Today was beautiful -- it really couldn't have been better. Whenever we get a day like this I dream of moving someplace where the weather is like this all the time. There are two problems with this idea. The first is that if such a place exists at all it is probably in California, and I'm just not a California type of gal. But the other reason is a little harder to explain. I have a sneaking suspicion that if the weather were nice all the time I would lose the joy of the contrast.
Even though it was an easy Winter, it was still a long one, and I was sick of it, and really ready for Spring. So every time I noticed a concrete sign of Spring, my heart lifted, and I was reminded of the goodness of our Creator. The most ordinary places suddenly turned into spots of joy. And each sighting has been catalogued in my mind.
The first crocus of the year was spotted in Long Island City. I had dragged a co-worker around the block, at lunchtime, and he was disconcerted to find me enthusing over this little purple flower. Normally Long Island City looks pretty gray and grubby, but the creative power of God was not deterred. The first blossoming tree showed up during lunchtime one day, while I was eating lunch in the cafeteria. I ran over to the huge windows showcasing the trees, and felt that Spring was really coming. Wow, God visited the cafeteria (who would have thought it? Maybe He can do something about the food). The forsythia bloomed one day when I was getting in my car in the parking lot.
The first azalea showed its face in a tiny park when I was walking from the train to work. When I say tiny you are probably imagining something the size of a large backyard. This park is about half the size of my bedroom, with a few scruffy little bushes. What a surprise to see pink flowers on those dead looking twigs. The resurrection power of God, at work in this pathetic little park.
And yesterday was notable because I was too hot. I knew that the weather report said it would be in the high 70s, but I didn't quite believe it, so I went for a walk wearing jeans and a turtleneck. I walked the length of Hempstead Lake State Park, and was so happy to be too hot, because it is a sign that SPRING IS HERE. Yaaaaaay God!
I wrote all of that last week. Today is gray and rainy, and my windshield wipers left big streaks because they were all clogged up with those frilly little green things that fall from the maple trees. But that made my heart sing, too, because every time I see that yellow-green maple pollen dust, I'm reminded that God has healed some of my allergies this year. The pollen count is worse than usual (11.4 on a scale of 12), and people all over are complaining, and yet I'm a lot better than usual. I still seem to be allergic to cats and dust, but the maple trees aren't really bothering me. This is a far cry from the years when my face would swell up until I just had little pig eyes. So now, even streaky windshield wipers remind me to thank God!
1 comment:
Being from California myself, I still react to sunny days by attempting to put on shorts. I did that yesterday, and my wife was horrified-- "It's 48 degrees!"
Well, you can take the boy out of CA, but you can't take the CA out of the boy. I wouldn't move back there though. Too many New Yorkers.
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