Month: February 2023

Reflections on an Early Spring

Posted on by Wendy
“This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

We have been blessed with some amazingly early spring weather this past week. It’s only February and it’s been sunny and in the 70’s. As southerners, we have a tendency to talk about the weather anyway. I suppose it’s in our DNA which stems from our agrarian roots. This week it seems everyone is talking about the weather. Almost everyone I know grows something, even if it’s just flowering trees in their yards or daffodil bulbs and I know lots of people who grow more extensively.

I have a friend who was lamenting about his blueberry bushes and this early spring weather. He is concerned that a cold snap will kill all of the tender buds. I have another friend who just shakes her head and acknowledges that she’s enjoying the weather, but doesn’t think for a moment it’s a good thing.

Then I talk to college students who are absolutely delighted. They are wearing shorts and enjoying every minute. They seem to give very little thought to the fact that it may not last.

As I was taking a lunch time walk and admiring all of the buds and blooms, it occurred to me that spring time is a thin season. Creation bursts into bloom and it’s difficult not to see and feel God in the world around me.

I’ve always known about thin places.

Thin places are those places like mountaintops, the ocean, or rushing waterfalls where creation is so breathtaking that you just can’t help but feel close to the God that made it all.

I never thought about thin seasons.

Yet, springtime clearly is one. It’s a season that makes me feel that God is near, continuing to delight in creating beauty simply because He can. That thought fills my soul.

This is one of those times where I’m going to learn from the younger generation. I am completely aware that it’s early this year. I am completely aware that a cold snap would be bad. Even so, I am going to choose to bask in the warmth and enjoy every moment of this season whatever it brings.

Some warm days in February reminded me that I have no idea or control over what is coming, but I worship the One who does and that is enough. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

The Power of the Word

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes God speaks in unexpected ways.

Last weekend, my son, who is away at college, came home for a visit. I hadn’t seen him since the Christmas break so I was happy to have him home. He will graduate in May and this mama is acutely aware that after graduation, he will likely be working and his visits may be few and far between. I intentionally soaked up every minute with him.

When he left on Sunday, I had a ton of housework that needed to be done, but I felt a deep nudge to rest. I have been burning the candle at both ends lately and so I heeded that call.

On Monday morning I woke up refreshed, but when I stood at my kitchen sink and began to think of all of the chores that had gone undone and what needed to be done, I began to doubt my decision. I sighed when I sat down to read my morning devotion as I saw a tiny cobweb in the corner.

But, then I read the first bit of scripture in my devotion. It was from Deuteronomy, Chapter 5. It was about Sabbath rest. I chuckled as I read verse 14 that stated “Do not do any work.”

I always stand amazed at the way God speaks through His word. Sometimes we read with heavy issues on our minds. Sometimes we go searching for answers. If we are honest, we sometimes read our Bibles to check off a box.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter why we read our Bibles, we just need to commit to reading them because it’s truly more about obedience than motivation.

The Holy Spirit gets ignited in both big and small ways when we read and study scripture. We sometimes  find answers and affirmation we didn’t even know we were seeking and sometimes, if we pay close attention, He will quietly whisper that a decision we made, even a seemingly trivial one, was a good one, which was exactly what I needed.

A Monday morning devotion reminded me that reading even the shortest of scripture passages can soothe a weary soul and remind us that God loves us enough to care about even the tiniest of details. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

His Creative Provision

Posted on by Wendy
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

On Tuesday of this week, I complained to my hubby about being bored. Don’t get me wrong, I have lots going on. This season has been particularly busy for me, but I was longing for a creative project. Normally, in January, I get motivated to paint a room or re-do a piece of furniture. But, this January came and went and I hadn’t done anything creative.

The following day, I left work early to go and purchase flowers for centerpieces at an event I was coordinating the following evening. I labored over how many bunches to purchase to split between fourteen mason jars. I finally settled on five and headed home. I put them in big plastic pitchers with water until after dinner when I could work with them.

When the dishes were done, I spread all of the jars out on my kitchen table, cut off the plastic from the stems and got to work. I had recently read a book about flower arranging and I was trying to follow the author’s advice. At first, I cut the stems too long and then l cut three big blooms too short and had to toss them. At that point, I became a little frustrated thinking I should have bought one more bunch, but a little nudge told me to just keep working.

I did and I found myself really enjoying the process as I experimented with different textures and colors in different jars. No two stems were exactly alike, even if they were the same type of flower. I marveled, as I often do, at God’s seemingly endless love of the unique.

The time passed quickly and when I looked at my watch, almost two hours had gone by. At last, I stood back and to take a look at my finished work as a whole. I smiled as I realized no two jars were alike. When I looked over and saw the flowers and fillers left in the two pitchers, I broke out into a full grin.

Of course, there had been enough. Why was I always so quick to second guess my decisions? As I reflected on that thought for a moment, my “need to do something creative” conversation with my hubby sprang to mind. At that point, I chuckled and said a prayer of thanks.

God is always at work. He is always planning for what we need well before we even know we need it. He knew way before I did what a busy season this would be for me and the One who knit me together in my mother’s womb, knew I would still need a creative outlet in this season. I’m not sure why I was surprised that He created one for me.

If we look for Him, we will find Him. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊

Daffodil Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
The days may be dark now, but spring is coming.

I am not a fan of winter. I don’t like cold weather. I typically have no energy in January and February. All I really want to do is sleep. One year, I was so winter tired, I had my thyroid checked because I knew I must have had a physical issue. My thyroid was fine. I’m just not a winter person.

Everything in nature appears dead during the winter. Add in all of the rain we tend to get and the world becomes downright dreary. I am well aware that the rain is good in the long run. I am also aware that winter is part of the seasons that God put into place from the very beginning.

Winter has a purpose even if I don’t enjoy it.

One day this week I was driving into work, running a little late and annoyed at the gray skies above. We were expecting rain for the remainder of the week.

I had been praying that God would show Himself in a way I could reflect back to others. When I arrived,  I took a different path than I normally take when I came upon a patch of daffodils. They looked so bright and cheerful against the gloom. They pointed almost defiantly to better days ahead and even though I was running late, I stopped to take a picture.

I’ll have to admit my spirit felt a little lighter as I said a prayer of thanks for the God wink.

At lunch, for the first time in days, the sun was out and it was warm and so I took a walk through campus. I was delighted to see a tree full of pink blooms standing out against all the other bare trees. As I continued on my way, I caught small glimpses here and there of the coming spring.

In some cases I had to seek them out, but each time I saw one, I felt encouraged. This dark season would not last forever.

The rain is supposed to move back in tonight and last for another couple of days. This weekend’s forecast calls for more cold weather. Winter is not done with us yet, but it won’t last forever.

In life, our winter seasons never last forever either. Even during our darkest times, there are always glimpses of hope if we dare to look hard enough for them. If we seek, we shall find.

God is always with us even when it appears that He is not. Spring will always come. A patch of daffodils reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 😊