Think Spring!

You know it's spring when the farmer keeps you up at night, plowing. He usually stops by midnight, bless his heart, but I was ready for bed long before that. His bright headlights periodically shining in my window and the sound of that monster-tractor resembling a jet at take-off. Yawn.

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It has been lovely weather. When I saw this little patch of woods down the road from us, it just reminded me of my kids. Notice how all the little saplings are just bursting forth with tender green leaves, while the older, more mature trees are patiently waiting. And how does that remind me of my kids? Well, they are the same way. When that first breath of warmer air drifts in, they are ready to declare it "SPRING!" They want to rush outside, barefoot, and sleeveless- 'cause it's spring! I said, guys, it's still too cold to be doing that! But they wouldn't be suppressed and so they had their day or two in the sun. And then winter returned with a vengence and all those tender green leaves were burned right off with the freezing weather and they looked so pitiful- all crumbledy and brown. The kids just couldn't believe that they were being forced back into the house by the bitter winds and cold. They looked just as pitiful as those little trees and their moans were a whole lot louder. Made me kinda sad to be the older, more mature one that said, " I told you so." But now spring is really and truly here and the kids appreciate the warm weather even more, if that's possible. The baby trees have recovered and the green out there... well, it's just amazing.

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I wonder if we ever really appreciate our blessings when we are in the midst of them? When they are just coming on, oh, we are soooo thankful. Like with Spring. That warm air feels so lovely after a long cold winter, the colors seem almost magical, they are so bright after winter's drabness... and yet the warm air, the gorgeous colors of trees and grass and flowers will still be here throughout the long summer... do we ever pause then and say, Wow! This is just so great! Or when we are blessed with a new person in our lives- we are just so awed by that miracle- and yet, when they are 15, are we as apt to stop in our tracks when we look at them and feel that wonderful feeling wash over us? They are the same miracle today as they were all those years ago. What about that new house or car? They brought us so much happiness back then. Now, do we come in and out and not even feel a moment of thrill? It's the same blessing today as it was yesterday. With us, it's always more... more... more... when, if we counted for the rest of our lives, we could never complete the list of wonderful things that fill our lives. Our family, our friends, our health- whatever measure we have, our homes, our possessions, the way the breeze makes those white curtains dance, that perfectly formed, pink-striped flower, those gorgeous fabrics that fill our eyes with something just so "right," that cool drink of water... What a miracle life is! Joy is right there in front of us, all the time, but sometimes it's our perspective that makes it look like just another hot summer day.