Hope of Spring

"See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come." Song of Solomon 2: 11-12a

It was a wonder this weekend witnessing the rapid disappearance of those six foot mountains of dirty snow beneath the thick blanket of fog. What a joy it was to look out my front window and see the bushes, the green lawn and the neighborhood kids playing outside. The calendar is marked...thirteen days and counting...spring will officially be here!

But let's let that be our little secret. You see, today all hope returned when I pulled into my driveway to find spring had already sprung. To my surprise, I witnessed the dainty, lavendar and white heads of waving crocuses, lining the edge of my front flower bed to welcome me home. At first I wasn't sure I'd seen them so I backed up to make sure my eyes weren't just seeing what I was hoping for. Sure enough. There they were, waving back at me.

Oh! The first signs of spring bring such celebration. I guarantee you I celebrated by doing a little jig on the way into the house. My hopes for longer days, warmer temperatures, the smell of fresh cut grass, the hot sun on my face, building sand castles and pushing my grandchildren on the swings return all at once and filled my heart with joy.

It's been a long, cold winter but the promise of spring is here. It's happened without any effort of our own. It's been orchestrated by the Creator...our Creator...the one who formed us in our mother's womb...who numbered the very hairs on our head...who wrote down our days before we lived them and already knows the end of our story. That's no secret at all...