sometimes the beauty is in believing
To tell you the truth, butterflies kind of creep me out.
When my best friend was in Ecuador years ago, she sent me a photo of her at a butterfly farm absolutely covered in butterflies. She said it was amazing; I said it was way too close to a nightmare I had as a child of being covered in grasshoppers. Butterflies and grasshoppers may be nothing alike, but they fall in the same category of insect in my mind and I don’t want either of them touching me. Which is really a shame, because butterflies are quite pretty.
And what they symbolize is even more beautiful.
The newest collection of JDC|Monthly has just been released and it’s full of these lovely vintage butterfly graphics.
My favorite item in the collection this month is the art print.
I had this idea in my mind of all different butterflies sort of escaping and floating upwards all together. I’m not sure if butterflies fly like this, but it felt symbolic of being free and light and joyful. Designing the butterfly part was easy; then I was stumped on what it should read.
I prayed about this one – wanting it to be just right – and the answer came through my best friend. She is fun and wise and is taking a big step in hosting her first women’s retreat in just a few weeks. She texted me the other day saying she had finally decided on a theme: believe.
I knew right then that was the perfect word for the butterfly print.
We all know about the life stages of a butterfly – how they transform from an ugly caterpillar and then wait for days or weeks in a cocoon before emerging as these graceful and mysterious creatures. They are often the illustration of transformation and rebirth and sometimes that can be a bit cheesy. I truly don’t mean for this print to be cheesy.
What I wonder is: do we really believe God has our best interest at heart? Even when things are hard or sad or bleak, do we truly believe that He is good? Do we believe in his promises even when our lives don’t make sense or look how we think they should? Do we believe in our value – our unique purpose – that He has put within us? Do we believe in our beauty not because we fit some cultural standard, but simply because He made us so?
Even though butterflies are a little creepy to me, I love that they represent that beauty can come out of ugliness. I hope we can see the correlation between this little creature and ourselves and somehow be encouraged to believe. Even when life looks ugly. Even when our current circumstances are not where we want to be. He doesn’t promise that our lives will be perfect, but he does give us hope and peace and freedom in the midst of it all and that usually ends up with our hearts being transformed and we become more beautiful people because of it.
I want to be free and light and graceful and the only way I can endure the hardships of life is by believing that God’s promises are true: that he is at work in my heart, refining me daily, transforming me, covering me with his grace so that I can fulfill the unique purposes he has for me.
Even though I don’t want to touch a butterfly, I sort of want to be like one.
The new collection is so pretty and brings springtime cheer to your everyday organization and seasonal decorating.
As always, here’s what’s included:
* monthly calendar
* weekly calendar
* menu calendars
* chore charts
* spring cleaning checklist
* grocery lists
* note cards
* scripture memory cards
* an art print exclusive to jdc|monthly members
* a video project tutorial {this time Audrey joined me} with templates for the project
You simply download the pdf, print on your favorite paper and fill in the details. My sister has these calendars/chore charts/menu plans all over her fridge and I love to see how she uses them!
JDC | Monthly is $9.99 per month and your first month is free. You are welcome to give it a try. If it’s not the right fit, you can cancel at any time.
Plus, all JDC | Monthly members receive 50% off all printables in the shop.
Click the button below to sign up:
When you sign up you will be directed to the current month’s link immediately. Billing is done on a 30 day cycle {so if you join on the 15th, you will be billed the following month on the 15th}. On the 22nd of each month, you will receive an email with the link to download the collection of pdfs, as well as the project tutorial.
Please let me know if you have any questions … and be encouraged today that no matter where life has you, you are being made beautiful.
