The Hope of Spring

Yesterday was the first day of spring and the weather in North Texas was beautiful. We did not have a brutal winter but we did have a deep freeze and ice storm that took it’s toll on our plants. As I walked Miss Maggie in the late afternoon I stopped to look at one of our trees. There were tiny buds beginning to appear on the branches. These green buds sprouted in defiance of winters brutal assault. I stopped and meditated on the miracle of life emerging out of barrenness. I thought of the words of philosopher Bernard Williams. “The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.” I love that. Is there anything more hopeful than watching the beauty of budding leaves and blooming flowers turning the melancholy of a bleak winter into a wondrous palette of invigorating colors? Every spring is a reminder that God will bring beauty from darkness and life from death. 
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The Most Important Question Ever?

The movie Risen offers a unique look at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. How did a worldwide movement arise after the ignominious death of their leader? It all hinged on one question. Did Jesus rise from the dead? I wrote the following about the improbable rise of these early Jesus followers in my book “When Bad Christians Happen to Good People” a few years ago. History records that several alleged messianic figures were running around during the time of Christ. It is possible that some of them had followers as impressive as the twelve selected by Jesus. Jesus took twelve guys of questionable attributes and built the largest faith in the world. Not one of the other would-be messiahs’ influence made it into the second century, let alone the twenty-first. So our calendar is dated by the birth of Christ. Does it not pique your curiosity that such a band of men could have such a global impact? No
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Why This Spring Feels Different

My boys will tell you that I am the eternal optimist. For the past year I have been getting on my tiptoes and looking for the light at the end of the Pandemic Tunnel. Full disclosure. I have been discouraged by how (insert your approved descriptive word here) long this tunnel has become. Just when I start feeling hopeful TCLNN (The Chicken Little News Network) informs me the sky is falling and likely very soon. I allowed myself to wonder if the world will ever be the same. I needed a postcard from God. Today I walked outside and received that needed special delivery from my Heavenly Father. Just a month ago record cold paralyzed our state and it was feared that many plants could not survive. But on this sunny morning life had begun to renew. Green buds sprouted in defiance of winters brutal assault. I stopped in my tracks and stared at life springing out of barrenness. I
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