a field of wonders


The sun beat down on us through a cloudless, blue sky and our boots crunched the autumn leaves as we made our way through the field. We were searching for the perfect prize – an impeccable round, shiny, orange pumpkin. We passed all the asymmetrical pumpkins, dusted off the muddy ones, and abstained from the rotten ones. I was on a mission, but mid-search you lost interest. I saw your towhead pause and you bent down; with hands on knees, you captivatingly stared at one of the vines. You were transfixed by a brilliant yellow flower. In its center were two bees, busily working away. A smile crept on my face as I watched you squeal with delight and point, yelling “Mommy a bee! What is it doing?”

Perhaps one of the greatest treasures of parenthood is viewing the world through little eyes. Through your eyes, I’ve fallen in love with God’s creation again. I’ve looked up from my iPhone long enough to notice that the crescent moon does indeed look like a banana, that springtime is filled with an abundance of fuzzy caterpillars and what I might consider a bunch of unlovely weeds are actually in disguise, a crown of flowers fit only for a backyard princess.

I’ve taught you that it was God who created everything in the beginning and yesterday, you discovered another one of His great gems. I tried to explain pollination in elementary terms that I’m positive you did not grasp. Maybe one day I will explain how our ecosystem depends on bees and what hardworking creatures they are. I will tell you how the Designer’s fingerprints can be found all over its hive, composed of hexagons, which mathematicians have proven is the best way to divide a surface by equal sections with the least total perimeter.

God created the bee with a perfect purpose in mind. He fashioned it to complete its job in just a few short weeks, producing only 1/12 teaspoon of honey. Insignificant? Never! Because, joined together, its colony flies 55,000 miles (or 2.2 times around the world), producing 60 pounds of honey! Whether it’s the stars in the heavens or the bees in their hives, whispers of the Designer echo throughout the Universe. He created with order and with purpose. And you, my daughter, have also been created with a specific purpose. You are worth far more to Him than the sparrows or the bees. He has numbered the very hairs on your head and knows all your days.

We did find our pumpkin, but we too, were reminded of our Creator and the amazing world He gave us. I promise to try and show you its beauty. And perhaps, I can learn something from the drone bees, who may seem worthless, spending all their time feeding baby bees instead of making honey. I won’t swallow the lie the world has spread, that I am just a mom. Instead I will embrace this season and my wonderful job as your mother to feed you both physically and spiritually.