Joy in the Journey Take 5
Seriously people! I am trying everything to take my mind off my grumps. I guess I need to reread Happiness is a Choice and then follow its sage advice.
In the meantime, I’m doing weird things to distract myself.
Such as –
As I walk from home to the clubhouse for meals or a swim, I am meeting the most interesting creatures. It isn’t everyday you see a praying mantis.
He was on the porch railing for two days before he moved on. I named him Pongo. Pongo the Praying Mantis seems to have a nice ring to it, don’t you think? I wish he would take up residence in the plants on my front porch. I could talk to him every day like I did my sweet little swallows who nested by the door. (I think I did more talking to the swallows than I did to the people who shared our lunch table.)
As I left the pool today, this guy, Squirrelly the Spider, had built a really bizarre web in the corner eave. Seemed like from the random design of his web, he’d been smokin’ somethin’ or chewin’ on a little insecticide.
Though the web was a disastrous design, it seemed to be extremely effective. Maybe he’s just like me. What seems to be a mess, like my sewing stuff strewn all over the hallway between the music and sewing areas, I am able to complete my tasks efficiently despite the disarray.
Ronald brought several pots of tomato plants here from Thomaston, has kept them alive all this time, and shared tomatoes with everyone here. They are still producing, but he is now fighting really creepy caterpillars called tomato hornworms. He thought he had plucked them all yesterday, but as I looked for one to photograph, I found three!
Sneaky rascals – masters of camouflage!
They give me the shivers, so I called Ronald to position them for the picture.
But didn’t God make them ornate? Kinda wonder what God was thinkin’ when He made something as destructive as a hornworm so beautiful. … Even if it does make me shiver. Granddaddy worm got a closeup as the featured image above.
From my chair I spotted a bird through the window sitting on the tomato cage, probably scoping out today’s buffet selection. ‘Today’s Special! Hornworm Alfresco!’ My fuzzy enlargement doesn’t do her justice, but number one – I was too lazy to get up from the recliner to take a better picture, and number two – I think she, aka Amy (for Amarillo), would have flown away had I tried to get closer.
Sadly, this exquisite creature was trapped in a spider web.
I think it was a dragonfly. I was fascinated by its fragile wings. Each wing’s delicately filigreed pattern was God’s design for sure.
My awareness of the little things around me soothes my mind.
More importantly …
In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke words I swear are especially for me. I need to trust Him to provide, be more aware of His care, and be thankful for the ‘now.’ Neither the birds nor the flowers need to know the future of things. God provides daily. Matthew 6:34 MSG version says, ‘Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.’
Like I said, I’m workin’ on it.
Blessings
Kara Beth
