I knew baby ducks followed their mamas all in a line, but...baby flowers?
I took the dog and bird for a walk after work again today; it was just too perfect to go inside. I noticed this flower and its babies, all in a row, and had to run back for my camera to capture the family picture.
Did I mention it was a perfect day? Clear blue sky, just a hint of cool in the breeze. Hard to believe last night it was storming, big time - thunder, lightning, wind, buckets of rain, everything. The premium package. Spring truly has a split personality.
It surprised me that I didn't see much evidence of last night's drama...just a few ruts where the streams of water rushed down to the pond. Scars that will heal with the wind, time, and a little more rain.
It made me think of the book I've been reading on these Lenten mornings..From Gravel to Glory by a former high school classmate, Gina Burt Calvert. Gina talks about how God uses personal storms to shape us... rebuild us. Personal storms are just, in effect, growing pains.
I've heard this before, and believe it. It's like that old saying, something like "It's always darkest just before dawn." Just as the rain is essential for the wildflowers and the brilliant green of the grass, I believe those rainstorms of the soul are necessary for growth within us.
"...and we know that all things work together for good..."
There have been no big surprises for me in the book, but Gina writes in a way that helps me see things from a new perspective. She humbly and honestly shares her own struggles and insights into how God has worked in her life.
I especially liked this passage, a good stopping point today, a piece to carry with me through the day...
"It seems ministry is nothing more than reminding others, through our stories, to hold on; it is, as Henri Nouwen said, 'The profession of fools and clowns telling everyone who has ears to hear and eyes to see that life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be entered into.'"
Life's a mystery, that's for sure. And I love a good mystery. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
