February Stirrings.

The rain and the snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.   Isaiah 55:10

This is a cold, snowy morning, but the sun has come out and the birds are very busy at the feeders as they try to eat enough to keep their feathery bodies warm.  Nothing else seems to be stirring and so it’s easy to believe that winter is here to stay. Forever February. But the cardinals, hard-wired to read the shifting seasons, know better and so do we. God’s plan for rebirth and awakening is already in process. Trees aren’t sleeping, they’re putting all their effort into nourishing the bundles of buds that will be spring leaves. Maybe, deep down beneath the frozen crust, the crocus and daffodil bulbs are starting to stir as well, hoping with the rest of us that winter will soon begin to loosen its grip. But this time of year, the progress seems so slow and, unless we have x-ray vision, it’s not something we can see. All the work is happening deep inside – just as it is with our souls. So, when February tries to turn us into doubters, we need to ramp up our faith quotient remembering that God is never NOT present in the rhythms of the cosmos and of our lives. It’s all unfolding according to Divine plan – blessing upon blessing. 

Francie Winslow