this is one of those times…

There may be times, especially in the early days of our studies, that I may not have “Deacon” stuff to discuss.

This is one of those times.

Yesterday, I was blessed by a visit from a wayfaring stranger. I was in the kitchen getting ready to can some apples that I had cooked down, to use as pie filling this winter, when something caught my eye.

At first, I thought it was a bird. It was bigger than a hummingbird, black with yellow stripes on it. It took me a minute to realize that is was a butterfly. I grabbed my phone and hurried outside.

The giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly in North America. Females have an average wingspan of 5.5 inches and up to 6.9 inches, while males’ average is 5.8 inches and up to 7.4 inches. By comparison, Monarch butterflies have a wingspan of 3.5 to 4.8 inches.

This beauty can be found throughout the United States but are not as common around this area for one very important reason: they lay their eggs on citrus plants. There are other host plants they will use, but they are less common.

They say timing is everything and yesterday, I blessed with perfect timing. I had often admired this beauty from afar…aka the page of my butterfly book. But to see this beauty in person took my breath away.

I found this quote about butterflies, which, brings me back to the Deaconate formation after all:

Adding wings to caterpillars does not create butterflies, it creates awkward and dysfunctional caterpillars. Butterflies are created through transformation.
-Stephanie Marshall

Lord, thank you for taking the time to create butterflies and to make them as diverse as the stars in the sky. I cannot look at them without being in awe of the care you put into each of your creations…especially me. Thank you for showing me, through them, the great things that can be achieved when we allow ourselves to be transformed through you.