Friday, March 20, 2015

First day of Spring with a Forecast of Snow

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I will hope in him."  Lamentations 3: 22-24 (ESV)

 I woke up this morning with the bad taste of yesterday's worries in my mouth. I'd went to bed grumpy and fearful after a long day of bad news. Sleep had been slow coming and restless rather than restful. My alarm came too early and my eyes didn't want to open. I could feel the cold just beyond the warmth of my blankets and I could hear the rain dripping on the window pane. I wanted to pull the covers over my head and be swallowed up in the sweet oblivion of sleep again. But the dog needed to go outside, Emily needed to go to school, Tony needed his lunch packed and I had a full day of work ahead of me. There would be no lingering in bed this morning.

My feet hit the ground and the negative thoughts began. Of course, nothing had been resolved overnight. These were the kind of worries that fester and brew. There was nothing to fix, no decision to be made, no amends to be offered. It was the realization that some things must be endured, bad things happen and life doesn't unfold as we planned. It was the first day of spring with a weather forecast of snow.

These are the mornings that I need to be reminded of the words in Lamentations: "[His mercies] are new every morning. Great is [his] faithfulness." God's mercies provide hope that in the midst of despair that new life is possible. I don't have to have all the answers, nor does it all have to make sense.  God's new and unending mercies wash away my old worries. Spring is here no matter the forecast. And God's faithfulness is enough for each and every day.