I Think

I think this is absolutely the best time of year. With the Spring Season finally here, the flowers are really starting to bloom, the sunsets are clearly more spectacular, and the air itself seems to just smell a whole lot fresher. While I no longer have an ocean view, I do have a gorgeous view of the Coto de Caza Golf Course framed by Saddleback Mountain, the highest peak in all of Orange County. Rabbits and squirrels scurry by (along with squirrely golfers as well), and at the moment nature is dressed in its finest apparel, making me grateful to be alive to witness it.

In fact, a mother dove created a nest on our front porch this week, on top of a pillar protected by the roof. For the past few days she is always there, never leaving, so her eggs must be ready to hatch. She doesn’t seem to be bothered by us as we go in and out of our house, and we are certainly not bothered by her presence either. To me, she is a symbol of spring and a precious reminder of Easter and the promise of new beginnings.

Right now, I think the world needs the promise of new beginnings and a hopeful future more than ever. I thought this pandemic would only last two weeks. Instead it has lasted more than two years, and is still going on. There are bombs being dropped on Ukraine, never thought that would happen. And lately there have been so many of my friends and family members who have lost loved ones due to Covid, cancer and car crashes, that it blows my mind. So my thoughts and prayers are stronger, and my prayer list is longer, than it’s ever been!

With all that has gone wrong lately, it could make us sad. But as I arrive home after a long day of work and pass by that dove huddled quietly over her babies, and then gaze out at the gorgeous view from my patio, I feel encouraged. Life will always have its ups and downs, but for me, Springtime and the upcoming Easter Season combine to create the promise of a better life ahead. At Easter we don’t just celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we celebrate His promise of a new beginning and a life everlasting. I think...I will think about that… instead!

Sunset  view from the top of Saddleback Mountain

Spring shows us what God can do 

with a drab and dirty world. 

~ Virgil A. Kraft