Spring is in the air...

This is crazy! It's mid March in Wisconsin and I'm pulling out the sundresses and flip flops.

But there are so many things about Spring I enjoy that it's hard not to get excited. Spring is such a wonderful time of year. Everything seems so fresh and new. The sun always seems a little bit more glorious in Spring. Here it is, 6:30am, and I can hear the birds out chirping already. And even though it's still dark out, I know that in a very short amount of time, the sun will be out this early in the morning. Those are my favorite mornings: the slight chill of the morning that settles on your skin, the warmth of the sun as it caresses your skin, sitting on the porch with a glass of iced coffee or chai tea, enjoying the quiet.

Those are the moments I feel closest to creation. I revel in those moments. I love the peacefulness of the morning. After a bit you can see the world start to awaken. Lights go on in the apartments buildings, a few cars driving past, early morning exercise enthusiasts with the steady rhythm of feet hitting sidewalk.

How wonderful it is to realize that Spring is always so full of hope and promise. And as much as I really do not like snow and cold, I don't know if I could ever thrive in a place where the seasons don't change. See, it's very easy to be thankful and full of praise for God on days like this. But it's so very much more difficult during the dreary, dark days of Winter. But there's something about the anticipation of the coming Spring, of being able to watch the world bloom and bud and come into life, that makes the droll Winter days worth it.

And when you stop and think about it, it's a great metaphor for many things: personal awakenings, physical awakenings, and spiritual awakenings.

For so many years I lived spiritually in Winter. But, I never really gave up. Even though I felt my faith in God was disconnected, I didn't stop believing he existed. I think, deep down, I had hope that one day MY Spring would come. Just as the grass and flowers lay dormant under the snow, it's not dead, it's there, just waiting for the right time to spring forward. And, just like the Spring we see outside our windows now, so many things have to be in alignment before Spring can happen.

So many threads have come together in a Spiritual awakening. It feels as if the green grass and flowers in my heart that were laying dormant are blooming and bursting forth. And it makes me immeasurably happy to know that God believed in me the whole time. He planted seeds within my soul that, at the right time, spring forth into blossom and bloom. And for that, I am ever thankful.

God Bless you all! I hope you take the time to enjoy the wonderful world that's been given to us!