On Butterfly Wings
Writer Author S.(Shae) A. Cooke
Christian Article
:
Other
- Fiction No
“You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” Nehemiah 9:6 NIV
The Hawaiian sun glinted off the windshield of the helicopter as it prepared for take-off. I fastened the seat belt snugly around my waist, tugging it a little tighter than I had to.
“All belted in?” the pilot asked? I nodded.
“This is crazy”, I murmured as I tapped him worriedly on the shoulder. “Is there a flotation device in this thing?”.
“Now young lady, you ain’t got nothin’ to worry about”
“What if those rotary thingies stop turning while we are in the air?”
He ignored me and started the engines. The noise of the rotors whirling overhead drowned out my next question. I flapped my arms and tried to imitate a bird in flight, hoping this derisive character would see the pantomime as a question about parachutes. Instead of answering, he gave me the thumbs up. Snatching the earphone from his ear I yelled, “Wait . . . wait!” “Look, Missy”, he admonished. “This here is supposed to be a pleasure trip, and it appears you’re not getting’ much pleasure out of it so far, and we haven’t even lifted off. So, if you have a hankerin’ to leave, do it now!” His offer tempted me. Stubbornness outweighed my fear of flying, though. My lower lip extended into a pout, and I folded my arms obstinately--determined to show this wise guy I wasn’t afraid. “Listen you here, little girl, I’ve been flying this ‘traption for nigh on ten years. Before every flight, I ask my Daddy for a smooth ride. So why don’t you just trust my Daddy; sit back, relax, and enjoy. “I haven’t lost a passenger yet”. I did as I was told.
Seconds later, we took off. My head swirled with the sudden vertical ascent into the cloudless sky. White-knuckled, and clutching the edge of the seat, I muttered the twenty-third Psalm. We flew higher. I stammered the Lord’s Prayer. The pilot banked the craft sharp left. So help me, I thought I was going to fall out of the helicopter.
I cried out in my most desperate voice, “GOD, HELP ME”. I wanted to live to see my eighteenth birthday. He heard, and we leveled off. My heart slowed to a more normal 200 beats per minute.
Feeling a tad braver, I opened my eyes … and saw heaven.
“Wow, oh wow!” I said in a captivated trance.
We soared over the Pacific Ocean, and headed toward a lush and verdant valley. We skimmed the tree tops, traveling over palm trees and pineapple fields.
The helicopter descended and we arrived at the base of a waterfall. The water cascaded over cliffs and rocks, three thousand vertical feet above us. We hovered along side of the falls like a hummingbird. Water fell like dew on the windshield. We ascended slowly, observing the flora and fauna growing up the steep incline.
My heart leapt as we reached the top of the falls. Before me was a scene of incredible artistry. We lingered, taking in the scenic wonder. From that vantage point, I could see for hundreds of miles. Shades of azure blue, aqua and indigo framed the portrait. An endless chorus of vibrant shades of green blanketed the canyons and hills. A light, smoky mist drifted out of a rain forest. Rainbows arched like porticos over groves of mossy trees. In the distance snow-capped peaks crowned the tropical paradise. I viewed the palette of nature and saw God’s face.
“My Daddy is quite the artist, ain’t he?” quipped the pilot.
I nodded, fixing my gaze at the vivid panorama.
“It’s just like riding on the wings of a butterfly”, I thought.
We swooped down from our “perch” and into the fertile valley below. Mossy canopies blanketed the rainforests. We glided over rugged sea cliffs along the windward coasts. As we headed West, into the sunset, and home, my thoughts turned to my uncertain future, without my Mother--a victim of smoke inhalation in a fire just that past Christmas.
God didn’t seem so far away anymore—I wasn’t so alone. In fact, I felt His presence in every glorious gift of nature I witnessed. The incredible detail of His creation gave me confidence that He cared about every facet of my life. I reveled in the glory and beauty of His nature.
As we touched down on the landing pad, I felt elated. My spirit praised God, for I finally grasped the magnitude of His love for me, through nature. And, I wasn’t afraid of flying anymore.
“Did you enjoy the flight, Miss?”
My eyes sparkled. “I sure did--and I’ll bet your Daddy’s never lost a passenger either.” The pilot’s body shook with laughter, “Well, now, ain’t that the truth!”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Are you kidding? I’ve been to heaven and back on the wings of a butterfly!”
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About the Writer Author
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British Columbia
Email:
shaesy@shaw.ca
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