Spring

So I have this theory about spring. First of all, spring is my favorite season. I absolutely love that the sun starts shining, flowers are growing, leaves are budding--it's just all so glorious.  It reminds me of new life, change, and, of course, hope.  I look forward to spring every year.  My theory incorporates all this, but it might not be what you think.
Everything bad happens in the spring. You may find out someone close to you has cancer. Someone dies unexpectedly.  Divorce.  I'm talking major bad things, not the little trials we have every day, but the really tough ones that there is no way we can handle without His help. Yep, that's my theory. That God waits until springtime when we can see His hand in all things.  Even when someone dies, we can see the new life growing all around us and it gives us hope.  Even though your marriage may be crumbling (I'm not talking about me, in case you were worried, but I have had many friends with marriage problems and the big ones usually seem to happen in the spring.) and everything seems dull and drear in your life, in the spring you can look at the world around you bursting with color and feel His love for you.  One of my favorite songs is I'm Already There by Lonestar.  The line "I'm the sunshine in your hair, I'm the shadow on the ground" is one of my favorites.  I know that these things happen at other times of the year, but in the spring it's different.  I'm just so grateful for a Father in Heaven who loves us so much and He shows us this year after year after year. 

This year is no exception. Our community is struggling through the recent events that took someone from us in such a tragic way.  My heart goes out to his wife and two sweet children.  It brings home how sudden tragedy can strike, at any time or place. It has helped my own children understand how easily it would be to lose their own father. Their prayers have taken on new meaning. Their hearts have been opened and their understanding has grown. It touches me when I see Minnie, who isn't even five years old yet, finally understand what death is and feel the pain of a friend who has lost her father.  She knows how hard it is to not have a Dad around, but to think that other children lose their dads forever in this life is an understanding she is just beginning to comprehend.

  In the past 15 months, PC has been home for a mere 3 months.  That is a very long time when you are little.  But we will be blessed to have him home again soon.  We can't wait.  And while we wait, we will enjoy the beauty of God's earth. Every morning I look outside and see more flowers blooming.  This week was tough, but we had gorgeous weather every single day this week.  That is pretty unheard of in England in March!  Just one more small miracle that I have seen this past week.  His hand is in all things.  And my faith seems to grow a little more each time I recognize it.