Have you ever heard a tree sing? Abuzz with the sound of life and energy? I had just such an experience while out walking with the kids tonight. We passed a row of trees full of blooms and I could hear the trees singing. As I looked closer, I saw they were full of bees, gathering pollen from the flowers.
My little boy was fascinated by the bees. He stopped to watch them buzzing around the tree. “What are they doing, Mommy?” “They’re gathering pollen to make honey and to help our fruits and vegetables grow,” I answered. “Maybe we should bring them back to our house?” “Yes, that’s a great idea. Show them the way.” And he took off toward our house, looking behind him to see if the bees were following.
Ryan mesmerized by the trees full of bees.
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My daughter had a different reaction. The sight and sound of the bees scared her. “Will they hurt me, Mommy?” “They don’t want to hurt you. They just want to gather their pollen.” “But, what if they hurt me?” Her tender heart was too afraid to go near. No matter my reassurances, she refused to go near the trees. She stayed a few houses away, just to be safe.
Sophie decided it was safer to splash in the puddles a few houses down.
Bees are agents of change in our world. They spread pollen from flower to flower, tree to tree, to bring about new life. They enable the growth of fruits and vegetables. Without the bees, our world would be bleak and devoid of so much life-giving food.
Like my kids, don’t we also have differing reactions to change in our lives? Sometimes we’re afraid to go near a change. Afraid it will hurt us. We run as far from the change as we can, trying to keep it at bay. Living in fear of the unknown.
But what if instead we embraced change? Inviting change into our lives can transform us and move us to a new and better place. Yes, we might get hurt, but like a bee sting, we will heal.
“Are they coming?,” Ryan yelled over his shoulder as he tried to lead the bees to our house.
“God, are You coming? Come change me!”
When we embrace change, we encounter God’s transforming power in our lives.
What about you? Will you step up and ask God to be your change agent? Take His hand and boldly run into the future? Let’s run together!
Linking with Essential Fridays, Make My Saturday Sweet, Fellowship Fridays
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Sabra Penley says
Kathryn, I needed this message this morning. We are in a transition period in our lives. Sometimes I want to stay right where I am, in the known, because the unknown makes me afraid. But staying here holds me back. I need to embrace the change that’s coming and trust that God is in control of it and will change ME as I move forward into the next step of our lives. Thank you.
Kathryn says
Sabra – I’ve been in a season of change, too. Some days I’m so ready for something different I say “Bring it!” Other days, I just want to crawl under a rock and hope the change passes me by. It’s hard to embrace, but I find that fighting change only keeps us in the in-between, uncomfortable places longer. The changes I see ahead sometimes scare me, but I know they’ll bring me closer to God’s better future for me. Good luck and I’ll be praying for you in this season of change!
Jenni says
Hi Kathryn! Visiting from Fellowship Fridays.
Beautiful post! <3 Change can be hard – "new" always seems to be hard – but reflecting on God's faithfulness through past changes (and my gratefulness for those changes after the fact) helps me to embrace the change I face in the present.
When it comes to bees, though…I'm totally with your daughter 🙂 (And my husband grew up with an apiary and wants to start our own hives…That's one potential change I fear!)
Kathryn says
Jenni – I with you on the bees – ha! Change good, maybe not the bee stings 🙂 I had to put on my brave face, though, when my little boy was so fascinated by them… Thanks for stopping by!!
Doris S. Swift says
Great post Kathryn! Embracing change is a must to move forward. Love your “sticky statement” it rocks!
Kathryn says
Thanks, Doris! Glad you stopped by!
Julie Lefebure says
Hi Kathryn! Wonderful post! I am experiencing much change in my life right now, so I appreciate your words of truth. We have nothing to fear with God guiding us and being our change agent. Love the photos of the story and your children. Pretty precious! Thank you so much for writing this and sharing it with us!
Kathryn says
Thanks, Julie! It’s definitely something I have to keep reminding myself. I know the changes I’m going through now are God-directed, but still hard to let go of the fear and ride these waves of change.
viviene says
I am not always happy with changes but I know it’s a fact of life..
I love what you said.. When we embrace change, we encounter God’s transforming power in our lives… It’s so true!
Kathryn says
Viviene – I agree that not all changes are enjoyable. In fact, there are quite a few I’d rather not have, if I had a choice. But, I like to think we can make the best of them by looking for God’s transforming power in them.