The Time of the Singing of Birds is Come

Spring is coming! 

Maylou Holladay

I absolutely loved the snow, but it is pleasant now to see the “greening” of the landscape around our house and city. Bright yellow daffodils and purple crocuses are stretching up through green leaves. Even a few blooms have popped out on our cherry tree. Fat robins are hopping around our yard, listening to my attempt to converse with them with my tweets.

God is “doing it again.” He reminds us of the glorious (one of my favorite words) creation He has made for our use and delight. Wake up! Be alert to His goodness. The eternal, powerful God… our loving Heavenly Father… has given so much to us to enjoy. Lift your “sacrifice of praise” to Him with thanksgiving this spring.

One of my favorite excerpts from Confessions of Four Friends (Zondervan) is this one by Gloria Gaither. Let’s not miss the “food for our souls” God gives us through His beautiful world.

WE’VE BEEN DRIVING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, LORD

Gloria Gaither

We’ve been driving through the mountains, Lord,

Winding our way in an air-conditioned car up the narrow road.

Cutting through the towering oaks and maples, pines and tulip trees,

The mountain laurel and sassafras sprouts are at eye level as we drive along.

And I know the fragrance is heavenly, mixed with the musky smells of mosses and rich earth.

Why was I so timid then, Lord, when I suggested we roll down all the windows?

Why was I so easily silenced when someone said

The wind would mess up our hair?

Now, I know we will return to the flat plains with our hair intact, but not our spirits.

The mountain trails were beautiful to behold,

But You gave us at least five senses as avenues

To transport food to our souls,

And we settled for using only sight.

We could have filled our nostrils with fresh mountain air

Fragrant with a hundred rare perfumes.

We could have heard the leathery rhythm band of colliding oak leaves

Accompanying the song of a thousand birds.

We could have felt the wind in our hair, caressing our faces.

We could have stopped and touched the shagbark hickories and the smooth beeches.

We could have pulled up a small sassafras seedling and

Nibbled on a sliver of root.

We could have peeked under tulip leaf to find

The lovely yellow and orange blossoms so rare to huge trees.

We might have stopped at one of the pull-off places and leaned over a cliff to see

The valley below and behold vistas that would have taken our breath away.

But at least, Lord, we didn’t sweat and our hair didn’t get messed up.