Open Spaces
Vol. 21.4
April 24, 2021
April
showers bring May flowers is a phrase we have heard since our
grade school days. There are so many ways to interpret those five words. Of
course we, as children, took the phrase literally, perhaps we still do. And it,
in of itself, is accurate. Early spring rains are needed for the glory of the
season to arrive. But if I were to look deeper, I can see that those five words
are important guides for other seasons, for other situations.
I can imagine a child yearning to play outdoors. The
cold bitter days of winter are behind and warmer temperatures are coming. Yet
this child stares out the rain streaked window feeling trapped indoors, unable
to run barefoot in the greening grass, longing for the full spring to arrive.
The springtime of that child’s dreams.
For winter’s snow might have been glorious in December
and January, but by mid-February the gray days and frozen fingers had lost most
of their appeal. March came and it brought the promise of a long winter’s
ending, and April, well it excites with its promises.
Yet now this child feels trapped by...the rains of
April.
So I will remind us all of what I see as a deeper
meaning of April showers bring May
flowers. We are to be patient for grander things are coming. For each of us
have faced, and many of you are continuing to face, times of stress, times of
disappointment, times of pain. It is easy to believe that those rainy day times will never end. That the
flowers will not bloom, that the May
of our lives will never arrive.
Do not be discouraged.
Have faith that God has something better than dark
rainy April days ahead for you. Sunny times of May might seem far off but it draws
nearer with each day. Courage friends...and patience too, yet have confidence, for
it is coming.
So what has this writer been doing these April days?
There always are many things that demand my attention. The lawn for one. The
lawns I care for had become quite lush and a little too tall when I hacked them back the first time last week. I
also spent some time cleaning up the farm yard following the tree trimmers
earlier in the month. Life goes on. Now that Jackie and I are fully vaccinated
we had intended to drive south and visit Nick this April. Changes in Jackie’s
work requirements at the pharmacy have pushed those plans back a bit. How far
back remains unknown. Of course, when I can, I sit down at THIS keyboard and
tap out words strung together. The revision of the third book in the Misty
Creek Series continues. Hope to have some time to work on that project when I
finish this one. You can see I do not have to deal with boredom considering the
projects on my list.
I’m nearing 500 words on this newsletter so I will
wrap things up.
It is our hope that your April was a GREAT month, and
that you look forward to May and all the colors of spring it will bring. That
God has kept you safe and well and will continue to do so until we have the opportunity
to meet.
Take care,
God bless you and your family,
John
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