Take time to catch the fireflies

A woman and a little girl walk hand and hand next to a row of yellow wildflowers at dusk; above the wildflowers, fireflies can be seen in flight, their bodies aglow in the evening light.

Dinner is over and it’s time for cleanup. Piling dishes into the sink, I pause to stare out the kitchen window and dream of the carefree summer days of my childhood. My family spent evenings shooting basketball in the driveway until the night grew too dark to see the hoop. We played softball in the fields, sweating and swatting bugs between pitches, just having a little summer fun. 
 
While thinking back on many picnic memories with my large family eating corn on the cob under an old tree, I’m interrupted by a little voice, “Can we, Mommy?” 

 

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“Can we what, Sweetie?” She wants to water the flowers.

“Mommy, it didn’t rain today. The pumpkins need water.” OK, water, yes.

Once the watering cans are empty, she chatters on about how much the vines have grown since we first planted the seeds and how long it will take the pumpkins to grow before they can be picked. Suddenly she stops talking and her tone changes drastically.

“Look, Mommy! It’s a firefly. It’s the first I’ve seen this year!”

And we sit down on the bricks to watch the little light flicker as the flashy bug sends signals to her friends. How long has it been since you paused to watch the fireflies? I admit that for me, a few nights ago was the first since last year. 
 
While summer boasts of outdoor activities and larger-than-life experiences, this evening with my youngest daughter was a reminder to slow down and make special memories with those I know and love best. The simplest things in life can often be the best reminders to praise God for his beautiful creation. 
 
Pausing to reflect on the beauty of nature encourages thoughts that each season contains its own special purpose. Enjoying fresh summer produce sprinkled with a perfect rainbow of color causes me to reflect on the Master Creator and Artist of all.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. – Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

Everything beautiful. In its time. There’s a lot in life that doesn’t look so beautiful these days. The world is a difficult place to live and, yet, when I focus my attention on the tiniest of ants, I’m amazed at God’s magnificent creation. When I pause to peek at the baby birds poking their necks out from the nest, I’m blown away by the way God has wired their mamas to care for them.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s the little things in life.” Invite someone to join you in a summer adventure to enjoy those “little things.” Slow down and water the vegetables, stop and smell the roses, run through the sprinkler a few times and maybe even take time to catch the fireflies.