Consider the Katydid–Julie Lavender, Guest post
I’m honored to have my dear friend, Julie Lavender, as my guest this week. As online friends first, we recognized that we share a love for writing, nature, and most especially, for our Lord Jesus. We were blessed to meet face-to-face at Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference and again at the North Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference. Thank you, Julie! I know my readers will enjoy this delightful message shared from your blog, On My Walk With God.
By Julie Lavender
Have you ever seen a walking leaf?
Well, obviously a leaf can’t really walk.
I encountered a katydid on my walk with God this morning, and I first thought a green leaf was sauntering across the grass. Related to the grasshopper and cricket, the katydid has long, thin hind legs and is a master of camouflage when surrounded by foliage.
Wings that resemble leaves serve more as a camouflage mechanism than a flying purpose. And the katydid nymph often displays even shorter, tinier wings. Typically katydids use those long legs for walking and scaling trees.
I like to spot katydids, because, more often, they’re found way up high in a tree, munching on the choicest, juiciest leaves at the top.
The leaves must be tastier there. The view is probably better, too.
Which reminds me of the story of Zacchaeus in the Bible, where the tax collector – a short one, presumably – climbed to the top of a tree to get a better glimpse of Jesus.
Must’ve been slightly challenging, donned in a long, flowing robe cinched at the waist with a rope, a tunic undergarment, and leather sandals on his feet, all while attempting to desperately hang on to a purse that was most likely weighed down with dishonesty and deception.
Zacchaeus probably thought he was camouflaged, up there in that tree. His curiosity led him to peek at Jesus, but he never dreamed he’d be spotted by Jesus, let alone have a dinner invitation extended to him by God’s one and only Son.
I wonder if I’m willing to move past the challenges to see Jesus each day. To clamor for the best view, no matter what’s hindering me that day or in that moment.
To not allow baggage to weigh me down and keep me from seeing Him. Especially if I’ve accumulated that baggage through sinful practices that I need to turn from or cast off.
Whenever I see a katydid – or any of God’s amazing creations – I know I’ve seen the One who sent the camouflaged, winged creature. And when I do whatever it takes to see Jesus, I know I’ve seen the One who sent Him, too.
What about you? What do you do that helps you see Jesus?
For me, it’s starting my morning with a prayer-walk, swinging on my front porch and meditating on God’s goodness, reading God’s words in my Bible, listening to Christian radio stations, serving those in need alongside my brothers and sisters in the faith, or spending time with my husband and adult children.
Comment below on your ‘Jesus-sightings.’ I’d love to hear what helps you get a better glimpse of Jesus!
Though Julie has always loved God’s beautiful creations, she tended to run from the creepy-crawly and slithering ones until she fell in love with her resident biologist. Now, she appreciates their beauty, too, but often admires them from afar!
Julie Lavender is a journalist, author, and former homeschooling mom of twenty-five years who holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education. Julie is married to her high-school and college sweetheart, and Julie and David are the parents of four and in-law of one.
Julie freelances for newspapers, and her work has also appeared in Guideposts, Angels on Earth, Mysterious Ways, All Creatures, Clubhouse, Country Woman, Taste of Home, Today’s Christian Woman, Focus on the Family, Mature Living, ParentLife, Refresh, Southern Writers, Secret Place, Lighthouse Bible Studies’ Heart Renovation, three Chicken Soup for the Soul compilations, Gary Chapman’s Love is a Verb: 365 Daily Inspirations to Bring Love Alive, Guideposts’ True Stories of Extraordinary Answers to Prayer: The Desires of Your Heart, and Short and Sweet Too.
Represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency, Julie is the author of the homeschooling and family devotional: 365 Days of Celebration and Praise, the party planning book: Creative Sleepovers for Kids, and three teacher resource books: Wonder Women of the Bible, Super Men of the Bible, and Scripture Adventures and she writes a column for Just18Summers.com. Connect with Julie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and www.julielavender.net.
Julie, I absolutely love this post describing the katydid, Zaccheus, and finally, how we see Jesus. I enjoy sitting on my deck to read the Bible and pray. Sometimes I visualize Him sitting in a chair beside me as we talk.
Jeannie, What a beautiful picture–sitting with Jesus. Sounds like an awesome blog message.
Hello, my friend Jeannie! Yes, I love to imagine Him sitting with me on my front porch! When I don’t have my prayer time during a walk, I often fellowship with God while in my front porch swing. I have a rocking chair near the swing, and I can imagine Him there patiently and contentedly listening to me pour out my heart. (Interestingly, one particular time of the year when pollen seemed like it was falling constantly, someone sat in the rocking chair and left a ‘clean’ spot there (but not clean jean-bottoms) and the next couple of times I visited my front porch, I would see the spot where someone sat in the chair and it was a visual reminder that God joins me every single time I pray!!!)
Julie I loved your word pictures and your real pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, Connie. Thanks for replying. I LOVE taking pictures of God’s creations. I’m an amateur at best – I took a short photography class once, but, still – I have to take lots and lots of pictures to hope for a few good ones to turn out!! I just adore God’s creations and am always in awe of his beauty and masterpieces! Even the critters that I’m afraid of – snakes and spiders and some other creepy crawly ones – I can still appreciate their beauty and love learning about them!
Hi, Connie. Thank you for replying. I LOVE taking pictures of God’s creations! I’m an amateur at best, and even though I took a short photography class at one time, I still take lots and lots of pictures and hope that I can capture one or two good shots! I’m just always in awe of God’s beauty and masterpieces! Even the ones that slightly terrify me – snakes, most especially, but also some spiders and creepy crawly things – I can still find God’s beauty in them and love learning about them!
Well, Connie – my first comment wouldn’t seem to show up, so I attempted to type the same words again. I think my computer was just moving slowly today, so, eventually – both comments posted! Perhaps I was just meant to really emphasize that thought today!!! Ha – thanks for commenting, and now you’ve had a double-response! Blessings!
I really like how you connected the insect with the story of Zacchaeus. I wouldn’t have put the two together, but it is a great comparison. Most appreciated.
Hi, Joanna. Thank you for your comments. I love to find God in His beautiful creations, whether it’s a connection to His word or a revealing of His character. I think His creations are just spectacular, and I’m always in awe of His creativity and beauty!
For me, turning off the radio and looking at my surrounding on a drive brings my thoughts back to Jesus. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, that’s a wonderful idea, Jonathan. We’re often so distracted by life’s demands or even daily habits that we wouldn’t normally view as a distraction (like listening to the radio) that we forget to really LOOK at God’s awesome creation.
It’s so easy, isn’t it Katherine, to let other things distract us! Especially the daily habits that we take part in absentmindedly like listening to the radio. Even though I’ve loved God’s creations for such a long time and love writing about them, I still have to make a conscious effort to really LOOK at His masterpieces or I find myself missing them!
Hello, Jonathan – thanks for commenting. I absolutely love to look at my surroundings when I am driving or walking. The beauty of the world surrounding me points back to Jesus so eloquently! It all belongs to Him, and yes, indeed – that beauty and visual reminder brings my thoughts back to Jesus for sure!
It’s so easy, isn’t it Katherine, to let other things distract us! Especially the daily habits that we take part in absentmindedly like listening to the radio. Even though I’ve loved God’s creations for such a long time and love writing about them, I still have to make a conscious effort to really LOOK at His masterpieces or I find myself missing them!
I am so glad for the opportunity to glean from your insights! I, too, enjoy meeting with the Lord on morning walks, and listening as He speaks through His various creations. Thank you so much for sharing His gifts to you with the world, Julie!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Jacqulyn. I’m continually blessed by my morning walks with God, too. There’s something so special about being in His presence when the sun rises to bring light to a new day. I love the name of your website–“Peace of the Path.” Wishing you a blessed day!
Jacqulyn,
Thank you so much for sharing that we have in common our morning walks and listening to God as He speaks through his creations! I just love it so much, and we are fast-approaching a new season to observe different lessons from Him!! (PS – I just LOVE the spelling of your name! I don’t think I’ve ever seen that spelling and I love it!)
Thanks for writing about how difficult it must have been for Zacchaeus to climb the tree. I’m challenged to think about how my baggage makes it more difficult for me to see Jesus.
*Linking this post to my recent post on Zacchaeus.*
Carole,
Thanks so much for replying! As I mentioned earlier, I love that you and I both recently wrote about Zacchaeus! I love when God points me to a specific story or passage in His word more than once in a short time frame, because I truly believe it means He wants me to learn something valuable in those words! And it’s usually something new and insightful that He reveals to me – like in your post!! Thanks for linking our posts! Blessings!