The Pevensies and the Lady Bugs

On Saturday we decided to release our insects. This had everything to do with the fact that I did not want bugs to start dying on my watch. I knew good and well that if we had dead butterflies and lady bugs on our hands we'd be performing funeral and burial services for each and every one. Plus the poor little loves were flapping around that cage, longing to fly more than five inches before they banged into a wall.
We let the lady bugs go first, releasing them onto our tomato plant. One of them took an immediate liking to The Rock Star. It crawled up his arm, onto his pajama sleeve, and then camped out for awhile.

Then it was time to let the Pevensies out of their cage. I'm sure that the fact that Garrett named the four butterflies Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy has absolutely nothing to do with his obsession with The Chronicles of Narnia.

Lemme take just a second to explain to you that a day around here is rife with armor and swords and battle cries and the insistence that I refer to my oldest child as High King Peter. Together we've read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as well as Prince Caspian. We're on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader now. We own the first and third movies and have been borrowing the second from friends for way too long. Seriously. It's high time we give it back. "For Narnia and for Aslan!" is a battle cry heard often around these parts. With this obsession comes the incredibly exciting opportunity to discuss symbolism and biblical principles with our four-year-old.

Just the other night I read, How can I have forgotten? It was about a cup and a sword and a tree and a green hill. I know that much. But I can't remember and what shall I do? A few pages later it continued, "Child," said Aslan, "did I not explain to you once before that no one is ever told what would have happened?"

"Yes, Aslan, you did," said Lucy. "I'm sorry. But please--"

"Speak on, dear heart."

"Shall I ever be able to read that story again; the one I couldn't remember? Will you tell it to me, Aslan? Oh do, do, do."

"Indeed, yes, I will tell it to you for years and years. But now, come. We must meet the master of this house."

And I think it is incredibly clear that the cup is from the last supper, the sword is from the Garden of Gethsemane, the tree is the cross, and the green hill is Calvary. And I love that Aslan says he will continue to tell Lucy the story--much in the same way that the Lord pursues us over and over. So when it comes to the High Kings he pretends to be, I could do much worse than the kings of Narnia.

So we sent Peter the Magnificent, Susan the Gentle, Edmund the Just and Lucy the Valiant out into the world.

And that very same day our little caterpillar who was reluctant to become a butterfly, crawled to the top of the cup and began his transformation. I am hopeful that Prince Caspian will emerge in seven to ten days ready to take flight.