I got up the other morning and outside my window I saw this little critter popping up in the middle of my snow laden backyard. He lounged on his belly, looking toward the sunrise and seemed to enjoy his new vantage point. All looked quiet but the emergence of my little friend (I’ve named him Max), makes me realize there is a lot going on below the surface. I can just imagine the intricate tunnel town going on in Max’s world.
In my world, the New England winter has knocked the stuffing out of me. It isn’t often that we get both bitter cold and record snowfalls. This year we got a good dousing of both. Massive snow piles encroach on my driveway. Temperatures of below zero with a wind chill blast each time I step outside. Three feet of heavy snow covers my roof. I was starting to get a little nervous as daily reports of roofs collapsing in nearby towns until John fashioned a roof rake and pulled some of the snow down.
Yes, I am ready for spring!
What seems like bleak, dark and frozen is ready to burst forth with new life. Max’s city in the snow, birds trying out their voices during a warm tease, hickories beginning to blush their first buds of spring….oh, something to hope for. Bring on the sun. I’ve been living in the gray since November. I will dig my way to the surface to find the pregnant sunrise, just like Max.
Sometimes life is like the dark winter. Everything seems hidden, frozen and lifeless; a winter of the soul. But the hope of spring isn’t far off. I just need to dig my way toward the Sonrise. There I will find hope. In the Son I find life. In Him I find the hidden beauty, a message of hope in winter. If I am willing, He will open my eyes to see it. He peels away the darkness and awakens my ears to the song of spring. He woos me to new life and new purpose, one He has been quietly orchestrating under the surface.
So, if winter has its hold, keep on hoping. Keep on believing. His work on our behalf, though it often seems hidden and silent, continues day and night. He will bring the spring to your soul and a sunrise to your heart. Hope awaits: New life and new beginnings as you believe and trust in Him.
What signs of spring are giving you hope?
Believing,
Jeanne (and Max)
