Butterfly Clouds

Thanks to You, Abba, I have come to regard even a single butterfly as a very personal and profound blessing.  A beautiful symbol of Your Promise fulfilled — Your Promise of priceless transformations that You alone are able to pull off when anyone opens their heart-of-hearts to You.

But a “cloud” of butterflies?  It’s like Your Promise on steroids!  🙂

I saw four Butterfly Clouds yesterday.  Three were on the trail where I was walking with my friend.  The fourth was on the arm of a stranger at WalMart.

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.”  (Psalm 119:18)

My friend saw the first one.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but there were “clouds” in my friend’s life — setbacks that had mounted up until they felt overwhelming.  You moved into our conversation like a gentle breeze and steered our conversation in a new direction.  My friend had just begun to count blessings instead of setbacks when the first Butterfly Cloud enveloped us.

That’s what my friend exclaimed:  “Look!  A Butterfly Cloud!”

Sometimes there are no words… are there, Lord?  Just awe… and sheer delight!  Like yesterday… when suddenly, we were surrounded by Butterflies!

That’s when I knew this was more than a casual walk in the country.  You were reminding me of Your Promise, Lord… reassuring me that, even in that moment, You were pouring Your transforming grace into my friend’s life.

It happened two more times on our walk yesterday.  Two more Butterfly Clouds!  How often has such a thing ever occurred in my life, Lord?  Never before!  Confirmation upon confirmation, yielding Joy upon joy.  As if You wanted to be very sure I didn’t miss the enormity of The Moment.

But You weren’t through yet… were You, Lord?

Later in the day, I had gone on to other things.  A networking meeting 30+ miles away, followed by some errands.  On an “impulse” — how I love Your impulses, Lord!  — I stopped at a WalMart on the way home.  A WalMart thirty miles from home.  On another “impulse” — 🙂  — I stepped into a particular checkout line.

That’s when I saw it:  Another Butterfly Cloud — tattooed up and down the entire arm of my checker!  Numerous butterflies gracing her arm.  🙂  There were also many words weaving their way through the butterflies.  The writing was too small for me to read.

I was third in line, so I watched as I waited.  The customers ahead of me were in a hurry.  I guess the checker was, too.  No eye contact between them.  No greetings.  No words at all.  Just business.

When it was my turn, I knew I had to say something… in honor of this fourth Butterfly Cloud in one day.  I mean, really… What are the chances?  🙂

So after greeting her with my biggest smile, I said, “I’m a butterfly lover, so I love your butterflies!  But the words are too small for me to read.  Would you mind telling me what they say?”

So she did.  She said “It’s a Bible verse.”  Then she quoted it:

“Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God wll be with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:9)

The very verse I see every single day, on the carrying case for my Bible!  [Of course it was!]   🙂  The very verse my friend needs to hear… whenever You say the time is right.

There was a long line behind me.  More customers waiting to check out.  So I knew we didn’t have much time.  Just enough for me to reach out to take her hand in mine and say, “God bless you, my sister!”  Then I added:

“Sometime I want to hear your story… even if it’s in Heaven, OK?”   She agreed.

And I will… won’t I, Abba?  🙂  So I can hear about the very personal and profound blessing(s) that resulted in her Butterfly Cloud.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Awestruck, yet again…

Abba’s Girl

2 Comments

  • Katt says:

    All of your posts touch my heart, but this one more than usual. The comment you made to the check-out lady with the butterflies tattooed on her arm….really touched my heart! So many times I feel I don’t take the time I should to say something….I’m the customer in front of you who was too busy. I don’t know anyone who is more busy than you, but you took the time to change her life….at least you changed her day!
    You are an inspiration to me….and I love you!

    • Diana Furr says:

      My precious Sista! I just learned how to reply to your post! What can I say? I’m techno-challenged! 🙂 I miss my share of “divine appointments,” like perhaps we all do. I am so thankful for the times when the Lord makes His “heart promptings” so unmistakable and irresistible! You changed my day — as you have so very often — with your encouraging words! I love you dearly! Diana

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