Spring Prelude by Dena Wilkinson

The Conductor lifts His hands
And lightning blazes in the darkness.
Anticipation shivers with electricity—
The opera is ready to begin.
A shout of thunder fills the silence of the night;
The voice of the Performer is unmistakable.
His power resonates,
Permeating an invisible moon
While creating a tympanic disturbance.
Cacophonous chords crescendo
Reaching climactic proportions.
Spellbound, immense trees gaze upward
Their limbs outstretched in acclamation.

And then…silence.

But in the distance
Woodwinds whisper in soft harmony,
"Winter is dead, winter is dead."
As their symphony fades into dark obscurity,
Spring humbly bows to a thunderous ovation.

First Day of Spring by Susan Shull

Today was the first day of spring for me. Never mind the date on the calendar—March 12. Never mind the forecast for Friday—cold temps once again. For me spring started today.
The sun shone brightly filling my classroom and my heart with new light. The air was crisp, but carried with it the breathe-deep-and-fill-your-lungs promise of warmer temperatures, daffodils, and green grass. Gone was the blah, blah, blah atmosphere at school. The kids entered the building with smiles on their faces and new excitement for the possibilities that always accompany 4th quarter—the best of the year with 8th graders. They really do some serious bonding as they realize that they will soon be in high school and may never be in class again with those they have spent the last 8 years loving/hating. It is fun to watch.

After school, Alivia and I took a trip to the park to enjoy the sunshine. Faith was with her mommy and daddy so it was just the two of us this time. We roamed from one end of the playground to another swinging, sliding, teeter-tottering—even playing in the sandbox, until we found something inconveniently left by a neighborhood cat. Gross! There is something very special about walking hand in hand with an innocently curious little granddaughter skipping along by my side. What a blessing!

I am so grateful that God created seasons as a visible yearly testament of his love for us. I imagine just as I enjoy watching a granddaughter delighting in the world around her, God probably gets a kick out of watching his “kids” enjoying what he has made for us. So as of today, it is out with the gray days of winter and in with the promise of hope and new life that a new spring brings!