On Springtime

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

—Isaiah 61:11

In my little corner of the world, I think spring officially started on Friday night. Aaron and I walked behind Henry on his tricycle as we made our way to the park. We held hands and sat on a park bench while we watched him slide and swing and climb, and then we walked home in the soft evening light. The grass is all glowy and technicolor at that time of day, lending a sense of magic to everything. Henry and I snuggled up in the hammock while Aaron grilled, and then we sat at the patio table and ate ripe melon, strawberries, hummus, and grilled chicken. It felt just like spring.

Sometimes a change in season around us is just what we need to prod us out of our own internal winters, to shake off the dust and darkness we’ve become accustomed to. I’ve been winter-y for a long time—sick, discouraged, a little isolated. I’m turning from fear to prayer, trusting that God can create new life and beauty from anything. I’m inviting the springtime around me into my own life, hoping it takes root and begins to show signs of new life in me, even small ones.