Spring is in full bloom here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia!  Our church sanctuary is lined with many large windows that allow the worshipper to look out into the woods around us.  During worship this past Sunday morning I was looking out the windows, seeing spring erupting in many places, but also noticing that some trees had not yet come out of winter mode.  Here are some things I’ve gleaned while meditating along this line:

• Everyone does not bloom at the same time.  Some bloom early, some late.  It’s governed by the DNA and also affected by the environment where planted.
• Spring foliage draws attention to the plant and can block the view of other nearby plants and usually impairs vision at a distance. (By the way, why is it that in the winter seasons of life we often gain a bigger view of what life’s really about?)
• Hardwoods in Virginia only keep their leaves about 6 months of the year.  This means that one-half of their life is spent in apparent decline. (Oh, but there’s activity in the root zone – which  may not be green growth but it is deep growth!)

Spring is great.  I love it.  But there’s a lot more to life than spring.  I hope you all enjoy spring but also keep the bigger view of life as well.  All the greenery of spring will soon wither.  All flesh is like grass.  We were not made for time, but for eternity.   Keep your eyes on the prize of the “upward” call of God in Christ Jesus.  We will all be there much sooner than we think.