Life hasn’t been easy these past days, months, year.
Much of my routine, lifestyle, and plans have turned upside down. Fears and discouragement invaded my emotional space uninvited. Working from home became the new normal.
Thankfully, after we made it through the awkward adjustments, working from home brought some positive changes to my life. The lack of commute provided more opportunities to exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and pick up a few new hobbies.
Growing and savoring herbs from my patio garden and raising monarch butterflies have brought needed refreshment to my soul.
I received life-nurturing energy from learning, experiencing something new with others, contributing to the health of our world, helping to bring about new life, and being overwhelmed by the awe of God’s creation that I could not begin to comprehend.
No matter the trials, pain, sadness, divisions, and challenges of our world today, there is also goodness, joy, and hope. There is much we can do and change, in ourselves first, and then in the world around us.
Although I cannot control all the bad and the ugly in our world,
neither do I control the good.
I am a participant in this crazy world. I do what I can, what I am called to do each day. I pray. But, it doesn’t all depend on me. Ultimately, I trust and I rest in the One is who greater than I am.
Hoping this incredible natural beauty brings you hope and peace today.
What has brought you energy and life during these crazy times?
maturitas cafe 
It has been a learning experience, but also very fun watching “our babies” go through every stage and fly away to spread the beauty of God’s creation in the world! That last Monarch is a male. I know that now cause I learned it from you.
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Yep – we know a lot more about Monarchs than we did before. 🙂 Thanks for being willing to take on these new hobbies with me. And for going on the many multiple trips to the plant nursery for more milkweed plants!
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Love, love, love this post and the sentence you put in bold. How is it so easy to forget that we don’t control the good? It should be so obvious, but it’s easy to have other ideas subconsciously. Thanks for the reminder. Also, I’ll have to tell you my story about butterflies someday. It’s symbolic and happened while we were all living in Mexico. 😊
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Thanks, friend! I look forward to hearing your story. Let´s make that happen soon!
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Your pictures are incredible! I get the butterflies–total metamorphosis into a whole new being. And watching the process, from those awkward, many-legged crawling caterpillars to the majesty of a butterfly is such a grand picture of what the Lord does with us. I get your upside-down world–it has become that. But I love your attitude about finding new ways to enjoy what we have and discover something new and good with where we are. Your upbeat, hopeful attitude is mighty contagious, my friend. Thank you for the reminder of hope even in this messiness.
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Thanks so much, friend. I am not upbeat and hopeful all the time, but this creation wonder has certainly helped lift my mood on many a day. They truly are amazing – as is the One who made them.
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