New Life

NEW LIFE

Remember the Little Kiddles doll from the 1960s-1970s? I owned a few, plus the vinyl house with yard that snapped up to close the house into a case. I enjoyed pretending these Little Kiddles really lived in that little house, and now when I recall that playtime my heart instantly feels the freedom of innocence at its best.

That dollhouse ended up housing something much more important than a non-breathing plastic doll. One day when I wasn't playing dolls I was outside gathering clover flowers to design my own "nature girl" jewelry. I found a chrysalis and knew from science class that I had found a miracle in the making. My newfound treasure came indoors, and we placed it in the dollhouse to see what would happen. We watched it and watched it. I'm not sure how long we waited, but research now says that butterflies stay in the pupa (chrysalis) stage for one week to two months. Imagine fathers pacing in the waiting room outside of Labor and Delivery during that same time period, and you can sense my anticipation.

One day we were amazed to watch an orange monarch butterfly emerge from the chrysalis. Its wings were wet and dull, but the longer he dried, the brighter his wings became. He took several days to adjust to the shock of his new life, surviving the metamorphosis a better critter than the lowly caterpillar. This was the day, if I were to pinpoint it, that I realized the miracle of life. And later I learned this was actually a miracle of NEW life.

Easter is this Sunday. We celebrate the resurrected Christ. He emerged from the chrysalis of his donated cave a living breathing God. His sacrifice offers us a metamorphosis when we come to Him and admit our need for a Savior. Before Christ, we are merely caterpillars-wormy sinners. Coming to face the reality of the cross, the grave, and the resurrected Christ is our chrysalis. New life is our Easter gift. Just as I reveled in the miracle of life as a child, I glory in the miracle of new life.

Let us celebrate!