Fire flies

I had the immense privilege of visiting the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee a few years back now. I was staying with the best friends anyone could want and they were driving distance to the national park areas. Unknown to me ahead of time, it was the season for the synchronized dancing of the fireflies. I was going through a difficult time in life and had decided to leave work and take time out ... so what better thing to do than go to Tennessee! It was actually a very healing time for me. The fireflies however, were a huge unexpected bonus to that trip.

How can anyone not marvel at creation? The diversity yet harmony that exists, even all these years since the garden of Eden, is astounding and magnificent. The very small firefly is just one example of God’s creativity and joy of detail. In case you haven’t heard about this display which takes place at this time of year (late May), there is little point in me trying to describe it as words could never do it justice ... but the synchronization is the timing of the flies turning on and off their lights! Up in the forests as dusk turns to darkness, their dancing begins. It can be totally dark, so much so, that you cannot see the outline of the trees and are best just to stay put, having found your place to sit and wait whilst it was still a little light ... then without any introduction, tens of thousands of fireflies light up at exactly the same time ... then they all turn off at the same time! This is repeated over and over ... a mind blowing show of minute exactness and detailed brilliance. No strobe, laser or drone lighting requiring hours of planning, a lot of money, health & safety and genius minds, ... just a load of flies. That’s what can be done when God is in the detail and planning. The beauty of the setting and the complete absence of these flies until they decide (or is there a leader who counts down to lights on time?) to reveal themselves, far exceeds any man made equivalent. In fact I recall being quite stupefied ... it wouldn’t seem right to ooh and ahh in the stillness of the smoky mountain forests. To be dumbstruck and leave with a profound sense of awe was about right.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see many amazing wildlife moments and they never cease to fill me with awe for who God is and what He gave us to cherish and protect. We have a duty to creation and often need to take this more seriously than we do.

I’ve unconsciously written about the ant recently and now a fly! I’ll have to tell you about seeing 2 blue headed lizards fighting next time ... or seeing an elephant and then an elephant shrew on the same game drive, talk about little and large. Not everyone has had a fully grown African vulture fly through the windscreen of their car ... I’ll fill you in on that one soon. Ok I’ll stop for now. 

Psalm 104 ... and just remember that this awesome God cares about every detail of your life and loves you enough to have sent His only son to die for you so that He could spend time with you for all eternity.

Ingrid x

(Photo taken from visitmysmokies.com)