Monday, September 30, 2013

Metamorphosis

     The first day of Autumn happened a week ago and the colors of the season are beginning to show their faces. I love Fall. With the coming of Fall has come new changes. I started a new job recently. A job that I was so excited to get and have loved from the get go. I am a teacher. Finally. Years of college were starting to wear on me and I wondered if I would ever stop being on the student end of things. And then, just like, that I get a call saying the job is yours. I love working with kids. It is energizing and oh so fun. I love it when the kids call me Mrs. Williams and I love telling funny stories from my classroom. Like I've been fighting a cold lately and the other day I blew my nose during class. One of my third graders giggled and commented that Mrs. Williams was using her nose for a trumpet.
      One of the topics we have been studying lately is Insects. Some insects go through a process called Incomplete Metamorphosis. The three stages of this are egg, nymph, adult. As I was thinking about this the other day, it occurred to me that in a way, as followers of The One who gave us life,  we are going through these same stages.  You see, after the egg hatches into a nymph it must molt multiple times before it finally emerges as an adult. So often in life, we go through changes and think we are finally there only to realize that there is yet another step ahead of us. This can get frustrating. But you know what, I think that we are going to be in the "Nymph stage" as long as we walk this earth. Because know matter what we learn or how we grow, we are never going to get it all figured out. And that is perfectly okay. In fact that is how we have been designed. God wants us to learn and develop and grow in Him. But until we finally meet Him face to face we will always have learning to do.
     This is truly a lesson I need to get through my head. So often, I look at myself and get frustrated. I get frustrated because I don't understand something or because I see so many imperfections in who I am. But I'm human, I'm never going to be perfect. But Jesus, the One who loves my soul and died for it wants me and you to know that we are doing okay. Keep allowing yourselves to learn and grow, allow The One who loves you to guide you through the changes and ups and downs. As new understanding comes we will molt and then do it again. We are Nymphs. But someday, we will meet Jesus in person. And on that day we will molt for the last time and be complete.  Paul says in    1Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."
     So, I encourage you, don't get discouraged. No matter where you are in life or in your understanding of who God is, allow yourself to rest in the hand of the One who designed the system. He will get you through. Keep growing, learning and going deeper with Him. Happy Monday




"We are all butterflies. Earth is our chrysalis.”
  ~LeeAnn Taylor