Every year the first warm days of
spring find me out in my yard, nudging aside dirt clods and brown leaves with the toe
of my shoe, bending down to closely inspect what might be underneath. As intent as a child hunting for Easter eggs, I’m searching for bits of green. And when I discover that
first new sprig—either sprouting from a branch or poking its pointy nose through
the dirt—I’m as thrilled as the kid who finds the prize egg.
This week my friend Sonia wrote on her blog
she considers spring the prettiest season in Oklahoma, and she posted some
fairly convincing pics to support her claim. But I don’t agree. For me, autumn
is the most beautiful season in this state. However, even with its buff-colored
grass, mercurial temperatures, and threats of violent weather, spring is my favorite season. And although I’ve
now seen quite a few springs, I still get excited about another one’s arrival. After
being stuck inside the house and stuffed inside heavy sweaters and coats all
winter, I can’t wait to get outdoors—to fill my lungs with fresh air, to expose
my bare arms and legs to the sun’s gentle rays (using sunscreen, of course), to
dig my fingers into the cool, fertile soil. All my senses are whetted by the
sights, the smells, the sounds. By mid-summer the early morning drone of
a lawnmower will annoy me, but right now the sound is as inspiring as my favorite hymn.
It informs me my neighbor is scalping his lawn and soon the dried turf
covering all our yards will be transformed into lush, green carpets.
As the famous verse in Ecclesiastes
proclaims, “there is a season for every activity” (3:1). Fall brings relief and refreshment, winter
rest and restoration, and summer...well, in Oklahoma I’m not really sure what
summer brings other than misery. Just kidding. Summer brings relaxation, recreation, and red, juicy tomatoes! But spring brings renewal. It assures us that regardless of whatever
season we might be experiencing in our personal lives, God is in control and
there is hope. Spring reminds us God loves us enough to “make everything
beautiful in its own time” (3:11). And the triumph of a delicate bud bursting
forth from a dry and brittle twig tells us that God, in His abundant mercy, hasn’t given up on mankind—that
He continues to offer new beginnings.
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| Life renewed...the message of spring |
What about you? Does spring put you
in the mood to celebrate, to “wax poetic”? What is your favorite season?
