Whispers of Spring

After basking in the glow of the fireplace, 

winter has kicked off its slippers and cracked open the window to spring.

The ancient yellow daffodils are up a good 5 inches and there's new fuzz on the lamb's ears.

A few of the lilac buds have swollen and burst.

Inside their small purple packages, along with their bottled-up fragrance, is the promise of beauty and nectar.

From the pond, we hear spring peepers singing, and late at night, under the stars, coyotes join the chorus with their love songs.

Barley takes note, and is happy to curl up safe inside for the night.

Autumn arrives in the early morning,

but spring at the close of a winter day.

Elizabeth Bowden

First published on February 20, 2012

Linking with Saturday's Critters

Cody's Prayer

Years ago, at the end of the sermon in our small country church, the pastor called on one of the youngest in our group to pray. Cody was only 4 at the time, and he walked to the front, his face sober, and bowed his head.  "Dear God," he prayed, "Thank You that we can come to church and learn about You and Your only forgotten Son, Jesus." 

A titter ran through the congregation, and I smiled to myself, thinking that he had misunderstood the familiar verse, John 3:16. But Cody wasn't done praying. He had a point to make. He continued, "and I pray for all those people that have forgotten You, that we can do something to help them come to Jesus."

Time has erased from my mind any remnant of that day's sermon, but it will be a long time before I forget the message in the prayer of one small boy.

For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.  

 

 

Photo from Bigstock

False Spring

It doesn't take much to get everybody's hopes up. We get a few days of nice weather, and even nature starts thinking, "Spring!" 

Yesterday, when it was still January, there was a fly and a cricket in the house, a small snake on the front porch,
and two ticks rode back from the woods on Barley. 

The trees have not capitulated to the siren song of spring yet, but some of the fields have already turned green...

 ...and the snowdrops, though always early, were swaying in a springlike breeze today.

Of course, it's only February 1st, and even if we didn't follow Kevin on channel 10, or Ron and Abby on KY3, 

we'd still know that these balmy days won't last.

About this time every year, I'm reminded of the ancient promise God gave to Noah:

“As long as the earth endures,

seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night

will never cease.” 

Genesis 8:22

The promise has never been broken, and I believe we can safely say that, sooner or later, spring will come.

Don doesn't even like to hear me breathe this prayer, but Barley and I can't help asking:
"Please, God, can we have at least one good snow first?"


Linking with Saturday's Critters,

Skywatch Friday

and Wednesday Around the World

Blue Skies

It was beautiful yesterday, with skies as blue as Paul Newman's eyes.

I visited the Theodosia Marina, where a mature old sycamore stands tall, its white branches bright against the sky. 

At my feet, a piece of sloughed off bark caught my attention, the back side crisscrossed with insect pathways. 

When I was a kid, my neighbor friends and I used to pretend that these were ancient maps that would tell us the way to hidden treasures.

  

We don't always get blue skies in this life, nor clear maps to guide us. 

One of my Mother's favorite songs, by Annie Johnson Flint, was "God Hath Not Promised Skies Always Blue". 

It holds great truths for any generation:

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain rocky and steep,

Never a river turbid and deep.

Refrain:

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing kindness, undying love.

Perhaps we've found those hidden treasures, after all.

First published 1/29/11

Linking with Skywatch Friday