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Scattering Shadows

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“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5.

Candlelight flickers on the ceiling, illuminating the darkness with its warmth, scattering shadows across the room. It’s peaceful and inviting, just what I need after a very full day. Sinking into the couch, I watch the light dancing across the ceiling and marvel at such a simple beauty bringing me so much solace. An unexpected gift from the Lord, I conclude with a thankful sigh.

A few days later, my phone lights up with an early evening text. Go outside, it says, with an attached photo of a rare and unexpected moment of brilliance. I step out the back door into the chilly air. Thanks to all the city lights, it’s hard to see with the naked eye but as I raise my phone camera above the dark horizon, an incredible sight appears! Northern lights dance across the sky. In all my days I’ve never seen them in that colour! Growing up on the farm, we’d set out our lawn chairs in the middle of the yard and watch a breathtaking show in shades of green and blue, but rarely pinks and yellows. Another gift, Lord!

Some recent mornings have dawned uneventfully, but a few of these late sunrises have been layered with blush, coral, lavender and periwinkle fading into the grey morning sky. I can’t help myself! I step out our busy morning routine and snap a photo or two, but they never really do it justice. Thank you Lord for Your beauty and goodness! 

This week has brought a thick blanket of snow, fresh and clean, and a short blast of true, blue winter cold is now upon us for a couple of days, ushering in the Advent season with its great anticipation of the best celebration of the year. From brown and colourless to brilliant white – a picture of a heart transformed. Come, Lord Jesus, my heart cries. We need You so deeply!

November’s gifts of light have blessed me beyond measure! They’ve been a call to slow down and sit at the feet of Jesus, resting in His presence, even just for a moment. I’ve been living a busy, distracted life, and yet, the Lord is using these ordinary moments to remind me of His goodness and grace.

My prayer in these busy years has often been, Lord, let me be interruptible. Help me to see the things that are truly important for this moment, for this day.

An impromptu board game, a necessary late night heart-to-heart, a releasing of my own plans to make room for the beautiful things right in front of me — I am finding myself increasingly dependent on the Lord for wisdom in the ordinary moments of life. And I am finding that He is faithful to provide!

What a beautiful gift of a moment to breathe before we jump into all things jolly! My prayer in this season is from Colossians 3:15-17 — 

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Such important truth to preach to our hearts words as we engage the next few weeks of preparations for our Christmas celebrations. Advent has become a beloved part of our holiday season, not because we need more traditions, but because it reminds us that of the grand story of history unfolding before us. We can step off the frantic merry-go-round of rushing around trying to accomplish our checklist in time for our perfect holiday and refocus our minds and hearts on the King of Kings who is faithful to do what He has promised. He has been patiently unfolding His plan since the dawn of time, and the vastness of this truth brings a deep sense of awe and amazement that we are included in it!

“Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born!
O night divine! O night, O night divine”

These words were penned by an avowed atheist Placide Cappeau in the mid-1800s at the request of his local parish priest. It was the first song ever played over the newly invented airwaves in 1906, with a soaring melody on an old violin, to the amazement of ship’s radio operators travelling across the sea. We sing melodies from centuries ago that bring tears to our eyes even today because they hold unchanging truth — we need Jesus!

As November becomes December, with lengthening shadows illuminated by the glow of a candle, and we are tempted to get distracted and lose the plot, disheartened by the heaviness around us, we are determined to pause to remember that the Light of the World will return to overcome the darkness forever. May our ordinary moments, our “interruptions”, the gifts of His grace, the glimmer of His light in our lives, scatter our own shadows and give us the true hope our hearts so desperately need.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)

Image: Unsplash

Make a Way

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It’s so hard to say goodbye to our carefree summer days, and this late season heatwave is not making it any easier! After weeks of temperamental and wet conditions, we’ve finally had some brilliant beach weather — just in time for our fall routine to kick in. 

Sigh.

I’ll admit, September to-do lists are bringing me down these days. With more tasks than hours in the day, and extras bubbling up that weren’t even ON the list in the first place, I feel like I’m white-knuckling it through the rapids and praying I pop up on the other side in calmer waters!

Bad timing, that’s for sure. We would have loved this weather several weeks ago when the school year preparations were far from our minds, but better late than never, they say. So we’re thankful for the time we’ve had in the past several days to enjoy the heat, and we’re thankful for the soft launch of our school year in the week ahead, with lots of time outside as we shift into formal learning mode.

Praise the Lord that HE is our strength!

These days, I begin with a four-word prayer: Lord, make a way.

He knows what needs to happen today. He knows what can wait. I can trust His wisdom and strength to lead me through the seasons that feel like they’re bursting at the seams with decisions, opportunities and activity. And I can trust that He will take care of the things that I choose to say, “not right now” to.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 comes to mind:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Amen! Let’s walk into the next season, a second new year of sorts, with a fresh faith that the Lord is making a way for the things HE has for us. His power is make perfect in weakness. We don’t have to have it all together – because He does.

Image: mine

Actual Sunshine

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Rain, rain, go away… 

It has been uncharacteristically wet this month, with more than twice the amount of rainfall than average and barely a dry day to tackle the jungle taking over the backyard. Summer heat has mostly eluded us, with at least one frost warning and images of snowfall in the higher elevations of nearby mountain parks. Day after day we’ve traded sunshine and slip-n-slides for puddle-jumping and umbrellas.

It has given way to a green countryside we don’t often get to see in July! By this time of the year our landscape is usually taking on a dull, yellow-brown hue and my plants have all but given up trying to survive bouts of heat and hail. While the rainy summer has been lovely for the imagination, local waterfowl and the veggie garden, it has been hard on the hopes we had for long stretches of hot weather full of deck-lounging, lake fun, pool pop-ins, family water fights and late picnics in beautiful places.

Until this week.

An angel chorus burst into song in my heart when the first rays of actual sunshine broke through the violet haze of dawn. And in the forecast for the first time in weeks, no threat of rain! Just summer perfection as the radiant, glorious sun dazzled against a bluebird backdrop. As if on cue, the breeze picked up slightly, just enough to keep the heat in hand and the bugs at bay.  Unexpected towers of angry marshmallow clouds bubbled up in the distance but then — poof! — dissipated into flat, thin, wispy-edged, white nothings floating steadily across the horizon.

We’ve already forgotten the chill we’ve been under and have fully embraced the heatwave. And it’s wonderful! Perhaps the rain will return, and for more days than we’d like, but for now we’re basking in the blessing of the sunshine.

I’ve been reading through the book of Psalms and it seems to me that many of the Psalms are just like the weather pattern we’ve been experiencing recently: cold misery followed by radiant joy. “How long O Lord?”, followed by “Praise the Lord O my soul!” in the very same Psalm! In the middle of the pain and sadness, honestly acknowledging the difficulty, crying out to the Lord for help and salvation and remembering His faithfulness in days past, then finding that He is faithful, bursting into shouts of praise for His goodness to His people.

Psalm 145 (NIV)

I will exalt you, my God the King;
    I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you
    and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation commends your works to another;
    they tell of your mighty acts.

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They tell of the power of your awesome works—
    and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They celebrate your abundant goodness
    and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all;
    he has compassion on all he has made.

All your works praise you, Lord;
    your faithful people extol you.

They tell of the glory of your kingdom
    and speak of your might,

so that all people may know of your mighty acts
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
    and faithful in all he does.

The Lord upholds all who fall
    and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand
    and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.

The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
    he hears their cry and saves them.

The Lord watches over all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
    Let every creature praise his holy name
    for ever and ever.

I love how the cycles of nature and seasons of the year point us right back to the goodness and faithfulness of the One who made it all! Echoes of His resurrection power ring through all creation with the sunshine after the rain, spring after winter, streams in the desert, fireweed after the wildfire. And don’t we desperately need the reminder to keep us focussed on Him in the face of unforeseen realities! Through it all, our eyes are on the Only One who truly saves, who is near to all who call on Him in truth, who watches over all who love Him.

What an incredible blessing to know that we are never alone!

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NIV)

Image: mine

Let it Be Summer

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The year goes by so fast, doesn’t it? June is done, and with it, a sense of finality. We’re still in the stage of measuring our lives in school years and summertimes, and summertime is taking centre stage right now.

My favourite tree across the street is larger than last year and all colours of beautiful blooms fill the beds and hedges around the yard. There’s a heaviness in the air this week – a humidity we don’t usually experience here – thanks to some heavy rain several days ago. Even the nights feel warm and sticky. It smells like wet earth and things growing and all the little bits of summer that we forget so quickly when the wind shifts at the end of the season.

For now though, we relish the heat of the sun and the green of the landscape and the hum of the creatures that fill our summer soundtrack. We’re ready for another kind of learning, the kind that teaches us how to live together and love each other well when there isn’t the same set routine or responsibilities of the school year to occupy our time.

It’s not that I don’t have things that need to get done in the next couple of months. There is no shortage of household projects and preparations and to-do lists, but I know that we need to make room for true rest in all its beautiful forms.

Perhaps that’s why I am a firm believer in the gift of a boring summer. Although we do maintain some expectations of household chores and sibling time throughout these wild and free summer days, I choose a slower pace for these summer vacation days. There is space in the schedule to lay down on the grass and look at the clouds. Play the entirety of a Phase 10 card game (that means all 10 phases!). To plan and execute a three-day campout in the backyard. Spontaneously get together with friends who happen to be in town for the day. Shop for and cook dinner over a fire we took the time to build. Say yes to an impromptu ice cream invite. To read aloud together. To grab the binoculars and check out that cool bird. To drive out of town for the day and explore a new place.

To just be.

I walked into two different stores this week and saw autumn-themed decorations – and immediately closed my eyes and put out my hand with a firm, “No”. Not ready for that, thank you very much. How about popsicles for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and watermelon all day long! Sprinklers and water fights and pop-ins at the pool. Epic thunderstorms with awe-inducing lightning bolts and bubbling clouds that make your heart beat just a little bit faster.

The reality of the passage of time is always pressing down on me. I see all the changes happening before my very eyes – in my own reflection in the mirror, in my kids, in our family dynamics. I’m thankful for all the moments we have together, even the ones that feel a lot more like storm clouds and thorns than sunshine and roses. Change has never been my forte, and the looming uncertainties of the future are casting their shadows on my current season of life, but I am setting my heart on the One who never changes!

Psalm 91:1-2

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Image: Stocksnap

Bearing Fruit

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A rushing wind blew through last night bringing relief to from the late spring heat. And with it, thoughts of Pentecost, and the wind of the Spirit bringing new hope for a life of transformation and change! I’ve been reading Galatians this month, and earlier this week I made it to the famous Chapter 5, such a familiar passage if you grew up memorizing Scripture.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-24 (NIV)

We’ve been looking at the Fruit of the Spirit recently at our house. Sometimes to know what something is, you need to know what it is not, and the contrast between the two lists is stark. The call in the beginning of the passage is clear — walk by the Spirit and these things will no longer be attractive to you! We are called not to do whatever we want, but to live the way Christ has called us to live!

It’s a tall order, but the good news is that it’s the fruit of the Spirit. That means the Spirit is bearing fruit in our lives. His work in our hearts that makes transformation possible! As we yield to Him, we discover new capacities and desires growing in us, leading us away from the first list and toward the second. 

Do not be discouraged! We live by the Spirit, so let’s keep in step with the Spirit! Actively seek opportunities to live out the love of God, with joy and peace. Choose forbearance. Act in kindness and goodness. Be faithful and gentle. And use self-control. Cover all in prayer!

Lord, these things can seem so impossibly difficult to choose in the heat of conflict or temptation! Give us the wisdom to see the clear choices before us, the courage to trust that You will fill all our needs and bring Your justice to every situation, and that You truly are at work in our lives. We thank You for Your grace and mercy when we fail, and we pray that Your Kingdom come and Your will be done here in our lives as it is in heaven. Amen.

Image: Stocksnap

In the Waiting

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Not done yet, I guess.

We were walloped with several centimetres of snow overnight, but the warm spring sunshine is making quick work of the melting process as tiny rivers have begun to appear along the street outside.

For some reason, it’s always a bit of a surprise when the snow comes outside the months of November, December, January or February. We have this idea that March is kinda spring and April is definitely spring, and May, well that’s practically summer, but the truth is that we will likely see snow in each of those months, whether we want to or not.

By now, though, we’re pretty tired of it. We don’t want to shovel and scrape, bundle and trudge, slip and slide our way to our destination. We want to be free of the cumbersome barriers of adding extra time to travel on slick and messy roads, cleaning up melted slush at the front door, and tripping over winter boots and jackets.

It’s getting old. 

And yet, we need it so desperately— this “poor man’s fertilizer”, this moisture that brings life to the parched ground and awakens the places that have been asleep for months. The sun sparkles on the spring runoff and blades of brown grass begin to appear as the heat of the late-day sunshine eats away at the layer of white. In just a few hours, the sun will go down and the sounds of the melt will cease, but in the meantime, we welcome two seasons in one day, thankful that spring snow doesn’t stick around for too long.

So many times we find ourselves in a place of waiting, wondering if we will ever see the warmth of spring or a season of growth in a particular area of life. We feel like we deserve a favourable turn of events, a smoothing over of difficult situations, a situation with all the ends neatly tied up — or at the very least, a hint toward it.

But all we seem to get is more spring snow, at least for now. 

Lord, as we wait upon You and look toward the hope that Easter brings, may we not waste these moments that threaten to overwhelm us. May we put our hope in the truth that You are with us no matter the season — and that You will bring new life again!

Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV)

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

    and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.

Image: Stocksnap

The Last of the Year

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The waiting and longing of Advent has given way to Christmas. With the lighting of every new candle, the anticipation grew. Excitement filled our hearts for the night when we would finally celebrate the coming of a Saviour who changed everything, and will one day change everything again! We have not rushed through this season as if it’s a series of events to be endured, rather we’ve embraced it as a loud, lingering celebration of the only One who can truly heal our hearts!

We would be fools to pretend that things are not complicated, even and especially during the holidays. Sorrow and grief. Conflict and frustration. Strained and broken relationships, realities that we almost cannot comprehend, the sinister coldness of apathy gripping our hearts. There are those who are not with us this year, and we feel the gap acutely.

Jesus, be near!

In our home, the tree lights still glow as carols softly fill the living room. The halls are still decked as we gather around the table filled with once-a-year treats. Snow is finally falling and the north wind is rushing down from its Arctic home, bringing the conditions we’ve been waiting for to enjoy sledding, skating and warming fires.

Tonight, in these last moments of the year, we’ll reflect on God’s goodness and grace in these past twelve months, marking those moments as evidence that He is faithful and holding them as beacons to remind us that He is able to carry us through the year to come. May this be a time of growth into a deeper understanding of the Lord, and the transformation power that comes from yielding to His work in our lives.

A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition

Father in heaven,

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. 

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, 

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

-John Wesley

Happy New Year, friends. May the Lord’s presence surround you.

Image: mine

Remember Again

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Sunsets on the beach. Ice cream cones. Milestone celebrations. Long drives, late nights, lazy mornings, laughs with friends and family, moments of rest in beautiful places… this summer has been filled with so many gifts to our family. After a particularly difficult year navigating the channels of grief, we have felt the warmth of God’s mercies in so many places. 

My mom calls them “bouquets from the Lord” — things throughout the course of the day that draw your attention to God’s goodness and care for you and yours. Coincidences that, in hindsight, seem to be more than just happenstance.

I need to take the time to remember, because I can be a forgetful person. It’s a human thing, I guess. A stormy season can erase memories with monstrous waves that threaten to wash us out to sea. We become fearful that God really isn’t who He says He is, and we forget the things He has done in the past.

“Don’t you care if we drown?”

Our hearts begin to echo the disciples’ question of Jesus in Mark 4:38. In the moment of our peril, we cry out to Him and wonder if He sees, knows, cares. But more than that, can He really save?

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” 

(Mark 4:39-40 NIV)

Yes, He can save. And yes, He does. Time and time again, I pray that He would help me remember the end of this story. The One who commands the winds and the waves does the same in me, and I don’t have to look too far to see Him working in and through my life. What a bouquet from the Lord! He is worthy of our praise! And He is full of mercy, caring for us in all seasons.

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.

(Psalm 77:11-12)

Image: Stocksnap

Always Learning

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The rhythms of the year are more and more precious to me with each passing season. Birdsong floats over a carpet of green, buds appear on otherwise barren branches and tender shoots poke up through the earth. The sun plays hide and seek with layers of clouds, peeking its head out now and then to cast shadows.

Spring snow brings moisture, although we would rather it fall as rain, but we are well-acquainted with the changeable nature of the season. Even so, the first lines of Psalm 24 echo in my mind… 

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it…”

Time drifts along, rearranging the space in my life to suit the season I am in. I am the first to tell my friends that “life is seasons” when the waves of change roll. I’m telling them, but in reality, I’m preaching to my own heart.

I’ve never liked endings, even necessary ones. Even though I know how it will go, I can’t help myself. I’ve shed tears over the break-up of the Beatles, the final minutes of Return of the King, the closing pages of Pride and Prejudice and Anne of Green Gables. I always wish for just one more song or scene. My 9 year old appears to have inherited that trait. The other day she said to me, “Sometimes I don’t finish books because I don’t want them to end.”

Oh honey, I feel that deep in my bones. I don’t want this season to end so I hold on with an iron grip and refuse to open my white-knuckled fingers for fear not that I will drop something but that I myself will be dropped. Is it trust that I am forgetting? I know the One who holds it all together. Can I not trust that He will sustain? That He is enough?

In holding on so tight, I’m trying to hold back the sands of time grain by grain.

Impossible task.

Every time we reach a new stage, a new milestone, a new season, a piece of my heart goes with them. It’s just another version of the same lesson we begin to learn the moment they take their first breath.

Yet, in my heart I hear the gentle whisper, reminding me of the One who is always good.

“Let them go. Let them experience and learn and grow and discover the very good God that you know. The God who sustains, rescues, forgives, saves and love so deeply. The God who is with us, and will be long after you’re gone.”

Oh Lord have mercy on this mama who is always learning to let go! Give me the grace to keep moving through these ages and stages, knowing that You are good and Your love endures forever, and that Your faithfulness continues through all generations.

Help me to trust them, but most of all, to trust You with them, Lord.

Image: Stocksnap

Not So Fast

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Grey skies and gusty winds. 

Something chilly this way comes. 

We had a taste of spring last week. The sun soaked up all the snow on the front lawn and the grass peeked out. I spied the irises poking up from underneath last year’s batch and excited birdsong filled the neighbourhood. All has gone back to sleep now. A fresh dusting of grainy snow has come, with a wicked windchill to boot.

February is reminding us that winter isn’t quite finished. We need the moisture desperately so I have vowed not to complain about any of the snow from now until June, even though I’m sure a late May snowstorm isn’t anyone’s idea of great fun. Living in the shadow of the mountains, we can get snow in just about any month of the year.

This is the hard part, though. We’ve had our winter fun with skating, tobogganing, hot chocolate, puzzles, board games and movies and we’re ready to seed our veggies, watch for the first leaf bud and listen for our favourite winged migrants to fill the neighbourhood with song.

Not so fast, says late February. Time for the shoulder season. 

The freeze-melt-freeze-melt-freeze-melt cycle of late winter. Warm days mean cloud arches that block the sun’s rays and the sweet smell of fresh mud, and cold days mean cloudy skies that threaten more flakes and thin, nearly-invisible layers of ice in unexpected places. We know could be in a days-long, bone-chilling, teeth-chattering, finger-numbing polar vortex climbing the walls with cabin fever, so instead of complaining, we choose embrace this shoulder season and make the most of each day, whatever it brings — be it sun or cloud, mud or ice, or both in the same day.

It’s coming at the right time. The tension of the now and the not-yet and the longing for the warmth of spring reflects the nature of the Christian season leading up to Easter, as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the promise of new life in Jesus. We sense the change in the natural world, but it feels too slow for us. We want the warmth of April at the end of February, and it is never to be. We may catch a glimpse as the sun returns, but the journey has its own pace and it will not be rushed.

The journey has its own pace, and it will not be rushed.

 I need to hear that again and again heading into the month of March. We know that the snow will return many times before late spring, so we embrace the pace of the natural world, learning to wait patiently for warm breath to draw life from the soil and hope from our winter-weary hearts. In the meantime we persevere, praising the Lord for the pleasant days and praying for patience on the tough ones.

Even here in the shoulder season the echoes of the Incarnation are heard throughout our lives: Emmanuel, God with us. When we’re not quite where we want to be, or where we hope to be, we rest in the knowledge that we are not alone.

Spring always returns.

For this God is our God for ever and ever;
    he will be our guide even to the end.
(Psalm 48:14)

(Image: mine)