The Cycle Of Life

In my previous post I shared how God used an image of a butterfly to start me on a journey of self-discovery and weightloss. I just want to share a little bit about what I learned as I studied the butterfly life cycle.

The Egg: Setting a Standard From The Start

It all starts with an egg.  A female butterfly attaches an egg to a leaf. It may not seem like much, but the truth is that she chooses the leaf with every intention to give her baby the best start. For the leaf she chooses will be the caterpillars first source of food. This leaf is not just about the best looking leaf on the tree, it is so much more than that. A mother butterfly attaches her eggs to leaves that are the best source of nutrition for their species. She sets the standard for what the caterpillar is suppose to eat!

Just like a mother butterfly choosing a leaf, it is our job as parents to teach our children about a healthy diet and lifestyle.

My mom is an amazing mom. She went through a lot when I was younger and she worked really hard to make sure we had the necessities and then some. Due to her work schedule, we ate fast food and heavily processed meals on a daily basis as she rushed from one job to the next. As I grew up, eating fast food was standard and normal.

As an adult it has become my greatest pitfall and addiction. Trying to break this habit has been a struggle. As a mom, I want what is best for my son, but I too have set a standard of eating fast food. I know the dangers of this lifestyle and now I am working towards being a better example for my son. It is not about dieting, it is about living a healthy and active lifestyle. That is the standard I want to set for myself and my family.

The Caterpillar: The Feeding Stage

The next life cycle stage is the Caterpillar. A caterpillar has one job in life: to eat, eat, and eat. How much the caterpillar eats before it enters the cocoon/chrysalis will determine the size of the butterfly. 

While learning about this stage of the butterfly, God really dug deep into my heart. There are about 17,500 species of butterflies. However, one butterfly stood out to me above all the others. In Australia, there is a butterfly called the CAIRNS BIRDWING. The more I read about this butterfly, the more God exposed some hard truths about myself and the similarities I shared with this beautiful creature. 

First, what is normally deadly to most other butterflies, the Cairns actually thrives and depends on the poisonous leaves of the Aristolochia vine. For too long I have thrived and depended on the toxicity of fast food. Most people tend to get sick when they eat fast food, but I have eaten there so much that I never get sick. I don't consider that a good thing, or anything to boast about! It actually makes me cringe!

Second, as a caterpillar, it uses bright colors and sharp spines to protect itself against predators. 

To protect myself from being hurt by others, I allowed myself to become overweight. And now that I am overweight, I use other defense mechanisms (sarcasm, cynicism, anger, etc) to protect myself from being hurt because of how big I am. It is a vicious cycle that has brought more sorrow than joy. 

Those are the biggest similarities. The biggest difference between me and this butterfly leads into the next two life cycle stages. 

The Chrysalis: The Transformation Stage

&

The Butterfly: Metamorphosis Completed

The Chrysalis stage is where the magic happens! Where a chubby caterpillar turns into a magnificent butterfly. And this is where I have differed from the Cairns caterpillar. I have never entered this stage. 

That's right. I have chosen to be a hungry caterpillar growing bigger and bigger with each passing day. But enough is enough. I am the largest I have ever been in my life. It is time to wrap myself in healthy eating choices, daily exercise, and growing deeper in my relationship with God. It is time to enter the Chrysalis and start the amazing transformation into a new me. 

And now the questions and worry began. What will this metamorphosis look like? Is it just about weight loss? These are the questions I brought before the creator of all things bright and beautiful. After much thought, I drew a simple outline of a butterfly with 5 parts: a body at the center and four wings. This is what I believe the Lord was showing me what my metamorphosis will look like:

The body at the center represents keeping Jesus at the center of my heart and the four wings represent the balance of the following areas:

SPIRITUAL:

• Love of Jesus shining through me for all to see.
• Intimate relationship with God through prayer, worship, and devotion
• Constant hunger and thirst for righteousness and actually living God's will.
• The fruit of my branches would be noticeable to others and the gifts of the Spirit would be present all around in my life. 

PHYSICAL:

• Healthy blood pressure & blood sugar levels.
• Hormone levels balanced.
• Active Lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight, and to be strong and flexible.
• Healthy Eating: Portion Control, Food Choices, Water, etc.
• Shiny and strong nails & hair; glowing skin.

EMOTIONAL:

• No erratic feelings of highs and lows.
• Be Joyful
• Healthy relationships with family and friends.

MENTAL:

• Less worrisome and stressed out.
• Self-Controlled.
• Disciplined. 

SOMEDAY GOD'S PERFECT BEAUTY WILL BE MADE COMPLETE IN ME 

 and I will emerge as the beautiful, creature of a woman that God created me to be.