Praise be to you, Lord, for your gracious, good and faithful heart, which is seen in your bringing Spring each year.

We see this now as life is slowly creeping back into the greyness of winter’s coat: the fresh green of newly sprouting grass; the red sheen of leaf buds on the trees, the bright yellow of forsythia and daffodils punctuating the country side. Those daffodils are especially encouraging, as they lift their laughing little faces to the sun, exuberantly bright, standing tall in the breezes, trumpeting out their challenge to the rest of nature to awaken.

The birds have also announced the arrival of Spring. Ducks and geese are on the pond. Red winged black birds, perching on cattails, chide me as I walk by. Grackles in their glossy feathers, join the winter birds at the bird feeder and robins bob about on the lawn, listening for worms.

The breezes are still chill, but in sheltered spots the warmth of the sun gives hints of summer’s coming power to call forth growth, gardens and harvests.

Spring, clothed in green, red and yellow, delivers God’s message to us: He is faithful, He has a plan and we can trust Him to bring it to pass, no matter how harsh the winter has been, we can trust Him and say in faith, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6).