Save the Monarchs

Hello to you! It’s been a while since I’ve written a post. I allowed myself an extended break, and it was delightful. No social media, no blogging, no regrets. I highly recommend social media breaks. I will write about social media another time. Today it’s all about monarch butterflies because they are beautiful, and important, and make me happy.

Right around Christmas the temperatures dropped to below freezing, which doesn’t happen often in Southeast Texas. I noticed a few monarch caterpillars on the milkweed in the garden, and then had the crazy idea to dig up the plants and bring them inside to save the caterpillars. So we dug up two milkweed plants, put them in buckets, and brought them to the safety of our dining room. A few caterpillars were placed in a terrarium. Monarch caterpillars eat the sole diet of milkweed, so there was no concern over caterpillars escaping.

We kept them inside for about a week until the weather warmed up. I would daily check the branches for new caterpillars, and they just kept showing up. There were fifteen total between the terrarium and the plants. I love all things nature, and plants, and animals, and butterflies, so this was fun for me. We felt like we were running a monarch rescue.

The caterpillars have been outside since the new year doing well. We went to a local nursery in hopes of finding milkweed to feed our ever growing caterpillar family. The nursery gave us a dozen milkweed plants for free since they were about to throw them in the dumpster. Definitely God’s providence.

Our first butterfly emerged the other day. I felt like a proud parent as it stayed on my fingers for a while drying out its wings. There are currently nine chrysalises, or chrysalides (not sure on the correct plural for butterfly cocoons) waiting to become lovely butterflies. I am enjoying every moment of watching these precious little creatures grow up.

The reason I am nerding out over monarchs is they remind me of my creator. Every stage of a caterpillar from egg to butterfly reflect God’s glory. There is no mistake or randomness in caterpillars or butterflies. They serve an important purpose to help with pollination of the vast majority of the world’s flowering plants. Monarchs are kind of a big deal. All butterflies are a big deal. Only God would make pollinators so beautiful.

As I watch each stage of the caterpillars I am blown away that everything they need is inside of them. No human can do that, only God, our magnificent Creator, can create something so remarkable. Nature brings me solace in a hurting world. I am comforted knowing God made it all, and He has the final say.

God cares for all of His creation. He cares for you too. There is nothing too hard for our awesome God! Nothing! Whatever is concerning you today, give it Him. God loves you so much.

And I love you too.

Meghan

Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3 

If you need prayer send your requests to meghanewhiteauthor@gmail.com