Waiting for Spring...

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.  ~Anne Bradstreet

During the winter I grow impatient with days of low temperatures and a tease of warmth. I look eagerly upward for the buds beginning to form on the trees and search for new growth from the soil.
This quiet month in the garden gives me time to reflect on God's timing of the seasons. It is a time of rest in the garden. A bulb might peek up here or there, but mostly the ground is tucked in by a blanket of leaves.

Humans are much like seasons. When we feel deflated or spent, it is a sign that we need to step back and re-nourish in God's word."Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17. Like the earth revels in the rain and the warm of the sun, we become a new creation in Christ.

And so, marking the days to the colors and climes of springtime, I am warmed by the promise of our Lord. Soon the ground will thaw and the streams will flow and the world will celebrate God's gift of beauty once again.

"Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again."—Sarah Ban Breathnach

Post Christmas blessings...

After the last decoration is put away and the living room goes back to the way we know it 49 weeks out of the year, we pause to look ahead. For most it is the anticipation of what life will bring us in this new year. For some it is the ongoing burdens that unveil each day.

Without God's light in our hearts, we have no hope of a bright tomorrow. How can we spread this joy to others? There are many ways we can be a blessing in this new year. Does a neighbor need your help? Can you volunteer in the life of a child? Can you share the knowledge that God's love is unfailing? Ephesians 3:17-18 says,"May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long,how high, and how deep His love really is." This is the good news every person needs to understand.

Because God is powerful, He can help with any problem. Look around. Count your blessings. Strive to be the person God expects you to be. Share the joy. One day at a time. Life is a gift. Live it with God's love. Happy New Year.