It's typically sometime after Christmas that I settle in to a doldrums of sorts: the anticipated but long-off spring. We had this incredible February which prompted us Coloradans to bust out the shorts, and put away our jackets with the anticipation of an early spring. Never to be outdone, March brought us a huge, wet snowstorm that lasted about 9 hours last Wednesday. I can't complain as I may or may not have been poolside in California enjoying 90 degree temps. Meanwhile, back in Boulder, snow was piling up faster than it could be removed and, as a result, branches litter nearly every street and sidewalk. The yellow tape denoting a crime-scene can be seen all along Broadway (the main street) where limbs have cracked and hang precariously along sidewalks and alleys.
As I watched CTDad cutting down branches and recycling the limbs today, I stopped him and asked him if he would help me trim some of the budding branches and keep them in water to display in my kitchen. The result is already an opening of the buds. It got me thinking how many of us have broken branches, a part of our life that is hanging precariously, just waiting for the wind of fear, joblessness, health issues, and so much more to crack the remaining threads that have us holding on for dear life. In one 10 day period, we lost 4 acquaintances (including a teenager, a tiny premature baby, a single dad and a friend from college days). Just a few days ago the pastor who our kids grew up with died suddenly on a bike ride. He was an amazing man, grandpa, husband, and father. He used to call us all Bozos on the Bus (implying that we are all in this thing called life together…just doing the best we can). In fact, that may be a good title for his autobiography! He was a pretty amazing bus driver and it has left many wondering about how fragile life is.
As I go through my daily activities this week, I hope to catch a glance of those blooming, yet broken branches and remember those people and friends who have lost loved ones. I know from experience that from brokenness I have learned to be more aware of God's daily renewal and His ability to take the fragile, hidden parts of our lives and turn them into beauty. Without Him, I don't know where I would be. Maybe those branches would look different and I would readily chop them off at the hint of disease. Today, I am using them to find beauty in a world that can feel scary and unknown.
Happy Easter my PEEPS!
CoffeeTalkMom
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