A Glimpse of Spring

     It doesn't stay cold for too long in North Texas. During January and February, we have our pockets of 20- or 30-degree temps, but they usually only last a few days. We are able to throw a few logs in the fireplace for maybe seven or eight days out of the year; most of the time it feels like you are slowly being cooked alive in the Texas heat.
     Today was a nice treat. After a week or so of cold temperatures and rain, we hit the upper 60s. It felt like spring for a few moments this afternoon. I could almost imagine kids taking to baseball fields and the grass returning to life on my front lawn. We are not out of the woods yet with "winter," but spring will be here before we know it.
     The kingdom of God is a lot like spring. We catch glimpses of it from time-to-time, enough to keep us putting one foot in front of the other during the gray days of winter.
     A powerful sermon grabs us. A friend makes us laugh or smile. A song stirs our spirit. It can happen in so many ways, but when it happens, it is like walking outside on a warm January day in North Texas.
     I am grateful for the ways that God smiles on me and lets me know He is there, active in my life and active in the world. The forecast calls for a return to the 20s starting this Sunday and I am OK with that. I am grateful for at least a glimpse of spring.