Finally, Spring!

Saturday dawned with the first, real, significant spring weather. It was bright and sunny with a predicted high in the mid-60's. I've been no-so-patiently waiting for spring to arrive so I could plant the peach trees and blue-berry bushes I bought weeks ago. The weird part of the day was clearing an area out of the snow to plant the trees. By mid-afternoon the day had warmed up and so had my neck and top of the head. The equation ss + rsp - fhh = sb accurately captures the experience, Sun Shine + Reflected Snow Properties - Full Head of Hair = Sunburn.
The kids enjoyed the day as well. They took large sticks to attack the various piles of snow about the yard calling themselves "The army of spring." Their plan seems to be working as the scattered piles were the first to disappear this weekend. The last little joy of spring was driving by the ice-free little lake near our house. Its finally time to buy my fishing license.

Real Life

I came across this thought today as I was reading my usual blog feeds. It captures my daily struggle between a successful life and a devoted life.

Humans are apt to treat God the way the first type of sports fan treats their favorite team. We expect that if we give our allegiance to God that He will be good to us. But that is not the sort of relationship that God wants with us. He doesn't need our allegiance. He is not an insecure demagogue trying to rally support. He calls us to worship Him not because He needs our worship, but because He knows there could be nothing better for us than to get caught up in his glory. --Betsy Childs

To be successful is temporary, to be devoted is ethereal and eternal. To get that promotion I've been bucking for only satisfies for a time. Then I will want more. To make that the center and measure of my life will always leave me wanting more. Jesus said "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it" (Matthew 16:25). And in another place John say of Jesus "In him was life, and that life was the light of men" (John 1:4). Real life is not found in the measure of our possessions, title or popularity but in knowing and being know by the creator.