Butterfly Chronicles Volume 28: Uhaul Butterflies

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

We have WAAAAY too much stuff.  After picking up our Uhaul truck this morning from Manager Dave, we ended up making two full load trips to storage. We filled the first storage space QUICKLY and needed to rent a whole other "room."  I returned to the Uhaul dealership where we had rented our truck because our rental meant we were eligible for a 30 day free storage unit. ( I had rented a unit at a different place before learning about this freebie!)  Manager Dave was gone, so I signed sealed and delivered the paperwork to a happy, smiling, beautiful young woman named Jo for my free month.  This is Jo, and these are Jo's butterflies.  Another butterfly tattoo was on her back she told me.

I told Jo about the butterflies - that my son had died and that ever since then, God had been sending me butterflies - in all kinds of ways and would she mind if I photographed her and her butterflies.  She smiled as I captured her digital self.  You are my butterfly blessing today I said.  She hugged me and said she was glad.  Strangely, the Uhaul space, when I went to peak inside,  just wasn't big enough, so I had to return to Jo and un-rent my free storage and reserve a unit at a different location.  I'll miss Jo.

God sent me to Uhaul and to Jo on an errand that He already knew wouldn't work out.  I believe He needed me to meet Jo to show me her butterflies, and maybe He needed her to meet me and to hear about mine.

I don't understand His ways. I shared my butterfly story with Jo.  She didn't really have a story...she just really loves butterflies.  God does this over and over.  He brings these butterflies over and over.  Texts, packages, letters, gifts, photos, and on and on and on the butterflies keep coming.

Mostly, I write to ease the pain.  Today I wanted to write about how He keeps His presence close - all the time. And how a smiling woman named Jo who loves butterflies was used by God in a Uhaul rental office.  I guess if I had any advice to give anyone, it would be to just stop for a second or minute or while and just look for whatever way He is showing his presence to you.  My pain doesn't go away, but the butterflies are like bandages that slow the bleeding of my heart.  I know He is the hope that is within me.

His thoughts are not my thoughts.  His ways are not my ways.  His thoughts and ways are so so so much better.  And I'm so thankful today that he led me to Jo and to her smile and to her butterflies.