Why am I always surprised?

Spring is taking hold here in the south land. My friend in Minnesota has had snow for the past two days. We are not just in two separate time zones, we are now living in two different seasons!

I could never live in a place without all four seasons. (I guess I could, but my soul would suffer considerably.) Today, the earth is bursting from its winter tomb, as it does every year. Yet, I never cease to be surprised when I wake one morning to crocus and daffodil. In Virginia spring is more glorious than you can imagine. There are flowering trees that bloom in different colors. The Cherry Blossoms, well-known in the DC region, are soft and pink. The Branford Pear trees have snow-white blossoms. But my very favorite is the Redbud tree. It's purple! Truly. Virginia has purple trees. Isn't that just magnificent?

As the bright, soft green moss covers the soil, and the dandelions dare to blossom in the grass, I wonder at GOD's brilliance. Death begets life. The Paschal Mystery itself is sewn into the pattern of creation. Perhaps, after a lifetime of springs, we accept the ultimate reality of life. "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. (John 12)."

Blessings and love to you all...

- Sister Vicki