How is a butterfly a symbol for Easter?

POSTED ON March 25, 2015 by Adrian Savage

Long before the time of Christ, Egyptians saw a similarity between the cloth wrappings of their mummies and the butterfly’s cocoon. For these early people and the Greeks, who placed golden butterflies in their tombs, this insect was a symbol of resurrection, new life, and immortality. In other traditions, the butterfly was a reminder of reincarnation.

The butterfly has long been a Christian symbol of the resurrection, for it disappears into a cocoon and appears dead, but emerges later far more beautiful and powerful than before. The three stages of the butterfly’s metamorphoses are symbolic of the three stages in the life cycle of Christ and the Christian.

The caterpillar’s non-stop eating reminds us of normal earthly life where people are often preoccupied with taking care of their physical needs. The caterpillar’s life also reminds us of Jesus’ life on earth.

Caterpillars then “entomb” themselves in what appears to be lifeless cocoons portraying the crucifixion and burial of Jesus and the death of all humans.

The third and final stage is the appearance of a butterfly with jewel-colored wings and the ability to soar, which represents the resurrection into a new and glorious life free of material concerns and restrictions.

A major theme in Paul’s teachings is that “we shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51). The Christian hope is that what is sown in the grave as a weak mortal body will be raised an indestructible spiritual body not subject to temptation, sorrow, death, or pain (1 Cor. 15:44-54). Through death the spirit will escape – not from its body but from the vulnerabilities and hardships of mortal flesh.

What better symbol of the Resurrection — an inanimate object out of which comes life. Butterflies are the perfect symbol of the tomb Christ conquered and every Christian’s hope of their own rebirth.

Happy Easter Everyone!!

On December 13th, 2014 at Fort Jackson National Cemetery a wreath was placed on every veterans grave during the Wreaths Across America ceremony.

There was a request for a full moment of silence to honor the veterans that had been laid to rest and despite a crowd of hundreds of people silence prevailed. During that moment you could hear a slight breeze moving between the headstones and birds chirping somewhere in the distance but the dramatic quietness brought the reality of the fallen soldiers sacrifices into sharp focus.

It is rare today that we can experience silence. The sensory input we are exposed to has grown exponentially each year. We have become accustomed to noise around us and oblivious to  interruptions that pull us along in directions we did not intend to go. What if we were to stop each day and make time to experience silence where our minds could think and rest without distraction.

We use the New Year as motivation for self-improvement. Being intentional about seeking silence and learning to listen are two relatively easy things that could have a profound impact on improving our lives. In Isaiah 30:15 it says "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength"

Are there important messages swirling around in the quiet places of your life?  I heard a pastor recently say in his sermon that when someone whispers we need to be close to him or her to hear the message. Is God whispering messages for our lives and we are neither close enough or quiet enough to hear?

The staff of the Manning and Kingstree Hopsice offices are so excited and blessed to have school supplies purchased by Agape Senior. This tradition has been going on for years and the entire Agape staff is so blessed to have an owner like Scott Middleton to give such a gracious gift. Scott is passionate about education and it is clear to see . He not only gives back to the community but also to his employees. Back to school supplies can be a real burden for some parents, especially single parents with multiple children. This great gift comes just in time to lift spirits for the transition from summer to fall.

Todd Van Orden, Volunteer Coordinator for Agape Hospice of the Lowcountry, treated Sandpiper Rehab and Nursing residents and staff to a piano concert while they enjoyed sparkling cider and snacks. Residents enjoyed the special afternoon event.

Agape Hospice of the Lowcountry covers Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. For more information about hospice services or special senior care events, please contact the Lowcountry office at 843-553-7122.

Chelsea Bendt of Agape Senior North Charleston Assisted Living and Melanie Floyd of Agape Hospice were among the more than 20 members of the Lowcountry Senior Network who hosted lunch at the downtown Senior Center today. Enjoying a huge pot luck luncheon were more than 50 seniors along with the facility staff. This is an annual community outreach event for the network group. Agape Hospice, Agape Primary Care and Agape Senior all take part in this group. For more information, contact Agape at 843-553-7122

Left to Right: Luke Powers, Steven Adeimy, Brenda Powers. Colan Shiver, Sharon Bennett, Ashley Grantham, Megan Long, Jay Pruitt, Yvette Gleason, Kim Williamson, Margie Pittman

It seems to be a common phenomenon that when you see a group of volunteers working together toward a common goal they invariably will be having a good time.  Saturday morning in Pageland SC was no exception as 10 employees of Agapé Hospice of the Pee Dee came together to work on a Habitat for Humanity home. Laughter and sounds of camaraderie could be heard from the roof-top of the home in between the sound of hammers striking roofing nails.

The team of workers scurried across the roof rolling out tar-paper and with hammers swinging, several volunteers followed close behind pounding in nails that attach the paper to the bare wood.This process was repeated until the whole surface of the roof was covered with the black material. The large orange washers attached to the roofing nails were a colorful contrast to the black material as they marched across the roof in neat rows.

In addition to the sounds of the happy workers on the roof there was an extraordinarily worker on the ground floor where most of the walls for the home had already been framed in. Margie Pittman who is 86 years old and works for Agapé Hospice in Bennettsville had shown up bright and early that morning with the rest of the team to do her part. Margie showed me the work that she and another volunteer had accomplished that morning. I would suggest the next time you think you are too old or have nothing to contribute, have a conversation with Margie.

I expect some of the members of the team had woken up early that morning and were wondering why they had made the commitment to spend such a beautiful spring day working for the benefit of another. But as each arrived and the work got under way those thoughts probably faded fast as the true spirit of volunteering came shining through.There is something magical about the shared experience of volunteering and the sense of accomplishment a person gets from a job well done.

Claire Blackwell is one of our wonderful volunteers at Agape Senior York. Claire has a very unique story which helps her relate and be a great asset to our residents and our Agape Senior York family. This is her story.

In September of 1989, at the young age of 5 years old, I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. I struggled with the disease my whole life and because I wanted to act like a normal teenager, this resulted in diabetic complications throughout the years, i.e. right eye getting sewn shut for 2 ½ years, having a toe being removed and multiple organ transplants, just to name a few.

My father gave me my first kidney transplant because he couldn’t bear to watch me be on dialysis. Unfortunately, I still wasn’t cured of diabetes yet. His kidney was considered high risk because he was over 60 years old and I was still very sick from other complications so the first kidney didn’t last long. During the time of my first transplant, I was attending Winthrop University in pursuit of my sociology/anthropology degree. During 2011, I was still having complications with my diabetes while trying to finish school. I was preparing for my next big kidney and pancreas transplant while still attending classes. I was finally able to graduate from Winthrop University in December of 2011 despite my health issues.

I also had to attend certain required classes for getting a transplant. After being on a waiting list in Charleston, I was finally asked to come down to get my 2nd transplant on September 11, 2012. At 1:00pm on September 12, 2012, a helicopter flew in from Greenville to deliver my life saving organs. A lot of times the organs delivered might not be the right size but luckily mine were so that I didn’t have to leave empty handed. It was an 8 hour strenuous surgery and when I awoke, I was in thriving pain. Through the pain and swelling, I told myself that it was going to get better, that it was worth it and how thankful I am to the young man who was an organ donor that let my life start anew.

My transplant helped me feel like what I thought a normal healthy person would feel like, something I’ve never known. My first year of transplant was definitely not a walk in the park but I had so much to be thankful for. Being always entrenched in the medical atmosphere because of my health problems, I soon found that I wanted to pursue a career as a social worker or something comparable to use my experiences to assist others.

My good friend, Lindsay Davis asked me to come volunteer at Agape Senior York. I thought that would be a good idea since I like to talk a lot and I graduated with a degree that deals with people in their environment. I started volunteering in August of 2013. With the life enrichment team, I went with the residents to Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, where I probably had more fun than the residents! I instantly felt bonds as I made friends with some of the residents, and that sold me on continuing to come back. I had fallen in love with Agape!

I started to spend more and more time there and I have to say that making the residents feel good, really makes me feel good. Now I feel like I have a lot of new grandparents that I feel care for me just as much as I care for them. Even when I started having another medical issue with my blood in November, I still continued to go because I would miss the residents if I didn’t get to see them at least once a week. I had to undergo a 2nd amputation because of a bone infection in December. I would always have to check in and ask Lindsay about the residents and the latest news at Agape. When Lindsay visited me in the hospital, she brought a card signed by all of the residents, it made me so happy to know they were thinking of me.

As soon as I was able to come visit, I did and it was a great feeling to see the smiles on the faces of the residents. I always thought that I wanted to work with people who have had a transplant or were diabetic because it takes one to know one. Little did I know that I would fall in love with Agape, with their residents, as well as their staff. Now I know that I want to work with seniors and I am now working on pursuing my master’s degree in Social Work to possibly begin a career involving seniors and those affected by dementia. I honestly feel more of a complete person because of my experience with Agape. - Claire Blackwell

The Palms of Mt. Pleasant hosted today's Veterans Aid & Attendance Seminar sponsored by Agape Senior. Nearly 40 people attended this session to learn about how they can apply for and qualify for this little-known VA benefit.

Agape Senior and Agape Hospice of the Lowcountry serves Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties. We host educational seminars regularly like the Aid & Attendance sessions. To schedule a seminar in your health care facility or community venue, please contact Agape Senior at 843-553-7122.

Residents of Agapé Senior Lexington had a chance to participate in a iPad class recently and although most found it challenging everybody was eager to learn. Wendy Gallagher volunteered her time to teach the residents some of the basic apps like camera, books, games and email. Wendy said she was excited about the potential for seniors to keep their minds active while having fun exploring all that the devices have to offer. One resident in the class said she loves talking with her daughter who lives in Colorado on the phone, with the iPad using the Facetime app she would also be able to see her daughter while talking with her.

If you would like to know more about this program or have a talent you would like to share, please contact David Coffman to see about volunteer opportunities available.dcoffman@agapesenior.com

Veterans who are participating in local Aid and Attendance seminars often ask for a list of what they need to have prepared in order to submit an application. Here is a summary of items to gather!