How a Bird that's not a Crow got me Excited

Snow. 

Cold. 

Boots & coat a bare minimum when crossing the threshold into the great outdoors.

Drafts via old doors in old houses.

Groundhogs who see shadows.

Did I mention snow?

And bitter cold? 

Brrrrrrr. 

Oh, and add to this list that makes up this rather long winter in Chatham, the crows. Bagged garbage should be banned from this city, in my humble opinion. Because a garage bag is a crow's dinner and let me tell you, they have nothing close to manners when it comes to eating dinner. 

Anyway. Enough grumbling. Onto the good stuff.

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The cardinal.

Perhaps they've been here all winter long. Perhaps they've sang their song all winter long. But twice this week, I've heard one outside our bedroom window in the morning, letting the world (or rather, us and our neighbor) know that it was just that - morning - and time to get up. 

I'm not sure I can fully explain in words the happiness I felt when that bird sang. Have I truly missed it this winter, or is my recent longing for spring bringing the song to my attention? Because how wonderful it sounded! It gave me a glimpse of warmer days when I love nothing better than to fling open all our windows and let the birds sing me through my morning and the breezes freshen up our house. When I can have coffee with my husband on the front porch in the morning, or lunch with my daughter on our little back deck. When I can make attempts to turn black thumbs into green. When I can slip on a pair of flip flops instead of struggling into boots and bundling into coat and gloves and such. Maybe it's because I've recently read "The Secret Garden" to Hadassah, or have seen a zillion beautiful gardens on Pinterest, but I am getting pretty excited about spring! 

You?

A long winter gives us many opportunities to be reminded of God's grace - that He washes us whiter than snow. Sparkling, beautiful snow. Yet there's so much of me that's ready to be reminded of new life in Christ as we see spring develop around us. To hear more than the caw of of those pesky crows! His timing is perfect, I know. But we can anticipate with eagerness, right?

So...thank you, Mr. Cardinal outside my window. Excited for spring and more of your songs...