Spring

I think Spring is breathtaking, especially in Portland, but I am biased. All the trees full of blossoms, shouting new life has arrived, a new beginning has begun.  I feel refreshed and reenergized. After the accident I remember thinking there is NO possible way I could ever have a healthy, abundant and beautiful life again, everything seemed so barren. What I had and loved was no more, it was gone in a second, thankfully I was left with the gift of my precious boys, but to imagine what a year from then looked like made my stomach sour. 
As I was on a walk with my boys today, we stopped at a dirt pile, the boys with freshly cleaned clothes (what was I thinking) and right out of the bath (dumb mommy) they were like ants to a picnic.... (I'll include a picture later) and dived into the dirt. While they were enjoying being little boys I was taking in the blossoming trees.
I think nature is one of the best analogies of life, and today was profound for me. I was looking at the branches of the trees. On their own they are ugly, brown, bland, twisted and without life, but the next tree was full of branches sprinkled with blossoms and abundant with flowers.  I think the same is true for how God works.  On our own we are naked, without purpose, and our future is not looking too hopeful. But when you allow God to come into your life, coming to him as you are (whether you've been walking with Jesus for awhile or never before, he has the power to transform and refine us into a "tree" firmly planted with deep roots and whose leaf does not whither and whose flower does not fade. 
So when I doubted that I could ever wake up refreshed and energized I was wrong, it took time and alot of bare days (and I still have them) but God in his wisdom and profound love created in me a life so full of hope and abundant with joy that tomorrow no longer makes my stomach churn and I can actually see sunshine in the distance. Only a living God can do that. Believe in that hope and embrace Jesus into your life, he will transform your hopelessness  and clothe you with his glory and that is always breathtaking. 

Here are a few pictures from our walk,

Micah liked more than just the dirt... 

Bare Branches

Blossoms

Beauty

Abundant with flowers