Last weekend, I made a spur-of-the-moment trip to Eagle Creek. The sun was shining, the temperatures warm, and it was simply too nice to stay inside. Even as I was lamenting the rapidly vanishing snow (I’m sorry, but yes, I am one of THOSE people...I love snow!), I was looking around in anticipation of changes in nature that will be coming very, very soon. Take this pasture (bottom, left), for example. It still looks barren and frozen, but in a mere 4-5 weeks from now, it will be filled with thousands of tree frogs all croaking loudly, heralding the coming Spring.

I stepped out my back door the other day and discovered that the first green stems have started to poke through (bottom, right). It may still be winter, but I am anticipating the beauty of daffodils to bloom in the very near future.

It reminds me of one of my favorite hymns at this time of year, "Hymn of Promise:"

“In the bulb, there is a flower

In the seed, an apple tree

In cocoons, a hidden promise

Butterflies will soon be free

In the cold and snow of winter

There's a spring that waits to be

Unrevealed until its season

Something God alone can see.”

~Natalie Sleeth

In anticipation, there is hope. Hope that good things are coming. Hope for exciting times. We can’t see what is coming yet, but we have the promise of hope.

Maybe there is something you are anticipating in your own life. Maybe you are filled with anticipation as we begin ministry together with Pastor Beau. Or maybe it is something else entirely. May we be filled with hope for what is coming, because although we can’t see it yet, God can!

~Janet Spaulding