Thursday, August 28, 2008

~Thankful Thursday~Special Butterfly Story


Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve
p8040050 Today, I've included a the "Special Butterfly Story" which I had heard in the past and was recently reminded of it when Jan asked me to see if I could see about getting a Prayer Quilt a young friend at her church who has been diagnosed with lymphoma. Ryann has adopted The Butterfly Story as she travels this cancer journey. We all have struggles, they range from one end of the spectrum to the other. I want to embrace my struggles and be thankful that I have God to guide me through, so that I may fly!

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it had and it could go no further.

Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.
(author unknown)

I think I'm finally making progress with my job, but more on that at a later time.

Thankful Thursday is hosted by Iris at
Sting My Heart.
Blessings!

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh Cheryl, You are a good woman...

I love this story of the butterfly. Love it. Love you too.

Have a wonderful TT.

Christina said...

The butterfly story is sweet and really brings home the point of struggling especially for people who don't understand it. Struggle is hard to understand for anyone, but some more than others do not understand it's purpose.

i said...

So very true! Thank you for sharing this lovely story. It's very encouraging and inspiring! Remain blessed!

Michele Williams said...

Beatiful story. Our struggles, though at the time are very painfull to go through, they do make us stronger. God bless you.

Denise said...

Very lovely, and so true.

Nancie said...

Beautiful story, Cheryl. And it is so true. It is through the struggles in our life that we grow and be strengthen in our faith and our walk with the Lord. Thank God for being with us and seeing us through our struggles, and using them to make us what He wants us to be. So glad that you are progressing well at work. May God continue to bless your work. Remembering you and Jan in prayers. Take care and may God bless you abundantly!

Erica said...

Thank you for reminding me of this story. It is through our struggles that we become stronger and gain all we need to go further with the Lord. have a great day.

Susan said...

Hey Cheryl,

How are you these days? I've missed you.

What a beautiful story of HOPE!!

I love knowing as Christians God is always up to something WONDERFUL in our lives, if we allow Him.

I'll keep your friend and sister in my prayers.

Hey, that's a great picture of your sister you have on your sidebar!

Blessings to you this TT♥

Natalie said...

Cheryl,
I loved that story! And so true. I used to grow caterpillars into butterflies with my first graders. It truly is a miracle to watch that complete change. Sometimes are wanting the "easy" way out but struggles and strains are necessary to persevere.

Debra Kaye said...

Cheryl,

Beautiful post. I'm new to blogging and saw your post from over on Denise's blog. I want you to know that you have a beautiful spirit and it shines through!

God bless you!!

Laurie Ann said...

Great post, Cheryl! Thank you for sharing the beauty of the story with us. God bless you, and Happy Thankful Thursday!

Unknown said...

Happy Thankful Thursday!
Blessings...

Jenileigh said...

This was beautiful. I had never read it before. Thank-you for sharing and have a blessed Thankful Thursday.

Tracy said...

One of my all time favorites...thank you so much for reminding me of this...so very timely.

Love & blessings,
Tracy

flmom said...

I had forgotten about this story - thanks for the reminder! Have a blessed week ahead!!

Toknowhim said...

Thanks for stopping by today... Be blessed this week!!!

Marsha said...

What a BEAUTIFUL story! May I borrow this?

Have a blessed weekend.

Kristi said...

I so needed this story! Thanks for sharing it. Blessings to you.

Paula V said...

I love this pic of the butterfly and flower. Not so hot on the cocoon pic. But then isn't that exactly representative of what they both portray? We aren't too hot or crazy about the cocoon phase, the struggles, trials, restrictions. Yet, the strength that comes through that when we progress and grow into a butterfly with Jesus...now that's beauty.

Thanks Cheryl.
I posted finally today if you have time to visit.
Paula

Cheryl said...

What a great post Cheryl! Struggles are always tough but we learn from them and we end up a better person. Thanks for sharing that story with us. God Bless~

Beth K. Vogt said...

The Butterfuly Story--I've read it before, loved reading it again. Thanks for sharing it.
Beth@TheAccidentalPharisee

Peggy said...

Blessings Cheryl...my friend, I needed this butterfly story tonight!
(see current post, not TT or DOT)(by the way, Ripley would be loved by all the Dogs on Thursday...but they all seem to be in to knitting)! I love you and thank you for showing me the need for our struggles! Hope that your job ones are just about over and that butterfly is getting ready to fly! You are a pretty special person, sister, daughter and friend! Have a wonderful TGIF and a blessed weekend! Thanks for your encouragement and visit!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful story and the moral is a good reminder for me to let things be- to let things as God designed them. Thanks for sharing a wonderful story.

Jenn_N_Luc said...

I love this story too...thank you, you don't know how much I needed that today.

Hope you are well...
Jen