Day 382 | Monday, 5 April 2021

Day 382 - Audio Version

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Day 382 | Monday, 5 April 2021

 Spring

“Listen to the call of the birds,
 Hear them greet the morning,
 Singing songs of praise.
 Feel the warmth of the sun,
 The blessings of a loving God,
 The gift of life.
 Sense the wonder of springtime,
 Everything coming alive
 All around us and within us.
 God is still creating,
 And our voices are lifted in praise.”

 I’ve been thinking about spring seasons of my childhood.  Remember the phrase “April showers bring May flowers”.  And back then, it was true.  The spring flowers would come the end of April and early May.  Did any of you participate in May Day?  I remember creating a paper vase with a handle, picking some daffodils then going to my grandparents and hanging the vase with daffodils on their front doorknob on May day.  Then I would go on to some of my elderly neighbors and repeat the process.  This year our daffodils blossomed in March along with our hyacinths and crocus.  With climate change, it appears that spring is a month earlier than it used to be years ago.

 Easter was early this year and I admit that I was happy to see spring flowers in full bloom for Easter.  Easter is a time of rebirth and new birth.  In our geographical area, we watch the earth come back to life after the winter season.  Spring flowers grow and blossom.  The lawns begin to green, and trees begin to bud.  We watch for the return of certain species of birds and waterfowl.  When there is sunshine, we feel that it is warmer than previous months.  As with Easter, we rejoice in the rebirth of our world.

 Yesterday was Easter.  In a way, it was a new birth in that we were able to worship in our houses of worship along with others.  Last year all houses of worship were not open on Easter.  It has been a long year of adjusting to different lifestyles and different ways of living in a pandemic world.  Vaccinations are giving us new life as we look forward especially to being with family members in the near future whom we have not seen for a very long time.

 Spring
“The earth awakens to new life, O God, and we come forth with hope and new energy. As the flowers break through the soil, we break through our own shells into new life.

Call us into your newness. Renew us with your freshness. Open us to your beauty. Make us be vessels of your beauty for others, we pray. Thanks be to you for the blessing of springtime, for the blessing of all that is new! Amen.”
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 Today:  celebrate renewal!