“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the
life in your years.”
~ Abraham Lincoln
A butterfly is an insect that develops through a process called metamorphosis. This process has four separate stages:
egg, caterpillar, pupa and imago. The final stage evolves into a beautiful yet pesky creature. The adult or imago
has been known to aide in pollination of some of the most valuable and prosperous crops, however, it has also been known to
damage some crops and trees to total ruin and complete devastation.
With that nugget of information about butterflies said, I would like to say this about
life. Although we do not go through a formal metamorphosis, we do experience change on a minute by minute basis.
Most of the time, change can be scary and also very painful but it also can bring great joy and beautiful transformation to
us.
A few weeks ago, my
brother Mike’s precious wife Kelly went to live with the Lord at a very young age. This has been one of those
difficult and unwelcomed changes that life seems to bring at times. I loved her as though she was my very own blood
sister as did everyone who knew her. She had the gift of encouragement and she had a way of making everyone feel special
and unique. Children and adults alike were touched deeply by her encouragement and willingness to use her God given
gift of love. She was a caring and loving wife, mother, teacher, friend, sister, and daughter and she served the Lord
with every fiber of her being.
When
I watched this butterfly land on this flower, it painted the perfect picture of my sister in laws legacy. I was reminded
of Abraham Lincoln’s famous words, “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the
life in your years.”
Even
though Kelly was only blessed with 42 short years, she had life in her years. She had character that luminated all around
her and she stepped into her call with a “go getters” attitude. She will be forever remembered for her cards
with stickers and sweet words laced with gifts and love. She will never know the magnitude of the lives that she touched
while simply doing as she was impressed to do by the Father of us all.
I encourage you today to stop and evaluate your
life as I am doing today. Do we bring life to our years? Like the adult butterfly, does our life prosper others
of does it leave behind years of regret, hurt, unforgiveness, unbelief or lies?
What we do in our
life and the choices that we make, will reach farther than we will ever know. It’s not too late to change our
ways until the day that we take our final breath. Let’s make a difference. Let's seek God’s
calling and then live it with gusto. God loves each of us with a deep and unconditional love.
As Kelly always ended her cards and letters, I also end this one the same way. God loves you and so do I.
Anita
