatures... what an awesome message a butterfly has behind it!  They are nothing less than a miracle in themselves. 

Oh... come to think of it, I don't think that I had told about our 3rd caterpillar... we were able to watch him turn into a crystalis the other night.  I just happened to go out before we watched a movie and I seen that he started.  I called for the family and we all were able to watch him transform from a caterpillar to a pupa!  Absolutely amazing.  We were all amazed how quickly it happens.  (like under 15 minutes)  I hope that we are able to watch them come out from the pupa as a butterfly. 

We were at the library the other day and they have it set up for the whole process too.  They had a butterfly in there that had come out the night before.  Unfortunately, this little caterpillar was deformed.  He had gone into crystalis too soon.  Because his body wasn't ready he was born with only 4 legs vs. 6 legs.  His wings were still wrinkled and small.  I had read an article last night that a man had watched this process and seen that the butterfly was struggling to get out of the pupa... eventually the butterfly quit for a rest.  The man feeling sorry for butterfly snipped the pupa open enough that the butterfly would be able to come out without much effort.  Unfortunately, what the man didn't know was that God had created it that the struggle the butterfly goes through helps him to move the liquid from his body into his wings and thus gives him what he needs to survive.  The butterfly came out with his body full of the fluid... and I can't remember exactly but his wings were not right.  The butterfly wasn't able to fly. 

Makes ya think about the struggles that we go through in our life... the things that we think are just awful... God does those things or should I say allows those things to help us grow in the direction that he wants us to.  No matter how hard the struggle is.. there is a purpose.  We need to stay focused on God and allow Him to do the transformation that He is trying to accomplish through us. 

Thank you, Father God, for allowing me to struggle... because I know that it is only to help strengthen me in the direction that you need me to go.  I am grateful to have you as my savior... my friend.  Amen.