My favorite activity in the fall is being up in the morning
alone with a cup of coffee and sitting on the porch completely admiring the
changing leaves. There is so much quiet and beauty that takes me far away from
everyday craziness.
This morning I was joined by a praying mantis. This time of
year, they turn brown and it was quite a surprise to sit down next to this
little guy. He didn’t move or jump away.
He just cocked his little head and acknowledged my presence as he continued on
with his praying. This is the point my
mind begins to wonder down the rabbit hole of solstice.
What a marvelous creation God has made. Is this little guy a male? If he is does he
know when he mates, he’ll be eaten? Does he know its his destiny or purpose? Is
this some kind of sacrificial mating? I wasn’t kidding about the rabbit
hole. I then began to think of other
creatures that fascinate me. Glow worms. Those are some cool and weird sights.
What was their purpose besides lighting the path as I walk to my car on a
moonless night? Stick bugs. I have only
seen a few stick bugs around the house. They really make you think God was
like, Hey, lets take this twig and give it some legs and see what happens here.
All this wondering points me to creation. We all know God created these creatures in
one day. I have always pictured – HERE –and there they were, but if you think
about it, not only did God speak all this into being, He also had to give each
and every thing direction, their marching orders so to speak. Tell the trees “grow
leaves, have them change color and shed them. Then wait a few months and grow
some new ones.” Each and everything on the planet it’s specific instruction of
how interact with the world. Now that is
an amazing and fantastic wonder!
Then there’s humans and this apple. We too have our orders,
our destinies and how to interact with the world. The only difference is we have a choice. We
ate the apple and become aware. Nothing
else on the planet is given the luxury of choice. Would the praying mantis, knowing what we
know, choose to mate? Even our pets that we so humanize, are given their
instruction and act accordingly.
As I think of all these things in the quiet of the morning
watching the leaves fall and the mantis now start cleaning his paws, I find
such peace and comfort in such a perfect plan.
Everything is at it should be in all it’s beauty.
