Well, my friends! Spring is here! I was about to say, "is coming," but all the Bradford Pear trees here are in full bloom, and the Saucer Magnolia trees are blooming, too. Add to that, it's March, so in my mind, Spring is here!
It's so warm today. The sunlight hurts my eyes if I let it into my room too strongly. I think that says something about my indoorsy tendency. Well, no matter. I went tromping all in the woods behind my house yesterday, and enjoyed it immensly.
I'm afraid I can't write as Nice a tribute to Spring as well as I did for Winter. Well, I'll try to make it Nice if I can.
The main holiday in Springtime is Easter, of course. So if you're in a church choir, like me, then mid-January you're already rehearsing songs for Easter or Good Friday. I came home in February, so I'm rather behind on all my music, but I am eagerly anticipating performing them all.
When I was younger, our family would visit our Dad's mother for Easter weekend. She moved in with us a few years ago, so we don't do that anymore. Every Spring brings back memories of those days. She lived in a small town in a house that had lots of yard space. I remember Daddy and my brother throwing a football around in the yard for hours. Daddy taught all of us girls how to throw and catch a Foxtail. I was fairly good at it myself. But what I remember most is wandering around in the yard with my siblings on those long afternoons. Sometimes we'd all play together and sometimes we'd each wander around quietly. A train track ran across from the house, and whenever we heard a whistle, we'd come tearing around to the front to count the engines.
It's such an amazing thing. When children play, they have no concept of time. Time is their friend in the play-world. You can fast forward time or rewind to fix something you'd done earlier. And in a child's real world, time is real enough, but time doesn't dominate their universe. The grownups are always telling you it's time to do something else, and you have to go along with it, but they are always sure of "next time." Well, today we couldn't finish sinking that treasure ship before supper, but we'll do it tomorrow. What I remember about those days at Grandmommy's house were the long afternoons that felt like eternity. I recall the golden sunshine, the waving shadows from the enormous tree in the yard, the deep green grass, the blue sky, and the immense tranquility over everything. Time was not.
Now that I'm older, I don't get that sensation very often. I suppose I feel it most in Spring and Summer. And usually it happens when I'm remembering my childhood.
Each season is much the same as the last year it was here, but it never fails to be brand-new to me every time it comes. The fragrance of the hyacinths, the budding and blooming of the trees, the return of color and sunshine never fail to transport me with their familiar novelty. Of course we don't really know what Heaven and the New Earth will be like, but I'm convinced it will be a world where Familiarity and Novelty are reconciled at last. Where Adventure and Freedom lives with Familiarity and Comfort. And, of course, a world where time is no more.
Each season promises me something that it never fully delivers on. Springtime promises me undying youth. Something in the smells and feel of Springtime makes me feel that I'll be young forever. Of course, looking at it from a normal perspective I shouldn't believe it. If I live long enough in this world, I will grow old and eventually die. Of course a few scents on the wind can't stop that from happening, but Scripture does say that God has "placed eternity into men's hearts." It makes us think about and long for eternal life in a perfect world where time is not. I think it's part of God's general grace to men. To me it does more than stir up longing. It transports me with joy because I know that I'm headed to a place where all that will come true.
I wonder, can any Christian grow old on the inside if they are still rejoicing in their Salvation? Yeah, life is sick sometimes, but this isn't all there is! The reason we are not content in this world is because our Heavenly Father won't let us be! He loves us too much to let us be content with the World and its toys. He wants to give us the very best--Himself--and he won't let us dig our roots in too deep or invest all our treasure here.
One song to leave you guys with. I love ThePianoGuys! This song, "All of Me," is pure joy! Enjoy!
Take heart, fellow travelers! And let Spring remind you of the New Eden that is coming to us!
~Cadenza
It's so warm today. The sunlight hurts my eyes if I let it into my room too strongly. I think that says something about my indoorsy tendency. Well, no matter. I went tromping all in the woods behind my house yesterday, and enjoyed it immensly.
I'm afraid I can't write as Nice a tribute to Spring as well as I did for Winter. Well, I'll try to make it Nice if I can.
The main holiday in Springtime is Easter, of course. So if you're in a church choir, like me, then mid-January you're already rehearsing songs for Easter or Good Friday. I came home in February, so I'm rather behind on all my music, but I am eagerly anticipating performing them all.
When I was younger, our family would visit our Dad's mother for Easter weekend. She moved in with us a few years ago, so we don't do that anymore. Every Spring brings back memories of those days. She lived in a small town in a house that had lots of yard space. I remember Daddy and my brother throwing a football around in the yard for hours. Daddy taught all of us girls how to throw and catch a Foxtail. I was fairly good at it myself. But what I remember most is wandering around in the yard with my siblings on those long afternoons. Sometimes we'd all play together and sometimes we'd each wander around quietly. A train track ran across from the house, and whenever we heard a whistle, we'd come tearing around to the front to count the engines.
It's such an amazing thing. When children play, they have no concept of time. Time is their friend in the play-world. You can fast forward time or rewind to fix something you'd done earlier. And in a child's real world, time is real enough, but time doesn't dominate their universe. The grownups are always telling you it's time to do something else, and you have to go along with it, but they are always sure of "next time." Well, today we couldn't finish sinking that treasure ship before supper, but we'll do it tomorrow. What I remember about those days at Grandmommy's house were the long afternoons that felt like eternity. I recall the golden sunshine, the waving shadows from the enormous tree in the yard, the deep green grass, the blue sky, and the immense tranquility over everything. Time was not.
Now that I'm older, I don't get that sensation very often. I suppose I feel it most in Spring and Summer. And usually it happens when I'm remembering my childhood.
Each season is much the same as the last year it was here, but it never fails to be brand-new to me every time it comes. The fragrance of the hyacinths, the budding and blooming of the trees, the return of color and sunshine never fail to transport me with their familiar novelty. Of course we don't really know what Heaven and the New Earth will be like, but I'm convinced it will be a world where Familiarity and Novelty are reconciled at last. Where Adventure and Freedom lives with Familiarity and Comfort. And, of course, a world where time is no more.
Each season promises me something that it never fully delivers on. Springtime promises me undying youth. Something in the smells and feel of Springtime makes me feel that I'll be young forever. Of course, looking at it from a normal perspective I shouldn't believe it. If I live long enough in this world, I will grow old and eventually die. Of course a few scents on the wind can't stop that from happening, but Scripture does say that God has "placed eternity into men's hearts." It makes us think about and long for eternal life in a perfect world where time is not. I think it's part of God's general grace to men. To me it does more than stir up longing. It transports me with joy because I know that I'm headed to a place where all that will come true.
I wonder, can any Christian grow old on the inside if they are still rejoicing in their Salvation? Yeah, life is sick sometimes, but this isn't all there is! The reason we are not content in this world is because our Heavenly Father won't let us be! He loves us too much to let us be content with the World and its toys. He wants to give us the very best--Himself--and he won't let us dig our roots in too deep or invest all our treasure here.
One song to leave you guys with. I love ThePianoGuys! This song, "All of Me," is pure joy! Enjoy!
Take heart, fellow travelers! And let Spring remind you of the New Eden that is coming to us!
~Cadenza
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