Saturday, March 20, 2021

Well, I woke up before spring officially arrives today at 5:37 AM.  That’s the time when the sun crosses the equator and the earth’s axis tilts towards the sun in the Northern Hemisphere where we are in the United States.  Our sunrise time is 7:00 AM and the lengthened day has sunset at 7:09 PM.

Google put its spring bouquet on its website at 12:01 AM, jumping the gun a bit but after the February we had, who can blame anyone for wanting spring? The snowdrops have naturalized throughout parts of the yard and the crocus are blooming in areas where they weren’t planted. No robins to be seen yet but I’m sure they’re around.

The light now at this time of morning only gives the outline of the still bare trees, but it still holds the promise of an early spring day.  The rose blends into a mauve, bluish-gray as the sunrise progresses.  Let us breathe in deeply this first lovely day of spring, cool as it is, but still with the wonder of God’s world.

Prayer for the Day

Maker and Sustainer, we thank you for the beauty of spring:           

    Alive with the smallest birds to the hawks we see in the sky.                          

Spirit of Creation, you speak to us through the beauty we see around us:

     As our earth becomes more green and sunlight beams around us

So may we reflect your care for communities near and far. 

    Hold us in your heart, loving God, as we search to do your will.

We ask this in the name of him who shows us how to search,   

    Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Thoughts for the Day

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.

                        Margaret Atwood, Canadian novelist

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love.

                        Sitting Bull, Hunkpapa Lakota leader (1831-1890)

The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.

   Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.

There is no speech, or are there words, their voice is not heard;

   Yet their voice does out throughout all the earth,

             and their words to the end of the world.

                        Psalm 19: 1-4