Let Heaven and Nature Sing

Last night when we came out of our Growth Group meeting it was trying to rain. The air was filled with the wonderful fragrance of rain hitting the semi-dusty earth. It was heavenly. The birds were singing, and the deer were running about like rabbits. This morning the geese are flying over our house and making quite a ruckus as they fly in to land on the nearby pond. Yesterday morning there was quite a sight as I looked over the pond. A goose was perched on the rooftop of a building. It looked like a statue as it stood proudly at the peak probably contemplating its next move.

Iowa is experiencing one of the most mixed up springs ever. Today and tomorrow are to be in the 70s, then Saturday and Sunday may bring snow, again. Just like last weekend. God is in control, while the rest of the world wobbles around in near chaos.

With the two days of beautiful weather I plan to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, do some spring clean-up in the yard, and just plain enjoy being outside. I want to see the signs of life returning to my perennials and I'll be saddened if something died. If nothing else, I will walk around the neighborhood looking for tulips, daffodils or forsythia, wishing I had planted bulbs last fall.

My heart sings: "Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and heaven and nature sing." (Isaac Watts, 1719).

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth," (Psalm 96:11-13a NIV).

What a blessing spring is to the tired, dreary soul of winter - even when it refuses to leave, we know spring will come and stay, one of these days.

May you count your blessings today and be filled with joy as "Heaven and nature sing!" Amen.