Be a crocus.
Feel yourself breaking free of the earth to
bask in the bright early Spring sun.
Sounds like a cheap acting class doesn't it? Be a tree, sway in the wind, reach for the sky....LOL
But take a look at the little crocuses. Cheerfully, at the very earliest point possible, they bloom in their various colors of pink, blue, purple, white, and yellow, accompanied by the songs of the soonest birds. They are prompted when the ground barely begins to warm, bringing color and promise to the bleak grey end of winter.

Proudly they grow, though small, one of the sure signs that winter is ending. Imagine their surprise when the snow comes, sometimes before some of them have blossomed even to their full potential. Do they close up or recede back into the ground, to grow again another day? No! They stand proudly, fully open, capped in snow and braving the cold.

Occasionally the snow falls so heavy that the sweet little flowers are completely buried, but if you removed the snow, you would see them standing firm. They knew coming up that the weather was not yet on their side. Around here, when the crocuses bloom, it means only 3 more snows until Spring, so this is to be expected. Besides, if they retreat now, they may miss the glory of Spring in full bloom.

Such is life with us. Often, after a winter in our hearts, things begin to get bright and promising. We find direction with the Lord, eager to do His will and give Him praise. We are filled with the promise of a new and better life. We become a symbol of what hope and faith can bring. We shine, we share, we reach for others. Then, without warning, something happens to bury us once again in "snow". We pull ourselves back in, convinced that our "Spring" is not coming. Some even sure that perhaps God has made a mistake chosing them, or perhaps even given up on them. We close ourselves up to others and God, afraid to face the cold and wind. Sometimes so much so, that it takes many seasons to coax us back out again.

The snow will come my friends. The frost ain't over, and the cold winds will blow. What we need to do is remain a symbol of what hope and faith can bring. We need to remember that the Lord holds us in the warmth of His hands always. He has promised us Spring, and now we must stand strong in this new life and wait for it to bloom in full force. Hey, look around. You're gonna see a whole garden full of crocuses. Stand together with them and draw strength from each other. Continue to praise the Lord and listen for His will. Keep your hearts open and flowered heads up and alert.
You're not gonna want to miss what happens next.

Cheri' Carlson

 

 

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