For Signs of Spring

O Lord, help!  
Winter prevails
Cold, rainy, wet, gray  
Habitual checking of forecasts  
Constant dismay at the results  
Fenders, gray, rain jackets, and layers  
The desire for sun, for color, for warmth  
Not given or received  
The season draws on, tiring and lonesome  

Yet this, the seasons, I know are a part of your grace  
As winter and spring begin their overlap,  
The world transitions from one stage to another,  
And the contrast of new life shines brightly against the dormancy of winter.  

As trees begin to burst forth with life,  
Bright greens come back that have been gone for months  
And pastel perfect white, pink, yellows and purples blossom  
Sun bursting through grayed clouds thick with rain.

Lord, you give us hope.  
There is no hope in this dying world apart from you.  
Remind us of your goodness,  
Stop us in our tracks,  
Slow us down enough to suspect a sprout,  
Reflect on a bud,  
Contemplate colors of new creation.  
Winter will inevitably come to an end  
And spring, like your grace, will come.

Thank you, Lord,  
not just for signs of spring,  
but for the rest and rejuvenation  
given to us and your creation through winter.