Spring has sprung

I think we can finally breathe a sigh of relief and say that spring has arrived for at least most of the Pacific Northwest. Two weeks ago we were seeing sporadic snow showers, but Saturday we had sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. We went to a ballgame in the afternoon in short sleeves and only briefly considered getting out a sweatshirt or jacket as the sun went down. Of course, today it was back to the more normal grey skies and showers, and at least long sleeves or a light jacket were needed to be comfortable, but that is normal spring weather for us. That's the way it is in this part of the country; the joke is if you don't like the weather in Seattle, just wait 15 minutes and it will change. We have come to love the changeable weather and the rain; without the rain, we would not enjoy the beautiful forests and meadows that are so prevalent here.

It is amazing how much the weather affects mood. Just one day of sunshine brightens our spirits enough that we are able to make it through another round of rain or snow. We have lived here long enough now that we are not surprised when it stays cool and wet up until the middle of July or beyond with only occasional warm days. Too many warm, dry days in a row, and we miss the rain and the cleansing effect it has on the atmosphere and the earth. When you live where it rains frequently, you learn to make your plans for outdoor activities with a backup plan in case the weather is too bad—or you just go ahead and do things outside anyways. It just is not possible to wait for perfect weather all the time.

That is the way it is with a lot of things. There are times when it seems like the sun will never shine again and winter will never be over. We end up spending too much time waiting for things to get better or be different instead of living in the present and enjoying it fully. Someday when I am through with school, or after I meet that special person and get married, I will finally be happy, then I will really be able to start living. We even do that with God: after I get my life together, then I will follow God. I know people who say once they have had a chance to live it up and be wild for awhile, then they will get right with God. The problem is there are no guarantees for any of us about the future. If we wait for the perfect moment to follow God, we may miss the opportunity forever.

There are many things that we have no choice but to wait for. Having a relationship with God is not one of them, however. God does not ask us to clean up our lives or do great feats in order to prove our devotion to him. What he asks is that we believe in his son, Jesus, and follow him. We will fail and fall on our faces a thousand times along the way, but he will pick us up and help us take another step a thousand and one times. He does not give up on us and is not surprised by anything we do—or do not do. 

God is in the now, and he wants to meet us right now, whether our lives are full of sunshine or seem to be in an endless cycle of rain. He wants to be our shelter and our light when the storms of life are overwhelming, and he brings the promise of spring when winter drags on and on.

What are you waiting for in your relationship with God? He longs to meet you right now and to draw you closer to him. Let him in today and start really living now.

April 13, 2008