From Whoops to Wow

While snipping fragrant herbs outside my kitchen door, I discovered a huge caterpillar decimating my curly-leaf parsley. I clipped the stalk and brought the beast into the kitchen, "Katie, look at this!" Katie (13 years old) is into nature. "Aunt Annette, it's great!" Everyone exclaimed over the fuzzy body with the bright yellow/orange spot and then it was time to dispose of it. "Don't get rid of it," Katie pleaded.
I turned to Nina, Katie's mom. "Looks like Katie will be keeping her new pet in a terrarium." Since Katie and her Mom were sleeping over, the caterpillar would be overnighting also, cuddling up to parsley leaves in a vase on the kitchen peninsula.

Early the next morning we hustled to get ready for the Bridge for Peace Praise Trolley. Saying goodbye to the caterpillar, we hopped onboard to praise the Lord. Six hours later we piled into the kitchen. The parsley greens had been stripped bare and Katie's big fat hairy caterpillar was missing. Whoops! We looked high and low; the insect was g-o-n-e.
I felt a bit like I was living Jurassic Park, never knowing what might turn up in the kitchen when.

 About a week later Renae, our Australian intern, pointed to the base of our wall of windows and shouted, "Look, a cocoon!" It had attached itself to the wooden molding.
Ed considered moving it outside, but hesitated, afraid to maim the caterpillar.

Another week passed and my birthday came. After a day of celebration, Ed, Renae and I ate birthday cake at about 11pm. Renae twirled the bud vase on the table, a gift from my friend Bernadette. "The butterflies on this vase are beautiful," Renae said. "Butterflies! The butterfly! What's happened to the cocoon?" She jumped from her seat and squealed, "I knew it, for your birthday!" I joined her on the floor where a brand new butterfly, wings still not quite unfurled, rested. The wings shone a metallic blue color, with white spots, black edging….astonishing. I exclaimed, "Wow! This is the year I come out of my cocoon!"

What began as a "whoops" became a "wow", caterpillars to butterflies, God's special gift. I wonder what He is cocooning for you right now? If you will wait patiently for Him to do His work, I know His blessing for you will emerge at the right time.