Despite the fact that today will have a high of ninety degrees, autumn is starting to bloom around me in Kentucky. This morning, on my walk/run with the dogs, I passed this field of Coreopsis. It’s been in full bloom for about a week now. This morning, though, the butterflies were all over it.

I’m in the process of getting ready to travel to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. I’ll come back and be home for two full days before flying out to the Novelists, Inc., conference. Then, I’ll join my husband Gregg and the boys and head to a conference for Gregg’s occupation. I’ll be home without another trip scheduled for four whole weeks on October 7th.

For me to leave like this, there’s a lot that has to be accomplished:

• Our publishing company has to be in a paperwork/accounting place that I can leave it for three weeks.
  
• I have to get birthday cards written and ready to mail for my birthday club. That means about 30 cards for the next three weeks.
• I have laundry and housework that needs to be completed. I realize I can leave it undone and my husband and boys will happily take care of it. But, for me to leave in peace and not stress about it, it has to be done. My husband has a full-time demanding job. My absence is already going to add a stressor to their lives. I know an ordered, prepared environment will chill that stress.
  
• I need to get bread baked for the week so the boys all have bread.

I have a to-do list a mile long, but those bullet points hit the high marks and the headers. So, my brain is a little frantic. The only thing making me not run around in circles accomplishing nothing at all is knowing I’ll be home for two full days before leaving again, which means I know I have plenty of time to handle the things I didn’t get to finish before I leave Thursday.

As I was walking this morning, three butterflies flying off together like friends made me stop and just enjoy them. I didn’t care that my workout ap blared out the words, “workout paused.” I just looked at the butterflies flying above a field of yellow Kentucky wildflowers and let some calm and peace intrude into my thoughts of lists and responsibilities.

It made me think of Matthew 6:25-34. Christ is telling us not to worry. In verses 26-27, He said:

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

I realize butterflies aren’t birds, but the image brought the verse to mind, and the verse reminded me that God’s got this.

I can pack, I can clean, I can prep an organized home into military precision organization, and I can do it all without absolutely losing my mind with worry over what I won’t be able to accomplish because God’s got this, He has me, and He tells us NOT TO WORRY.

Letting go of the worry and stress gives me more room to look forward to seeing my friends at ACFW in Nashville this week!

Let my butterflies speak to you. Relax. Don’t worry. God’s got you.