Break Out of My Shell

Canon EOS Rebel T2i, 100 mm 2.8 macro, 2.8 aperture, 1/50 shutter, 100 ISO

 Sometimes I feel like I'm always put into situations (or putting myself in situations) that makes me the "new kid on the block." Whether it's changing grade levels, or starting graduate classes, or putting myself out there to make new friends... Will I fit in? Will I appear smart and competent? Will people value my opinion? It takes a while for me to warm up enough to let people see the "real" me, but when I am ready, I like to think that I am like a cicada- that I break out of my shell.



I know in the long run, being shy or holding back doesn't do anyone (including me) any good. And all I have to show for it... a fragile, empty shell that just gets left behind anyway.

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
-2 Timothy 1:7

Armor

 Canon EOS Rebel T2i, 100 mm 2.8 macro, 3.5 aperture, 1/80 shutter, 640 ISO

That's some serious armor.

Or perhaps a creature in need of a new stylist.

But really, I had never seen anything like this before. It was about 5 inches long, and I could see it in the road from my driveway. I thought it was a green baby pinecone, but as I approached it, I realized it was definitely NOT. Sadly, this guy's excursion out onto the hot asphalt seemed to be his last.



Very curious to know what in the world this thing was, I googled "big green caterpillar with horns." (What else?)  It is a Hickory Horned Devil Caterpillar, which is the larva of a Regal Moth (the ginormous ones you see around street lamps).  



Looking at this scary-looking thing (who, if alive, would actually do no more harm to me than a pinecone...), I thought of armor... protection... defense. We all put on armor at times, whether it be to hide, or to fight. Either way, we are protecting ourselves. We have different suits of armor, too- some that we wear on our heart, some that we wear at our jobs, some that we wear with our families... The toughest times in life though, can be deciding when we should wear that armor, or when we should expose ourselves and be vulnerable. In the end, we must know that those suits of armor can't guard us completely- after all, even this poor guy still baked in his!

There is only one suit we can put on that will provide us true protection...

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes."
-Ephesians 6:10-11